Slowly coming off omeprezole 20mg - my experience and reasons

Digestive health
1

I've been taking omeprezole for 11 years and don't know why. My GP said don't worry about it, its safe, keep taking it. I'm not happy with that, does it sound sensible to take medication for something and you don't know what it is, even if it does relieve heartburn? 

Here is what I am doing and what I have found out ( PS I'm not a medical professional, this is just my research and action)

- Side effects for this drug are not listed correctly, why? Because this drug and other PPI tablets were designed for short term use only, to be combined with lifestyle changes that would get rid of your  CONDITION not your SYMPTOMS. Long time side effects are not common knowledge because this drug was not designed for long term use, but of course pharma companies love that doctors push it. These PPI drugs hide the symptons of other conditions like cancer, and also hide the damage still being done to our bodies by excess acid. 

Processed Food -  the more processed the food the more acid it contains, the same acid that out stomach uses to break down food, so by simply eating crap we are feeding ourselves more of the acid needed resulting it too much acid. We all have our own one or two foods that trigger reflux, but generally, the closer it is to coming from the ground or a tree the better it is, the closer it is to being a microwave meal the worse it is. I'm not eating raw onions and garlic anymore. 

PH Levels - look at a PH level food chart and aim for foods between 6.00 - 8.00 below 6 is too acidic and bad for us, fizzy drinks are off the charts which mean they are actually not fit for human consumption, its like trying to fill your car with bleach and hope it works. 

Weightloss - dropping weight takes pressure off organs making them work better. 

Alcohol - Smoking - Fizzy Drinks - cut these out, they are the worst things for reflux. 

Since I've started changing my diet a little, drinking more water every day, and taking omeprezole every other day, I feel ok, I can't change everything at once but I'm convinced reflux is a lifestyle issue and not something that needs to be medicated for life. 

Hope this helps. 

 

2

I agree with what you are saying.  I know my problem has become much worse since I've put on a bunch of weight.  

3

Hi NAF81,

                 I love the  “matter of fact” ..........”straight to the point”  delivery of your post and I wholeheartedly agree with everything you’ve said. 

I have to admit that when I was eating healthily and sticking to my alkaline diet,  I was a little bit smug,  especially because I’d managed to ditch the Omeprazole.

                  The trouble is that life and stresses get in the way don’t they. I’ve  just had to put myself back on Omeprazole because my symptoms have come back with a vengeance. 

We all know what we should be doing but of course it’s very easy to slip off the wagon and in the past few months I’ve gradually become more and more complacent. 

Since last December I’ve had the added problem following complications after a tooth extraction. My mouth just doesn’t feel right. I took so much Ibuprofen, loads of antibiotics and when I got a Metronidazole tablet stuck halfway down my throat I ended up with severe chest pain, heartburn, throbbing in my sternum  and I thought I was about to die. 

After taking Omeprazole and eating an extremely healthy alkaline diet all my gastric symptoms got better, but it 

wasn’t until I stuck rigidly to a healthy diet that I realised just how much crap I’d been eating all my life!!

I also sucked on a lemon to try to relieve my dental symptoms which are still ongoing (possibly a blocked salivary duct but as yet undiagnosed although I’m awaiting a specialist appointment)

              I’ve now got severe heartburn and it’s really frightening. Suddenly I’m worrying myself silly again thinking it must be cancer of course! 

Omeprazole may well be a drug we should try to avoid, but at this moment I just want it to do it’s work and make me better. 

Hope whatever you do........you’re symptom free with or without PPI’s 

Good health to everyone!! 

Kind regards Jane 

4

Keep at, strange you don’t know why your on them and bad of your dr to say it’s safe, as a 30+ user I can vouch for this, I’m nonebon no medication at all, the medication for so long didn’t do the damage to my bones as I thunder around the place daily all day long, I was just took of them boom no back up, fine for a few months, then it built up and up , gaviscon didn’t work over counter medication didn’t work, back to dr back on omeprazole but investigatons ongoing, fast forward now medication free but can have it if I want, I helped myself as well as my specialist helped me, I gave up a job I had been in for years loved it but it was stressful not the job but the people, I had no time to eat and relax properly through the day best thing I ever did, not saying I’m totally acid reflux free all the time but it’s so mild I can live with it I am aware if it keep it under control by eating drinking relaxing better than a year or so ago

5

It’s too bad it took you so long to come to this -

Please go off very slowly - it could take months

Check your blood for B-12 deficiency and magnesium 

Get the Acid watchers book by Dr Aviv

If you need something take Zantac safer

Keep journal of offending foods - I know I can’t have anything sweet

Try some holistic means like DGL tablets

Raise head of bed and finish eating around 6:30 pm - eat small meals -lose weight etc

It’s not easy and good luck you will do it!!!

6

Hi I'm pleased for you but it's not as simple as that for everyone some need surgery to fix there flux problems ,ive been on PPI medication for five years and I eat a healthy diet and still get cronic heart burn so not a option for me 

7

Sorry to hear that. Hope it all goes ok

8

Hi,

Thanks.

I ordered that book, it came yesterday, i saw some of his videos on YouTube which led me to research further.

I'm 6.4" and weight about 20 stone, I don't look huge but my BMI says I'm obese. I started slimming world a few weeks ago and am losing about 1.5kgs a week but it's so not very nutritious. I'm also reading another book called How Not To Die and have already implemented some advice from that, I've cut out all dairy foods and I'm trying to have meat only once a week.plus around 25 mins exercise every day.

The journal is a good idea I might start that.

I'll check out the DGL tablets, thanks for your advice.

9

Weight loss seems to be the key to prevent many conditions. I need to shift about three stone, because I'm very tall extra weight has never shown to much but now I realise I should be much slimmer.

I did slimming world for a while and that's a good short term diet because you're not left hungry but in the long term need put more thought into it.

I'm trying to walk 25 mins a day and also do weight lifting, not sure how much impact it's having yet I'm trying!

Good luck

10

Sometimes the benefits outweigh - and you need to be on the ppi - yes - of course. And some people need surgery. Gillian, yes sometimes you need to be on ppi You can always try to join the acid watchers facebook group and there are other acid bile reflux and similiar groups, they have lots of information and things to try.

11

Ok I am going to raise the same issue that I do every time I read posts like this. You researched PPI well done, BUT have you researched cars?

cars KILL PEOPLE every day, cause accidents every day. The risks of you being involved in a car accident are very high, yet you go in that vehicle why? 

Yes there are risks associated with PPI, but for me the risk is out weighed by the benefits I get from taking them. I can lead a normal life and reducing that acid means the chances of getting something lethal life oesophageal cancel is greatly reduced. 

By all means, quit, your choice but remember you can’t see the damage the acid is doing, you may feel fine but what is all that acid doing. You need to really worry about going in a car if you value your life, not taking a PPI 

 

12

I STRONGLY believe that the American diet (as well as others) contributes greatly to the acid problem, in fact, to many if not most health problems we have.  However, VERY FEW people are willing to change their diets enough to make a difference.  STOP SUGAR, STOP REFINED FOODS PERIOD and your life will improve.  I have NOT done this myself.  I have no proof.  But I believe it is so.  So far I would rather have my cake and take the pills.

13

I agree with you 100%

I have bile acid as well as GERD and it just didn’t seem to help me 

I take domperidone to make things move faster but mostly it’s stress and watching what I eat

But Quality of life is the most important - my doctor especially won’t give it up or he wouldn’t be able to work 

14

Bit of a silly post. 

There are risks of taking PPI long term basis. The drug itself was not designed for long term use, it was designed to give people a pain free opportunity to address the causes of their symptoms alleviate illness. Of course some people don't have that option and therefore have no choice. But I would rather attempt a lifestlye change, because there is serious proof from clinical studies worldwide that that works, than keep taking a drug for the rest of my life without knowing why and facing the potential other illnesses that are linked to drug, such as dementia,  kidney failure and various heart conditions - not to mention the fact that some PPI drugs take away symptoms of other conditions, meaning whilst you think your heartburn issue is being dealt with, you actually have other issues but won't know about them until its too late. 

What a stupid comparison to make  -without health you have nothing - zero . So before I can get in my car and face the massive risk of something 20 million people do per day without incident, I need to make sure I am alive. 

You say I may not be able to see what the acid is doing? If my symptoms are heartburn, and I stop taking a PPI and change my diet and lifestyle and that symptom went away, it would be fair to say the issue has been somewhat addressed. By eating a diet that doesn't already contain dietary acid that our bodies use, and by following the general advice of others who have successfully changed their lifestyle and no longer need this drug - I'm pretty sure I have a good shot - have I weighed up the risk? Yes I think I have, the options are to have a go at CURING the problem, or to continue taking a drug for the rest of my life ( taking into account the proven links to all those horrible conditions that may arise as a result) and not even know what the illness is  - Yes I've thought about it lots and it wasn't really a tough choice. 

When I get into my car I automatically take into account the following:

 - My car is safe and maintenance is up to date 

- I'm a qualified and experienced driver 

- Most drivers in the UK are also qualified so I can have some degree of trust that driving standards are high

- I'm cautious, obey the speed limit and am a vigilant driver who has never had an accident 

- The roads are generally safe, when not I will assess the condition to evaluate the risk/reward ratio 

-  I am in control of everything that relates to me  - I can't control others. 

But, you never know, I could just run down my tyres, wait till its really icy then go for a drive without any reason what so ever.