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.

Thanks for your advice, I will try the warm water. I am seeing the surgeon next week and fully aware that his defense well we to deny any relationship between the symptoms.

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@t98

Another thing, if it's bile reflux, which is common after cholecystectomy, then the treatment is different than for acid reflux. See a gastroenterologist and see: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bile-reflux/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20370121
PPI may not be the right treatment, but if you do need it don't be wary of taking it

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Thank for your response and info sharing.

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@t98

I tried acupuncture and it did nothing for me. I think that if you have terrible GERD then it's not enough to try herbs or cider vinegar and the like. Apparently, bile reflux is common after cholecystectomy. See details and treatment possibilities here: https://www.drmalladi.com/acid-reflux-after-gallbladder-removal/
Maybe you also have a hiatal hernia that is keeping the LES open. (I don't know if you've written more details ab out your situation previously, so apologize that I didn't see it.)
You should go to a gastroenterologist and see what they suggest. Maybe they'll do an endoscopy to see the situation. (With the sedation they give, it's a relatively easy procedure.)

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Thanks for your response. Had a screening upper GI with colonoscopy August 2022, all was normal, had one last week, said all looked okay but waiting for biopsy results.,,no hiatal hernia, no problems until I had the surgery, none at all. Coleystectomy was for a suspicious polyp found in gallbladder ultrasound. Now I am miserable. Cannot sleep at night due to pain, eating causes pain. Pain has become a constant companion. I am desperate so going to try acupuncture.

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@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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Thank you for your post. I too am an RN and have just started on this hellish journey. Started omeprazole a few day ago but terrified of it and coming off it. Right now it is not working for me. I am going to stay tuned to your posts and follow your journey. I started acupuncture 2 days ago, there is some literature supporting GERD treatment success. Not sure how to strengthen my gut microbe with this but am taking probiotics.

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@tk1

I have horrible and painful GERD daily. Started in December after I had a cholecystectomy. On PPI now but still painful, now affecting voice with sore throat. Anyone experienced this? I do not want to take the PPI’s.
I am not overweight, do not drink and do not eat fried food, head of bed elevated too, still pain and it is unrelenting.
Anyone tried herbs? Acupuncture?
Ideas?

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This may or may not help you in any way, but about 6yrs ago +/- there was an article released that said when PPI's first came out, they were not intended to be used on a long term basis, but because of how helpful they were to GERD sufferers, and apparently few side effects, doctors kept their patients on them indefinitely. I like many others was in that group. But then it was written that there actually were some definitely unwanted side effects. PPI's send a signal from your brain to your gut to "cut the acid", And I guess after years of this, its hard to go back to normal. I decided on my own to stop my PPI. ( I am a retired RN) I was so ill that I could not even eat, and lost 20#. My GI doc convinced me to get back on it , which I did. You have to weigh the pros and cons. Thing were going well, and then out of nowhere-LPR

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With LPR I cough frequently, I have regergitation of thick mucous, my voice has changed, and I can barely sing in church, and I no longer want to spend the night at anyones home, as I often wake up during the night gagging on mucous and going into coughing fits. GERD was a walk in the park compared to this. I have one more GI scan coming up Fri. and then I am done. GI keeps doing more and more tests, but nobody has an answer to make it go away.Anyway, I wish you all the best on this difficult road.

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I took Prilosec for many, many years and you can't take it for more then 5 yrs without a break. I had got a new doctor and wanted me off cold turkey, I did, it was tough and started chewing spearmint gum which actually helped👍, to this day each time my Gerd acts up I chew gum and that's the only thing I do...

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@rosemaryhow

With LPR I cough frequently, I have regergitation of thick mucous, my voice has changed, and I can barely sing in church, and I no longer want to spend the night at anyones home, as I often wake up during the night gagging on mucous and going into coughing fits. GERD was a walk in the park compared to this. I have one more GI scan coming up Fri. and then I am done. GI keeps doing more and more tests, but nobody has an answer to make it go away.Anyway, I wish you all the best on this difficult road.

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Thanks everyone for sharing your story, we are all in this together and surely need the support of each other.
I drank some celery juice this morning and it seemed to have helped, will try the gum. I intend to try to wean off the omeprazole in a couple weeks. Don’t have a diagnosis of LPR yet, but I have suspicions…
Hope and pray for healing and guidance for everyone here. Please continue to share your struggles and what helps.

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Began having heartburn symptoms roughly 18 months ago & was popping Tums for immediate relief, but certainly not long-lasting relief. My Gastro put me on Famotidine which didn't work, even when he doubled the dose. My family doc prescribed Omeprazole which has worked very well. I've been on it for 3-4 months and rarely use an antacid like Tums.

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@bklynteched

Began having heartburn symptoms roughly 18 months ago & was popping Tums for immediate relief, but certainly not long-lasting relief. My Gastro put me on Famotidine which didn't work, even when he doubled the dose. My family doc prescribed Omeprazole which has worked very well. I've been on it for 3-4 months and rarely use an antacid like Tums.

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I am glad it is working for you. I am on it but still have breakthroughs. My Gi said I need to be on it for Two months then wean off.

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