Stopping Omeprazole

[Calamintha]

I was told by my GP to come off omeprozole because I now have osteopenia and also i've been taking 20mg every morning for over 10 years. I reduced it to 10mg over the past 2 weeks and now stopped it completely on Sunday. I understand there is a "rebound effect" for a few weeks. Can anyone confirm how long it takes to ease up ? At the moment I'm in a fair bit of pain and antiacids don't seem to help much. Please can anyone advise me of medicine, products or foods to help the situation. Thanks

[SurfingSteve]

I was on Esomeprazole for a much shorter time, and at 20mg per day, but when my dr got me to stop they told me i had to taper off of it. My dr said that the rebound effects, if they happen usually happen from around day 15 of stopping. This is what happened to me. I tapered for two weeks having one tablet every second day. I felt great for two weeks, then the third week i had mild reflux symptoms. My guess is that it would have been much worse had i not been tapering. My doctor suggested slowing down the taper or taking ant acids. I ended up taking ant acids on my off days and had discontinued the PPI completely after one month. The rebound lasted about two weeks. My doctor said that rebound symptoms can vary from person to person and also depend on the length of time they were on them. It sounds to me, given how long you were on it, that you have tapered a bit too fast. If your getting uncomfortable reflux, i'd look at tapering over maybe two months and increase your dose to maybe 20mg for two days, then 10mg on the third. Repeat that for a couple of weeks then alternate 20mg/10mg for another two weeks, then switch completely to 10mg if your symptoms are ok... then cut that back. If your doctor doesn't give you a tapering schedule, which most don't, just work out what works for you. Good luck with it. It's great to finally get off them.

[Calamintha in reply to SurfingSteve]

Thanks for the reassurance. I'd like to try with "careful foods" and antiacids, but if the pain is too much I'll do as you suggest. I'm hoping for some advice on what foods are best. The Web offers a lot of conflicting advice on the subject. I realise I must be careful with fats etc, but I'm looking for some positive suggestions. For example I'm finding ginger tea helps somewhat.

[SurfingSteve in reply to Calamintha]

Yes foods do make a difference i have found. For me onion, garlic, spices especially chilli, high fat foods like fried food are bad, red meat can be problematic and alcohol and potato chips would be the worst. Also unfortunately chocolate brings it on for me too. But my doctor says that a lot of her patients report different things so you just need to work out what are your triggers. What has helped me the most has been not eating any food 3 hours before sleeping. Eating four smaller meals during the day made a difference too. Also drinking some ginger and lemongrass tea before bed helped. My advice with the symptoms from tapering is that expect mild symptoms but you don't need to suffer. There's nothing wrong with taking your time and tapering slowly especially given how long you've been on it. I've heard of people tapering over 6 months who were on it years.

[Jumpey]

I was only on Omeprazole for about a year and came off without ill effects so can't help with that.However I can help with the food. An alkaline diet helped me. Dr.Jamie Kaufman's Acid Reflux Diet is a very helpful book. Huge good luck.

[starveycat]

I am trying to come off them, my choice. I now take apple cider vinegar with mother every alternative day, eventually I shall take them every two days and slowly cut down on the omeprazole. I hope this helps, good luck

[Janouska]

Hi - how are you doing? I am trying to come off esomeprazole and struggling at night. However I had one good night sleep Sunday - during day had yoghurt , prunes and banana for breakfast; avocado salad. Then in evening had mug of hot almond milk with teaspoon of slippery elm. Very pleasant but was hungry by 9 so against the rules had some further milk slippery elm with 2 tablespoons of plain museli.

It did the trick - had first good night for months. I may just have been exhausted from two consecutive nights of only 4 hours but I had none of the feelings in oesophagus throat nose that normally get. My bed is slightly raised and have 3 pillows so perhaps they were perfectly positioned!

I had awful night Monday though. I risked jacket potato with broccoli and sweetcorn at 6pm and had poor night. But have not had the ppi for 3 days . Because of eye worries ( see other post) am trying to come off quickly now. I’ve been on them on and off since October ( stopped for endoscopy back on since January) so it shouldn’t be this difficult!

Anyway slippery elm may be worth a try for you. Good luck

[Calamintha in reply to Janouska]

Thanks for your comments. I stopped completely 11/2 First week was awful. Oddly the nights were ok initially, but the passed week I've been waking most nights and taking gaviscon. I took bricks upstairs to put under the bed-legs but not done it so far. I really must. I almost constantle feel as if I have a lump in my lower throat now

[Janouska in reply to Calamintha]

I think if I could sleep sitting up I’d feel better. Also I think have had this coming for years but just didn’t realise it as do not get taste of acid. I am now eating standing up in effort to ensure food goes in right direction. Staying off the pills now to see if vision improves. I wish I could take gaviscon but it makes me feel sick, I have bought sodium alginate as powder and baking powder but not had courage to use either yet! I sympathise with feeling in throat. I can cope with it more since cardiologist said it’s unlikely to be my leaky heart valve causing it. He wanted me to go on beta blocker until he discovered my low blood pressure and low pulse. So most things for anxiety I think will send bp and pulse even lower which I don’t want. It’s a struggle isn’t it. Hopefully you are at the peak of symptoms and will start getting better . I really feel for you!