Anyone with Diverticular Disease have problems taking Omeprazole for gastritis? Been on them 4 months and now have severe diarrhoea. Checked with GP who's not worried.
i would think that after 4 months being ok that the two are not related.
Thanks - Runs have lasted 3 weeks. GP said it was just side effect, but no GP knows much about diver. Had same reaction to statins. Just wondered if having damaged bowel means more likely to some pill reactions. Got taken off statins - had other nasty side effects as well. Lots of washing and toilet paper!!
Gastritis is a catch-all word for various problems to do with inflammation of the stomach lining. Omeprazole (and the other -prazoles) inhibits the amount of acid produced by the stomach (PPI-proton pump inhibitor) and is not meant to be used as a long term solution to anything. The first problem is that your stomach will always be struggling to produce enough acid as the PPI is thwarting it while the second problem is that the resulting conflict seriously messes up your absorption of nutrients from your food. To get a clearer idea of what can go wrong search for problems with long term PPI.
Since you have DD anyway taking Omeprazole is probably not the best way to go about trying to improve matters. The gastritis symptoms will certainly have been caused by something but not necessarily from too much acid (too little is actually more often the case but the symptoms are the same!). They could also be caused by H.Pylori and you would need to have this checked out kind of urgently as Omeprazole won’t get rid of it and the longer you have it the worse it affects you - ask your doctor for a test.
Don’t just stop taking the Omeprazole as your stomach will be used to it and will be making more acid to compensate so you’d get a double whammy. Instead, consider cutting down gradually and meanwhile try to restore your gut health by taking probiotics (capsules or in food such as live yoghurt). Your damaged bowel needs special care of course.
If you test positive for H.Pylori you will need antibiotics to get rid of it so make sure you take plenty of probiotics (a good variety of them) while you take the antibiotic or you may find yourself back at square 1.
Hope this helps.
Many thanks. GP has me now on 5 week phase out course as pain almost gone - just odd niggles. GP confident of diagnosis - said no need for endoscopy (good)! Had been worried about absorption as just don’t feel right - no energy, no appetite. So what you said makes sense. Was tested for HPV several years ago. Positive and given triple whammy. Tested again a year later and clear. Sticking to home made veggie stew and soup - will check out probiotics. Cheers
I have been in omeprazole for 2 years and it doesn’t bother my diverticulosis. sometimes I have to take 2 a day. I take them for acid reflux. Good Luck
Thanks. I do have acid reflux - but only when I eat wrong!
Half way through reducing the dosage and the runs have finally stopped. Feeling much better.