Common Questions
Below is a list of the most common questions about Prevacid.How do I take Prevacid?
How long should I take Prevacid?
How does Prevacid help heal damage to my esophagus?
How does Prevacid stop the damage to my esophagus from coming back?
Does Prevacid have side effects?
When is it occasional heartburn and when is it acid reflux disease?
Will acid reflux disease go away on its own?
What does acid reflux disease feel like?
What are the long-term risks of acid reflux disease?
Does Prevacid work on ulcers?
When should I call my doctor?
What should I ask my doctor?
How do I take Prevacid?
Both Prevacid doses, 15 mg and 30 mg, are available in capsule form, as well as Prevacid SoluTab Orally Disintegrating Tablets, which can be taken on the go without water. Talk to your doctor about the option that is right for you. To learn more about all the different ways you can take Prevacid, click here, and for full instructions, see the complete Prescribing Information.
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How long should I take Prevacid?
How long you take Prevacid will depend on why you're taking it and how your body responds. Only your doctor can tell you how long you should take Prevacid. While your individual results may vary, Prevacid not only relieves the heartburn symptoms associated with acid reflux disease, but it also can help heal damage to the esophagus known as erosive esophagitis. And for many people, continuing treatment with Prevacid, if prescribed, can even stop the damage from coming back. For this reason, it's important to take medication as directed by your doctor even if you don't feel the symptoms.
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How does Prevacid help heal damage to my esophagus?
Prevacid works by reducing the amount of acid in your stomach. Therefore, you have less harmful acid backing up, or refluxing, into your esophagus. This allows your esophagus to heal. With Prevacid as the foundation of your treatment, you can go beyond relieving your everyday symptoms. As long as you are taking Prevacid as prescribed, you are healing damage to your esophagus caused by acid reflux disease. Although healing takes time, up to 95% of patients with erosive esophagitis taking Prevacid healed by their 8th week of treatment. Your results may vary.
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How does Prevacid stop the damage to my esophagus from coming back?
If a maintenance regimen for healing of erosive esophagitis is prescribed and followed, Prevacid, once a day, helps to reduce stomach acid. As a result, less acid backs up, or refluxes, into your esophagus. This helps stop the damage to your esophagus from coming back. Your results may vary.
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Does Prevacid have side effects?
Like all medications, Prevacid has some side effects. The most common side effects of Prevacid are diarrhea, abdominal pain, and nausea. Symptom relief does not rule out other serious stomach conditions. For more information, please see the Important Safety Information below.
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When is it occasional heartburn and when is it acid reflux disease?
Heartburn is the most common symptom of acid reflux disease. In fact, as many as 15 million Americans experience heartburn daily. Occasional heartburn can typically be relieved with over-the-counter medications if needed. But if you experience persistent and recurring heartburn, that is two or more days a week, even though you've tried over-the-counter treatments, such as antacids, and changed your diet, it could be acid reflux disease, and you should schedule an appointment with your doctor. Only your doctor can diagnose acid reflux disease.
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Will acid reflux disease go away on its own?
Acid reflux disease is often a chronic condition, but its symptoms can be managed. That is why it's important to talk to your doctor about treatment options. Over time, acid reflux disease can lead to serious complications.
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What does acid reflux disease feel like?
Acid reflux disease is a complex condition with many degrees of severity, ranging from symptoms only (symptomatic acid reflux disease) to erosive esophagitis. However, the most common symptom of acid reflux disease is persistent heartburn. Other symptoms may include:
- A sour taste in your mouth
- Difficulty swallowing
- Coughing or hoarseness
- Belching or regurgitation
- And even chest pain not related to your heart
To learn about the symptoms of and treatment options for acid reflux disease, click here.
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What are the long-term risks of acid reflux disease?
Over time, acid reflux disease can lead to serious complications. To learn more about the risks of long-term acid reflux disease, click here.
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Does Prevacid work on ulcers?
Prevacid helps heal gastric ulcers (stomach ulcers), duodenal ulcers (ulcers in the first part of the small intestine), and even stomach ulcers caused by the continuous use of certain medications called NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen.
PREVPAC (lansoprazole/amoxicillin/clarithromycin) is a multiple-drug treatment that reduces the risk of duodenal ulcers returning by eliminating H. pylori
(Helicobacter pylori)—the bacterium believed to cause the majority of duodenal ulcers. To learn more about PREVPAC and its side effects, click here.
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When should I call my doctor?
If you are suffering from persistent heartburn, that is, two or more days a week, even though you've tried over-the-counter treatments, such as antacids, and changed your diet, you should make an appointment to talk to your doctor.
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What should I ask my doctor?
Visit the "Talk to Your Doctor" section of this website for a guide to questions and topics to discuss when you meet with your doctor.
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