Prevacid Side Effects

Generic name: lansoprazole

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jan 21, 2025.

Note: This document provides detailed information about Prevacid Side Effects associated with lansoprazole. Some dosage forms listed on this page may not apply specifically to the brand name Prevacid.

Applies to lansoprazole: oral capsule delayed release, oral powder for suspension, oral tablet disintegrating delayed release.

Serious side effects of Prevacid

Along with its needed effects, lansoprazole (the active ingredient contained in Prevacid) may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking lansoprazole:

More common side effects

• diarrhea
• itching, skin rash

Less common side effects

• increased or decreased appetite
• joint pain
• nausea
• stomach pain
• vomiting

Rare side effects

• anxiety
• blurred vision
• chest pain or discomfort
• colds
• constipation
• dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
• fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
• increased cough
• lightheadedness, dizziness or fainting
• mental depression
• muscle pain
• nervousness
• pain or discomfort in the arms, jaw, back, or neck
• pounding in the ears
• rectal bleeding
• slow or irregular heartbeat
• sweating
• unusual bleeding or bruising

Incidence not known

• back or leg pains
• bleeding gums
• blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
• bloating
• bloody, black, or tarry stools
• change in mental status
• chest tightness
• chills
• clay colored stools
• confusion
• cough
• dark or bloody urine
• difficulty with swallowing
• drowsiness
• fast heartbeat
• fever
• general body swelling
• hives
• hoarseness
• indigestion
• loss of appetite
• lower back or side pain
• mood or mental changes
• muscle cramps in the hands, arms, feet, legs, or face
• muscle spasms (tetany) or twitching seizures
• nosebleeds
• numbness and tingling around the mouth, fingertips, or feet
• painful or difficult urination
• pains in the stomach, side, or abdomen, possibly radiating to the back
• pale skin
• pinpoint red spots on the skin
• puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
• red skin lesions, often with a purple center
• red, irritated eyes
• seizures
• sore throat
• sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth
• stomach tenderness
• swelling of the feet or lower legs
• swollen or painful glands
• trembling
• trouble breathing
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• yellow eyes or skin

Other side effects of Prevacid

Some side effects of lansoprazole may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common side effects

• dizziness
• headache

Less common side effects

• bleeding, blistering, burning, coldness, or discoloration of the skin
• mild nausea

Rare side effects

• bad, unusual, or unpleasant (after) taste
• bad breath
• belching
• burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings
• change in taste
• difficulty in moving
• double vision
• feeling of heat or warmth
• flushing or redness of the skin, especially on the face and neck
• lack or loss of strength
• loss or thinning of the hair
• mild diarrhea
• mild headache
• mild vomiting
• persistent non-healing sore
• reddish patch or irritated area
• shiny bump
• stomach discomfort or upset
• swollen joints
• white, yellow or waxy scar-like area

Incidence not known

• decrease in passing urine (dribbling)
• decrease in the frequency of urination
• decrease in urine volume
• difficulty with speaking

For healthcare professionals

Applies to lansoprazole: compounding powder, intravenous powder for injection, oral delayed release capsule, oral granule for reconstitution, oral suspension, oral tablet disintegrating.

General adverse events

The most commonly reported side effects include headache, dizziness, fatigue, and malaise.^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Common (1% to 10%): Abdominal pain, benign fundic gland polyps, constipation, diarrhea, dry mouth, flatulence, nausea, stomachache, vomiting
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Candidiasis of the esophagus, glossitis, macroscopic/microscopic colitis, pancreatitis
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Colitis, stomatitis
• Frequency not reported: Abdomen enlarged, abnormal stools, bezoar, cardiospasm, collagenous colitis, duodenitis, dyspepsia, dysphagia, enteritis, epigastric discomfort, eructation, esophageal disorder, esophageal stenosis, esophageal ulcer, esophagitis, fecal discoloration, gastric nodules/fundic gland polyps, gastritis, gastroenteritis, gastrointestinal anomaly/disorder/hemorrhage, gastrointestinal moniliasis, gum hemorrhage, halitosis, hematemesis, hiatal hernia, impaired gastric emptying, increased salivation, melena, mouth ulceration, positive fecal occult blood, protracted diarrhea, pseudomembranous colitis/Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea, rectal disorder, rectal hemorrhage, sore mouth, tenesmus, tongue disorder, ulcerative colitis, ulcerative stomatitis^[Ref]

Pseudomembranous colitis may occur with triple therapy for the eradication of H. pylori.

The majority of patients with severe/protracted cases of diarrhea who discontinued treatment had symptom resolution.^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Itching, pruritus, rash, urticaria
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Bullous rashes, cutaneous lupus erythematosus, erythema multiforme, erythematous rashes, hair loss, hair thinning, hyperhidrosis, petechia, photosensitivity, purpura, serious dermatological reactions, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis
• Frequency not reported: Acne, alopecia, contact dermatitis, dry skin, fixed eruption, hair disorder, maculopapular rash, nail disorder, subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus, skin disorder, sweating
• Postmarketing reports: Fatal toxic epidermal necrolysis^[Ref]

Skin rashes, urticaria, and pruritus generally resolved upon discontinuation of therapy.^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Common (1% to 10%): Dizziness, headache, taste perversion
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Paresthesia, somnolence, taste disturbance, tremor, vertigo
• Frequency not reported: Amnesia, cerebrovascular accident/cerebral infarction, convulsion, dementia, hemiplegia, hyperkinesia, hypertonia, hypesthesia, migraine, parosmia, syncope, taste loss
• Postmarketing reports: Speech disorder^[Ref]

Hepatic

• Common (1% to 10%): Increased liver enzyme levels (alkaline phosphatase, ALT, AST, GGT)
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Hepatitis, jaundice
• Frequency not reported: Bilirubinemia, cholelithiasis, increased alkaline phosphatase, increased ALT, increased AST, increased GGT
• Postmarketing reports: Hepatotoxicity^[Ref]

Other

• Common (1% to 10%): Fatigue
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Fever
• Frequency not reported: Additional isolated laboratory abnormalities, asthenia, chills, deafness, ear disorder, malaise, otitis media, pain, tinnitus^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Common (1% to 10%): Dry throat
• Frequency not reported: Asthma, bronchitis, cough increased, dyspnea, epistaxis, hemoptysis, hiccup, hoarseness, interstitial pneumonia, lung fibrosis, pharyngitis, pleural disorder, pneumonia, respiratory disorder, rhinitis, sinusitis, sore throat, stridor, upper respiratory tract infection, upper respiratory tract inflammation, wheezing^[Ref]

A definitive relationship between use of this drug and interstitial pneumonia has not been established.^[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Arthralgia, fracture of the hip/wrist/spine, myalgia
• Frequency not reported: Arthritis, back pain, bone disorder, bone fracture, joint disorder, leg cramps, myasthenia, musculoskeletal pain, neck pain, neck rigidity, synovitis, systemic lupus erythematosus
• Postmarketing reports: Myositis^[Ref]

Hematologic

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Eosinophilia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Agranulocytosis, anemia, hematological effects, neutropenia, pancytopenia
• Frequency not reported: Abnormal albumin globulin (AG) ratio, abnormal platelets, abnormal RBC, abnormal WBC, bruising, contusion, decreased platelets, decreased WBC, hemoglobin decreased, hemolysis, increased globulins, increased platelets, increased WBC, lymphadenopathy
• Postmarketing reports: Aplastic anemia, hemolytic anemia, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura^[Ref]

Psychiatric

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Confusion, hallucination, insomnia, restlessness
• Frequency not reported: Abnormal dreams, abnormal thinking, agitation, anxiety, apathy, depersonalization, emotional lability, hostility aggravated, libido increased/decreased, nervousness, neurosis, sleep disorder, visual hallucinations^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Edema
• Frequency not reported: Angina, arrhythmia, bradycardia, chest pain (not otherwise specified [NOS]), hypertension, hypotension, myocardial infarction, palpitations, peripheral edema, shock/circulatory failure, tachycardia, vasodilation^[Ref]

Metabolic

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Anorexia, hypomagnesemia
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Hyponatremia, increased cholesterol/triglyceride levels
• Frequency not reported: Avitaminosis, blood potassium increased, cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiency), decreased cholesterol, dehydration, diabetes mellitus, gout, hunger, hyperglycemia, hyperlipemia, hypoglycemia, increased appetite, increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), increased/decreased electrolytes, thirst, weight gain/loss^[Ref]

A definitive relationship between use of this drug and hyponatremia has not been established.^[Ref]

Genitourinary

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Erectile dysfunction, impotence
• Frequency not reported: Abnormal menses, albuminuria, breast enlargement, breast pain, breast tenderness, crystal urine present, dysmenorrhea, dysuria, hematuria, leukorrhea, menorrhagia, menstrual disorder, pelvic pain, penis disorder, polyuria, testis disorder, urethral pain, urinary frequency, urinary retention, urinary tract infection, urinary urgency, urination impaired, vaginitis^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Angioedema
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Anaphylactic reaction, anaphylactic shock
• Frequency not reported: Allergic reaction
• Postmarketing reports: Anaphylactoid reactions^[Ref]

Ocular

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Visual disturbances
• Frequency not reported: Abnormal vision, amblyopia, blepharitis, blurred vision, cataract, conjunctivitis, diplopia, dry eyes, eye disorder, eye pain, glaucoma, photophobia, ptosis, retinal degeneration/disorder, visual field defect^[Ref]

Renal

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Interstitial nephritis
• Frequency not reported: Acute interstitial nephritis, blood urea increased, kidney calculus, kidney pain, glycosuria, increased creatinine, renal dysfunction, renal failure^[Ref]

Some cases of interstitial nephritis resulted in renal failure.^[Ref]

Endocrine

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Gynecomastia
• Frequency not reported: Goiter, hypothyroidism, increased gastrin levels, increased glucocorticoids^[Ref]

Oncologic

• Frequency not reported: Carcinoma, laryngeal neoplasia, metaplasia, skin carcinoma^[Ref]

Immunologic

• Frequency not reported: Candidiasis, flu syndrome, infection NOS^[Ref]

Further information

Prevacid side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Note: Medication side effects may be underreported. If you are experiencing side effects that are not listed, submit a report to the FDA by following this guide.

Medical Disclaimer