Hi there- My dad was put on omeprozole in the hospital and had a long stay at both the acute care hospital, then a rehab facility. I was dismayed to find he was on it long term too after reading about the side effects.

(Disclaimer: If you went on it after talking to your doctor, of course, might make sense to talk with them about it.)

I used this as a guide to come up with a plan; it’s from the VA:
https://www.va.gov/WHOLEHEALTHLIBRARY/tools/coming-off-a-proton-pump-inhibitor.asp
I’m not sure how long you’ve been taking the PPI, and that may affect how difficult it could be to get off it. My dad was on it a moderate amount of time, and he didn’t have trouble, thankfully.

He also took/takes a magnesium supplement, which you may want to consider, especially if you have symptoms related to magnesium deficiency (fatigue, leg cramps, nausea). PPIs have been found to inhibit absorption of magnesium and deficiency is more prevalent in older people. You can also be tested.

Basically we reduced the dose as slowly as we could reasonably cut the tablets down with a pill cutter. My dad is very sensitive to medications, so we’re used to having to taper and titrate slowly. I can’t remember the denominations we used, but most sources say it should take longer than two weeks to get off it.

I think it took us at least a month. He’d take a dose for a week, then lower again, and so on. Getting down to the end, we alternated every other day, then every three days until he was off it.

I believe it also helps to address lifestyle changes, like reducing or avoiding foods that tend to cause more acid while you’re getting used to being off the PPI, in my dad’s case it’s important for him to eat while being as upright as possible (he is recovering from a stroke), and doing breathing exercises.

Good luck. I agree and I feel it’s worth it to try to get off it. I feel like the consequences should be more well-known. The hospital that prescribed it didn’t even discuss it with us.

I weaned off of Pantaprazole by taking it every other day for 2 weeks and then stopped it. I was getting severe leg cramps from it feeling like I was tearing my calf muscle. I would wake up screaming from the pain. I get my EGD and Colonoscopy in October. Hopefully I can stay off of it.

@drrobertsmsmft Nexium is also a PPI like omeprazole

In my experience, going off the PPI also required dietary changes. I went cold turkey since the GI who did my endoscopy told me to stop and never take again due to my cells being hypertrophic (very enlarged).
I immediately went gluten free, dairy free, sugar free (use organic stevia now), alcohol free, and switched to a low acid coffee. After 2 weeks I started feeling immensely better. Short version of my journey: After some testing, I learned I was gluten intolerant, had SIBO, a yeast infection and reacting to mold. I consulted with a nutritionist at my doctor’s office and she guided with foods to omit while my gut healed. And foods to definitely add to my diet.
Getting off a PPI can be done with the right help.
Best to you, I know it’s not easy.

To me, PPIs are as bad as opiates. Provide a lot of relief but very difficult to get off and they have their own rebound effect. I have used it for a horse with Gastritis but I was in charge of how much he could take. I tapered him very carefully so he would have no withdrawal. Humans have to make their own decisions and often it is difficult. I would rather not start.

Dr. Jamie Koufman is a retired ENT who posts information on respiratory reflux. See if her postings help you: https://jamiekoufman.com. She says it's not a medical problem, but a management issue. I don't know if occlusions go away if you get the respiratory reflux under control. If you do get the RR managed properly, would you need surgery to open up the blockage?

Hi, initially I only ate eggs and toast the majority of the time and soup until my stomach calmed down. Then I started adding food back in slowly to see how I would feel. I also found a fantastic doctor and nutritionist who helped me. I use low acid coffee as well, eat only gluten free products. If I want pasta, I buy Italian brands as European wheat is very different from US wheat. Quinoa and brown rice are digestible. I only eat fruit from the berry family the majority of the time now - strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries and avocados. Blueberries especially are very good and highly nutritious which I use in smoothies. Find a good protein powder, add almond or oat milk and about a cup of blueberries and blend, easily digested. For vegetables, I eat those considered low glycemic. I eat lots of eggs either hard boiled, scrambled with a mix of feta cheese and some greens like spinach. Also organic yogurt made with either milk or sheep/goat milk which is easily digested. There is also a yogurt that is labeled A2 which is more digestible. And then I also stick to grass fed butter, grass fed beef, wild caught fish. I choose organics as much as possible too to avoid toxins as much as possible. For a snack, I have crackers (gluten free by Simple Mills) and almond butter. Peanut butter is not good. It is highly inflammatory. The way peanuts are stored makes them moldy which creates aflatoxin - associated with increased risk of liver cancer. Start slowly adding foods so you can identify what works for you and what doesn't. If you don't exercise, try walking daily for 20 minutes. Walking helps with digestion. Eat at least 3-4 hours before bedtime. I would also encourage you to try meditation and breath work to relieve stress if you are not already doing this. Stress is a very big contributor to what happens in our gut. These are 2 meditation apps I use - Insight Timer and Headspace. Best to you finding what works.