Has anyone else tried omeprazole?

[Sage321]

I got prescribed this by a Doctor but have an irrational fear of taking new medication, as I reacted badly to something years ago and ended up quite ill. Has anyone had a reaction to it? Does it help acid indigestion quickly?
Grateful for any replies/help to put my mind at ease. I'm desperate to get rid of this acid reflux. Think I just need a bit of encouragement to take it. Fully accept I'm being irrational.
Thank you x

LifesShortTalkFast
Thank you. 😊 I'm glad you managed to eventually come off it. It sounds like you had a rough time. The little things the doctors fail to tell you eh?!
Did you have to completely adjust your diet? I was always used to having a small glass of wine every night but just the thought makes me feel sick!
I've decided not to bother going back to the gp. What's the point? They'll only give me more of the same.

My DH has taken this for years and years. However he’s trying to wean himself off it as he’s read research about how long term use really isn’t curing you but masking the issues and not great for gut health which has an impact on so many other things.

He’s trying the Apple cider vinegar once a day thing and so far he’s gone from needing to take two a day to 3 a week and he’s a month in. It’s only when he can’t stay away from things he really likes that he needs one (wine and spice!) he’s also ditched sugar which has had insane health benefits for him.

I’m also taking the daily ACV for digestion issues and it’s also helping me.

Not sure whether all of this is a placebo situation.

also DS took omeprezole when he has a baby for silent reflux and it really helped so to answer your question yes it does help!

He's trying the Apple cider vinegar once a day thing and so far he’s gone from needing to take two a day to 3 a week and he’s a month in

@Abouttimemum I did this as well when I was tapering off omeprazole. Another tip a doctor friend gave me was to eat a small slice of a "Red Delicious" type apple after every meal (apparently helps with stomach acid).

Three a week is excellent progress!

In the beginning I did have to avoid "trigger" foods. For me that included anything with tomatoes/tomato sauce, fried foods, etc. But now I can eat just about anything as long as I'm mindful of portion size. Eating until I'm overly full is sure to trigger reflux for me.

I think doctors should encourage people to try to slowly taper off the meds once their reflux is under control. They really need to warn people that there will likely be a period of worsening symptoms but that will resolve with time and can usually be managed.

But there are definitely people who need PPI's long-term, particularly if there are changes to the lining of the esophagus.

Oh that’s a great tip thank you I’ll tell him.

He’s also been taking vitamin B supplements as he’d read that omeprezole can cause a deficiency and it may be the reason he’s been feeling so fatigued over recent years. He feels so much better all round really with his new regime.

I think all the research he’s done has been quite enlightening!

Thanks for this thread it’s confirmed the things I noticed that when I forgot to take one I felt awful. I’ve been on it for 6mths now so really feel like I need to wean myself off it but it’s made me feel so much better & I’ve lost weight as it’s controlled that constant hunger thing I felt with the acid constantly building up. When I tried apple cider vinegar before I started taking it it made it worse? I do drink lemon juice in hot water in the morning that helps. I will try the apple slice after meals too.

He’s also been taking vitamin B supplements as he’d read that omeprezole can cause a deficiency and it may be the reason he’s been feeling so fatigued over recent years

I feel a bit foolish admitting this, but I took a PPI daily from 2013 to late 2017. Since I felt fine while I was on it (and it eliminated my acid reflux) I didn't have any concerns.

Then my bloodwork started showing vitamin deficiencies despite eating a nutritious diet. Very, very low Vitamin D and B-12. When I saw a gastro specialist he was appalled that my GP had the prescription on repeat and strongly encouraged me to taper off the med and reevaluate my symptoms.

I'd been off for 4 years when I was diagnosed with Pernicious Anemia. When the stomach is artificially low in acid (and that's exactly what PPI's do), the lining can begin to atrophy. Stomach atrophy (Atrophic Gastritis) can lead to PA.

Monthly B-12 shots keep my levels up and I'm in good health, but the Atrophic Gastritis does make me have an increased risk of stomach cancer. I'm roughly 3-4 times more likely to get it than someone without PA/atrophic gastritis.

So my very long answer is just to say that it's worth having a discussion with a doctor who is knowledgeable about these things before just assuming that it's a benign drug that you can take for years and years with no risks or consequences.

@Wishingitcolder Another tip: you can open the capsule and poor a tiny bit out rather than going cold turkey. The idea is to give your stomach time to gradually adjust to increasing acid levels. Take your time and don't rush it.

Also, don't eat until you're feeling full. Small meals are less likely to cause a flare.

I have been prescribed this for the past year. Effective. No side effects and it works well for me. No more horrific, painful, debilitating heartburn

Does anyone else take it when they don’t have a gallbladder? I was fine for 8yrs with no GB but was then struggling a lot with stomach acid issues which have only eased taking this.

OMG this has been life changing for me.
I didn't realise how bad my acid indigestion & reflux was until I started taking it. Noticeably I sleep better now.

Don't leave it (like I did) for years until its so bad that you've damaged your oesophagus - I now have Barretts.

This review of the evidence on the impact of PPIs on the following may be useful when weighing up the pros and cons

1. PPIs and Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection
2. PPIs and dementia
3. PPIs and pneumonia
4. PPIs and antiplatelet agents
5. PPIs and kidney disease
6. PPIs and micronutrient deficiency
7. PPIs and bone mineral density

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6463334/

Use famotidine instead it's not a ppi but does the same job without the long term side effects

My mum took PPI’s for a long time. She went on to develop osteoporosis (she also has Alzheimer’s).
Obviously, we will never know if the omeprozole caused it or not but It has put me off taking them even though I have awful gut issues atm.
I think they are fine short term but are prescribed for far too long for many. My friend has been on them for over 10 years without any thorough reviews by his gp.

The risk of damage to your oesophagus by not taking it vs taking it makes it a no brainer for me.

DH has had an oesophagectomy due to years of reflux which permanently damaged his oesophagus (he also has a rare condition which predisposes him to oesophageal cancer). As PP have pointed out consistent damage to the oesophagus caused by acid reflux can cause Barrett's oesophagus which can cause cancer.

Please take your doctor's advice. They don't prescribe these drugs for a laugh.

Please take your doctor's advice. They don't prescribe these drugs for a laugh

Very true. However, I would hope that a patient with diagnosed Barretts (or any other precancerous condition) is under the care of a gastro specialist who can advise risks vs/benefits as well as monitoring the progression/severity of the condition.

I think GP's, often overwhelmed, renew the scripts without evaluating the underlying cause. And of course many people buy the nonprescription versions assuming they are risk free.

But absolutely agree that you need to discuss discontinuation with your doctor. Any advice I give about tapering off is meant for people who have already discussed this with their doctor but gotten a shrug when they ask how they're supposed to discontinue these meds after long-term use.

My older brother has bee on prescription PPI's for decades and likely will remain on them for life. He needs to manage a condition that could lead to cancer if left untreated. But he needs monthly B12 injections and was diagnosed with osteoporosis in his late 50's, likely due to problems absorbing calcium. But overall the risk to him is greater if he stops PPI use. Not to mention a reduced quality of life.

Blimey! That's all interesting to read. I had a telephone consultation today with a nurse and was prescribed another month's supply of Omeprazole when I said i didn't want any more and that I think i can control it with diet. I have cut out mostly all foods and liquids that aggravate it which omg is so boring! But I want to at least try that route. The nurse said to come back in a month if it still hasn't gone so just a waste of time as predicted.

I wish they had prescribed it for me back when I was pregnant. I had utterly horrendous reflux and instead I got huge bottles of gaviscon..I couldn't go anywhere without my bottle!

I’ve been taking for years too and if I try to come off or miss one I get reflux again. I take mine at night with my other meds so no issues of interaction with food and drink

I take it for a hiatus hernia.

Been told I'll be on it for life 😕

Would love to come off it but anytime I've tried to reduce the dose I've been in agony really quickly.

Yes, if I get a flare-up of gastritis. Absolutely brilliant stuff, though you need to take it regularly (not ad hoc). Plus, I think "proton pump inhibitor" sounds very Star Trek, which pleases me.

Love it 😀

Wish I had never been prescribed it. 13 years on it. Can't get off it as horrendous burning if I try/forget to take it. The burning is a lot worse than the original pain when I first started getting symptoms.

I have a a hiatus hernia and got a bad dose of gastritis and osophaegitis in April. I took omeprazole for 4 months but have successfully stopped it. I will take it short term if needed but I already have osteoporosis so will not be taking it long term.

I’ve been taking it for about 3 weeks now - oh my god, the instant relief!
I’d previously managed the symptoms by being careful with my diet but that (and Gaviscon Advance by the bucketload) wasn’t cutting it.