1. < Digestive Health

Getting Off of Omeprazole: Share your success stories please.

Posted by Bonnie @nightngale1998, Jun 26, 2018

Hi there: Has anyone had success in weaning off of Omeprazole? I take it for GERD. Thank you in advance!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Digestive Health Support Group.

Jackie, Alumna Mentor | @travelgirl | Jul 6, 2018
In reply to @nightngale1998 "Thank you for responding, dand48, hopeful33250, Theresa, and destinanna. I still suffer from GERD from a..." + (show)
@nightngale1998

Thank you for responding, dand48, hopeful33250, Theresa, and destinanna. I still suffer from GERD from a hiatal hernia. I have taken Oemprazole a little over two years and want to get off of the medication because of the associated health issues of poor absorption of key nutrients (D, B12, and calcium are the ones I am familiar with).

My provider, a competent gentleman, has said "hmmmm." I am an RN so am used to doing the research and my own investigation. I have not found evidenced based information / articles on weaning off of Omeprazole. I have heard it can be done and tried to do so but was met with resistance and poor results when I attempted to do so. I switched over to Zantac and the first three days were reasonable and after that it was very uncomfortable).

The celery sounds hopeful and am trying to figure out the mechanism of action for its success. I have tried cider vinegar and it was met with severe cramping.

I am seeking successful scenario's by the valued participants on this board and will do a fair amount of research / experimentation on my own of what works for me. I take responsibility for my nutrition. I am also Lactose intolerant and have a few other sensitivities / intolerances in digestion.I thank you in advance for any additional feedback.

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@shahnaz I tried Zantac and it made my blood sugar drop. The Dr. could not explain that one to me? They just switched me to the omeprazole instead.

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Bonnie | @nightngale1998 | Jul 6, 2018
In reply to @harliegirl "I have acid reflux and getting off omeprazole is not an option but I do swallow..." + (show)
@harliegirl

I have acid reflux and getting off omeprazole is not an option but I do swallow Priosec in am and zantac afternoon with tums with needed on every third day the others I use zantac morning and evening with tums in between. I feel so much better the days I use the one Priosec(not sure I am spelling right) but I am having a calcium intake problem so I am using doctors suggestion for using tums, zantac and prilosec.

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I have not; I will be setting up an appt. with my Gastro. doc (likely) at years end as I am dealing with another health matter within our family (unrelated to this). Thanks for your posting, DrRoberts.

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Drroberts | @drrobertsmsmft | Jul 6, 2018
In reply to @harliegirl "I have acid reflux and getting off omeprazole is not an option but I do swallow..." + (show)
@harliegirl

I have acid reflux and getting off omeprazole is not an option but I do swallow Priosec in am and zantac afternoon with tums with needed on every third day the others I use zantac morning and evening with tums in between. I feel so much better the days I use the one Priosec(not sure I am spelling right) but I am having a calcium intake problem so I am using doctors suggestion for using tums, zantac and prilosec.

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If you are interested, you might look this up on YouTube. LINX and Dr. Lipham. He has a thorough video that gives a lot of information. The medications only mask the symptoms, does not cure the cause of reflux. It only gets worse. That’s why I M having the LINX Sohincter Augmentation done in September. It just makes sense.

BTW, my initials are drr. I am not a doctor.

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shahnaz | @shahnaz | Jul 7, 2018
In reply to @marlaxyz "I hesitate to write this because i am absolutely not an expert and am an experiment..." + (show)
@marlaxyz

I hesitate to write this because i am absolutely not an expert and am an experiment of one. With that said I will tell you my experience.

i was on Prilosec (prescription) for years and then there were a series of events and I stopped taking it. Surprise. NO problem. Then I had an endoscopy (for other reasons) and asked the doctor if he thought I should be taking Prilosec and he said he saw no reason. So I have not gone back to it.

What I did do was adjust my diet and stop eating citrus, tomatoes, and other items - i actually forget now because it is all in the past. I DO eat yogurt, cottage cheese, other cheese (not cheddar) peanut butter, meat, cooked (and non cruciferous) vegetables, yams, berries, bananas, other stuff. . I have a whole list somewhere if you want it, just PM me. I created the list by trial and error - if something gave me GERD, out it went.

One take away I came to was the gastroenterologists do like to prescribe Prilosec. If you have something it will probably fix it. I have other problems but Prilosec is not fixing them, still the GI doctor wanted me to take the Prilosec. . All medicines have an affect on our kidneys and livers. I have a sense Prilosec is not a bad medicine any more than any other (I went back to the original research and found it not compelling) ..it is just that all medicines have problems.

BTW - that vinegar. Yikes. NEVER or as Jackie above called it - "acid"

Best to you and good luck-

Val

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Please please give me the list of foods you avoided . I also suffer from GERD and want to take fewer medicines.Gratefully....Shahnaz.

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1 reply
Kanaaz Pereira, Connect Moderator | @kanaazpereira | Jul 7, 2018

Hi @nightngale1998 and members in this discussion,

I thought you might be interested in reading this recent article published in the journal of Gastroenterology:
– https://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(17)35623-8/fulltext

Based upon numerous studies which evaluated the long-term use of PPIs like Omeprazole, researchers conclude that (copied):

– Despite the recent alarm generated by some high-profile, newsworthy publications, few (if any) of the recent scare stories have attempted to balance the benefits of PPIs with their alleged risks.
– A great number of patients are receiving PPIs unnecessarily for conditions or symptoms for which they would not have been expected to provide benefit. Furthermore, many patients who are on PPI treatment for appropriate indications are receiving excessively high daily doses.
– For some patients, treatment may need to be lifelong. However, multiple “false alarms” related to the safety of PPIs could ultimately lead to inappropriate discontinuation of treatment with potentially serious consequences for some patients.
– Much of the current evidence linking PPI use to serious long-term adverse consequences is weak and insubstantial. It should not deter prescribers from using appropriate doses of PPIs for appropriate indications.

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1 reply
Jackie, Alumna Mentor | @travelgirl | Jul 7, 2018

@kanaazpereira Thank you.. I have confidence I am getting properly treated. I just wish I didn't need to take the pills. But I shall keep taking them cause it is virtually impossible for me to eliminate everything from my diet that cuases me issues. I would be living on water alone.

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kozlo52 | @kozlo52 | Jul 8, 2018
In reply to @marlaxyz "I hesitate to write this because i am absolutely not an expert and am an experiment..." + (show)
@marlaxyz

I hesitate to write this because i am absolutely not an expert and am an experiment of one. With that said I will tell you my experience.

i was on Prilosec (prescription) for years and then there were a series of events and I stopped taking it. Surprise. NO problem. Then I had an endoscopy (for other reasons) and asked the doctor if he thought I should be taking Prilosec and he said he saw no reason. So I have not gone back to it.

What I did do was adjust my diet and stop eating citrus, tomatoes, and other items - i actually forget now because it is all in the past. I DO eat yogurt, cottage cheese, other cheese (not cheddar) peanut butter, meat, cooked (and non cruciferous) vegetables, yams, berries, bananas, other stuff. . I have a whole list somewhere if you want it, just PM me. I created the list by trial and error - if something gave me GERD, out it went.

One take away I came to was the gastroenterologists do like to prescribe Prilosec. If you have something it will probably fix it. I have other problems but Prilosec is not fixing them, still the GI doctor wanted me to take the Prilosec. . All medicines have an affect on our kidneys and livers. I have a sense Prilosec is not a bad medicine any more than any other (I went back to the original research and found it not compelling) ..it is just that all medicines have problems.

BTW - that vinegar. Yikes. NEVER or as Jackie above called it - "acid"

Best to you and good luck-

Val

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I can tell you to avoid completely ; coffee-caffeine will cause more acid production; no chocolate- (cocoa bean) which has caffeine; no soda since the carbonation will help promote acid production; avoid spicy foods; avoid fried foods.. learn to live with a bland diet.

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Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Jul 8, 2018
In reply to @marlaxyz "I hesitate to write this because i am absolutely not an expert and am an experiment..." + (show)
@marlaxyz

I hesitate to write this because i am absolutely not an expert and am an experiment of one. With that said I will tell you my experience.

i was on Prilosec (prescription) for years and then there were a series of events and I stopped taking it. Surprise. NO problem. Then I had an endoscopy (for other reasons) and asked the doctor if he thought I should be taking Prilosec and he said he saw no reason. So I have not gone back to it.

What I did do was adjust my diet and stop eating citrus, tomatoes, and other items - i actually forget now because it is all in the past. I DO eat yogurt, cottage cheese, other cheese (not cheddar) peanut butter, meat, cooked (and non cruciferous) vegetables, yams, berries, bananas, other stuff. . I have a whole list somewhere if you want it, just PM me. I created the list by trial and error - if something gave me GERD, out it went.

One take away I came to was the gastroenterologists do like to prescribe Prilosec. If you have something it will probably fix it. I have other problems but Prilosec is not fixing them, still the GI doctor wanted me to take the Prilosec. . All medicines have an affect on our kidneys and livers. I have a sense Prilosec is not a bad medicine any more than any other (I went back to the original research and found it not compelling) ..it is just that all medicines have problems.

BTW - that vinegar. Yikes. NEVER or as Jackie above called it - "acid"

Best to you and good luck-

Val

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@kozlo52 What you have said is so true! A bland diet might be a bit boring, but when it helps you feel so much better it is certainly worth it. Thanks for reminding us that we have some control over how we feel.

Teresa

REPLY
shahnaz | @shahnaz | Jul 8, 2018
In reply to @marlaxyz "I hesitate to write this because i am absolutely not an expert and am an experiment..." + (show)
@marlaxyz

I hesitate to write this because i am absolutely not an expert and am an experiment of one. With that said I will tell you my experience.

i was on Prilosec (prescription) for years and then there were a series of events and I stopped taking it. Surprise. NO problem. Then I had an endoscopy (for other reasons) and asked the doctor if he thought I should be taking Prilosec and he said he saw no reason. So I have not gone back to it.

What I did do was adjust my diet and stop eating citrus, tomatoes, and other items - i actually forget now because it is all in the past. I DO eat yogurt, cottage cheese, other cheese (not cheddar) peanut butter, meat, cooked (and non cruciferous) vegetables, yams, berries, bananas, other stuff. . I have a whole list somewhere if you want it, just PM me. I created the list by trial and error - if something gave me GERD, out it went.

One take away I came to was the gastroenterologists do like to prescribe Prilosec. If you have something it will probably fix it. I have other problems but Prilosec is not fixing them, still the GI doctor wanted me to take the Prilosec. . All medicines have an affect on our kidneys and livers. I have a sense Prilosec is not a bad medicine any more than any other (I went back to the original research and found it not compelling) ..it is just that all medicines have problems.

BTW - that vinegar. Yikes. NEVER or as Jackie above called it - "acid"

Best to you and good luck-

Val

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You're absolutely right- just give up all the foods and drinks that you love and your acidity will decline!

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coquifoife | @coquifoife | Jul 8, 2018

OK, here goes. I suspect this may be long. Omeprazole and Pepsid are the same thing. Reglan caused me to have involuntary movements of my tongue and feet. I’ve been off of it for over a year and the feet are in constant motion-the Doctors do not think it will resolve. I currently take 40 mg Omeprazole in the morning and 8 mg Ondansetron 2-3 times a day for nausea and vomiting. If I do not take them before my feet hit the floor, I will throw up. I had a hiatal for about 15 years before I had surgery to repair it (fundoplication). All was good for about 6 years. I had been told that that was about all I could expect. About 12 years ago, it was back and I started to vomit bright red blood, which resulted in esophagitis. Many tests and hospitalizations later, it was discovered that I also had gastritis and gastroparesis (delayed emptying of the stomach). The esophagitis and gastritis resolved with antibiotics and some minor diet changes. I am being followed at Emory University Hospital and have been for 33 years. I had a kidney transplant there 20 years ago as a result of untreated strep throat. My gastroenterologist has referred my to another Emory gastroenterologist who is specially trained in a procedure called G-POEM (look it up). Not many hospitals perform it as it is fairly new. They believe this should solve many of my problems caused by Gastroparesis. I expect to hear this week if I am a candidate. The procedure is 80-90% successful. The procedure is done through the mouth ((no external incision) and takes approximately 2 hours with 1 night in the hospital. The diet afterwards is gradual over a period of time -clear liquid, full liquid, soft then finally, regular. After extensive research, I feel that the possible reward outweighs the risk. I strongly suggest you contact the nearest teaching hospital for an evaluation. I wouldn’t consider going anywhere else for anything! Good luck and good health to all of you! Thank you for sticking with me through this epic journal.

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