Prescription Required
What is Dexilant?
Dexilant is an oral tablet made up of a proton pump inhibitor drug called dexlansoprazole. We carry this medication in 30 mg and 60 mg.
Dexilant is used to help treat problems surrounding the stomach and esophagus. This includes conditions like GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), where a person might experience symptoms such as acid reflux, heartburn, or a persistent cough.
Dexilant can also be used to heal the stomach acid damage caused to the esophagus, known as erosive esophagitis. [1] When the esophagus is damaged, a person may vomit blood, have a decrease in appetite and may experience pain when swallowing. Dexilant can also protect your esophagus from cancer, as well as ulcers.
Dexlansoprazole helps these conditions and their symptoms by decreasing the amount of acid that is produced by your stomach. Acid is the leading cause of most of the symptoms listed.
References
How to take Dexilant
Only take this medication the way that your doctor has directed you to. Taking the incorrect dose can lead to unwanted side effects, ineffectiveness, or adverse interactions.
You may take this medication with or without food, but you must swallow the tablet whole; do not crush, chew or break it open. An exception to breaking the tablet can be made if you cannot swallow pills; in that case, you may break open the tablet and sprinkle the medication into a spoonful of apple sauce.
Use all of your medication prescribed, even if the condition clears up before you have finished the full amount.
Store at room temperature, away from heat and moisture.
Cautions
This medication can sometimes cause kidney problems and can create or worsen symptoms of lupus. Heart burn can sometimes mimic early symptoms of a heart attack. Keep an eye out for signs of kidney problems, lupus, and a heart attack.
You may be more at risk for breaking bones if you take Dexilant for a prolonged time or more than once per day.
Go over all the ingredients found in Dexilant with your doctor to make sure you are not allergic to any of its contents. You may want to avoid this product if you are on any medications containing rilpivirine.
Dexilant is not expected to harm an unborn baby; tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan on becoming pregnant. It may not be safe for a mother to breastfeed while on Dexilant.
This medication should not be used in children under 12 years old.
It is important to be aware of potentially life-threatening side effects of Dexilant. Call your doctor or seek emergency medical help if you experience the following:
- Sudden vision loss, blurred vision, eye swelling, or seeing halos around lights
- Pounding heartbeat, chest fluttering, irregular heart rhythm, or sudden dizziness
- Severe headache, slurred speech, trouble walking, high fever, stiff muscles, or tremors [2]
As these are not all the possible severe side effects, talk to your doctor for more information. Follow your physician's instructions to avoid complications when taking Dexilant.
Side Effects
Common side effects of Dexilant (Dexlansoprazole) may include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, gas; diarrhea; headache; mouth pain, sore throat; or stuffy nose, sinus pain, or other cold symptoms.
The above side effects should not alarm you. However, more severe side effects may also occur. Serious side effects of Dexilant (Dexlansoprazole) may include severe stomach pain, diarrhea that is watery or bloody; a seizure (convulsions); sudden pain or trouble moving your hip, wrist, or back.
If you have any of the above side effects, contact your doctor right away.
Signs to watch for:
- Kidney problems—urinating more or less than usual, blood in your urine, swelling, rapid weight gain;
- Low magnesium—dizziness, fast or irregular heart rate, tremors (shaking) or jerking muscle movements, feeling jittery, muscle cramps, muscle spasms in your hands and feet, cough or choking feeling; or
- New or worsening symptoms of lupus—joint pain, and a skin rash on your cheeks or arms that worsens in sunlight.
- Heart attack—pressure, tightness, pain, a squeezing or aching sensation in your chest or arms that may spread to your neck, jaw or back, nausea, indigestion, heartburn or abdominal pain, and shortness of breath.
FAQs
What is Dexilant used for?
Dexilant is a brand-name medication used for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition associated with stomach acid. GERD is a digestive disorder that can affect people of all ages from infants to grown adults. It occurs when acidic stomach fluids frequently come back up into the esophagus from the stomach (acid reflux) which can irritate the lining of your esophagus. When this occurs, a common symptom is heart burn; a burning pain in your chest behind the breastbone. Acid reflux is normal and happens to everyone from time to time, but when it becomes as frequent as two or more times per week, you may have GERD. Using Dexilant can help provide relief from heartburn symptoms for up to 24 hours. Additionally, Dexilant can help relieve other symptoms that follow GERD, such as difficulty swallowing and persistent cough. Dexilant may also be prescribed to help heal damage to the stomach and esophagus caused by stomach acid (erosive esophagitis), can help prevent peptic ulcers, and in some cases may be able to help prevent esophagus cancer.
How does Dexilant work?
Dexilant belongs to the drug class known as proton pump inhibitors, which are drugs that are effective in reducing stomach acid production. GERD, erosive esophagitis, peptic ulcers, and esophagus cancer are all caused by stomach acid. Therefore, by reducing the amount of stomach acid production, you help alleviate symptoms of these conditions and help to prevent further complications. For example, with less stomach acid, it’s less likely to travel back up into the esophagus, which means less acid reflux, and a lesser chance of developing peptic ulcers, erosive esophagitis, or esophagus cancer. Dexlansoprazole, the proton pump inhibitor that makes up Dexilant, is able to inhibit a certain enzyme (called hydrogen potassium ATPase; also known as the gastric proton pump) found in the wall of the stomach which is associated with the production of acid. By inhibiting this enzyme, it prevents stomach acid from being secreted.
How long does it take for Dexilant to work?
Like with any medication, Dexilant will not work over night so it may take a few days before you notice any kind of improvement. The medication will however begin working on your condition right away as peak concentrations are seen after 1-2 hours of administration and again within 4-5 hours of administration. One clinical study found that 38% of patients were free of heartburn following 3 days of Dexilant treatment. However, keep in mind that everyone has unique personal factors that influence the way your body responds to the medication, including how long it will take to work. These personal factors may include age, weight, gender, genetic-make up, and diet; based off these factors and many others, it may take up to a few weeks before you notice improvement. If after a few weeks of treatment using Dexilant and you still feel no improvement or if your condition worsens, consult with your doctor right away.
Why is Dexilant so expensive?
Dexilant may be expensive for a few different reasons; this may be due to the fact that Medicare has placed Dexilant in tier 4 of the drug formulary, which is one tier away from being the most expensive medications available, next to specialty drugs (tier 5). Additionally, the United States does not have a generic available for this medication, therefore the manufacturer can essentially choose any price point for their medication without fear of losing patients to competitors. There are likely a hand-full of reasons why Dexilant is so expensive in the United States, but many don’t realize that this medication isn’t universally expensive. Outside of the United States, Dexilant – and many other medications – can be found for much more reasonable prices. My Drug Center is an online Canadian pharmacy that allows you to purchase your medication internationally at a low cost while also having it shipped to your front door, allowing for an easy way to fill your prescription. We carry Dexilant for as low as $189.00 when you buy a supply of 100 capsules.
When to take Dexilant morning or night?
The brand manufacturer states that Dexilant may be taken at any time of day. However, this recommendation doesn’t take your personal factors into account. If you are taking other medications, your doctor may direct you to take your dose at a certain time of day; there may be other reasons why your doctor may suggest taking your dose at a certain time. Whatever the reason is, it is important to follow your doctor’s directions carefully for your own benefit. For best results, you should aim to take your dose at the same time each day to help create a routine and prevent you from forgetting or missing a dose. If you are unsure when you should take Dexilant, speak with your doctor.
How to take Dexilant?
When you are being prescribed Dexilant, your doctor should go over all directions on how to use this medication properly for the best results. Your doctor may even give you written directions, such as on your prescription, in case you forget how they would like you to take this medication. Dexilant comes as a capsule which is taken by mouth and swallowed whole; do not crush or chew the capsule. If you cannot swallow capsules, you may open the capsule and sprinkle it into one tablespoon of applesauce; swallow immediately afterwards. Make sure you inform your doctor that you cannot swallow capsules before doing the sprinkle method. In general, Dexilant can be taken with or without food, whichever is directed by your doctor. Most patients are directed to only take one dose per day; depending on your condition, you may need treatment for 4 weeks to 6 months.
What are the side effects of Dexilant?
Some of the most common side effects are as follows; diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, gas, stuffy nose, sneezing or other cold symptoms. Keep in mind that these are only the most common side effects; there are other possible side effects that may occur. Most side effects – such as the ones listed here – should not alarm you as they should subside over time. If they do not go away or become worse, you should consult with your doctor. Additionally, there may be certain ways to alleviate your side effects, for example; some people drink ginger or peppermint tea to help with nausea or eating starchy, low-fibre foods such as bananas, rice, and toast, to help with diarrhea. Speak with your health care professional to find out other ways to battle your side effects.
Who makes Dexilant?
Dexilant is manufactured by Takeda Pharmaceuticals, a Japanese multinational pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical company. Takeda mainly focuses on metabolic disorders, gastroenterology, neurology, and inflammation; additionally, they focus on oncology within their independent subsidiary (Takeda Oncology). Within Asia, it is the largest pharmaceutical company and, worldwide, within the top 20 by revenue. The company was founded in 1781 and many years later, in January of 1925, the company became incorporated. Over time since its founding, the company has provided us with many medications that are still used widely today, such as Prevacid (Lansoprazole) and Colcrys (Colchicine). It has also been listed as one of the top 100 best companies to work for in the United States, according to Forbes Magazine in January of 2012.
When will generic Dexilant be available?
A generic for Dexilant became available for medical use on April 19, 2017 and goes by the name of Dexlansoprazole. You can purchase the generic alternative Dexlansoprazole on our website, My Drug Center. Generic medications are designed to be equally therapeutic, used for the same indications and contain the same strength dosages but may vary in appearance, manufacturer, and price. Generic medications are commonly much cheaper than brand-name medication as they don’t have to make up for the high cost of researching and developing the drug. We carry generic Dexilant (Dexlansoprazole) in both available strengths; 30mg and 60mg in quantities of 100. However, we do also have the brand-name medication available for those who prefer brand over generic, also available in both strengths in quantities of 90. Whichever you prefer, it can be found on My Drug Center; keep in mind, a valid prescription will be required.
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