OMEPRAZOLE 20mg

[Susiewoosie33]

Hi there... I was diagnosed with IBS and a Hiatus Hernia (apologies about the spelling! ) at 18 years old after collapsing at work on a regular basis in agony. I am now almost 56 years old and still have tremendous pain and discomfort IF I Don't take my 20mg of Omeprazole daily!! I have been on this drug since the day it was released on the market!! Must be @ well over 25 years????? No One has ever offered me surgery for my Hiatus Hernia (valve) ??? I am still taking a drug which is probably doing me a lot of damage ???

Quite frightening for me as I worry about stomach and Oseaophagus cancer, with my difficulty swallowing and problems digesting every single day! ??

Any help would be gratefully received! xx

[Hidden]

Morning, are you in the UK ? Many of us on the PMR/GCA forum are taking Omeprazole whilst taking Prednisone due to possible stomach ulcers or stomach bleed. I hate having to take it too as research has shown it can cause stomach cancer. However, we all have to weigh up the pros and cons with many drugs. You should definitely get checked out with your swallowing problems. You're on the wrong forum for your issues, as this one is for Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Giant Cell Arteritis. You need an endoscopy to check out your oesophagus and a colonoscopy to check your bowel. How old are you if you don't mind me asking. My husband has been taking omeprazole for many years too due to reflux. He has recently had an endoscopy and was found to have a hiatus hernia and quite extensive damage to his oesophagus.

I do hope you get some help soon and start to feel better.

Best wishes

Anne

[SnazzyD]

Hello. As Staplehurst says, you need up to date investigations such as endoscopy and a scope at the other end. Firstly, once on a PPI, you can’t just stop them, you have to tail them off very slowly or you suffer rebound acid. With symptoms that severe it isn’t enough just to give you the pills and expect to not bother after that. Also, have you had tests for Coeliac or crohns, or tried an elimination diet to look for suspect foods? I found at the age of 40+ that I was very gluten intolerant. Also, in 25 years, diagnostics have come along a bit, so another attempt to narrow down the cause and check the current state of your gastrointestinal tract is in order.

[Smokygirl]

My hubby has also been taking lansoprazole 20 mg every day for the last 25 years for reflux. Scan showed no hiatus hernia. He is 86.

He says he would be lost without it!

Up to date tests are always useful if possible but don’t worry! xx

[Dambusters in reply to Smokygirl]

I have taken it fir years too and I'd be lost without it but I do have a hiatus hernia.

[TeddyC]

I’ve also been worried about taking it long term, but when I approached coming off it my GP said I would risk oesophageal cancer if I did, as that’s the risk of suffering reflux long term.