It is for acid reflux.

Interesting about ice cream etc

I stopped taking Omneprazole 4 months ago, due to possible pancreatitis. Doc put me on Zantac. That was pulled off the shelves due to cancer causing agents. Doc put me on Pepcid. I decided to talk with him and wanted to stop all the acid reflux drugs. Husband elevated head of bed on 3 inch blocks, cut down on some acidic foods, and cut down on alcohol. He agreed, and wants to do an endo in a year to see if there is any damage. Louise

Tried getting off omeprazole a couple times. End up back on it. Nothing else works for me long term. Alternative is barfing up acid. Concern over esophageal cancer outweighs other concerns.

All of your posts have been so helpful to me, thank you very much!

I have had the same concerns about many of you - issues with my pancreas and concerns about B12 and magnesium levels and concerns about taking this medication for such an extended period of time. I have been taking omeprazole or a similar medication for at least 20 years. I was on 40 mg a day. a couple of years ago I expressed concern about the medication to my GI doctor. He did not think there was any issue with taking it but I asked him to change my medication to 20 mg two times a day so I could try to reduce the amount I was taking. I was able to go to 20 mg a day. I have still had concerns about taking this medicine and I appreciate the information many of you have shared that helped me decide to go off the medication completely. I stopped taking the omeprazole on April 1. I have seen it is probably better to try to wean off it but I was determined. The first two weeks were terrible and I still today have a lot of GERD symptions including reflux and stomach issues. However, I am determined to not go back on the medication. I have been using antacids, mylanta and occasionally baking soda in water. I am being very careful about what I eat and how much and when. I believe smaller meals more often is helping and I am staying away from spicy foods. Today is April 28. I have read that it could take as much as four months to get to a better place after stopping taking the medicine. I have made a lot of progress but am not where I would like to be yet but I am determined. I will update as I have more information to share. One interesting side effect I have noticed is that I no longer feel bloated as I used to. One interesting thing I found in my research was that omeprazole delays stomach emptying - not something I would have thought would be the case. Thank you for the information you have provided in this forum. Your experiences helped me to decide to take this step. When I visit my GI doctor this year I will discuss what I have done and see if he wants to have tests performed to determine if I am cured.

I took Omeprazole for 16 years for Barrett's. Developed chronic pancreatitis. Told my GI doc that I wanted to come off of it. Was taking 20mg. in the am. I took 1 every other day for a week , then 1 every 3 days for a week and then stopped. He put me on Zantac and after a month heard it causes cancer, so he put me on Famitodene 20mg. twice a day. Told him that I would like to stop all those meds. and he said ok. Just take one if needed. So, I just take one at night because I find that I get heartburn at night. No need for one during the day. He plans to do an endo in March to see if the Barrett's is still gone.
Good luck...those drugs are toxic, and if you can do without that's a plus, but if you can't, then there is no choice!!

An alternative for these GI meds that does not contribute to osteoporosis is Pepcid. Reducing Omeprazole, which is Prilosec, can be monitored by how you feel and what symptoms, if any arise. We all get so used to these meds so it becomes a habit fearing exacerbation of our symptoms. Yet, a holiday or change in these meds reveals much. Thank you for bringing this important topic to light. I have taken Protonix for my Collagenous Gastritis. I will switch to Pepcid as I have been now diagnosed with Osteoporosis. The research clearly indicates using these meds for more than a year and at higher doses Decrease the body’s ability to absorb Calcium. A urine CA test is very helpful to determine where your CA levels are at. My best...

Hello from Montreal.Could you please let me know if you received any replies for how to get off Omeprazole?What have you done so far and is it helping you? Thank you very much for your time .Laura

I haven’t been successful. I tried every other day. I see my gastroinJune.