Was trying to reduce /stop omneprazole and although not overly troubled by acid reflux I did have other problems ,one of which was lots of belching ,burping .
Having gone back on the PPI ,the wind has abated .
But was wondering what the connection was .
Good question about what creates wind! There is some of the answer given by Prof Robert Mason in 'Questions and Answers' here: opa.org.uk/resources.html
Your digestive system is a great fomenting system with various benign bacteria that normally requires stomach acid for the first stage of the digestion process, but omeprazole switches off all or part of the stomach acid production. When we eat we can swallow air with the food, particularly if we do not chew things well and eat slowly, and that air has to escape somewhere either in an upward or downward direction; if it gets trapped we can get painful colic. That sounds like a separate problem from acid reflux / PPIs doesn't it! Does the medication leaflet mention anything that might give a clue?
If the wind smells really foul, it might indicate that things are not being digested properly somewhere along the line, or staying around too long. Stopping / reducing the medication might create a 'bounce' effect in the chemical balance in your system for a while.
All of which is a long way of saying that I don't really know, but it might simply be an effect of the change of chemical balance in your system perhaps?
Alan
Regarding Omeprazole and its effectiveness, I was taking this for many years before my stomach cancer 25 months ago and this is still being prescribed 20mg morning and night, however with no stomach (total gastrectomy) I wonder what the omeprazole is doing now, still suffer with bile reflux and my upper GI specialist nurse has her doubts on its effectiveness with my situation??
Rob
I think I would also query the omeprazole, on the basis that if you have not got the stomach that produces the acid, does it do anything? (perhaps it does affect wind after all!) Bile is strong alkali. I am not sure that a PPI would make the balance worse, because it is not an antacid as such. I think I would go by the advice of the Upper GI specialist nurse.
thanks Alan, it is all trial and error for sure
