I have been taking dexilant for several years but I read that it is not a long term treatment, is this normal?

Hello,

First of all, it is true that treatments with drugs of the Dexilant family can sometimes be stopped after a certain period of time. However, it also happens that these treatments are taken for several months or years. It should be noted that they are prescribed to a large number of people for a variety of reasons. Some conditions require 14, 28 or 56 days of treatment. For others, we must treat for a longer period of time and then try to stop it. Finally, some people are not able to stop it or have a condition or other medication that needs to be continued. Each case is different and a face-to-face discussion with your pharmacist may help guide you through your options. Be aware that Dexilant is usually well tolerated over the long term and that most side effects are rare. Sometimes follow-up blood tests may be ordered to see if the medication is still well tolerated and can be continued.

In any case, you should consult your pharmacist in person for this specific case, as many factors may come into play when it comes to discontinuing or continuing a Dexilant-based treatment.

Have a nice day.

Why was Dexilant prescribed in the first place?

For headache, it is relatively rare for drugs in this family to cause headache. It is an unspecific side effect that is listed in almost all monographs due to its high prevalence in the general population.

Before stopping Dexilant, one should know why it was originally prescribed. If it was for simple reflux, it might be possible to stop it for a while, but I doubt the headaches will go away.

As for Topiramate, it can sometimes increase dyspepsia, but again, this is rather rare and the effect is often dependent on the dose prescribed.

If your lifestyle has changed significantly enough and Dexilant was prescribed only for reflux, you may not need to continue it. You may be able to take it on an as-needed basis during reflux episodes. As for topiramate, the digestive side effects usually fade over time. Give yourself about 1 week and see if the situation improves. If in doubt, contact your pharmacist who will be able to advise you according to your file and your prescriptions.

thank you