I've never heard of Zoton. I will ask my doctor about it next time I see him.

Lansoprazole (Prevacid) is U.S. name for Zoton
 

Hi Wiix,

I was catching up on your thread and wanted to share some information with you. I hope you find the info. helpful. :)

Please note: Zantac and Prevacid (Zoton) are in different drug classes.

Ranitidine (Zantac) is a histamine H2 -blocker.
Lansoprazole (Prevacid) is a proton pump inhibitor

RE: Lansoprazole (Prevacid) -
In the U.S., lansoprazole is the same drug as Zoton (UK and Australia).
This was previously marketed under a trade name, Prevacid.
This is a proton pump inhibitor, in the same class as omeprazole (Prilosec).

In the U.S., lansoprazole is available OTC in 15 mg dose, as Prevacid 24HR.

Higher doses and/or special formulations are available by prescription.

Even though lansoprazole is available in lower dose OTC, please be cautious and check with your doctor and pharmacist as to whether or not this is the best medication for your condition and also check for potential interactions with current medications. If your doctor tells you its okay to take this med, please ask about the correct dosage for your condition.

Drugs.com states there are 277 drugs known to interact with lansoprazole.
There are 10 major interactions, 180 moderate interactions and 87 minor drug interactions. http://www.drugs.com/drug-interactio...soprazole.html

As with any medication, be careful. Check in with your doctor to be sure it is best for your condition. Check with your pharmacist ,if your doctors okays or prescribes a medication, for potential interactions, side-effects, etc.

I hope you get your G.I. issues sorted out soon, Wiix. Please ask your treating physician for more help.

Sometimes, there are things we can do to also help ourselves. Have you tried a food diary? Do you eat and go to sleep prior to allowing time for digestion of foods? Have you looked at the FODmaps diet mrsD had suggested?

I hope you feel better soon! :hug:
We are here for you.

Warmly,
DejaVu

Zantac Use
 

Hi Wiix,

I must suggest you check in with your doctor about taking Zantac in any pattern which differs from your doctors instructions.

None of these G.I. meds, like other meds, are benign. They all have some side-effects, interactions, risks. Often, the goal is to use them for a limited amount of time, long enough to heal erosions, ulcers, etc. Your doctor is aware of the projected time-frame in your individual case.

It's very important to try to sort out if anything you do (eating patterns) or anything you eat or drink is contributing to difficulties/discomfort.

The sooner you can heal the irritation/erosions, those you saw in the pictures of your stomach lining, the better.

This must be very frustrating for you. :(

I hope we are helping in some way.

:hug:
DejaVu

After dealing with this now for 6 years, I think I've done everything I can think of to try to track the cause down. But, honestly, I don't think all the tests, that showed nothing wrong, are wrong. They just haven't zeroed in on the cause. Even I have found somethings it could possibly be on my own. But the doctors refuse to investigate further. I think something is wrong at the top of the small intestine, maybe a duodenal ulcer. Or something is stuck in the sphincer of Odi or it is stuck open allowing the stomach to fill up with acid. All my attempts at remedies are useless until I can get the correct diagnosis, which I can't.

I tried Previcid a few years ago and there was no change. I even thought that uterine fibroids might be the cause but was assured that these symptoms don't fit.

So I continue with the Zantac and anti motion sickness pills. It does help some.

Keeping a food diary does sound promising. Yet sometimes I'll eat something that I would suspect could be causing my symptoms, sometimes it does sometimes it doesn't.

I kind of think I am being poisoned by the water. So I only drink bottled water, for two years now but still use tap water for cooking. I have a trunk full of bottled water to make sure I don't run out.

As far as the stomach lining, it was totally eroded.

I've mentioned this before but I'll mention one more time. I would not drink tap water unless an emergency. I often cook with it though.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/julie-...b_2976260.html

Hi Wiix,

I am very sorry this has gone on so long for you. :(

I have been increasingly concerned due to the chronicity.
I'd like to think of something that might truly help you. :hug:

Was the cause of the stomach lining erosion explained to you?
When were these GI pictures taken?
Has there been follow-up, as in re-checking your stomach?
Have you been using Zantac and the motion sickness pills for these 6 years?

Many municipal water systems are full of chemicals.
Chloramine has been very controversial.

If interested, you may enter your state and city on these links to see if there is a water quality report for your area. It may be enough just to know how you feel when you drink the water, without checking on these reports.
http://water.epa.gov/drink/local/
http://cfpub.epa.gov/safewater/ccr/index.cfm


I get nausea from drinking the municipal water. I have to drink purified spring water.

:hug:
DejaVu

P.S. It's very difficult to make some suggestions I might otherwise make. We are not sure your stomach lining is healed.
I don't want to take any chances.

Hi Wiix,

Seems like a few of us are just born to be cursed with GI problems. Mine predate all my other issues, have led to near death from a perforated duodenal ulcer - I needed 2 emergency pints of plasma in the ambulance and 4 pints of blood in a transfusion.

It is literally sickening living on stomach meds all the time, I have to take Metoclopramide 3 times a day as well. That works by emptying your stomach quickly, it is a horrible med.

I know some of my issues are Acid production related, some are Anxiety related and a lot is genetic. Much as I have tried with diets and alternatives, I am stuck with the meds.

I feel your pain and I am sorry you go through this.

Dave.

Hi Dave,

Thanks so much!

I am sorry for all you must deal with. :(

Thanks for sharing your experience with the perforated ulcer.

I am very concerned about suggesting anything alternative to Wiix, especially if we don't know if her stomach lining is healed. If there is continued erosion, as Wiix has described, there is a risk of causing her stomach lining to bleed.
Bleeding and/or perforations are serious matters.

I am so glad you are okay, Dave! :hug:

I lost a brother, 42 y.o., to perforated GI.
I am very aware of ultra-serious nature of advanced GI erosion, ulcers, perforations. It's so important to take chronic GI issues seriously.

Sometimes, people do need to stay on meds, long-term.

I am very concerned that Wiix continues to have her life interrupted by the GI symptoms. I hope she can find a safe solution.

Thank you for raising awareness by sharing.

:hug:
DejaVu

Speaking of tap water and I avoid it more since our city fluoridated in 2009...even showers are giving us fluoride, bathing as well. I avoid it mostly for arthritis and joint issues...but there is more.

http://fluoridealert.org/issues/heal...trointestinal/

I have about a month's supply of bottled water that I use for drinking. I have a filter on my kitchen tap that I use for cooking. I only use tap water for washing dishes and some personal articles of clothing. I have been doing this now over two years. Would love to get spring water like I used to back east.

Hi Wiix,

With the bottled water and the filter on your faucet, you still feel the water is making you ill?

You had mentioned fibroids. This leads me to ask if you have shared your prolonged GI symptoms with your gynecologist? If this topic feels too sensitive, don't answer out loud here. It's important you know the answer.

Has your stomach healed up since the pictures were taken?
When were the pictures taken?
If it has been awhile, have more pictures been taken?
Have you ever improved?

I hope you are having a good day today! :)
Are you getting outside today?

:hug:

DejaVu

I got myself the most dishonest, user of a doctor. He told me I NEEDED a colonoscopy, that's why I did it. Upon being discharged from hospital, he just ignored me. I called for nausea medication, he'd give me a little for a while then just stopped. Never a diagnosis except saying Gastritis. I know that's a diagnosis but no treatment or anything. No cause or help with it. Why is he a gastroenterologist??? He does one thing, Colonoscopy and that's it. I wouldn't go back to him or his group for anything!! :mad: He did nothing fo me except waste my time and I'm still sick!! :mad:

I'm exactly the same as I was when I went to him.

Dragging this issue around with me all the time I really don't feel like getting outside.

Wiix... I see on another thread you are planning on getting another iguana? That you have had several in the past?

Well anyone with gastritis should be careful about having any pets like reptiles and turtles:

http://animalquestions.org/reptiles/...arry-diseases/

I don't know about you, but I sure don't think I could follow all those restrictions if I had a lizard pet. :o

What do you mean "restrictions" ?

I haven't had a lizard for years. :confused:

I apologize if I mistook your other posting:

The restrictions I meant...all the safety precautions on has to pay attention to in order to not contract salmonella from reptiles.
Just saying looks like alot of work to me.

Some of the information about contracting disease from reptiles is pretty new, besides.

We've repeatedly been down that road with the doctors. I didn't have salmonella. I know what that is and this is not that. I had salmonella a couple of times when I was young. So I know what that's all about.

If the lizard is healthy and shows no signs of sickness and you feed him correctly there is no problem.

It's that my stomach lining is eroded. It looks like Cancer but it's not. :o

Yes, it is a lot of work but when you love them it's a labour of love.

New Specialist?
 

Hi Wiix,

I am sorry your doctor has not been helpful.

Is it possible to see a new gastroenterologist?
Will your primary care help you choose one and make a referral?

:hug:
DejaVu

My new doctor, I've had about 3 years now, may be able to help me find a competent gastroenterologist. I will discuss it with him unless he can think of something else to do. I may just have to live with this until it kills me. :(

I am Hoping for Your Healing!
 

(((( Wiix ))))

Let's hope there is a solution.
It's important to know if your stomach has healed.

Once the condition of your stomach is known, the better any targeted treatment.

As mrsD has mentioned in a different gastritis thread, kefir can be helpful.
It's very bland (esp. plain or vanilla). I use the Evolve brand when I use it.

http://www.evolvekefir.com/healthstudies.html
http://www.evolvekefir.com/AcidolphilusCaseStudies.pdf

There are many good kefir brands available.

There are also probiotics in capsule form.

I am very concerned about making other suggestions, as they may cause you more troubles IF your stomach lining is not healed.

I hope you have had a good day!
I also hope you will have a restful, peaceful night.

:hug:
DejaVu

I'm trying something new. I have a full bottle of spring water when I first wake up. I stopped having coffee for a few days to see if that made a difference and it didn't. This water thing I think is helping, for now anyway. :o

Get check for Crohn's disease

I thought of that but I don't have diarehha. You'd think doctors would check for that, wouldn't you? :o

It's been really bad this past couple of weeks. Around the clock nausea. Really interrupts with sleep. Can't hardly sit here and type. :( Nothing helps. :(

This thread of is of interest to me, because I have been ill with gastritis since my endoscopy and colonoscopy.

How are you doing WIIX, better I hope?

My gastroenterologist advised me to take Align, which I am doing, because even though it only has one strain of "patented bacteria" the reviews for it are excellent. My plan is to use it for a few months and then replace it with a multi-strain probiotic.

I am chewing a DGL tablet before all food and not eating the foods on the avoid list, but I am only having marginal improvement.

In March I was in the ER after having a violent reaction to an antibiotic therapy for h pylori diagnosed from a blood test. I stopped after 3 days and continued with a holistic regimen for two months. I do not have h pylori now, but it is possible I never had it in the first place-I will never know, but all told it took me months to recover. And now I feel like I am back to being miserable.

I have read that Gaviscon coats the esophagus and forms a plug that prevents the stomach contents from back washing up the esophagus. This appeals to me since according to the endoscopy report mine is irritated, probably from allergies.

If it is allergies how do you find out? My doctor mentioned celiac at first, but it is not mentioned in his preliminary report.

No we will never know otherwise, I've often wished I did not do hip replacement and where would I be now better or worse or the same. I limp now, limped before, no less pain meds than before and the caution needed with these replacements....and the nerve damage mess I deal with.

I come from the old school of doctors and never bought into all the testing pushed in today's medical world. There are more of those like me.

I have some other friends with stomach issues and they have done the colon testing...So as I see it the medical industry is so powerful and so much influence on so so many.

Work with prevention as much as possible.

This past week I have been better. I have been sicker since my colonoscopy too. I think they left something behind in there. I get better then I get bad again then better then bad. This time I have had some really good days, almost no symptoms. As far as doctors are concerned, forget them. They don't know what the heck is wrong with me. I have NO confidence in doctors anymore. Might as well just throw your money in the street.

When the microbiome is washed out for a colonoscopy it may be difficult for it to re-populate. (I eat yogurt with live cultures, drink kefir and take probiotics)

My endoscopy report shows mild gastritis, but what I am now experiencing is not mild-it's murder. None of my holistic treatments has been helping me much, so last night in desperation I took Zantac. It helped enough to let me sleep.

I am gassy, belching and down. I was able to vanquish a UTI with D-Mannose, thank God, because the alternative treatment was Cipro, which I do not want to take.

Isn't Cipro an antibiotic?

Yes, it is, used to treat UTIs amongst other bacterial infections.

Dave.

I think it's in the doctors best interest to keep us sick and suffering. What a waste of life. :( I could be doing so much but I can't and no one will help me. :(

This morning I woke up to a new symptom. An odd feeling on my left side. Could be my heart but it wouldn't let me get back to sleep so I got up. I figured I'd take a nice, hot bath. But guess what? There's no hot water. :mad: We had a snow storm over night and the power cut out a few times. It must have blown the pilot out. Been most of the day now. Sure wish I had some hot water. :o

Been better for a while now but now it's back. Not allowing me to sleep really does get to me.

I just rubbed my back and felt it, I mean the nausea in my back. I have thought maybe it is the Vagus nerve causing all this.

Oh well. :o

I'm having an especially bad time of it now for the past week or so. Usually I can fall back to sleep but the pain is just gnawing at my back. I took a Zantac about 4 hours ago and some Tylenol but it came back on me. I just couldn't lay there so I got up. Usually it just magically goes away and I am free of pain for about 2 weeks. Sitting up does help. It's usually worse early in the morning, sometimes not.

I have developed a backache over the past few days when I first get up. It goes away after I'm up for a while.

I guess I'll just sit here until I feel better. :o

Just as predicted, yesterday after a week of agony, I took a nap, woke up and all the symptoms had disappeared. I did go #2 twice since then, Maybe it was something I ate. :confused: I did have liver and a lot of onions over the past week. But usually that doesn't bother me.

I'm wondering if certain combinations of foods contribute to this.

All's well for now.