How and when to take lansoprazole

Each dispersible tablet or capsule contains 15mg or 30mg of lansoprazole.

The usual dose to treat indigestion, acid reflux or stomach ulcers is 15mg to 30mg a day.

The usual starting dose to treat Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is 60mg a day. This can be increased up to 180mg a day, depending on how well it works for you. Doses over 120mg will be split into 2 doses.

Doses are usually lower for children, older people and people with liver problems.

Changes to your dose

Sometimes your doctor will increase your dose of lansoprazole if it's not working well enough.

Depending on the reason you take lansoprazole, you may take a higher dose to begin with, usually for 1 or 2 months.

After this, your doctor may recommend that you take a lower dose.

How to take it

You'll usually take lansoprazole once a day, first thing in the morning.

If you take it twice a day, take 1 dose in the morning and 1 dose in the evening.

Lansoprazole works best if you take it at least 30 minutes before a meal or snack. That's because food stops some lansoprazole getting into your system.

If you need to take an antacid, take it at least 2 hours before or after your dose of lansoprazole. Antacids can stop lansoprazole working as well.

Swallow capsules whole with a drink of water or juice.

If you have problems swallowing capsules, you can open lansoprazole capsules and mix the granules inside with a little water or fruit juice, or sprinkle them onto soft food, such as yogurt or apple puree, to help you swallow them.

Do not crush or chew capsules, or the granules inside, as this will stop the medicine from working properly.

Lansoprazole also comes as tablets that melt in your mouth (orodispersible). If you're taking these, put the tablet on your tongue and gently suck it until it melts.