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Weaning off Omeprazole

Posted , 3 users are following.

tallulah01898
tallulah01898

I have been taking 20 mg of Omeprazole since May 2016.  I have always suffered from acid indigestion, and have a very senstivie digestive system.  I am not happy taking drugs, and wish to stop taking this drug.  I have used Rennies in the past and did find then effective. 

?I had a hip replacement at the end of May, and this coincided with the start of the Omeprazole.  I have noticed that I am quite lethargic and somewhat depressed.  I do not have any energy and tire easily, now.  I used to love to walk and play piano.  My feeling is that this is due to the drug and not the hip replacement, from which recovery was swift.  Walking around the house and garden without sticks after just 14 days post op. 

?I have asked for a doouble prescription of 10 mg Omeprazole, and started to take just one 10 mg tablet per day.  I am wondering if that is too much of a drop, too soon?  I have, on occasions not taken any Ompeprazole for a day to a day and half, but that is about as long as I am able to tolerate before the acid starts to bother me. 

?I have been following a discussion on this and my side effects are not as severe as some, but still, I would prefer to use alternative means of controlling the condition.  I am considering following some of the suggestions such as aloe vera, lemon juice, DGL, sodium bicarbonate, etc.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • gillian75986
    gillian75986 tallulah01898

    Posted

    Hi

    I have also had a hip replacement 5yrs ago and was put on Omeprazole routinely which as a former nurse I know to be the norm if given non steroidal eg Ibuprofen or diclofenac.

    Once you stop these drugs it's not really necessary to continue on Omeprazole. However you say you have a sensitive stomach history with acid reflux.

    I too am in the same boat. I did manage to stop the Omeprazole after about 6 weeks though and managed to deal with acid reflux and heartburn with Gaviscon since.

    However I've had a herniated disc all year and was put on Omeprazole because I was put on Diclofenac. I ( or my GP) made the mistake of keeping me on Omeprazole long after I'd stopped the diclofenac.

    I took it for 6 months in total until 7 weeks ago when I decided IT might be the cause of my bloated stomach & burping. I took 10mgs instead of 20mgs for a week then stopped. I'm also taking Gabapentin for sciatica which can affect your stomach too. The bloat has stopped and I've added a probiotic to my diet because Omeprazole destroys the enzymes that help with digestion.

    With hindsight I think Omeprazole made me very anxious and weepy over the summer and greatly upset my digestion and bowel habit.

    I'm now off it but having some periods of really bad heartburn and acid reflux but by no means every day although this week has been the worst in 7 weeks. I think I should have stayed on the 10mgs for a bit longer like for 4 weeks then every other day for 2 weeks and so on.

    I've also had some bad headaches and yesterday had banging in my ears which I've had coming off other meds so I knew what that was.

    My GP advised me not to eat 2-3hrs before going to bed but didn't give me any other advise. It's helped a bit but what I've done is bought a pack of Zantac. It's really helped as has drinking a mix of honey, cinnamon & freshly grated ginger in a mug of hot water and sipping it thru a straw.

    My GP says if things don't settle he will arrange an endoscopy for me. Yikes! To be honest I've never had a diagnosis but I personally think it was caused by stress. It's always worse if I get upset and over think things.

    Hope this helps.

    I'm sure your new hip has made a huge difference and I hope you have been doing your physio as that's the key to a good outcome. It been great in my case!

    • tallulah01898
      tallulah01898 gillian75986

      Posted

      Hi Gillian:

      ​Many thanks for our feedback.  I have reduced my Omeprazole intake down from 20 mg to 10 mg, and will continue with that for a couple of weeks, I think.  In the meantime, I have started to take a probiotic and last night, I ordered, through Amazon Acidophilus Plus, Licorice Root and Aloe Vera.  I may try the ginger concoction and I have read on the site that the juice of a lemon in hot water is good, also a drink made up with the juice of 6 lemons and pure Maple Syrup, but not the supermarket type.  I think the health food stores sell it, and I did find it on Amazon.  It is quite expensive, though.  I used to use Rennies, and still have some.  Will bring in some Gaviscon, and just see how it all works out.

      ​I need to spend more time in my physio for the hip and start walking more. The problem, of course, is that the omeprazole makes me very lethargic and fatigued.  I have also noticed that my hair feels quite dry to the touch.  It used to be very silky, and now it is not.  The doctors churn out these drugs, and they are suppposed to monitor their patients.  Mine is not doing that, although I did have some blood tests done, one of which included kidney function.  The Omeprazole can cause problems with the kidneys, or so I understand.  I really  prefer alternative, natural remedies if at all possible, and of course, watching what I eat, is going to be important.  I do eat a lot of fish, salads, vegetables and chicken and stay away from the frying pan as much as possible.  No processed foods, either.

      Thank you again, and have a lovely Christmas. 

  • julie37508
    julie37508 tallulah01898

    Posted

    I was enslaved to Omeprazole for about 18 years.  I never really realized the subtle differences in myself for a long time.  The anxiety, decline in physical fitness, joint pain, I just attributed it to getting older.  I tried stopping when I broke my ankle in 2010, but the rebound acid is awful, so I would go back on.  I am now taking 300 mg daily of Rantinidine, which just reduces the acid, but I have also had to learn to eat less, eat slower, and avoid a lot of food I used to be able to eat with no problems while on Omeprazole.  I wish I had never started taking it at all, but I keep trying to feel better, and I think eventually I will.  Hope this helps.  Just know abrubtly stopping it is not a good idea.
    • tallulah01898
      tallulah01898 julie37508

      Posted

      Many thanks for your feedback.  I am weaning off the Omeprazole by reducing down fron 20 mg to 10 mg, and supplementing with probiotics, licorice, aloe vera and acidopholus.  Will be looking around for add ons, but there is nonly so much one can take, and I suspect it will be a case of trial and error, and the obvious dietary intelligence.  Eat mosty green vegetables, fish, chicken and loads of salads, even in the Winter months.  Weill see how I go!
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