Lansoprazole

What is lansoprazole?

Lansoprazole decreases the amount of acid the stomach makes. It is used to treat reflux disease, inflammation of the lining of the throat or stomach, or bleeding in the stomach. It may also be used with antibiotics to treat ulcers. 

You may hear lansoprazole called by its brand name, Prevacid. Lansoprazole comes as capsules and as fast-dissolving tablets (FasTabs). 

Before giving lansoprazole to your child?

Tell your child's health-care provider if your child:

• is allergic to lansoprazole or any of the ingredients in the tablets or capsules
• has phenylketonuria (PKU): lansoprazole FasTabs contain phenylalanine which can build up in the body in PKU
• has liver disease: this condition may cause lansoprazole to build up in the body

How should you give your child lansoprazole?

Follow these instructions when giving your child lansoprazole:

• Give this medicine exactly as your child's health-care provider tells you, even if your child seems better.
• For best effect and if possible, give this medicine on an empty stomach (preferably 30 to 60 minutes before food or one hour after food).

How to give the capsule to your child:

• If possible, give the capsule to your child whole, with water or juice.
• If your child cannot swallow the capsule, you may open the capsule by pulling the two ends apart. There are little pellets inside the capsule, and these pellets can be mixed in food such as applesauce, pudding, cottage cheese or yogurt.
• The contents of the capsule may also be mixed in a small amount of juice, such as apple or orange.
• Do not crush the pellets. It is also important that your child does not chew the pellets.
• Give the mixture of pellets and food to your child immediately after preparing it. Do not make it ahead of time.

For a 7.5 mg capsule dose:

• If your child's dose is 7.5 mg, you have to give them one half of the contents of the 15 mg capsule.
• Open up the capsule and pour the pellets into a small container.
• Now try to split the amount in half and only give one of these halves to your child. (The amount you split may not be exactly half.) The remaining half may be saved for the next dose but should not be saved for any longer.

If opening a capsule and giving the medicine by feeding tube:

• Open the capsule and pour the pellets into an oral syringe with the plunger removed.
• Add apple juice (try not to use water as this will make the pellets sticky and more likely to clog the tube) and gently swirl the syringe so the pellets are spread out evenly. Slowly give the medicine through the tube.
• Flush the tube with two more syringes of apple juice to make sure the tube is clear of pellets. Make sure there are no pellets left in the syringe or the tube.

How to give the fast-dissolving tablet to your child:

• If you need to split the tablet, do this with a tablet splitter. You can buy a tablet splitter at the pharmacy.
• Place the fast-dissolving tablet on your child's tongue.
• In about one minute, the tablet will break down into little pellets.
• Your child should swallow what remains in their mouth. The pellets should not be chewed. They can swallow with some water if needed.

What if my child cannot swallow the fast-dissolving tablet or needs the fast-dissolving tablet by feeding tube?

• Please note that the fast-dissolving tablet may block some feeding tubes (especially if the feeding tube is smaller than 10 French). Please speak to your child's health-care provider to make sure that it is appropriate to give your child this medication through their feeding tube.
• Place the tablet in an oral syringe with the plunger removed.
• For a 7.5 mg dose (1/2 of a 15 mg tablet or 1/4 of a 30 mg tablet), add 4 mL of water. Shake gently.
• It will take about 15 minutes for the tablet to break down. Then, give the contents of the syringe to your child.
• To make sure all of the medicine is given, add another 5 mL of water to the syringe, shake gently, and give this to your child.
• For a full 15 mg or 30 mg tablet, add 10 mL of water and follow the same procedure as described above.

What should I do if my child misses a dose of lansoprazole?

• Give the missed dose as soon as you remember.
• If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose. Give the next dose at the regular time.
• Do not give your child two doses to make up for one missed dose.

How long does lansoprazole take to work?

It may take several days for this medicine to help your child feel better. It may take up to one month for the medicine to have full effect.

What are the possible side effects of lansoprazole?

Your child may have some of these side effects while they take lansoprazole. Usually, your child will not need to see a health-care provider about them. These side effects may go away as your child's body gets used to lansoprazole.

Check with your child's health-care provider if your child continues to have any of these signs or symptoms and they do not go away or they bother your child:

• Dizziness
• Headache
• Stomach pain or watery bowel movements (diarrhea)
• Constipation

Call your child's health-care provider during office hours if your child has any of these side effects:

• Joint or muscle pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Skin rash
• Bone pain

Most of the following side effects are not common, but they may be a sign of a serious problem. Call your child's health-care provider right away or take your child to the Emergency Department if your child has any of these signs:

• Severe diarrhea, bloody stools or severe abdominal pain
• Numbness or tingling of the fingers or toes
• Decreased or painful urination or blood in urine
• Allergic reaction (difficulty breathing, swelling of the mouth or throat, rash, hives)

What safety measures should you take when your child is using lansoprazole?

There are some medicines that should not be taken together with lansoprazole, or, in some cases, the dose of lansoprazole or the other medicine may need to be adjusted. Make sure that your child’s health-care provider knows if your child is also taking: 

• blood thinners, such as warfarin and clopidogrel (Plavix)
• sucralfate (Sulcrate)
• certain HIV medications (e.g., rilpivirine)

Check with your child's health-care provider before giving your child any other medicines (prescription, non-prescription, herbal or natural products).

What other important information should you know about lansoprazole?

• All pharmacies carry lansoprazole. Both the capsules and the fast-dissolving tablets come in a 15 mg and 30 mg size. They must be split in order to get doses of 7.5 mg. Lansoprazole does not come in a liquid form.
• Make sure you always have enough lansoprazole to last through weekends, holidays and vacations. Call your pharmacy at least two days before your child runs out of medicine to order refills.
• Keep a list of all medications your child is on and show the list to the health-care provider.
• Do not share your child's medicine with others. Do not give anyone else's medicine to your child.
• Keep lansoprazole at room temperature in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. Do NOT store it in the bathroom or kitchen.
• Do not keep any medicines that are out of date. Check with your pharmacist about the best way to throw away outdated or leftover medicines.
  

Keep lansoprazole out of your child’s sight and reach and locked up in a safe place. If your child takes too much lansoprazole, call your local Poison Information Centre at one of these numbers. These calls are free. 

• Call 1-844 POISON-X, or 1-844-764-7669, from anywhere in Canada except Quebec.
• Call 1-800-463-5060 if you live in Quebec.