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Long term use of Omeprazole

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loveprague
loveprague

Hello,

I am a long term user of this medicine and wanted to share my experience of this medicine and my condition which was diagnosed some 15 years ago.

I was diagnosed with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), I have for many years suffered with diahorea stomach bloating and general pain and discomfort in my stomach. I have had several endoscopys and various other tests including an ultrasound and at first they discovered nothing unusual and put it all down to IBS. I had several treatments for Helicopacter Pylori and I am still not sure if it ever cleared up. I recently had an operation to remove my gallbladder and gallstones after the acid reflux was very troublesome. I have now since had another endoscopy which has showed I have a hiateul hernia. I have been on Omeprazole for over four years after having acid reflux type symptoms along with my IBS. I wanted to ask about being on this medicine long-term and the possible other organs in my body that could be damaged. I still have very bad indigestion and stomach aches and wondered if these tablets actually work for me anymore

8 likes, 123 replies

123 Replies

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  • ronnie0266
    ronnie0266 loveprague

    Posted

    I have been having a lot of the same symptoms as everyone on this forum. I have hypothyroidism. I was still having problems with swallowing and sore throats. My doctor told me to start taking Prilosec. I never thought that all of my problems that have cropped up over the months has something to do with it. I thought I had a stomach virus at one point. No vomiting, just extreme cramping and diarrhea. I went to Cozumel and came back and my skin from head to toe started peeling off. I did not get a sunburn and areas that were peeling weren't exposed to the sun, i have a constant stabbing pain in my right side, my kidneys ache, I get flushed and start sweating (only on my face, neck and chest), I have itchy blisters, flatulence, either diarrhea or constipation. Never normal BM. My stool is pale like a light yellow color, now I have started feeling an acidic feeling in my abdomin when I eat or drink. Especially in the morning. Oh, and I keep getting weird pressure or pain in my rectum. No bleeding. I am afraid I may have some serious condition. I am not sure what to do. My symptoms match pancreatitis, cancer of the pancreas, gall stones, gall bladder cancer, stomach cancer, colorectal cancer etc. I have had a barium swallow, abdominal xray, abdominal sono (gall bladder) all normal. My doctor now wants to do a colonoscopy and endoscopy. I am tired of doctors throwing medicine at me and blowing me off. If it is something more serious, the longer I wait, the worse the outcome. Does anyone have any suggestions for me?
    • Robert_Jones
      Robert_Jones ronnie0266

      Posted

      I believe that peeling skin is one of the very rare side-effects of proton pump inhibitors - such as Omeprazole; beyond that no lay person could possibly go.  You can frighten yourself to death trawling the internet for an explanation of symptoms, because so many things can cause them: obviously I can understand why you're getting fed up with your doctor, but in your place I would keep working with him or her to find out what's going on.  The normal results you've got from your barium meal and x-rays are good news, although if you're feeling awful what you want to know is what you HAVE got, not what you haven't.  Even so - these results do rule out a number of very unpleasant things that could have been going wrong.  

      I'm not able to be of much help I'm afraid, but I do suggest you stick with the doctors - they're ruling things out at the moment by the sound of it, which they have to do.  I've had an endoscopy - they're not that bad, and you can have sedation if you ask for it (take someone with you,because you won't be fit to drive after sedation, and probably not fit enough for public transport either).  I'm told that colonoscopy is no worse - possibly slightly less unpleasant if anything.  

      Tests are never enjoyable experiences - the barium meal is distinctly unpleasant, but bearable - but if you need them, well: you do.  

  • linda73040
    linda73040 loveprague

    Posted

    I have been on omeprozole 40mg for 4 years now and am worried about the long term effects.  I have tried to reduce the dose to 20mg and it seemed to work for 3 weeks and now the acid is back. Should I bwe worried about going back to 40mg as it dioes work?
    • Madness
      Madness linda73040

      Posted

      Linda 73040 I realise that there are many answers to read here but if you spend some time and do your own research on the web..you will see that by removing hydrocholric acid from your digestive system is detrimental to your obsorption of Magnesium and other nutrition.

      Taking a tablet as a simple 'cure' is easy and its your choice, without wishing to sound harsh.

      40mgs a day for 4 years is huge, its also very damaging but the damage and symptoms are 'silent'..ie, you will most likely be unaware.

      First look up all the benefits of manesium and educate yourself as to why your body needs it to function.

      Removing Omeprazole from your life will be painful for a couple of weeks, have doubt about that, its really unpleasant when the acid floods back! 

      There is no quick fix to this,if you know the cause is GERD for instance, then take measures to live in a different way.

      Raise the head of your bed around 9 inches.

      Dont eat after around 6-7pm and definitely dont go straight to bed after eating.

      Avoid fatty or processed foods.

      Delve into your diet and see whther youre gluten/wheat or lactose intollerant because this will be a hugr player.

      If you can, remove dairy and meat(animal proteins/fats from your diet)

      Find out what alternatives are available to you for keeping acid at bay.

      I was on Omeprazole for years, I was working long hours in hospitals and it made life easy for me..I was born with a hiatus hernia and live with refux until I found Omeprazole, food dominated my thoughts because I was scared of getting indigestion.

      I now have Osteoporosis (but of course Im lucky because Im aware of this) I take no medications, I eat a diary and meat free diet and so rarely get any acid issues and my hiatus hernia remains smile Ive also lost 2 stone steadily over 3 years...this helps the former!

      I take plant calcium, eat vegetable proteins,loads of fruit and veg and magnesium packed foods.

      Its NOT easy to do, but so well worth it.

    • deborah13074
      deborah13074 Madness

      Posted

      I totally endorse everything that you've written as I changed my diet dramatically and ditched all the 'zoles' that the doctor had given me.  I added magnesium, super vitamin B complex and cut out dairy.  My symptoms are a lot better but were tested this week when I decided to have a yoghurt, some chocolate and a cup of coffee.  Of course the symptoms are back with a vengeneance today !redface  So back to healthy eating only from now on.  Exercise helps a lot. I also find that juicing 2 apples and a chunk of ginger every morning eases symptoms. I also take centaurium
  • Robert_Jones
    Robert_Jones loveprague

    Posted

    Quick update, one month on.  I have virtually stopped Omeprazole, and take one only if the reflux gets troublesome, which it's doing less and less.  I feel that my digestive system is almost back to normal.  Reflux was never my main problem in the first place, I suffered a highly adverse drug reaction to NSAIDs, but it became a problem when I started feeling unwell on Omeprazole and stopped it abruptly.  Point is, I have been able to come off PPIs almost completely, and the initial problems have eased.

    I appreciate that other people here have very different problems, of course: but this has been my experience, if it's helpful to anyone.  

  • linda04376
    linda04376 loveprague

    Posted

    I am not trying to scare you but my mother had similar problems.  They eventually found pancreatic cancer but too late.  It is very hard to detect unless they are really looking for it spicifically.  My advise is to ask and if your doctor ignores you get another doctor.

    I am currently on omeprozole and am trying to get off of it by using some natural things like digestive enzymes and probiotics and watching my diet.  It is very hard to get off of.  I am trying pepsid when I do have heart burn and if it doesn't help then I take the omeprozole. This is a slow process but I think it is paying off.  I do not have the extreme constipation I had when on omeprozole and I have more energy because more of what I eat is being digested better.

     

  • matt71794
    matt71794 loveprague

    Posted

    Have just worked out, i have been on 20mg of Omeprazole for 20 years!! and recent reports regarding side affects like not absorbing vitamins, has got me in a panic. I have tried to come off it before, but the acid reflux has been so bad, like car battery acid in my mouth i have always gone back on them. Dr's have always reassured me that it's safe to take for life, but recent reports are worrying.

    I am going to try and wean myself off them again, but i know its going to be avery miserable time : ( i am a 40 year old male, and my Mum suffers from osteoporosis, which has made me think and read up on reports regarding omeprazole.

    • richiehs
      richiehs matt71794

      Posted

      I am a 67yr old male and ever since I was a kid, I suffered from acid indigestion and heart burn, to such an extent that I used to be sick just from the smell of vinegar passing fish and chip shops! My mum used to give me milk of magnesia to remove the symptoms. Later I used to live on Rennies which helped a lot.

      In about 1994, my Gp put me onto Losec (Omeprazole), what a godsend. However, he had to increase the dosage from 20mg per day up to 40mg twice a day. It was superb, in that for the first time in my life I felt "normal" (whatever that means). However, I started putting on weight and my general fitness started to go down hill. I really don't know if the Losec had anything to do with this, but I found that I was finding it harder and harder to do my job and that my muscle tone and strength were ebbing away, To the extent that I had thre successive abdominal hernias which wer operated on and also a herniateddis in the lower lumar region of my spine. Allof this , I thought was just ageing.

      Periodically, over the last 4 to 5 years I have suffered spells of lack of balance causing falls and severe lack of confidence in getting around, until last  May 2014 I was taken into hospital thinking that I was suffering a stroke. Itwas then discovered that I had a dangerous deficiency of Magnesium causd by the omeprazole which I had been subscribed. I ended up in hospital for 10 days until I was recovered enough to go home and was put on Ranitidine 300mg twice a day which does not work as well on my acid problem so I have take rennies to totally reduce the acid, I should say here that I was diagnosed in1994 with a haitus hernia. I would say that, although Omeprazole is fantastic for reducing acid problems, be aware that long term use can cause longterm problems, and that in the US it is recommended that extreme care should be taken with longterm use (over 6mnths continuous use. Draw your own conclusions.

  • michael77994
    michael77994 loveprague

    Posted

    Hi all,

    I posted here a few years ago about having GERD.

    Last summer I had my worst GERD attack yet and ended up in hospital. After a week in hospital and an ultrasound and MRI it was discovered I had gallbladder disease.

    In November I had my gallbladder removed and no more pain. I can eat a drink whatever I want and no more pain. It has really given me a .New lease on life and I am in the process of being weaned off omeprazole.

    If you are on omeprazole and it's not helping or your symptoms are getting worse, it might be an idea to get checked out for gallstones or gallbladder disease as GERD can be a symptom of gallbladder disease.

    Take care and much love to all GERD sufferers

  • patrick00766
    patrick00766 loveprague

    Posted

    I've read these letters with an increasing sense of sadness. They are a litany of pain and suffering that can only be imagined. I'm a 54 year old transplant patient, I've taken Omeprezole for 9 years and have undergone a complete personality change because the constant, severe diarrhoea, bloating, cramps and mood changes have all but ruined my marriage and other relationships. It got so bad that I would spend the day in bed so I wasn't too far from my toilet. Hot water bottles etc helped distract me but to no avail. Two weeks ago, I discovered FODMAP. I made some small changes to diet and remarkably it all disappeared. So after many, many intrusive procedures and many, many 'specialists' a simple e-mail from an IBS website changed everything. I'm hoping that the pain in shoulders and hips will go and I can start to get my life on track. I would recommend that you do your own research, ask questions, be 'the squeaky wheel who gets the grease' good luck to you all.
  • Dor1111
    Dor1111 loveprague

    Posted

    Just a thought! Have you read anything about not having enough acid which can cause so many issues within your gut as well. If not do yourself a favor and look into that! I was on nexium and Dexilant for 13 years. I think I destroyed my hip by taking it. I also had H-Pylori. You will be amazed to find out what little acid can cause, especially acid reflux and IBS to name a few. Happy healthy!
  • george98898
    george98898 loveprague

    Posted

    Hello George here, 69 yrs old and a long term user of PPI. I was diagnosed with Barretts esophagus 18 yrs ago and my gastro doctor put me on 40mg Prilosec. When Nexium came out he switched me to 40mg Nexium. I didnt have any problems on either drug but then this past January 2016 my insurance switched me to a generic Nexium. I noticed right away the bottle of pills had a terriable smell almost like ammonia. By March 2016 I had pneumonia and I began to lose weight. A CT scan showed a mass in my right lung and a PET scan determined it was cancer. After several trips to a cancer specialist it was determined it was not cancer just a bad infection. I continued to lose weight and developed a burning in my back scapula area and chest pains which sent me to the ER where they thought I was having a heart attack which luckily I did not. They found my magnesium level was very low and during my 2 day stay in the hospital they gave me magnesium injections each day. Also the pneumonia was back in my lung so they gave me Prednisone. Several weeks later besides my back and chest still hurting my arms began to hurt, my wrists, and elbows became very sore almost as if I had the flu but I dont have the flu. An MRI determined I have mild osteoarthritis and mild disc degeneration between c5/6 and c6/7 in my neck and the doctor now thinks my neck and back pain are caused from a pinched nerve. It is now late September and I have lost 55 lbs but my weight seems to be satbilizing at this point. My weight loss took away a lot of my muscle mass and its now difficult to pick up a 5 gallon can of gasoline. I was a strong healthy 250 lb guy before all this happened. I'm willing to try anything at this point so I have now taken myself off the generic Nexium (3 days now) to see if it has anything to do with my joint pain and fatigue. I will get the results of my blood tests in 3 days and will post back at that time if they find anything else going on with me.

  • sandra138
    sandra138 loveprague

    Posted

    I too am in the same situation as you exactly same issues. Do you take omeprazole once or twice a day? I am really fed up with these symptoms
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