Omeprazole

[Bumblebetty]

Just trying to self diagnose myself as my GP is not very helpful. I got a high blood pressure reading at a routine check earlier in the week. I’ve had ti I going in my hands for quite a while but it seems to come and go and not really pain, just tingly and sometimes a bit itchy. I assumed it was carpal tunnel but now in my feet too. I am pre-diabetic and was worried that this means high blood sugar but also have been on omeprazole for years and just remembered that B12 deficiency can be a problem with that. I’m also really tired, so much yawning but bit of a racing heart feeling that makes it hard to sleep. Are there any marked differences between diabetes tingling and pernicious anaemia.? Thanks for any help.

[wedgewood]

As you are only pre-diabetic , and that you have been on Omeprazole “for years” , I would say that those symptoms are more likely to be caused by B12 deficiency.

If you cannot give up taking Omeprazole you will benefit from injections of B12 . Tablets will not work well , as your stomach acid will be very depleted

B12 is the most difficult vitamin to absorb . Stomach acid is required for the breakdown of other vitamins and minerals, so a modest multi-vitamin and mineral tablet would be of benefit . Best wishes .

[Nackapan]

Ask to get your b12 levels checked, folate ,iron , thyroid .vit D Get a print off of your results.

Often low levels are ignored of called sub clinical.

Woukd be useful if you've had these tests to compare.

My vitamin d in Hindsight was tgd first to drop fof me 21( 70+)

[charks]

Diabetic 'tingling' only happens if you have been diabetic for years.

The fact you are taking omeprazole means there is something wrong with your gut. I believe in functional medicine - treat the cause not the symptom. Have you found out what is wrong? It could be gluten intolerance which mean your body will have trouble extracting B12 from your food. See this article that explains the situation drpeterosborne.com/gluten-s...

You may have had negative celiac tests but you could have NCGS. Read about it here beyondceliac.org/celiac-dis...

Anyway the chances are very high that you have a B12D. See this NHS guideline

nhs.uk/medicines/omeprazole...

Your GP should be aware of this guideline and given you a B12 test.

[Nackapan in reply to charks]

It's good to find the cause and treat the cause.Not always possible unfortunately.

So symptoms have to be treated.

Some illnesses are managed not cured .

Diabetes one of them even when the cause known.

Still no reason why developed though 😕

[charks in reply to Nackapan]

I'm sorry Nackapan but you are wrong. Diabetes type 2 can be reversed by losing weight and regular exercise. I had a reading of 92 and now it is normal. No medication.

[Nackapan in reply to charks]

Yes I'm aware of that .Of course type 2 can be reversed without medication .

Type 1 can't though.

I've seem many try .

[Bumblebetty in reply to charks]

I believe I had an ulcer - had a lot of pain and was in the hospital checking for pancreas problem on Mri but all fine so they decided it was an ulcer. Every time I ask my dr about coming off she says I shouldn’t or the ulcer will flare up again.

[charks in reply to Bumblebetty]

Strange. Most ulcers heal within a month or two.

[buckone]

Omeprazole supposed to be short term except in very extenuating circumstances. It changes your digestive system so there's your immune system interfered with. Can also effect bone health. It's the most over prescribed drug. Please do your own research as I'm not a doctor . Effed my young daughter up after a year of taking it. Eventually top gastro seen her and said too many GP do not know what it is doing, rebound symptoms etc gastritis. If you're in UK do your own b12 tests, where they actually test the active b12, NHS doesn't do this, they do overall amount which is friggn useless. Don't know all your medical history but we can only take responsibility for our own bodies, the pharmaceutical industry control the NHS etc. Cousin put on omeprazole, diabetes then aspirin because of vascular isdues. 10minths to see specialist, not a vascular problem! Luckily after three months if omeprazole she weaned herself off, her digestive system was shot to pieces. Wishing you well

[JohnnyConger]

I was & still am prescribed omeprazole, I throw it all in the bin.

How long can you safely take omeprazole?

You shouldn't take OTC omeprazole for longer than 14 days without a healthcare provider's OK. Prescription omeprazole is often taken for 4 to 8 weeks, depending on what you're treating. For some conditions, it's taken for even longer. Taking omeprazole for too long can lead to serious side effects.

[Showgem in reply to JohnnyConger]

you do know that just because it’s on a repeat prescription it doesn’t mean you have to tick the box and throw it in the bin! How wasteful!

[JohnnyConger in reply to Showgem]

I would rather keep good relations with my doctor, I also get called in every 6 months to have blood tests, which are to see how messed up my blood & kidneys are after taking the omeprazole.

[Showgem in reply to JohnnyConger]

I have a few things including omeprazole on my repeat prescription which I only tick the box as and when needed. I’m pretty sure my GP is okay with this. When my parents in law died we had to clear their house and there were boxes and boxes of unused medications because they didn’t want to take them but didn’t like to tell their GP.

No wonder the prescription charge keeps going up!

[Orchard33 in reply to Showgem]

My mother, too, had a huge stash of repeats worth hundreds of pounds in her cupboard. Shocking. I showed her GP before she died. He was speechless.

[Nackapan in reply to Orchard33]

Yrs I think the assumption is you only get the prescription i if needed.??If had to pay every time less waste .

Can't blame the NHS for that waste !

[WIZARD6787]

I have zero experience with diabetes. If I ever did I would assume the GP is making errors and follow the information shared here. A case of most probable postive outcome.

[Nackapan in reply to WIZARD6787]

More research. More understanding. Better treatment and management.

Courses run for type 2 to reverse the condition.

Diabetic nurses get proper training and know their stuff on this.

[Marymary7]

Important to not start taking any B12 if you want to see GP for a result in a blood test as this will skew your results for months giving a false high. Leave off Biotin for a few days for thyroid tests too as it’s used by the lab in assay.

[Orchard33]

Omeprazole made me feel generally out of sorts. I wonder why you're taking. It did not do a good job on my reflux and acid symptoms. I've changed to a much gentler H2 blocker which does a much better job. Plus PPIs are known to damage the stomach and cause PA. I regard it as the final straw in my decline into PA.I am not medically trained.

[autumngreen]

I took Omeprazole for 5 months, it didn’t really help my reflux but caused symptoms like yours. I felt so tired that I couldn’t walk upstairs anymore. I researched my symptoms and that’s when I found the Pernicious Anaemia Society. I pressed my GP for a blood test (during Covid so difficult to get medical help). I’d been borderline low B12 for 30 years but I hadn’t seen my blood results and kept being given iron tablets.

On the basis of my results and symptoms, I was given a loading dose of B12 and I’m having B12 injections every 10 weeks. At first they prescribed injections every 3 months (though not diet related), but symptom’s returned so after much pushing on my side they’ve compromised at 10 weeks. My GP was more obstructive than helpful and it was really discouraging. I don’t know what I’d have done without the PAS.

GP’s seem to dish out PPI’s without proper oversight and monitoring. They didn’t mention that they can stop you absorbing B12. I stopped taking PPI’s and changed to H2 blockers (which can also inhibit B12). I followed the Acid Watcher Diet for 2 years which really helped and I weaned myself off H2 blockers.

I’ve found GP’s are willing to prescribe pills to mask symptoms but are slower to discover the cause. I can’t see how you can properly treat something if you don’t know what it is.

I wish you all the best.

[mbernhardt]

I was on Omeprazole for 20 years. Then my gallbladder turned gangrenous. I almost died. Then I had diarrhea for about 8 months. I dropped the Omeprazole and went on a h2 blocker. My diarrhea went away. My gut is the most normal it has been in 40 years.

[51in2020]

I'm not sure about diabetic tingling but Dr recently prescribed omeprazole and my PA symptoms suddenly reappeared, migraine headaches, tingling in arms and legs, cramp and fatigue so I've stopped taking the omeprazole and I'm managing much better without it.

[JHEW0836]

I had horrible acid reflux and digestive problems after I had an asymptomatic case of COVID. Asked my GP to refer me to a GI specialist when a 2 week course of PPIs did not work. Had an endoscopy, gastric emptying test and barium swallow test which were all normal. They never tested my stomach acidity which I never understood. I was on PPIs for 3 months and was getting worse instead of better. I’m convinced I have low stomach acid which caused my B12 deficiency or vice versa. Not sure which one caused the other. But either way, it’s not always TOO much acid. Sometimes it’s not enough. In fact, I’m willing to bet there are more people with not enough stomach acid than with too much.

[Sleepybunny]

Hi,

A few B12 links that might be helpful.

Link about "What to do next" if B12 deficiency suspected

b12deficiency.info/what-to-...

NHS article B12 deficiency and folate deficiency

nhs.uk/conditions/vitamin-b...

NICE CKS B12 deficiency and Folate deficiency (UK health document)

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/anae...

PAS (Pernicious Anaemia Society)

Based in Wales, UK.

pernicious-anaemia-society....

There is a helpline number that PAS members can ring.

PAS membership is separate to membership of this forum.

Unhappy with Treatment (UK info)?

How to write letters to GPs about B12 deficiency

b12deficiency.info/b12-writ...

Link above has letter templates covering a variety of situations linked to B12 deficiency.

Two useful B12 books (may be copies available from local library service)

"What You Need to Know About Pernicious Anaemia and B12 Deficiency" by Martyn Hooper

Martyn Hooper started PAS (Pernicious Anaemia Society).

Some treatment info in above book needs updating.

"Could it Be B12?: An Epidemic of Misdiagnoses" by Sally Pacholok and JJ. Stuart (US authors)

Very comprehensive with lots of case studies.

I'm not medically trained.

Keep asking questions, there's a lot more info I and other forum members can pass on.