Lansoprazole decreases the amount of acid produced in the stomach.

Lansoprazole is used to treat and prevent stomach and intestinal ulcers, erosive esophagitis (damage to the esophagus from stomach acid), and other conditions involving excessive stomach acid such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

Lansoprazole may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Take each dose with a full glass (8 ounces) of water.

Lansoprazole should be taken before eating.

Do not crush, break, or open a delayed-release capsule. Swallow the pill whole. It is specially made to release medicine slowly in the body. Breaking or opening the pill would cause too much of the drug to be released at one time.

If you are unable to swallow a capsule whole: Open the capsule and sprinkle the medicine into a spoonful of pudding, applesauce, yogurt, cottage cheese, strained pears, or a nutritional drink such as Ensure. Swallow this mixture right away without chewing. Do not save the mixture for later use. Discard the empty capsule.

You may also dissolve the medicine from a lansoprazole capsule in 2 ounces (1/4 cup) of apple juice, orange juice, or tomato juice. Stir this mixture and drink all of it right away. To make sure you get the entire dose, add a little more juice to the same glass, swirl gently and drink right away.

Dissolve the oral granules in 2 tablespoons of water. Use only water when mixing lansoprazole oral granules. Stir this mixture and drink all of it right away. To make sure you get the entire dose, add a little more water to the same glass, swirl gently and drink right away.

To take lansoprazole orally disintegrating tablet: Use dry hands to remove the tablet and place it in your mouth. It will begin to dissolve right away. Allow the tablet to dissolve in your mouth without chewing, swallowing several times as it dissolves.

The lansoprazole orally disintegrating tablet may be taken with an oral syringe as follows: Place the dry tablet into a 15-milliliter oral syringe and draw 10 milliliters of water into the syringe. Shake until the tablet is dissolved and then empty the syringe into your mouth. Refill the syringe with water, shake gently, and empty into your mouth.

The disintegrating tablet can also be given through a nasogastric (NG) feeding tube as follows: Place a 15-milligram tablet in a syringe and draw up 4 milliliters of water (or 10 milliliters of water if using a 30-milligram tablet). Shake until the tablet is dissolved. Attach the syringe to the NG tube and push the plunger down to empty the syringe into the tube. Then flush the tube with more water to wash the contents down.

It is important to use lansoprazole regularly to get the most benefit. Get your prescription refilled before you run out of medicine completely.

Take this medication for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms may get better before your treatment is completed.

Store lansoprazole at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Before taking lansoprazole, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

• theophylline (such as Elixophyllin, Respbid, Slo-Bid, Theobid, Theoclear, Theo-Dur, Uniphyl);

• digoxin (Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps);

• ampicillin (Omnipen, Principen);

• ketoconazole (Nizoral);

• iron (Feosol, Mol-Iron, Fergon, Femiron, others); or

• a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin).

If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to use lansoprazole, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.

There may be other drugs not listed that can affect lansoprazole. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

If you also take sucralfate (Carafate), avoid taking it at the same time you take lansoprazole. Sucralfate can make it harder for your body to absorb lansoprazole. Wait at least 30 minutes after taking lansoprazole before you take sucralfate.

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

An overdose of lansoprazole is not expected to produce life-threatening symptoms.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have any type of liver disease. You may not be able to use lansoprazole, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

Some conditions are treated with a combination of lansoprazole and antibiotics. To best treat your condition, use all of your medications as directed by your doctor. Be sure to read the medication guide or patient instructions provided with each of your medications. Do not change your doses or medication schedule without advice from your doctor.

Take this medication for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms may get better before your treatment is completed.

This medication comes in different forms (capsules, disintegrating tablets, granules). Follow the dosing instructions for the specific form you are taking.

Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have any type of liver disease. You may not be able to use lansoprazole, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

Some conditions are treated with a combination of lansoprazole and antibiotics. To best treat your condition, use all of your medications as directed by your doctor. Be sure to read the medication guide or patient instructions provided with each of your medications. Do not change your doses or medication schedule without advice from your doctor.

FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

It is not known whether lansoprazole passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Some forms of lansoprazole may contain phenylalanine. Tell your doctor if you have phenylketonuria.

Do not give this medication to a child younger than 1 year old.

Your pharmacist has additional information about lansoprazole written for health professionals that you may read.

Lansoprazole is available with a prescription under the brand name Prevacid. Other brand or generic formulations may also be available. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about this medication, especially if it is new to you.

• Prevacid 15 mg—pink/green, delayed-release capsules

• Prevacid 30 mg—pink/black, delayed-release capsules

• Prevacid for Delayed-Release Oral Suspension–white to pale brownish granules

• Prevacid SoluTab Delayed-Release Orally Disintegrating Tablets–white to yellowish tablets with orange or brown specks