Omeprazole how to come off it after long term use.

I see that I answered this last year. I should have added that, in addition to prescribing omeprazole to control reflux, the consultant also prescribed Gaviscon Advance, to be taken last thing at night.

I have been reading this thread wuth interest as my sister is about to have a gastroscopy and a fundoplcation has been mentione
DH was happily on Ranitidine for many years but it was removed from sale due to cancer scares and he had no replacement for several years until suddenly with no explanation Lansoprazole appeared in his prescription this gave him almost immediate diarrhoea. This was changed to Omeprazole. Which doesnt seem to cause any noticeable syptoms. But he is a very ill man anyway.
I too feel that meds are prescribed and then not reviewed sufficiently.

Risking ....

I am on it cos of antiplatelet treatment that can damage stomach. I am about to come off that treatment but have no plans to stop the omeprazole any time soon. I have quite enough problems without rudking indigestion.

In January I had an Endoscopy which showed I had a very large hiatus hernia which was showing fresh blood. I was put on an immediate high dose of Omeprazole which was 40mg in the morning and 40mg of the same in the evening. I was having a months prescription in a week and continued this for 6 weeks when I returned to the hospital. They said the bleeding had stopped. I have now been prescribed 20 mg daily but also 20mg of Famotidine in the evening for the rest of my life. In order to have the Endoscopy I had had to come off Omeprazole for about a week. I was told to just take Rennies or Gaviscon. I got both and was in absolute agony so not surprised when they said it could have caused the bleeding. I am 84 in a few days and will never be coming off them despite my low sodium etc. I can’t tell you how relieved I am to experience only the occasional spate of pain for which I take some Rennies. I consume a lot of salt and my anaemia diminished when the doctor gave me some iron tablets. I have the occasional blood test which shows sodium at 130. I can feel my hiatus hernia which feels like a roll above my waist. It’s very odd. Along with various other problems like joints, knees and accidents for which I need the help of Tena etc. I am hoping for the best and that’s all. Take care all of you.

Some of you who follow the Good Morning thread may remember that I was seriously ill in March this year with dangerously low sodium levels and anaemia. After a week in hospital undergoing sodium infusions and blood transfusions, I went home, still very weak. The physician took me off all my medication, including Lanzoprazole, Ramipril and Indapamide, before gradually introducing a new regime including Famotidine.

Initially, he was unsure what the outcome would be so he sent for my daughter and son who live over 200 miles away. Fortunately, I have made a good recovery, helped by different medication and including previously absent salt in my cooking and on food. Occasional use of Rennies deals with any minor heartburn but in general, I am feeling better than I have for many months.

As I've already said, I didn't think I could live anymore with the severe acid indigest I had suffered for around 8yrs, but also couldn't tolerate the severe adverse effects of the medication. Before the meds I was swallowing about 100 Rennies per week [2 big boxes]. Taking after breakfast and then after each meal and during the night too, terrible!

I cured myself with a change in diet, I was amazed it could be done, I hardly even take a Rennie now. So, you must try this for yourselves, it works. It has taken me about 1 year to be free of the acid indigestion, I am now comfortable and can sleep easy. If you look back on my posts, I say the changes I made. It's worth trying but give it time to work.

That is true, the cells can become cancerous, its worrying. I too have extreme pain after some meals.

For me I know the risks about absorption but the extreme pain of gastric reflux is pretty unbearable. If I run out of Lansoprazole, the discomfort kicks in at day two.
It runs in my family.
Gaviscon didn’t ever touch it.

Good luck. Leaving gastric reflux to progress has its own risks, damage to oesophageal cells are one risk.

Yoginimeisje, I didnt realise it mimics the side effects of Lansoprazole, I will research further. Thank you for replying to my post.

BevSec I wouldn't want an operation that mimics the side effects of Lansoprozac and similar. The op will leave you unable to vomit, so if you get food poisoning it is alarming as I've already said and experience. So not for me.

Has anyone had or been offered a fundoplication?

Sorry to hear that Loveto. Touch wood, I seem fine now, I wondered if I had an ulcer &/or hiatic hernia and after almost a year of changing my diet they have healed. I'm amazed that after suffering for maybe 10yrs, getting worse & worse, I now don't even take a Rennie. It's truly amazing what you can do with a change in diet!

I have now had to go back to a full 20mg until I have an endoscopy to see if I have an ulcer. To be honest I’m pretty sure I have. Don’t know how long the wait is!

I have GERD so take omeprazole, have tried coming off it, adjusting my diet and glugging the gaviscon but still end up propped up in bed at night coughing up battery acid.
One unfortunate side effect apart from anaemia is that because stomach acid is suppressed bacteria that normally would be killed off thrives and can cause tummy upsets. Have had several that am sure are caused by this.

I just read the label of my Gaviscon advance chewable tablets and found no mention of aspirin. It warns about high sodium, which my pharmacist also said. The Gaviscon liquid may be different, but the reference Growstuff mentions above is to high dose aspirin anyway.
Loveto - I'd suggest talking to your pharmacist - I suspect if you take your aspirin in the morning, sucking a Gaviscon (or Rennie) later in the day to relieve symptoms, should be OK.
Like Yogi - I thought Lanzoprazole was a miracle cure when I was prescribed it after being diagnosed with a hiatus hernia. I had suffered acid reflux for years and had gastroscopy. I was only on it for about 6 weeks when I started to get increasingly worse gassy diarrhoea. It was horrible, but somehow I suspected it might be connected with Lanzoprazole. I stopped the med, and the diarrhoea stopped almost immediately!

Thank you Loveto Best of luck to you too x

Sorry, I meant Gaviscon.

www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/aspirin-with-gaviscon-2-243-0-121-8978.html?professional=1

I think Omeprazole reduces the effectiveness of aspirin.

Well it says not to be taken with aspirin on the information leaflet. I was so disappointed.

I'm puzzled by references to not taking Gaviscon with aspirin. I was on the low dose aspirin for a while but never told not to take Gaviscon. I looked at Gaviscon label and also NHS site
www.nhs.uk/medicines/low-dose-aspirin/taking-low-dose-aspirin-with-other-medicines-and-herbal-supplements/
No mention of Gaviscon or other antacids.

I think doctors who prescribe omeprazole along with the low dose heart aspirin "to protect the stomach" may be confused- high doses of some anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) may need omeprazole or similar ppis. OH was prescribed Omeprazole along with an NSAID when he had knees replaced, but only for a few weeks. The low dose aspirin is usually "enteric coated" to protect stomach anyway, and if taken with food, as recommended, is very unlikely to cause stomach problems. If Gaviscon is needed, because of acid reflux, it is likely to be taken later in the day.

Yoginimeisje what a terrible time you have had. I am so pleased that you have discovered a way to deal with your previous troubles. It just informs us how careful we need to be before taking medication on a regular prescription. My sister-in-law used to be in agony with indigestion problems. Her doctor offered her Omeprazole but told her she would be on it for life. She opted instead for Gaviscon which has really helped. Unfortunately I couldn’t take that with aspirin. And as Omeprazole was supposed to protect my stomach as I was taking aspirin Gaviscon was out. It used to worry me that the directions stated it was for only short term use. However my repeat prescription had “to be taken all the time I was on aspirin”.So trusted this as given by the surgery pharmacist. So good luck and good wishes to you for a future pain free time.

Well done Loveto and thanks for update on your poo

When I first went on Lansoprozac [same as Omeprazole, pump supresser] I was desperate for some relief from the terrible acid indigestion I'd suffered for 8yrs or more, I thought I can't live the rest of my life like this, from first thing in the morning, all day & during the night too. I thought it a miracle when the meds completely stopped it all.
But the side effects were too much and I was afraid I was going to damage my brain.

Today, after changing my diet, I am truly amazed I am not suffering any more! So it is all about diet. I have old fashioned porage every morning too.

When I was onLansoprozac, I had such server virtigo, you would assess it as I'd had a mini stroke, twice, but it was the meds. As frieghtening, was the time I had food poisoning; dashing to the loo, both ends BUT couldn't vomit, my whole body was convulsing, trying to get rid of my stomach contents but nothing would come up, all night like this, until finally I vomited. So, I thought; it must be that blooming Lansoprozac!

I took the Lansoprozac with my night time horlicks before bedtime, so thinking that the meds had worn off enough by early morning for my pump to work enough to get rid of the contents of my stomach, so frieghtening!

Never intend to take any meds again. Be warned!

Just an update. Seen on my NHS app that my poo sample is clear. So relieved. Meanwhile asked the surgery if I could have a prescription for 10mg to help me to come off my 20mg. I have these and have substituted them for the.last three days. So far no sign of the terrible agony I experienced a year ago when I tried alternating the 20mg. Not sure if I should only use these and not revert to the 20mg for a day or two. Hoping I will soon be able to miss out the 10mg on alternate days and then perhaps stop altogether. I am upping my oats to protect my stomach from the aspirin and am having toast or similar after breakfast so food before and after the aspirin. Will have to ask Doctor about something to help with the anaemia. She wanted the test done first. Haven’t heard from her but thank heavens for the NHS app which shows results.

My husband was on it for a few years then he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes so we researched how to cope with it and a low carb diet was recommended. So we got rid of all unnecessary carbs in the house and cooked low carb meals and the result was my DH was able to ditch the omeprazole because he didn’t need it any more.