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Original poster

Omeprazole - how to best dissolve tablets?

35 replies

hazeyjane · 14/01/2012 11:09

Ds (18 months) has just been prescribed these for reflux. He has some issues with swallowing, so we are having a bit of a nightmare with how to dissolve them. At the moment I am cutting them in half, and dissolving in a small amount of apple juice, then syringing it in to him. The problems with this is that a) it is fafferama and b) I can't seem to dissolve them fully, so there is quite a lot of grit which ds sometimes spits out, or it clogs up the syringe.

I asked the dr about getting a liquid, but she said it isn't licensed, and to try a few other ways to dissolve it.

Any suggestions?

ThankyouSmile

OP posts:
Choclatespread · 14/01/2012 13:19

Have you tried crushing it up, with a crusher that you can get from the pharmacy.

Sandthefloor · 14/01/2012 13:29

You could try dissolving it in a small amount of water/juice and then mixing it with yogurt. Hopefully he would then not notice any gritty bits.

Original poster
hazeyjane · 14/01/2012 14:25

thankyou.

It says in the instructions not to crush, I am not sure why.

I tried with yoghurt, but he wouldn't eat it all.

I can see I am going to have to experiment some more!

OP posts:
saladcreamwitheverything · 14/01/2012 14:34

They shouldn't be crushed as they are coated to stop the active ingredients getting dissolved by the stomach. Can the Dr prescribe a branded version called Losec MUPS which are designed to be dissolved easily?

Original poster
hazeyjane · 14/01/2012 14:37

it is the losec mups we have!

we have the tablets though, and someone on sn said they are available in capsules you can break open, so maybe they would be better?

OP posts:
saladcreamwitheverything · 14/01/2012 15:04

They sound useful then, dispersible tablets that don't disperse very well!

You can get the capsules which you can break, the granules inside though are indvidually coated themselves, so again can't be crushed, so you are stuck with the same problem iYSWIM. Also depends on being able to get right dosage as well with the capsules!

Like you say you can get omeprazole liquid, which isn't licenced (although safe to use, it tends to be expensive for the gps to prescribe).

How much water/juice are you using to dissolve? I think it should be about 10ml. What is the dosage?

saladcreamwitheverything · 14/01/2012 15:46

If you put losec mups in the MN search it looks like there's been a few threads on MN about this problem, some good ideas how to get the stuff down!

Smile
PUMBA · 14/01/2012 16:14

Only way to dissolve them is in sodium bicarb but then it tastes foul ... They are the worst things ever for blocking feeding tubes !!!! Sorry can't help more but it is a very common problem among tube fed children with stomach issues x

PoptartPoptart · 14/01/2012 16:18

I found an old thread for you here:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/225870-omeprazole-in-liquid-form/AllOnOnePage

Apparently you can get it in liquid form and I think (my memory is failing me here as it was a few years ago now) DS had it in liquid form. It is licenced, just very expensive so GP's don't like prescribing it and try to fob you off with tablets, which is useless if your LO can't take them in this form. HTH

canyou · 14/01/2012 16:23

Ask your local pharmacy if it is licensed for use, GP may be wrong or looking at the budget if it is expensive, if it is not allowed on free scheme see if you can get prescription and pay good thing in IRL we pay a lot so get what usually works best or so I find

PoptartPoptart · 14/01/2012 16:45

Just remembered, it is licenced, DS definitely had it in liquid form. The chemist had to order it in specially (once the doctor gave the prescription) and it took 3-4 days to arrive each time, meaning I had to be incredibly organised and work out when the current bottle ran out and get a repeat prescription into the chemist before we ran out. I remember the chemist telling me it was mega expensive, something ridiculous like 80 per bottle, that's why GP's don't like prescribing it and fob you off with the not licenced nonsense. Also, the liquid has a short shelf life, something like a week to ten days, and has to be kept refrigerated. But if your LO needs it then cost shouldn't be an issue. I am fed up with GP's putting budget before the needs of their patients, especially children. Good luck getting what your LO needs

GRW · 14/01/2012 18:42

Try putting the tablet in the syringe, drawing up water or apple juice to dissolve it, and then drawing a small amount of air in the syringe and shake the syringe gently to mix the drug immediately before giving it. That way you should avoid grit left behind in the syringe, but if there is some you can just draw up a bit more apple juice and mix it with that.
I agree that liquid would be easier for an 18 month old. It has a short shelf life because it needs to be specially prepared.

mintyneb · 14/01/2012 23:50

can't help with advice on the tablets but just wanted to say that the liquid IS extremely expensive - last time I saw the price (chemist left an invoice in the bag last year by mistake!) it was about £180 per bottle all in and only lasts for 4 weeks from the time it is dispensed.

It is also the foulest tasting medicine I have ever come across - acidic seawater is the best way I can describe it - and whilst my chemist orders in a blackcurrant flavoured one, it's still not that pallatible.

You would probably need to have a very sympathetic GP as I luckily do to get the liquid so I hope you can solve the problem with the tablets soon. Good luck!

thebunnies · 15/01/2012 00:00

DS 21m has been on losec for over 18 months so have had to do this a lot. At the age your DC is, the easiest is to dissolve the tablet in a small amount of water in a very small container (we use an avent bottle top). Leave for several mins then stir gently. We then add some apple puree, stir gently and spoon feed it to DS. Usually only 4 or 5 spoons including scrapings, to get it all in. Syringe is a huge faff and isn't worth the effort once you can give it by spoon. PM me if you need any more, think we've been in touch re reflex before.

windywoos · 15/01/2012 00:07

For dd2, we cut the tablet, put it on a medicine spoon and added a few drops of water to it. Once it had dissolved we gave it to her as any normal medicine. She had it from quite young though, and we didn't have much problem with spitting out. I hope it works for you. There was definitely a settling in period of a week or so for us.

fazsaeed · 15/01/2012 10:07

My ds has severe reflux, he's been on mess since 2months of age.
You CAN get liquid version. It's the omperzole suspension.

Check my post for more info on the time we are having with our gp. Angry

The mups cost 7.50 to nhs and suspension £156 but we all pay tax so if your dc can't have mups tell them.
They might be reluctant because they use the suspension at a younger age.

narmada · 15/01/2012 23:31

I personally think the best thing to do would be to go back to the docs/ paed and ask for something called Lansoprazole Fastabs - they taste of strawberry and disperse on the tongue, or can be dispersed in juice. UNlike MUPS they do properly dissolve, and are from the same class of medicine as Omeprazole so do the same job.

narmada · 15/01/2012 23:32

Also, whether omeprazole or lansoprazole, it needs to be taken on an empty stomach to work, and 30 minutes before any food.

Has milk allergy been ruled out as the cause of your DS's reflux symptoms?

FarloRigel · 15/01/2012 23:39

We dissolved in a tiny amount of water (took ages) then used a runny yoghurt or agave syrup to thicken it. They're awful things to dissolve, I feel your pain Sad

Original poster
hazeyjane · 16/01/2012 12:56

That is interesting Narmada, I will ask about the other medicine,as this morning ds wouldn't take it at all, and what I did manage to get in he dribbled out almost straight away. I also didn't realise about the empty stomach thing.

I don't think he has a problem with cmp, as he doesn't show any other signs of a reaction. I think his main problem is because he has low muscle tone this doesn't help with his reflux. The worry is that he has been apirating food and liquid into his lungs, and if he has acid reflux then he could also be aspirating acid into his lungs. He is due to have a videofluroscopy and a ph probe (I guess he will have to stop the omeprazole before he has this) to see what is going on.

OP posts:
Original poster
hazeyjane · 16/01/2012 12:59

fazsaeed- thankyou for the link to your thread - I hope your ds is doing better now.

OP posts:
ciwi · 16/01/2012 13:05

As a nurse I have found that mups do dissolve eventually in water but it does take ages. have you tried leaving the tablet for about half an hour?

Original poster
hazeyjane · 16/01/2012 13:11

Yes, the leaflet says no longer than half an hour, so I leave them for about 25 mins, it also says they dissolve better in an acidic juice, i tried water and there were quite a lots of bits floating around, but even with apple juice he is spitting it out - I should add, he has most liquids thickened with carobel because he has retained tongue thrust reflex and pushes water and juice out with his tongue. I tend to go with suppositries for medicine because it is a lot less faffy than trying to get calpol etc into him!

My kitchen is starting to look like a chemistry lab with little pots of dissolving tablets everywhere!

OP posts:
ciwi · 16/01/2012 13:36

It is one of the most annoying tablets to dissolve. we have to give it through tubes a lot of the time and you have to leave it for ages to make sure it doesnt block the tube. Can you dissolve it (as best you can) and then add it to about 20mls of thickened juice in the bottle rather than giving it to him through a syringe? I also know parents who mix it in with a bit of yoghurt or porridge, not the whole amount but just a couple of spoonfuls. If all this and the above suggestions fail you will need to go back to the GP and try something else. I agree that they wont give you the liquid because of the expense.

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