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Took Omeprazole. I am concerned that I am experiencing heart problems.

Posted , 5 users are following.

jcarlson0902
jcarlson0902

I am 18 years old. Ive been taking birth control for about 3 months and just about 4 weeks ago i began taking the medication without water, that is until i noticed i felt discomfort in my throat. Feeling anxious (i have diagnosed anxiety), i decided to visit an urgent care down the road (8/21) because i was concerned that the birth control pills, in which i had failed to take with water, had gotten lodged in my esophageal lining. The PA suggested that i had acid reflux so he prescribed Omeprazole for 10 days and had also determined during questioning that i was not allergic to it. So, as soon as i picked up my prescription from the pharmacy i took one pill, then ate a little something with it. Because of my anxiety, i tend to read into the precautions and side effects of medications and thats what i did with the pamphlet for the Omeprazole. I also, as many hypochondriacs would, researched online the side effects of this drug. About 15 min after taking the medication, i began to feel a numbing on the left side of my neck and face. I didnt think much of it at all, although i did look into the pamphlet and didnt see this as a severe reaction because i did not have a rash. Later that night i was at work (at Dunkin' where im on my feet) and while i was closing up i began to feel shortness of breath and back pain. Shortness of breath was mentioned as a severe reaction to Omeprazole in pamphlet and back pain i saw somewhere online. Of course i was very concerned but i thought the back pain was just the 3 1/2 shift i had just worked. Every night since Sunday 8/18 ive felt overwhelming anxiety in which i had shortness of breath and a feeling of a lump in my throat so maybe the difficulty breathing was just that. The next day (8/22) i still felt nervous about my condition. I was feeling shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and my upper back hurt. Again, i went to urgent care and explained my symptoms but also mentioned that i have anxiety and it was determined that i should stop the Omeprazole, probably because it would make me feel better to know i had stopped what was causing me to worry. After I got home my left arm began to hurt so my first thought was, "Great, am i going to have a heart attack?" I had read some study in which it was found that patients taking PPI's had an increased risk of having a heart attack. I guess i am wondering if its from prolonged use of PPI's or if its possible that one dose could do this. Some of the symptoms ive been feeling too Im hoping to be just my anxiety working agaisnt me and that i am making myself think i have it bad. Even that night at work i felt my stomach hurt in a way and i thought something was wrong and i instantly thought i was possibly having a heart attack so my breathing became heavy and short, my heart began racing, i had difficulty swallowing, and i felt nauseous. It did however go away after a bit when i kind of forgot about it. That is why i think its my anxiety. Even today (8/23) i was driving with my best friend and i all of a sudden felt shortness of breath and a racing heart. I was on the expressway so i can see why that would make me stressed but i also drive on the expressway all the time and i normally feel fine. Though, when we parked, i began to calm down and walking around the store made me feel a bit better. I only felt the same panic when i got back to driving. These last few days ive felt helpless and vulnerable and i hope to find clarity, as i want to lead a healthy life without being constantly in fear. Could this be my anxiety or an impending heart attack?

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • jhleerph
    jhleerph jcarlson0902

    Posted

    jcarlson0902,

    Sorry that you are feeling this way. Wow, there is a lot to unpack here. I can't believe that the PA prescribed was a course of omeprazole. Granted, it was short term but there should have been progression that towards the use of a PPI. Just my opinion but some of these HCPs just reach for the first thing they heard of when a drug rep visits their office or see on TV. PPIs should really be used for erosive conditions because it completely shuts down acid production which it seems like you do not have. Just a general observation but a natural body function should not be shut down. Oh, why were you taking meds without water? Unless otherwise directed, you should be taking meds with water.

    The first thing I will comment on is the anxiety or impending heart attack. You do have a some signs of a heart attack that would warrant a full workup from proper HCP and not from urgent care. I am glad this has bee addressed acutely but too many patient variables that need to be considered that cannot be addressed from an urgent care visit.

    However, I want to share with you some of the things I have read on this board and what I have been going through. I know there are folks on this forum that have experienced and still experience similar symptoms that you describe (me included). Some of us experience this after a short course of PPI therapy and others after a chronic exposure (like me- ~4 years of taking lansoprazole). I have been experiencing tight neck/back for several years now. I get symptoms of anxiousness from time to time. I have not been diagnosed with anxiety so that may make my experience very different from yours but I get these feelings of tightness/nervous energy in my stomach and that cause palpitations and sometimes SOB. I wish I knew what the origin of the problem is but I am starting to believe that exposure to PPI exposure affects your nervous system somehow. Sorry I don't have any concrete scientific evidence that will make you feel better.

    I am glad that you are not taking omeprazole anymore but I hope that the HCP discontinued it for the the right reasons and not just to address an anxiety trigger. Hopefully they gave you some advice about how to address your perceived "reflux" (that was not mentioned in your post).

    Good luck in your recovery.

  • Jonathan57679
    Jonathan57679 jcarlson0902

    Posted

    I do not agree with prescribing a PPi drug for the symptoms you described.I am suspecting the birth control pills as the culprit. Since you already had symptoms of anxiety, the hormonal changes caused by the pill will make the anxiety issue worse. At the age of 18 your body has only been making normal sex hormones for about 5 years or less. It is very difficult on your body to then introduce synthetic hormones.

    I looked up some of the side effects of the pill and they do match some of your symptoms:

    Are There Side Effects of Birth Control Pills?

    Yes, there are side effects of birth control pills, although the majority are not serious. Side effects include:

    Nausea

    Weight gain

    Sore or swollen breasts

    Small amounts of blood, or spotting, between periods

    Lighter periods

    Mood changes

    The following side effects, easily remembered by the word "ACHES," are less common but more serious. If you experience any of these, contact your doctor immediately. If you cannot reach your doctor, go to an emergency room or urgent care center for evaluation. These symptoms may indicate a serious disorder, such as liver disease, gallbladder disease, stroke, blood clots, high blood pressure, or heart disease. They include:

    Abdominal pain (stomach pain)

    Chest pain

    Headaches (severe)

    Eye problems (blurred visioion)

    Swelling or aching in the legs and thighs

    From Webmd.

    Some women are just allergic to the pill and can get deathly ill from it. A fellow worker told me a story of his daughter wanting to go on the pill but her doctor told her she had a health problem and should not take it. She found another doctor who gave them to her. On the first day that she took them, she suffered a massive stroke and has been handicapped ever since.

    You will need to make your own decision about the pill.

    I would suggest that you focus on improving your health by focusing on nutrition. Working at Dunkin donuts does make this more difficult, but if you want to be healthy you can set your mind to it.

    I would suggest that you start juicing organic vegetables in the morning and take a quart of the juice with you. Drink 10 to 12 oz every 2 hour. Also, drink more water. It is important.

    Vegetables are the only source of most vitamins and mineral. Anxiety issues can come from a deficiency of a single mineral or vitamin.

    You should also find a quality multi mineral and separate vitamin multi B supplement.

    Don't take youthful health for granted. Take care of yourself. John

    • Jonathan57679
      Jonathan57679

      Posted

      Reprint of first paragraph that got messed up:

      I do not agree with prescribing a PPi drug for the symptoms you described.I am suspecting the birth control pills as the culprit. Since you already had symptoms of anxiety, the hormonal changes caused by the pill will make the anxiety issue worse. At the age of 18 your body has only been making normal sex hormones for about 5 years or less. It is very difficult on your body to then introduce synthetic hormones.

      I looked up some of the side effects of the pill and they do match some of your symptoms:

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