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

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!
We are here for you.

Warmly,
DejaVu

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.


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.

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.


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!

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.


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.