What’s the problem with Omeprazole??

[Nextoneplease]

Hi all

This is my first post on here and I’m writing really for my adult daughter who has suffered with acid reflux for a year. She’s has such bad pain that 111 recently sent an ambulance out to her, and a couple of days later we spent 12 hours in A&E as gallstones were suspected (later ruled out on ultrasound). Last week she had an endoscopy which showed hiatus hernia. Since then, yet more pain.

Her GP has her on 40mg omeprazole daily, plus famotidine twice daily. The pills barely help and she’s struggling to work and look after her little boy.

Guess I’m sounding off really but am also wondering whether omeprazole could be part of the problem? It certainly doesn’t seem to be helping.

Some people on here seem to doubt omeprazole?

I think we should push for a gastroenterologist appointment? I can’t see how she can go on like this!

Many thanks in advance for any ideas x

[meadfoot]

Please ensure you get your daughter an appointment with a good gastroenterologist even if you have to pay to see someone privately. I suffer terribly with the same symptoms and more. It is beyond miserable and affects daily life badly and eventually impacts adversely on our emotional health too.

I have been struggling for years and have paid to see a neurogastroenterologist next week in desperation. She needs lots of tests not just having meds pushed her way. Omeprazole and other PPIs dont work for everyone by any means, she needs to get to the bottom of this and treatment based on findings. Best wishes,

[Nextoneplease in reply to meadfoot]

Thank you meadfoot 😊

You’re right, it’s becomes an emotional as well as a physical problem in that she’s losing confidence, positivity etc and wonders how she’ll get back to work and social life. Today was a particularly bad day and I ended up looking after our grandson (who I adore, so that’s not a problem!)

Her GP has said she should make another appointment in two weeks’ time and if she’s not ‘better’ she’ll refer to a gastroenterologist. I have the two week date in my diary - this can’t go onif there’s anything that can be done.

Thank you again and all the best to you xx

[meadfoot in reply to Nextoneplease]

Thank you, all will be well, dig in you will all get there.

[Jaby86]

Hello sorry to hear about your daughter. I also suffered from a bad case of acid reflux and had a little one to look after so I feel for her. I was also put on both lansoprazole and omeprazole and they started to help after a while (I was on them for 6 weeks in total) can I ask where the pain is? Is it chest or upper abdomen? A few things to consider, get constipation under control if that is an issue, reduce stress (difficult under the circumstances) but that was the main root cause for me I think. Acupuncture, meditation and breathing exercises help a lot. Molly Pelletier on Instagram and YouTube has some really good content and is where I discovered slippery elm, marshmallow and DGL licorice supplements which have also helped. I'm not pretty much symptom free so please tell her it does get better just need to address root cause. And also the obvious in avoiding her specific triggers. Hope that helps.

[Nextoneplease in reply to Jaby86]

Hi Jaby86 and thank you 😊 Glad to hear you’re pretty much symptom free now.

The pain is in upper abdomen / just under breastbone. Paramedics and A&E both thought she had gallstones but these were ruled out on ultrasound. She is really doubled up with pain when it happens. Usually it’s been about once a week at night, but for the last month it’s barely stopped, 24/7. She is utterly exhausted, demoralised and has had to be off work as well as struggling to look after her son. It’s not like her at all. Endoscopy shows hiatus hernia but that’s not the root cause of the pain, as I understand it?

She is eating a very restricted diet (no alcohol or caffeine, very low fat, no spices etc) which for a young woman is very demoralising. She’s been on omeprazole for about four months, and famotidine for a few days.

Does anyone know of a good diet sheet? Baked fish and rice can get boring, only interspersed with Rich Tea biscuits and peanut butter on toast…..🤷‍♀️

Many thanks again xx

[Jaby86 in reply to Nextoneplease]

I would really recommend the herbal supplements I mentioned as they coat the lining of the digestive tract and sooth any irritation. ginger tea is also good. Gaviscon advance 4 x a day after meals also helps and you can get this on prescription if you ask as its quite expensive. Any techniques she can do to reduce stress will also help. They really helped me. There are lots of cook books available for reflux out there which would help add some more variety back into her diet.

[Nextoneplease in reply to Jaby86]

Thank you Jaby 😊

She’s started on ginger tea and I’ll also pass on your other ideas x

[Buddy21]

hi, I have suffered with acid reflux all my life and too have a hiatus hernia. This last year everything suddenly became a lot worse. I paid to see a gastroenterologist and he changed my medication was changed from lansoprazole to Omeprazole, doubling the dosage,, adding famotidine and Domperadone. All the anti acids and h2 blockers made my symptoms worse. I then started researching myself into low stomach acid and how it has the same symptoms of too much acid and all these drugs can make your symptoms worse. There is lots of information on line, dr berg is certainly one to tap into and he has lots of videos and information. I weaned myself off all meds slowly and I follow a very strict diet with supplements, I still have a way to go as I don’t think there is any quick fix out there, but I’m certainly feeling a lot better than I did. Please don’t take my word for this though, everyone is different, but I just wanted you to be aware of it, look into low stomach acid, there is lots of information out there and discuss it with your doctor first.

Good luck x

[Nextoneplease in reply to Buddy21]

Hi Buddy21 and thank you 😊

Your situation sounds rather like my daughter’s, except she hasn’t yet seen a gastroenterologist! I will certainly research low stomach acid and see where we go. I agree, there is unlikely to be a quick fix. Equally, I fear for her mental state if we can’t keep moving forward….at least learning as we go.

Many thanks again and all the best to you xx

[Nextoneplease]

Okay so just an update. The omeprazole, famotidine and gaviscon, along with a restricted diet, not going to bed within four hours of eating, raising bed head etc, are helping somewhat. At least she’s coped with work and looking after her little boy but she’s still being woken around twice a week with severe reflux pain. When she came here over Easter and had a very plain meal of chicken breast, green beans and boiled potatoes (so celebratory!) I could literally see her stomach bloat.

She’s due to speak to GP next week. Anyone got any further suggestions?

Thank you all for your help so far, it’s helped us both 😊x

[Gingers in reply to Nextoneplease]

Hi. I have had all the symptoms your daughter has had and I've had them for 40 years. I've tried all the ppi's on the market and found they all make me worse. I was diagnosed with ibs after being admitted to hospital after a trip to a and e. They gave me amitriptyline which treats the nerves that cause the pain which is called visceral hypersensitivity. It does help so give it a try. It's a horrible condition which needs more research

[westcountry]

For the last month I've taken slippery elm every day along with cutting out foods that I am sensitive to. I found out which foods after having food testing privately. For the last year and half after Covid life has been very awful with acid, gastritis and oesophigitis. I cut out the usual acidic suspects: alcohol, chocolate, spicy food, tomatoes, onions, garlic etc etc...since looking online. However after food testing I found I was sensitive to cow's milk and cheese and many other things. I was using leeks instead of onion/garlic however the tests said I am OK with onions/garlic but NOT leeks! So it's worth getting testes really. Apparently cow's products are a big acid trigger so also worth trying. I have almond milk now. I've been so much better and don't often need Gaviscon....plus can now tolerate occasional chocolate and wine...yippee! Good luck to your daughter trying all these things......

[Nextoneplease in reply to westcountry]

Thank you westcountry this is so helpful 😊 She is being very strict with her diet, as well as taking the meds. which is helping (only having attacks once or twice a week now!) However as you say, her diet is only based on generalised information from the internet ….

She has a GP appointment next week, and if, as I suspect, they don’t offer specialist assessment, we will look at food sensitivity testing. Can I ask how you accessed it and what the cost was please?

Will also look up slippery elm on the big A, willing to try whatever may help.

Thanks again 😊x

[westcountry in reply to Nextoneplease]

Hello and glad the information was useful. It must be so miserable for your daughter, especially with a young child to look after. I had food testing with a kinesiologist that I had been recommended to. The food testing plus other treatment was £129, however the food testing on its own was less than that if that is all that she needs. I was a bit sceptical of using an alternative pathway to conventional medicine, but it worked for a friend with the same issues so gave it a try. Slippery elm and cutting out my sensitive foods seem to be working for me, although may not work for everyone of course. I can't take PPIs so I thought anything was worth a try to alleviate the horrid effects of acid.

[Canta]

I've been taking omeprazole 20mg since 2014 as I have Barrett's Oesaphagus (changes in the lining of the oesophagus).

I get my prescriptions from Boots who supply Almus omeprazole. I was ok at first but at some stage they changed the formulation (I've only just become aware of this). Since around late 2016 I've never been well on the omeprazole. Often I'll be fine and then within less than an hour of taking it I'm having upper abdominal pains and I get periodic attacks of severe pain and incessant burping.

A few months ago Boots gave me Teva omeprazole instead of the usual Almus and I had two months of being absolutely pain free. It was like another world, I'd forgotten what it was like to be my old self. I asked to always have Teva but my latest prescription was Almus. I took the first one last night and at 6am woke with upper abdominal pain. I've spent over two hours in awful pain, like that of gallstones, pacing around the house. It surely can't be a coincidence. Maybe your daughter needs a different brand of omeprazole, they do contain different ingredients in addition to the omeprazole.

Also, do bear in mind that PPIs deplete B12 and that can cause horrible stomach issues. I wish your daughter well.

[Nextoneplease in reply to Canta]

Thank you Canta 😊

I’m sorry to hear the problems you’ve been having and hope you can get the Teva version of omeprazole 🤞

Fortunately my daughter has been more stable this last couple of weeks, albeit living on porridge, fish and potatoes, so her GP has taken her off famotidine and she’s to stay on omeprazole (not sure which brand). If she has breakthrough problems again her GP will refer her to a specialist. Can’t say fairer than that, I guess….

Good luck, it seems this can be a long road 🤗x