Update omeprazole versus Famotodine

[Haz58]

Well.. I've tried Famotodine since 1st May 20mg twice a day and 20mg omeprazole every other day to try to wean off it as per GP. I just can't do it! My acid is just too much to bare! My throat feels tight and the gerd is out of control I'm coughing like crazy! I think I'm going to have to go back full time on the omeprazole daily and knock the Famotodine on the head.

I'm disappointed because of the gallstones and the threat of more fractures but I guess if I don't, my esophagus will get worse next.

But being on calcichew D3 is helping the bones...I hope.

Maybe I can go down to 10mg a day of omeprazole which I was on a few months ago before mtx gave me gastritis.

[13Lab]

Have you looked at Iquoro… it’s a mechanical device to strengthen the musculature…. Certainly worked for me when meds didn’t help… and very simple to use!

[Haz58 in reply to 13Lab]

Not heard of that! Just looked it up. Did you get yours on prescription or buy it?

[13Lab in reply to Haz58]

Search on line..Swedish company.. you have to buy it if you live in UK.. in Europe it is available on prescription.. not cheap for such a simple thing… but for me it has been wonderful.. had so many reflux problems after 15years of daily NSAIDs.

[medway-lady]

Omeprazole needs monitoring and isn’t as innocent and harmless as sometimes thought. Be careful with it please.

[Haz58 in reply to medway-lady]

I've just checked and I've been on it since 1999! No checks by doctors at all. It seems we have to look after ourselves now as far as meds go. I'm totally bewildered!

[Salamanca21 in reply to medway-lady]

I have 40 mg per day and have done for years. No problems at all. There certainly are if I don't take it!

[Haz58 in reply to Salamanca21]

That makes me feel better!

[medway-lady in reply to Salamanca21]

I’ve never said don’t take it just keep an eye on it or monitor it. You’re lucky and I’m not going into why being careful is important but like all meds even paracetamol has risks attached.

[Haz58 in reply to medway-lady]

Yes the risks are not good. I've asked the GP for 10mg capsules to see if I can go down to that. The Famotodine is not working for me at all so I'm having to take an omeprazole too anyway which isn't good so even half the dose I'm on will be better if 10mg works. I don't like the looks of the heart problems famotidine could cause either so both meds is a no no for me. X

[medway-lady in reply to Haz58]

I don’t get heartburn etc only took Omeprazole to protect against LEF it hurt me, although rare no medication has no risks so it’s managing the risk. If aware of a risk then it can be addressed.

[WillowsMother]

I took calcichew D3 when I was on daily Lanzoprazole (very similar to Omeprazole) and I had unbearable acid reflux. I was at my wit's end with it. I did a bit of reading and discovered (with the help of this site) that the calcium carbonate in calcichew needs plenty of stomach acid to digest - so it's not really suitable for those of us on a ppi... I spoke to my GP about it and they don't offer any other form of calcium supplements on prescription other than calcium carbonate. So I now get my D3 on prescription and I purchase my own calcium capsules that are made from seaweed instead. I've been taking them daily for a few months now and have had no reflux to speak of... I've also managed to wean myself off the Lanzoprazole as it's not good for osteoporosis.So maybe your problem is with the calcichew plus ppi - worth asking your GP or pharmacist about experimenting with a different form of calcium supplements?

[Haz58 in reply to WillowsMother]

That's very interesting! I was on only 10mg a day omeprazole but now it's 20mg 2 X a day on my script. I've only been taking 20mg a day though since I came off prednisolone. I'll look into if I was upped to 2 times a day after I went on CalcichewD3! Which seaweed capsules do you get please?

[medway-lady in reply to Haz58]

Ask about Ad cal D3 it’s more expensive but comes in chewy form. That is prescribed by my Nephrologist and GP tried to change to a cheaper one. I’ve no problems with chewy D3.

[WillowsMother in reply to medway-lady]

Adcal D3 is also calcium carbonate and needs stomach acid to digest. It's all very individual, but as soon as I stopped taking rock/chalk derived calcium and changed to plant based/ seaweed, my acid reflux and indigestion symptoms just vanished!

[medway-lady in reply to WillowsMother]

I don’t have a choice as it’s not for RA but CKD but it doesn’t cause me any issues. I’m lucky really as long as it’s chewy one but the tablet gave me tummy ache. MyNephrologist told GP only the chewy Kowa brand to be prescribed.

[WillowsMother in reply to Haz58]

I take these, but you can get them from other places, and I think there are other brands. You'd need to check on the label that it's from seaweed, and not any of the rock/chalk based supplements! Calcium – Together Health – Seaweed-Based Calcium – 72 Trace Minerals – Vegan Friendly – Made in The UK – 60 Vegecaps amzn.eu/d/7g7j0Di

[Chris_O]

Hi. I had an email from health unlocked who suggested to me that my RA experience might be useful to you.

I was diagnosed with RA in 2017 and have been on various drugs since. My regular RA drugs are hydroxychloroquinine, methotrexate, omeprazole, folic acid. I used to take naproxen but since having a heart attack stopped taking it. Initially the methotrexate was in tablet form which disagreed with me, so changed to injections. I was warned about omeprazole by other people, so tried to do without it, only to find that within weeks I suffered from heartburn/ indigestion. I now take omeprazole on alternative days which I guess has halved my dose.

I hope that you manage to resolve your problems with omeprazole.

Chris_0

[Haz58 in reply to Chris_O]

HiThank you so much Chris! I asked a pharmacist in another chemist and he basically said if you need omeprazole to stop the acid reflux you need it. I'm going to see if I can get 10mg omeprazol and see if I can get away with that much. If not then 20 mg it has to be I guess. The Famotodine just doesn't cut it. I also read H2 blockers can be just as bad for the heart so I'm not keen as heart disease in in my family. I had a lung scan and got the results last week, lungs are fine but I have a collection of calcium in my hearts arteries. Together with finding I have a gallbladder full of tiny gallstones last week too it has just been too much all together for me.

So do you agree with what I'm thinking about the omeprazole? I've been on it since 1999 I found out. I can't take statins and I was on fibrates but read last week you shouldn't take it with gallstones so rang my GP. I had a cholesterol test and it's too high, so she has taken me off them and given me ezetimide to see if that helps the cholesterol levels.

[WillowsMother in reply to Haz58]

Do you take vitamin k2 supplements? I read about it here on HealthUnlocked and started taking it when I went on the calcium capsules. It helps with the digestion of calcium and supposedly helps to prevent calcium build up in the arteries. You can ask your doctor about it - I did, but all they said to me was "no harm, it's just a supplement"!healthline.com/nutrition/vi...

[Chris_O]

Hi. I think that experimenting with your omeprazole doseage till you find the minimum effective dose could help. Also looking at your diet maybe another way to reduce your acid reflux ( there is a lot of info on the internet about foods that can help reduce stomach acid, bananas, melons, broccoli , green beans ).

After I had my heart attack I was put on statins, and had no problems with them this time ( first time on statins was awful, aches, feeling unwell ).

Chris_0

[Haz58 in reply to Chris_O]

Yes I started to loose weight from last wednesday when I found out about the cholesterol. 2.8lb so far. Low fat diet and logging on and app every meal and drink. Now I'm logging if I get acid after certain things. Kiwi is one I've found yesterday...acid was not good!

That's interesting about statins being ok the 2nd time. When I had them years ago my doc checked my cpk levels after I was so achy and feeling ill after taking them and he said they were actually killing my muscles.

I'm reluctant to try again but my GP said I can if I wish.

I'll ask gp for 10mg ones to see if that dose will work.

Thank you so much Chris for your help.

[Poshcards]

I was on calci chew and ended up with kidney stones in a and e, consultant there took me off calci chew and I have not taken it since

[Haz58 in reply to Poshcards]

Did he put you on anything else?

[Poshcards in reply to Haz58]

No xx

[OldTed60]

Like most who have systemic sclerosis I have to the PPi or risk lung disease. And my reflux is mostly silent so I only know how bad it is when I get oesophageal spasms and a horrible cough. There are other options such as Lanzoperazole or Esomeprazole. I take the latter at a slightly lower dose along with Famotidine 40mg and for me there are no problems although I’m aware that it contributes to my bone density loss and malabsorption. But I take daily 800iu D3 for this dailyand drink a fortified nutritional supplement. It’s always a case of risks v benefits with any medication of course.