What not to take with Lansoprazole

Medications to avoid while taking Lansoprazole

During your consultation, you must tell your doctor about any medication(s) you are taking. This is because some drugs can interact with Lansoprazole, meaning that they either won’t work properly or might put you at risk.

Prescription medications

This advice especially applies if you are taking any of the following prescription medications:

• Ketoconazole, Itraconazole, Rifampicin (used to treat infections)
• Digoxin (used to treat heart problems)
• Theophylline (used to treat asthma)
• Tacrolimus (used to prevent transplant rejection)
• Fluvoxamine (used to treat depression and other psychiatric diseases)
• Antacids (used to treat heartburn or acid regurgitation)
• Sucralfate (used for healing ulcers)
• Atazanavir (used in the treatment of HIV)

Choosing not to disclose this information can put your health at risk.

OTC medications

While taking Lansoprazole, do not take any other over-the-counter treatments for acid reflux. This includes:

• other proton pump inhibitors like Esomeprazole
• H2 blockers

Taking more than one acid reflux treatment will not make your symptoms go away faster or for longer.

Please note: If it feels needed, you can continue taking antacids (like Gaviscon and Rennies) while on Lansoprazole.

Herbal remedies

While herbal remedies are less likely to cause drug interactions, they should still be considered.

When taking Lansoprazole you should not take a herbal remedy for depression called St John’s wort. Doing so can stop Lansoprazole from working properly.

If you are taking any other herbal medicines, tell your doctor about them during your consultation.

Foods to avoid while taking Lansoprazole

While taking medication for acid reflux, you should avoid eating foods that may worsen existing symptoms. This includes rich, spicy or acidic foods such as:

• chocolate
• tomatoes
• citrus fruit
• peppermint
• chili peppers or spicy meals
• hot drinks
• alcoholic beverages
• fatty fried foods

It is also recommended that you wait 2-3 hours after a meal before lying down, as this can cause stomach acid to enter the oesophagus.

Foods to eat while taking Lansoprazole

A diet rich in probiotic foods can help resolve this medication's most common side effect: gastric issues.

Proton pump inhibitors can disrupt the natural balance of your stomach’s good and bad bacteria (also known as your gut flora). The following foods contain good gut bacteria and can help to restore your gut health.

• kefir
• plain natural yoghurt
• sauerkraut
• kimchi
• pickled gherkins
• miso paste

Also try to avoid ultra-processed foods which are low in fibre, as well as greasy deep-fried foods and cakes/pastries. These types of foods tend to be damaging to your gut health and may worsen potential side effects.

Other safety considerations

Taking Lansoprazole when pregnant or breastfeeding

One study Trusted source National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Government Source Biomedical Research and Literature Go to source about the use of PPIs during pregnancy concluded that Lansoprazole did not increase the risk of birth defects or malformations.

As shown by the results, there was almost no difference between these two groups, suggesting that Lansoprazole is considerably safe for pregnant women and their babies.

However, this is information taken from just one study. Due to a lack of scientific research, it generally is not recommended to take Lansoprazole when pregnant or breastfeeding.

If you would like to take this medication but you are pregnant or breastfeeding, consult your doctor. They may recommend a similar treatment called Omeprazole, as it has been more widely researched,

Driving while taking Lansoprazole

Some patients taking Lansoprazole have been reported to experience:

• dizziness
• vertigo (the sensation that you or things around you are spinning)
• tiredness
• visual disturbances (like blurred vision).

You alone are responsible for deciding if you are fit to drive while taking certain medications. If you find that you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, ensure that you don’t drive or operate heavy machinery.

If you are unsure about anything or require additional guidance, please contact your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.