Lanzoperole, upset stomach anyone?

[Jo1947]

Hi, I take 1 lanzoerole tablet per day and over the last week have had an upset stomach with diarrhoea and dizziness. I have tried think what it could be and wondered if anyone else on here has experienced this whilst taking the Pred cocktail as well, thank you, I am on 8-1/2 Pred at the mement and reducing quite well

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi Jo,

Could be the Lansoprazole itself causing the problem - are you new to it? Are you spacing your medication out correctly (a bit of a nightmare I know) Lansoprazole 30mins before breakfast, Pred with or after, VitD/Calcium before lunch, blah, blah, blah.

You could try stopping the Lansoprazole for a few days and see if things improve. Try taking yogurt to help stomach.

Or, it may just be coincidence, some bug doing the rounds!

[Jo1947 in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks DL, I havnt been very consistent with the timings of taking this pill! I think your advice of stopping it for a few days is probably the correct one, am going to try that, havnt taken one this morning. Am due to see doctor on Tuesday so can discuss this if it hasn’t stopped. Thank you as always

[Celtic PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi, Lansoprazole caused diarrhoea and pain for me, as did Omeprazole. My rheumy’s advice was to stop taking it. I mentioned that I was concerned about doing that for fear of the effect of steroids on the stomach. He reassured me on that front, and I decided to have a ‘live’ yoghurt each morning before taking the steroids and all remained well throughout my treatment in spite of a quite hefty steroid starting dose of 40mgs. Good luck - diarrhoea is no fun!

[Jo1947 in reply to Celtic]

Thank you Celtic, sorry to hear it upset you but it is reassuring to know it can have this effect. Inwardly I was worrying, thinking, oh no not some other illness as well.

[Soraya_PMR in reply to Jo1947]

Lansoprazole upset me too. I filled up with wind (think barrage balloon). Constant belching, and the other end, stomach pain, felt dreadful. Had to stop it....and felt better.

Tried ranitidine, ok with small doses, diarrhoea with 150mg/day.

My solution was the coated pred.

[Celtic PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Jo1947]

I know the feeling, Jo! Hopefully, stopping the Lansoprazole will do the trick and remove all thoughts of another “illness” - PMR is more than enough to cope with and, luckily, it sounds as though you’re doing well on that front.

[CT-5012 in reply to Jo1947]

Celtic’s reply is exactly my experience too. Yoghurt or milk with pred no problems. Good luck.

[Hidden in reply to Celtic]

Hi Celtic, I go with you and those that have problems with Lansoprazole and Omeprazole.

I have a early cup of tea followed with a small bowl- about 5 heaped teaspoons of Yogurt -found Greek better than natural-personal no doubt ,sprinkle of Jaggery and a Digestive

biscuit. another cup of tea follows, followed by the Prednisolone -(12mg-up from 10 - Pacemaker fitted!) .Its keeps my body and mind sane. I have been on the Pred for 5years now!

I have learnt from all writing in this Column. Best wishes to fellow sufferers.John

[Celtic PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Hidden]

I had to look up Jaggery, John! I add a teaspoonful of Manuka honey to my yoghurt - it is supposed to benefit the immune system and the oesophagus amongst other things.

Sorry to hear that the situation surrounding having a pacemaker fitted upset the applecart with your steroid reductions but, hopefully, having successfully reached 10mgs in the past will bode well for returning there in time. Hubby had a pacemaker fitted a few years ago after collapsing in the early hours one morning - sooo grateful to whoever invented those! Hope you’re feeling better with your’s.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

PPIs are themselves very prone to causing gastrointestinal problems and it can happen at any time, not just soon after starting to take them.

What else do you take? Some people have problems with some sorts of calcium supplement. And of course, if you have a few things that can cause it - they can reinforce each other!

[polymy]

I had the same problem with Lansoprazole. My doctor has given me Pantoprazole which it says is “gastro-resistant”. I am fine on that. Might be worthwhile asking your doctor to change if the problem doesn’t clear up.

Liz.

[Telian]

Hi Jo

Sorry about the upset tummy but as DL suggests try stopping it as it's the latest newbie tab and that will be useful for your GP to know. I take Loratadine without problem and I do suffer reactions to lots of meds - good luck I'm sure you'll get sorted out when you see your GP

[Rimmy]

I'd be wary about just assuming it's the Lansoprazole especially if you have been taking them for a while without problems - in which case it's probably something else altogether. I know they don't agree with some people but Lansoprazole has worked well for me for many years - when nothing else did (even prior to Pred) for a serious reflux problem which all my family members seem to have - and so far lucky for me without any bad side effects - but I recognise we are all different.

Best wishes

Rimmy

[Ciar]

I had similar side effects with omeprazole, but I couldn’t stop taking it because at higher doses of prednisone I got gastritis without it. As I reduced prednisone I was able to slowly replace it with famotidine, which controls acid differently and doesn’t give me those side effects. As I reduce prednisone I am reducing the famotidine and hope to be off it soon. If you don’t need to reduce stomach acid in order to tolerate prednisone, you probably don’t need these other drugs

[Jo1947]

Hi to all of you who have responded in such a helpful caring way. Went to the docs today and explained problems with lansoprazole, he suggested we try omeprazole if needed. I think I shall take most people’s advice of taking tablets with Greek yoghourt and see if I can do without these extra pills. ESR was 15 so he was pleased with that, blood pressure for home monitoring he felt was still on the high side so is going to see next visit. I have to take things into my own hands with weight gain and lack of excercise, this could make all the difference. I am on 8-1/2 Pred, he wants me to go to 8 for 4 weeks and then 7 for 4 weeks, we’ll see how I feel. Thank you all, you are all so supportive

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Jo1947]

Ranitidine would have been a better option - different sort of drug that does nearly the same thing.

But please don't just stop taking the PPI - you must taper it just like pred. If you stop suddenly you will have what is called rebound acid production that will be worse than ever.

[Jo1947]

Thanks PMR, will take one today and space them out over the week until I’ve tapered off them. Have started taking a lot more Greek yoghourt when I get an acid attack and that helps a lot. My current doctor tires on 20th July, it will be interesting to find out what experience the rest of a youngish bunch of Doctors have!