I am on Omeprazole more than 25 yrs. I want to stop it but when I omit to take one 20 mg pill I could not sleep at all. Can any one else have this experience? I would be so thankful, for any information because I feel that I am in a dark place, and bad mood.
Thanks a lot in advance.
What symptoms did you get that made you not able to sleep?
Is it acid reflux keeping you awake or something else? It is said that withdrawal of omeprazole leads to many adverse effects including insomnia.
Instead of not taking a tablet at all - try taking 10mg instead and see it that helps. Then very slowly increase the number of days you take 10mg instead of 20mg. If that works you are at least on a much lower dose. Then if that has worked - introduce odd days of no dose in much the same way.
But it is possible you need something - maybe switching to famotidine or cimetidine will be required to stop the PPI,
You may find this interesting or helpful
menshealth.com/health/a4306...
Thank you very much. I am a Greek and here there are notpills 10 mg. The two medicines you sugested me if possible what is the brand name of them? I could find them more easily. My best wishes for good health.
Famotidine is sold as Pepcid though there may be other names. Cimetidine is Tagamet - again, there may be other names. Is it pills you have? If so, you can probably cut them. Capsules can be opened and some of the contents removed. But a pharmacist can always tell you brand names if you know the substance name,
Would it be ok to PM you?
You don't have ask - no-one else does!!!!
Sorry but I don't understand whatyou mean, if it possible tell me ìt
With other words
My English is too poor. Anyway
thanks a lot
Hoofprints was asking me a question. You were notified because you started the thread but Hoofprints clicked on Reply to my comment and it says next to my nake it is directed at me.
I didn’t like the side effects of omeprazole 20mg constipation wind so gp changed me to Lansoprazole 15mg which seemed to have the same effect. I’d only been taking ppi’s for 2 months so thought I’d just stop taking anything but got terrible burping episodes and bloating so think I’ll start taking it every other day for a while to see how that goes.
Then why stop? There is no need to.
Hello HamishPMRI had a lot of problems with my stomach. After many years l manage to control them. Now I feel well and I think is not necessary to take this pill. That's why I try to stop it but as I see is very difficult, and every experience from others would be very useful.
Omeprazol was been on the market for a long long time with very very few problems so why stop taking it when it helps?
Hello PRMI had little side effects but besides I have a serious side effect. My hematocrit was 45
and now is 38,5, may be and other reason, but blood test
is normal. I hear that some other people had the same side effects. Anyway the les pills the better health. I try but I don't know for sure the rezalt
Thanks a lot ant wish to be always well
These proton pump inhibiters have been associated with dementia.
Hello KarenaninazWhat you say I hear from many
people and this make me to fear
but some times you must take them. i imagine you are young
and you haven't any such problems I wish from deep Heart to be always in good Health
I am 81 retired medical professional. I also needed to take such drugs in the past; now these give me wind. I take a safer alternative when needed.
Thanks again and your reply boost my good feelings and hope about Omeprazole. Best wishes
Karenjaninaz - are you able to provide links to any medical papers that support the theory that proton pump inhibitors are associated with dementia please?
news-medical.net/news/20230....
The reference to the actual paper is at the bottom of the summary
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/329...
Thanks Karenjaninaz. I noted "Conclusions: This study, using large-scale, multi-centre health-data was unable to confirm an association between PPI use and increased dementia risk. Previously reported links may be associated with confounders of people using PPI's, such as increased risk of cardiovascular disease and/or depression and their associated medications which may be responsible for any increased risk of developing dementia."
There are many studies, other than this, suggesting a link.
This is anecdotal: My aunt had a successful cure of stomach cancer by partial stomach removal. I guess, for reflux, she was prescribed Nexium, which she took about 20 years,
.She took, BP meds, was normal weight, non smoker, light drinker. She developed dementia in her 80s. She died in a facility at age 91.
My mom, her sister, on similar meds,( after poor BP control ; she was afraid if doctors ) was actually less healthy but never took a PPI. She was sharp as a tack until her death at 93.
I am convinced it was the PPI’s.
Bit of mixed messages in that paper methinks ...
Yes, you are right.
I haven't searched any further for additional studies but I notice clinicians are not so eager to prescribe PPIs, long term, as in the past.
I have been on several prazoles since I developed pmr 4 years ago. They all upset my stomach so a year ago I decided to stop them but I had bad indigestion so I have done a slow taper and now only have a 15mg tablet perhaps once a week or less now, depending on if the indigestion has come back. I am on .75mg of pred now so I think the need for a prozole is not so great.
Although I haven't had such a bad experience with omeprazole I wasn't happy taking it long term for diverticulitis and gastritis. Instead I switched to taking probiotics and drinking goat's kefir. I take 3 probiotics a day and 3 sips of kefir. Last week I wondered if I could cut down to 2 probiotics per day. Within 2 days my 'old' problems were back so I went back up to taking 3 a day and now I'm fine. This might not be of any help to you, just my own experience. I wish you good luck....
Hello ProiectionI would like to know the equal quantity in ml or grammar. Best wishes
Hi tophill, it's best if I give you details of where I buy the probiotics and then you can investigate. It's healthspan.co.uk - search for probiotics. With regard to the goat's kefir I buy a 330ml of natural probiotic goat's kefir and take about half a 'shot' glass 3 times per day. I keep 3 bottles in the fridge at any one time. Good luck....
Thanks a lot projection
I sleep badly, always have, 4 hours usually, 6 would be excellent. I’m usually med free apart from pain relief but these last months have been on omeprazole for undiagnosed something or other, tests on going. Started on 40 for 2 months then 20 for 2 months then one month 20 alternate days. Two months after cessation symptoms returned so now back to 20 daily. It has not helped my sleep in any way but has reduced trips to the loo in the night ( interstitial cystitis ) which is an unexpected benefit. I listen to Gregorian monk chanting which is soothing. Wishing you better nights,
After 6 years of PMR has GCA now started?
I just want to quit GCA! 
Could I be in remission after 5 years!?
Just found this site after 10 years of having PMR / GCA
i seemed to have lost the ability to remember how to use the site 
