Stomach acid High or Low?

DH was prescribed Omeprazole to counteract the effects of his chemo. When he said that they seemed to make him feel worse the consultant said "Fine, don't bother with them". He didn't have any ill effects not taking them.

I'm not quite sure how to answer your question directly but I have read lots of late about the importance of balanced gut bacteria (this is a long article but worth ploughing through: www.theguardian.com/science/2014/feb/11/gut-biology-health-bacteria-future-medicine ).

I've also read that as you get older, you have less stomach acid anyway and medications like Omeprazole make things worse and actually make digestion harder because they lower the acid level even more. I gather the answer is probiotics meaning live yoghurt, fermented foods such as sauerkraut and cabbage juice. This is the sort of thing that GPs are generally hopeless about, I've no idea whether it might be possible to get a referral.

I read a fascinating and easy to read book about all this called Gut, the inside story of our body's most under rated organ by Guilia Enders. She is or was a German medical student and I heard her interviewed on Woman's Hour, she was brilliant. It's available through Amazon and probably in your local library. Hope that helps!

I would advise seeing a clinical nutritionist. Gut health is a very topical subject and there has been a lot of research and new developments in this area. If you Google Stephanie Moore clinical nutritionist and author of Why Eating less and exercising more makes you fat, you will learn a lot more. It is a very interesting read and well founded research. Over the counter probiotic drinks are apparently useless, but kimchi, sauekraut (home made, not off the shelf) kefir etc are all excellent in promoting good gut health. Stephanie consults in Harley Street and at Grayshot Spa in Surrey. I am nothing to do with her at all, but recently completed the 7 day Regime at Grayshott which focuses heavily on gut health. You are right that Omniprazole is not good for you and if your gut is in good nick you should not need it.

Ive heard omeprazoles can be damaging long term but Ive been on lansoprazoles for years now due to having reflux (my little flap at the top doesn't work) I also think that if your stomach is coated then it won't hurt. The amount of food you don't like that would probably need to be eaten and the amount of worrying what to eat if and when is a no brainer.... take the anti acids

Thanks everyone, l am in a support group for PA/B12D and many people advise kefir and saurkraut. Sounds horrible but l would try anything at the moment while suffering from a bad attack of gastritis. I'm due to see an NHS dietician next week so hopefully will get more advice. I'm sure Omeprazole make it worse.

I find it very difficult too to know exactly what to take or avoid. Things such as yoghurt tend to make me worse and I have come to the conclusion I need to greatly ration my intake of coffee and wine - not that I ever drank much.
I find eating an apple is good and I have tried cider Apple vinegar but I do find it so hard to drink!

The problem is, when I feel ok I'm loathe to try all these things in case it makes me worse and when I get gastritis I STILL don't want to make things worse! so I feel like I'm in a Catch 22 situation at the moment. I bought some cider vinegar, it's still in the cupboard. I tried live yogurt and it did seem to make it worse. I don't drink alcohol or coffee anyway due to AMAG. Azie09, the article was really interesting and I will look into ordering the GUT book from Amazon, thanks.

I'm on prescribed ompeprazole and also ranitidine for the severe gastritis I suffered from between November and January and it does seem to have done the trick and I feel much better with no pain now.

When it was at its worst, I was told to live on bananas and mashed potato and to avoid all dairy and acidic things so no milk, yoghurt, tomatoes etc. I gradually introduced vegetable starting with carrots, which are recommended by many dietitians. I am eating most vegetables now but still no dairy or acidic fruits and no alcohol.

It does seem that you have to find what your innards will tolerate without a flair-up so I am being ultra careful but fully intend to keep taking the omeprazole until my GP says I could stop. She says I can stop the ranitidine shortly.

Hope you soon feel better tiffaney

Thanks Gagagran. There's a huge diffetence of opinions about PPI's but l'm glad to hear it's working for you at least. It's such a horrible complaint. I know if l go back to my gp he will say 'why aren't you taking it?'. I had switched to lactofree milk but nothing is working at the moment.

Homemade sauerkraut is much tastier than bought and not diff to make. You can Google for recipes and instructions.

I am sat here with agonising heartburn, i took Omeprazole 3 hours ago and it hasnt helped at all.

When I get bad heartburn I take Gviscon tablets.

Yes, I've made my own sauerkraut Azie and our Saturday market has a stall with homemade Kefir and sauerkraut too.

Since I've gone low carb my heartburn has totally disappeared and that's been over a year now.

Granny - taking the stomach coating tablets after the event is useless (a bit like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted). Take a couple of rennie instead and make sure you take the coating tables in the morning, an hour or so before eating.