Horrible upper gastric discomfort... omeprazole

[Sonolanona]

Last week I thought I might be having a heart attack. I was driving and had horrible discomfort..not quite pain, in the middle of my chest that sent aches into my shoulders and back. On friday I (miracle) got a GP appointment, who listened to my heart and chest and felt it was gastritis.. gave me a H Pylori test to do and prescribed omeprazole, plus I have a blood test this morning.

It's no better... probably worse. I have a gnawing feeling in the centre of my chest, as if I'm super hungry but I don't want to eat and I have sort of spasms that travel up into my throat.. I'm still alive so I am fairly sure it's not super serious but I feel really rubbish. It hurts !

How long does it take for Omeprazole to kick in ? I know if the H pylori comes back positive I'll have to go on a load of antbiotics too but otherwise it's just the omeprazole.

Any experience? I'm usually very healthy so this is out of nowhere!

Your GP should have done an ecg to check your heart just to be sure - they can’t tell it’s 💯 not your heart otherwise. Indigestion type feeling is a classic symptom of heart issues in women. I would ask for an ecg to be sure.

Omeprazole can take a few days to really get going. It’s a long term drug, not an instant one. I am on esomeprazole 40mg (Nexium prescription strength) long term and it really helps but it took a couple of weeks to make a big difference. You can use Gaviscon alongside ppis whilst waiting for them to work.

When I had similar to what you are describing mine turned out to be my gall bladder! The first attack was very similar to a heart attack -- even the paramedics thought that was what I was having.

See if you can get a scan on your gall bladder to rule that out.

I find omeprazole works within 48 hours or less. I had gastritis last year and was on it for 4 months. Although it started to make a difference within a couple of days it was about two months before the symptoms stopped. In that time I found a very bland diet helped. No alcohol or spices of any kind.
My symptoms were nausea, stomach pain and eventually vomiting.
I get a very occasional flare up now and take omeprazole for a week then stop as I don't want to take it long term (I might feel differently if I didn't have to take about 6 other drugs long term).

I've had on and off flares and found omeprazole works pretty much straight away. I had such terrible chest pain I went to the ED once. Turns out my occasional bouts of chest pain and indigestion were Crohn's Disease in hiding - but didn't find that out till years later.

Just in case, Google achalasia (I.e.oesophageal motility disorder). Spasms cause that kind of pain.

It took me 4 years to persuade GPs that writhing about in pain all the time was not normal.

Eventually had a scan. Gallstones.

Omeprazole was never going to help...

The shoulders and back is classic gallstone symptom by the way.