Hiatus Hernia and Omeprazole - need advice

[manyhatson]

I have been taking Omeprazole for about 2 years now, first at 20mg and more recently at 40mg pd as my symptoms (stomach pain, heartburn, indigestion, belching) were still bad at the 20mg dose. Initially my doc said it was oesophagitis, then later he said gastritis but after over a year with no real change I asked for a referral to the hospital where a gastroscopy showed a 40cm hiatus hernia.

I had PH tests (tube into stomach for 24 hours)to check the extent of the reflux in relation to my symptoms and check my suitability for surgery but the results showed that the pain I'm having did NOT correlate with the episodes of reflux (as measured by PH). The consultant was very non-plussed and when I asked what happens next, all he could suggest was to keep a symptom diary for a month ON the Omeprazole and a month OFF it to see what effect it was really having and then "if you want to", repeat the PH test as "perhaps they did it on a good day". The best he could offer was that I have a 'sensitive oesophagus'. I'm on the NO tablets phase at the moment and my symptoms are as bad as ever. I have no appetite, I'm in constant discomfort and pain and getting more and more anxious about this as the days go on as I've got at least another 3.5 weeks without medication to go.

So far, what this not-taking-the-tablets-test has showed me is that the Omeprazole IS working on SOMETHING as although I had moderate symptoms some of the time, 3 out of 4 weeks I was symptom free. However I'm not happy continuing to take Omeprazole for the rest of my life as I'm concerned about the side effects (see here for a recent article about links to brittle bones and cancer). Also, and this might not sound much but it's a biggie to me, I've been losing such a lot of hair over the past few months since I upped my dosage to 40 mg, I'm guessing, that even my hairdresser is starting to ask me if I'm OK.

I'd be really interested to hear your thoughts/experiences about omeprazole and its side effects and also what you suggest I say when I go back to the consultant at the beginning of September. I need a plan and I don't know where to start...

bump

Sorry cant help but also on omeprazole so interested to see what replies you get.

I was diagnosed with hh around 18 years ago when surgery was very invasive so I was offered omeprozole/ lansoprazole as a daily medication.

I have taken it ever since but not every day....only as and when I need it which probably works out at about three times a week. I have had no side effects that I know of but I had no idea about cancer risks etc....

I am aware that the surgery may be more key hole based now but I am not prepared to have surgery for something which is irritating and can be controlled by medication.

Does that help?

Just looked at your link! I do have Low blood calcium levels but I saw a endocrinologist who told me this was not an issue and would not cause me osteoporosis in later life....

This has given me some food for thought...

Also just thought re the hairloss - before i got the Omez. I was swallowing rennie/ranitidine etc like sweets because of constant heartburn and I noticed a real thinning of my previously thick hair at its worst. Do you think its connected?

Ps. Meant to say, im still experiencing thinning, been on the meds for 3 months now.

Hair loss is one of the 'rare' side effects of Omeprazole - I would suspect it's something to do with nutrient absorption or something??

When you see the consultant ask him if you could be tested for Heliobactor. My symptoms were exactly the same as yours and that was what it was. Have to ring next week to see if clear now after triple meds(2 antibiotics& Omperazole) for a week. Hard to tell yet as symptoms can last 3/4 months after eradication of this bacteria. Feel a little better, more energy anyway. Hopefully it gets sorted for you either way , it's horrible feeling that way , I suffered a year with the indegestion, belching, stomach pain and heart burn before I finally went to Doctors, but as I said Omperazole didn't work enough as it's only treating the symptoms and not the cause of the heartburn in the first place. Mum also exactly same symptoms and H Hernia aswell and she also had Heliobactor so worth asking I think. Good luck.

I've been on Omeprazole (10mg or 20mg depending on need) daily or rather nightly for two years. Before that, I took Ranitidine - but it stopped working well, and the reflux made me cough all night long, as well as hurting.

Mine is due to hiatus hernia (also diagnosed via endoscopy, and I'm negative for helicobacter) as well. My mother has it too, and same treatment.

My GP told me the cancer link was an old thought, and not particularly well researched or thought out - she's not worried by it, and she tends to play safe with long term meds. I'm also not hugely convinced by articles in the Mail, but I do keep an eye out for new scientific info on Omeprazole (and Ranitidine, which I take for blood pressure - but thats another matter!).

Personally, I think the small, unclear risk that is present at the moment has to be balanced against the chronic, daily discomfort and tiredness that result from acute heartburn and reflux. For me. But I suppose its rare for any med not to have a price tag, long term, unfortunately.

Will watch you thread with interest, and wish you well finding alternatives - would love to hear of them!

ps no hair loss at all. But I certainly DID have hair loss in my 40s (now 52) and I think it was due to diminishing hormone levels....it stabilized once I hit menopause.

Ranitidine for blood pressure? Any of those proton pump inhibitors cause b12 dficncy so if on it more than 6 weeks get it checked

Oops - overtired, sorry, meant Ramipril!

Thanks, Noddy

An update on this: I completed my 2 month symptom diary and it showed that my symptoms are as bad WITH the omeprazole as without so I'm going to try to stop taking it. The PH test I had indicates that although I do have reflux, it's within the 'normal range' and that my symptoms do not correlate to the reflux episodes. So I'm a bit of a mystery. The consultant has referred me for a CT scan and also to see a cardiac consultant (I've been having palpitations too) and also an ENT consultant (possibility that post-nasal drip is causing the problem not the other way around as I'd presumed).

Hellokit I wondered that too but I tested negative for that during my gastroscopy.
Elibean I have wondered that myself as I'm 41. My skin is also really bad - hugely spotty these days - worse even than I was as a teenager and I have been presuming it's to do with 'my hormones'. My GP dismissed my concerns it when mentioned previously however.

For what it's worth, I have the same thing (also negative for helicobacter) and just had the feeling that omeprazole was making me worse so stopped taking it. A few years on, I have come to the conclusion that my symptoms flare up and settle down wether I take meds or not so I don't take them now, just gaviscon on occasion if really bad. Also, palpitations can be linked to hernia, I have them too when it's really bad. Always best to get them checked out tho.