Weaning of Omeprazole

Hi, I have been on Omeprazole for about 5 weeks and in that 5 weeks I have never felt so rotten, dizziness, blurred vision, headaches and just a general unwell feeling.

I am seeing my doctor next Tuesday and I am going to ask to come off them.

I am going on holiday August 6th and I don't want to be feeling like this while I'm away as it will ruin my holiday.

I take 20mg twice a day, one AM and one evening.

I've taken one today but I feel so rubbish that I'm not going to take my evening one and see how I feel in the morning. My GP did inform me of these side effects, it's ruining my life as I feel so weak and nauseous all the time.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Hi, André --

You may have managed to drop the omeprazole already, but I felt like you. After 12 years taking it I got arthritis, which no one in my family has as far back as we know (and my grandmother died at 101) and a slew of things that came from not absorbing minerals properly, including magnesium.

Omeprazole is now being linked to dementia in some studies.

I tried to stop three times and always went running back to the medication -- my stomach burnt so bad it felt like a real fire. I couldn't live, couldn't even drink water.

I ended up managing in the most absurdly simple way: with lemon.

I was told several times that lemon is actually very good for hyper acidity, but I never believed it. While on omeprazole I couldn't even drink a lemonade, it just made my stomach burn.

What I am doing now -- and am OFF the omeprazole -- is squeezing a lemon into hot water in the morning and drinking that (WITHOUT the medication, of course...)

I also make a drink with about a liter and a half of water and the juice of four lemons, plus 8 table spoons of maple syrup (needs to be pure! No sugar added -- not the maple syrup in the supermarket, the one from a health store). I drink that throughout the day as well. You might want just the water and lemon, and that's fine too -- but apparently the pure maple syrup also helps.

Finally, half an hour before lunch and dinner I take a tea spoon of sodium bicarbonate in half a glass of water. This can be tricky if you have high blood pressure or a problem with sodium, though.

You have to watch what you eat, especially at first. I know that flour is a trigger for me, as well of course as refined sugar, alcohol, spices, tomato-based sauces, chocolate, fried food, etc. I am eating healthily, mostly brown rice, vegetables, chicken, fish, fruit, etc. I have been free of omeprazole for a month, and eventually I will try eating some of the old stuff here and there -- but to be honest I feel so good I don't even feel like eating junk...

In any case, no more omeprazole. If I knew I could achieve this so easily I would be as happy as I am now, but a long time ago! And I would probably be in better health too! But I am confident that I will get healthier now. I plan to eat well and only "abuse" sometimes...

You probably can tell I'm not selling anything as...I'm not the owner of a lemon tree plantation. I came here to help others, as I really needed help and thought I'd never be free from that terrible pill!

Good luck, I hope you have either managed by this time, or not given up!

I told my GP that they just make me feel a lot worse, what did he do? Gave me a fresh prescprition for them. What symptoms/side effects do you get?

What are your symptoms?  I have been on Omeprazole 80mg daily for 2 years and am experiencing nausea, headaches and cramping.  

Hi Andre,  Did youmanage tio get off Omeprazole?  I've been on it now for many years and only recently found out the problems it causes in later life so i decided to try and come off it. The pain it gives you coming off it is unbearable as i'm sure you know. I have found a way that seems to be working. I'm vegan so this may or may not work for everyone. I've found almonds work. Sometimes i have to chew one and get it in me fast but other times I can just have one in my mouth doing nothing and the oil of what ever it is coming off it sooths the pain far better than any tablets. It's still early days for me (been a week) but before this would not have been possible at all. I'd like to know how you got on with coming off them if you don't mind. Thanks, regards,  Paul

Hi Andre, I'm not a doctor or anything like that, but I would like to tell you. I was taking omeprazole for 6 years for acid reflux, and a couple months ago I went to get an endoscopy, and the doctors were alarmed that I had been taking it for so long. I would tell you how I got off of it, but everyone is different, so I would just like to let you know, you should go ask your doctor. Also if you gp told you to stay on it, you should, or at least go find something else that works better for you.