Swallowing is correct but you don't realize it is swallowing that is problem. My came to a head when I stood up felt like I was going to fall overweigh such dizziness at my mother's wake in CT. I was diagnosed with IBS by a local gastro doctor at Henry Ford Hospital. He refused to refer me to surgeon before he conducted same test just done at very well-known hospital in CT.

Read most of the replies and thought I would add my story. I am 60 and in decent health, 6 feet 160 pounds, so weight not an issue. In the late nineties I started getting heartburn, never just a little heartburn, I mean sitting up all night because I could not lay down and the burning was not just annoying but quite painful. I used to like my beer and wine, simply would not stop drinking coffee, all the foods I loved were off the lists I have seen you post here. Though I have loathed milk and other dairy products all my life, especially cheeses and yogurt, the very thought makes me gag.

My provider is the VA, my doctor put me on ranitidine first and it had no apparent effect. Then omeprazole in 1998 or 9. the dose was 40 mg and it was like a new lease on life, by the way, I eventually discovered that 20 mg was adequate and that is now what I take, to this day I have not had heartburn unless I forgot to take it when I woke. But something happened I and none of my doctors since have connected to PPI use till I was in Australia for a few months in early 2017. Every spring starting in 2000 I would get welts on my arms, I lived in Florida and had a convertible. These were really bad, my arms were pebbled like the skin of an avocado and the itching was indescribable. They would open up and bleed, they would weep clear sticky fluids, I would wake stuck to my sheets. And, this lasted till about October, a sore, say on my hairline would last for 6 months without healing. Only as autumn came would they taper off.

I ran out of omeprazole in Australia and went to the doctor there for a prescription, I had a full blown set of new sores though it was January, but that was high summer there. They told me that they thought the rash was drug induced cutaneous lupus, something you never hear about in America. In fact many countries limit you to 14 day supply at one time and cite a number of side effects the US does not recognize. I have been trying to get the VA to give me some workable alternative to omeprazole since, but the local VA hospital does not have an immunology department and the VA does not recognize cutaneous lupus as a drug reaction. So, I now have two major quality of life problems one causing the other. There actually is a treatment they use in Australia and New Zealand when a patient can't get off of omeprazole, it is a substance some people use to give themselves tans without the sun, it is especially popular with body builders who do not want to paint themselves darker. It triggers melanin production in your cells and that seems to ward off the weeping sores.

I would really love to get off of omeprazole after almost 20 years, I am sure it is likely doing other damage that is not so obvious. And, my blood work has been a mess for a long time, mostly severe vitamin D deficient, but very lousy cholesterol numbers (BP is like a 15 year old athlete though) high red counts with little diffusion in size. And after Australia I moved to Ireland where I lived 7 months till I got an ear infection and the National Health System was so overloaded I could not be seen. I returned October 2017 and still have the ear infections. It has not responded to antibiotics, another doctor said they thought it was an allergy, can this also be an omeprazole related side effect? But, as bad as omeprazole may be I will not stop taking it because as sure as the sun rises I will be in agony within 48 hours. I would be tempted almost to have most of the stomach removed, they did that to my Dad in 1970 or so.

By the way, drug induced cutaneous lupus will go away in a few months after you stop treatment. But of course for me within a few days the heartburn comes roaring back too.

I am trying to get off omeprozole also. I have hiatal hernia but with the medication I have had such severe leg and foot cramps that I thought the bones of my feet would break. Most nights I would be up two to three times and have to stay up each time until the pain would stop. I am trying Zantac and eating very little hoping to keep the blowback reflux from getting over whelming. No one else on the post seems to have had the cramping. The doctor said just eat a banana every once in a while and you will be fine, that did not cut it so I am looking for other solutions.

Look into the LINX Augmentation procedure. There are videos on YouTube. I had the procedure in September 2018 and it was very successful. I had a 4 cm hiatal hernia and my esophageal sphincter stayed open. I haven’t had to take an antacid since the surgery (laparoscopic) and adjustment was more than tolerable. Now I eat anything I want with no difficulty,

I have taken Omeprozole since 2008 for 8 years, only the 20mg once a day.because my engoscopy showed I had Barreitts Esophagus;. In 2016, it showed I had low dysplasia and the doctor put me on 40 mg a day. Then in Feb. 2017, my endoscopy showed I had high dysplasia, and I was put on 40mg twice a day, which I have taken until Sept. of this year. Now after four ablations, my BE has gone away as of Sept. and the Dr. said I could cut my dosage back to 40 mg once a day. I have never had serious heartburn or Gerd as others have described, and my thinking was that PPI was not not working well. But I tried to continue taking it as directed. - maybe missing a few times but not noticing any symptoms,. I remember noticing GERD when I had had an unusual big dinner - two or three courses with wine.- I would wake up after being a sleep and throw up. I would then take a zantac, get relief, go back to bed and a of course, I learned that I had to be careful about eating. I also leaned from my doctor at MDAnderson that I had a hiatel hernia that I had not beejn told before. by my other GI doctor.
But... the only adverse thing I can see that has resulted with my taking a PPI - (I take prontonix now) is I noticed that my skin became very thin and bruised looking and would even start bleeding without any reason that I could see. Now that I am back on one pill a day, that problem has cleared up and my arms look normal. Has anyone else taking Omeprozale or prontonix had this problem?

Yes! I have and never understood why. Now I just take 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda in water and no more blood marks on arms and bleeding.

I take 40mg omeprozole every 3 days with zantac in between if needed. Dr wants me off omeprozole because it is linked to dementia and I have been on a ton of different antacids for the past 20 years. I have done some research and some articles say it is the lack of acid in the stomach that causes heartburn/gerd. They even suggest using betaine hcl with every meal which creates acid in the stomach to help breakdown food. They also talk about a large amount of people diagnosed with heartburn and gerd actually have bad bacteria growing in your intestines that thrive in low acid and that is the cause of heartburn. I am completely confused about my gerd now and don't know what is right. Anyone else heard of taking betaine hcl ?

Wow. Im still learning all this . had colon cancer and had all my large intestines taking out 3 yrs ago. Never been to doctors all my life tell now. Im on this med.40 mg a day as well been on three different hurtburn med and 16 other medication. I have to sit up of have food come up at night lying down. Acid reflux. Im 48 yr old did heating ac refrigeration all my life know nothing else. Cant do now either cause bending or dehydration . put me on anxity pills as well. Thanks for everyone info on here. Im not alone

I'm surprised that you have Barrett's and haven't heard of the RFA procedure. If you have Barrett's you will need to be monitored so it doesn't turn into either low or high dysplasia. An RFA is an endoscopic procedure that burns off the top layer of . Good luckBarrett's cells. You might be lucky and after one procedure you no longer have it, but in my experience you would need more than one RFA. Even if you no longer have Barrett's you will still need monitoring to make sure it doesn't reoccur. It's questionable if you will be able to go off a PPI, that's a question for your Gastroenterologist. Good luck

Robin I know it has now been a few months sense you posted this. I too am on omeprazole. I need off of it because of side effects of hair loss. Have you tried to just use the Priosac, Zantac, and tums only? And not use the omeprazole? Thanks Joyce