If you're on Lansoprazole and have IBS you may want to read this....

[kirstyboo]

Hi everyone

Just thought I'd post a wee update on how things have been going with my clinic/GP visits in the never-ending quest to find out whether I have IBS or IBD! At the moment, it appears to be most likely IBS, but with 2 forms of IBD running in the family, I have to be careful and report any changes to symptoms, which had changed quite a lot last year!

One of the most concerning symptoms for me was vomiting for no apparent reason and although my IBS was always of the "mixed" variety (neither diarrhea nor constipation predominant) I started to have diarrhea a lot! My abdo pain increased, I started to get a lot of mouth ulcers, my stools became black/tarry in appearance, felt generally fatigued and fed up/depressed, got lower back pain and random rashes! Although I did get some of these symptoms before, their severity increased. I got various tests done, including a colonoscopy, all "negative" except for my Calprotectin which was very high, indicating inflammation of the bowel.

Anyway, a good few years ago I had an Helicobacter pylori infection which went undiagnosed for a long period of time, until a locum doctor tested me for it (I already had IBS so this wasn't the cause of that!). I was put on the usual "triple therapy" for it, which included Omeprazole, a Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) to control the acid in my stomach. I ended up being put on Lansoprazole, another PPI drug long-term as the acid reflux and heartburn from the infection remained, possibly indicating I had a stomach ulcer from the infection.

Cut back to the present day and after re-reading the side-effects of the Lansoprazole a month ago, I contacted my GP and we both agreed I would try to come off it, even though when I tried in the past my acid reflux was unbearable. I took Gaviscon for the acid for the first week and after this time, there has been very little acid or heartburn! Also, remarkably, I would say 70% of my "IBS symptoms" have decreased dramatically or disappeared altogether! Also my Calprotectin has now come back normal!

It scares me that a drug that was meant to help me, was in actual fact doing my body more harm than good and exacerbating my IBS.

Therefore, although of course my IBS hasn't been cured (I still get flare ups), I feel so much better and also better within myself mentally, but with all this in mind, I urge anyone who has been on a PPI drug for a long period of time and has had an increase in IBS symptoms, to contact their GP to see whether the drug could be the cause.

Here's a link to side-effects of the PPI drug I was on: drugs.com/sfx/lansoprazole-...

I hope this helps at least one person, so that they don't have to go through what I have the past couple of years! It may very well save you having to get some very unpleasant, unnecessary tests!

Anyway, thanks for reading x

[Hidden]

I suffer with chronic IBS and have done for about 12yrs.I have just been put on the Fodmap diet,but I have been taking Lansoprazole for about 3yrs so would you say it could be possibly adding to my IBS ,as I suffer terribly

[kirstyboo in reply to Hidden]

It is a possibility but I would recommend speaking to your GP before coming off any medication, but it definitely improved a lot of my symptoms, I haven't felt this good in a very long time! I never tried the FODMAP diet as it was too restrictive but good luck as it may work for you, I find my IBS is just randomly triggered, something may cause it to flare up one week then not the next! But I have heard it works for some people, so perhaps try the diet first then maybe come off the lansoprazole? Hope things improve for you soon.

[Hidden]

Thank you

[GokaiLion]

I don't want to jump to any conclusions without going back to my doctor but I think a similar thing is happening to me... (Essay warning!)

I have had low-level acid reflux problems for a number of years which I had been controlling by being aware of what I was eating and doing. But a couple weeks ago I developed cramps, gas, discomfort (alternating between sharp and dull pain and a strange constant feeling of awareness) in the area behind my bottom-right ribs and (because I was laying down with the pain) bad reflux to the point it caused a cough. I was laid up for a whole weekend so I made a doctors appointment as it was making me miserable. 

I was a lot better by the time I went, but thought it was best to still get checked out. The doctor asked me a few reflux questions, poked me twice in the tummy then gave me lansoprazole and said to come back in four weeks if I am still ill. When I brought up that I was more concerned about the abdominal stuff he said "that just sounds like IBS, I'm not worried" and shooed me along.

Now, I'm not saying I don't have IBS but to suddenly wake up with it one day and the doctor not care or want to test and just diagnose it in passing like that didn't seem very "fair". He didn't even give me any help with those symptoms..! 

Anyway, so the day after I got the prescription I was fine(!) but I started having spasms and constant discomfort and pain again the next day. Last weekend, I forgot to take the lansoprazole and happened to be fine despite having a roast dinner and being very active. Then I went back to suffering all this week to the point I couldn't bring myself to eat. That led me to waking up so hungry yesterday that I forgot to take my tablet first so I ended up not and lo and behold I was fine again. 

I also found a capsule that I took out of the packet and put down and obviously never actually took from one day when I was cleaning in the week and I now suspect that was the other day I was fine and perhaps the problems I had had (IBS or otherwise) had actually subsided on their own just in time for me to start flaring similar problems up with the lansoprazole.

I have taken it this morning and will see how I get on but if I am ill again I am definitely going to try having two straight days without it on purpose and go back to the doctor (probably a different one) on Monday.

[VincciW in reply to GokaiLion]

It's possible to take Lansoprazole and not feel any better!

I'm currently on a H.pylori triple therapy including Lansoprazole and 2 antibiotics.

The Lansoprazole is supposed to lower stomach acid levels, but I'm still getting really bad heartburn and the acidic feeling flowing back up my throat 4 days out of 7 into the treatment.

I hate feeling this way!

[Hidden]

Hi. I have been on ppis for 10 years and my ibs has got worse in this time.

I have had chronic ibs for 30 years and ended up at A and E several times.

However since being put on ppis I am in awful abdominal pain.

My entire digestive system feels like a washing machine.

Like you ,When I dont take them for a couple of days I feel much better.

I think it's time to come off them.

How are you now

Carol

[Scr1969]

You have described me down to the last word

I also was diagnosed with H-Py and put on Lansoprazole (15mg - 1 tablet a day) about two years ago roughly when my IBS was first investigated. I still take Lansoprazole now and then and my IBS has been very aggressive lately so much so that I also had a couple of stool samples one showing inflammation but the second one being normal so in June after using my BUPA card i'm having a colonoscopy to double check - the only thing my GP never told me was after the triple course of antibiotics to treat the H-Py you must replace the good bacteria in your gut - which I did with some Acidophilus tablets.

Thank you for sharing your experience even though its been horrible for you, I wish you all the luck like our fellow suffers to get back to normality soon.

[kd92]

Hi, one question please, how long were you on the lansoprazole and how much was your calprotectin?

[kirstyboo in reply to kd92]

Hi My calprotectib was 685 and I had been on it for over 2 years.

[kd92]

Thanks! I was on it for 2 weeks (daily supplements) and my calprotectin was at 415, I stopped it for 2 more weeks and redid the test, it went down to 213. So I think I'll leave it for a month and redo the test