Omeprazole when will I notice it's working?

[Moominmama0]

My H.Plyori test came back negative. I've just taken my fifth omeprazole 20mg this morning.

I can still feel the pain when I press my stomach (note not abdominal) and burping. Everything I read says ill notice a difference in two days. I'm so scared it's going to be something else (like c) causing my symptoms! I think I'm on them for stomach ulcer but not sure.

When did you start noticing it was working for you? I had the symptoms for a good few months now.

I have stopped drinking decaf coffee. Is there anything else I should be doing to my diet? My doctor didn't tell me.

Thanks for reading.

Depends what your symptoms are, mine are silent reflux so I dont get pain or heartburn

If I dont take my medication I do get pain and heartburn

There are different types of reflux though and some respond better to PPIs than others, apparently the usual bog standard acid reflux responds better to dietary changes and silent reflux responds better to PPI medication

Im going on a book I read by one of the first people to describe silent reflux.

If you have a stomach ulcer, it will take six weeks to heal

Okay thank you both. My mind goes into overdrive and thinking i should notice something byl now.

Have you had an endoscopy? That's the only way to diagnose an ulcer.

No I haven't, he just pressed on my stomach area which reay hurt! I'm on the omeprazole for a month.

If there’s no improvement then. Insist on a referral for the endoscopy. @Foxgloverr is right, he can’t diagnose without actually looking

My stomach hurts like that too but I've had an endoscopy and there was no ulcer. He shouldn't be diagnosing an ulcer based on that.

If omeprazole isn't working try another PPI. You can get esomeprazole over the counter. It's called Nexium. Omeprazole never worked for me and actually made me feel worse whereas I felt a lot better on esomeprazole.

Also are you taking the prescribed amount? 5 lots of 20mg sounds like too much and may be making things worse.

Also an ulcer is very rare without h pylori. Unless you're an alcoholic or taking NSAIDs regularly?

Anxiety can also cause indigestion and stomach pain.

As I understand it from my GP they give six weeks omeprazole and if that doesn't work then they investigate further.
I have had stomach ulcers and when I ate things like raw onions I could actually feel the burning, like when you get raw onion juice in a cut.

No sorry it's one 20mg a day, I'm on day 5.

No I stopped drinking alcohol a year ago, not really been taking ibuprofen, only the odd one or two.
Then that's makes me more worried if it's unlikely going to be an ulcer.

I do get anxiety but the pain is only there when pressed or moved in a certain position.

It sounds like gastritis. You can have this without H Pylori it's what I had, they saw it on endoscopy. Omeprazole wasn't helping so they put me on Lansoprazole which is slightly stronger, this took a couple of weeks but then I very quickly healed. I get it back from time to time after a period of boozing etc so just grab some Nexium from the shops and pop one a day it's expensive but basically very strong omeprazole and does the trip without the need for a GP visit when I know I'm in a flare up. It does take time so bear with it, I wouldn't expect to notice a difference earlier than a week or two so stick with it x

BTW for me supplements and tablets flare it even more so than alcohol, they can be so strong and sit concetrated in your tummy and can burn if I take one garlic tablet for example it kicks it off. Whatever you do don't have spicy foods or ibuprofen, just go really gentle on your tummy and it will heal. Probiotic drinks or tablets sprinkled on food might help x

Thank you , that's interesting. I take multivitamins with iron, could that be a cause?

I would possibly revisit the GP after 10 days if there's no improvement. I know it can take a while but Omeprazole doesn't work for everyone. It does nothing for me but Lansaprazole has been great.

Although the full effects are after 6 weeks, I would think you'd see some improvement soon.

I would avoid ibuprofen and aspirin altogether. It's very corrosive on your stomach and even more so if it's inflamed.

I would try and work out trigger foods too. For me things like pastry really flare an attack.

I think you should be ok with multivitamins - but always take on a full stomach.

Iron can cause some digestive upsets in people but at the low doses in a multivitamin I wouldn't think it would be an issue.

I assumed the poster was on the 5th day of taking 20mg a day which is the normal dose. Very unlikely that anyone would take 5 tablets in one day.

Could you have a hiatus hernia?

GP put in my notes no mass so I assuming if it was hiatus hernia he would have felt it?

It's very unlikely to be anything sinister, don't worry. Burping is a good sign as it suggests that stomach acid is the problem.

I would give it a bit longer and if no improvement either go back to the GP or try some esomeprozole. It's a similar drug to omeprazole but more expensive so GPs don't like to prescribe it. But my gastro consultant said its a much better drug and it definitely helped me when omeprazole just made it worse. You can get it in Boots.

I avoid coffee and citrus. Tomatoes can make it worse too.

Have you tried Gaviscon Advance? That works really well for reflux/acid and can be taken with omeprazole (not at the same time but on the same day).

Controlling stress and anxiety has the biggest effect for me.

No you would need an endoscopy for that.

I think it's hard to get an endoscopy.

I've tested positive for H pylori and had the triple therapy.

My symptoms came back again and I've still never managed to get an endoscopy!

I suspect it is hard on the NHS. I am lucky to have private healthcare as part of my job.

I tested positive for h pylori and had the triple therapy. Felt much better immediately afterwards but then felt worse again (probably because my GP was eager to get me off PPIs too soon). I ended up having an endoscopy because my symptoms continued and i also had a positive FIT test. Endoscopy and colonoscopy was normal although showed mild erosion in the duodenum. Retested negative for h pylori.

I think my system just got hypersensitive after the h pylori and anxiety amd stress played a bit part in symptoms continuing. I'm still taking famotidine (H2 blocker) once a day but am feeling much better.

But just wanted to reassure OP that I was in significant pain and was convinced I had an ulcer or worse but endoscopy showed my stomach was completely normal and healthy.

I have gastritis flare-ups every so often and am prescribed omeprazole for a month. I usually noticed symptoms subsiding after about 10-14 days.

It can take at least 2 weeks for omeprazole to work. I have a hiatus hernia diagnosed last year by endoscopy. I was referred by the nurse practioner and had the endoscopy a month later (it very much surprised me how quick it was!) I now take daily omeprazole and it started really working after 3-4 weeks.