Omeprazole

May I ask if anyone else has been given Omeprazole alongside Prednisolone. I was prescribed it 'to protect the stomach' but I want to be off it now.

[Nextoneplease]

Hello LadyJayne 😊

I have been on omeprazole for nearly four years now, ie since I started on pred. I asked to come off it this week as it happens, or at least reduce the dose. However my GP wouldn’t agree to this as I am on a lot of different meds and she felt I needed it.

Can I ask why you want to stop it? Your situation may obviously be very different from mine x

[SnazzyD]

Have you told your doctor you’ve decided this. It’s easy to feel you don’t need a medication until you stop it. If do decide to go ahead it is really important you reduce slowly over weeks. Advice varies online. It’s something like half the dose for a couple of weeks and then if you can’t halve the new dose, do alternate days and increase the gap. If you go too fast you will get rebound acid.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Now you have asked the question - there is a list of Related Posts. Lots of people get it - it is to protect the stomach lining from acid erosion which can happen.

What is your problem with it? Is it just "yet nother tablet to take" or is it causing you problems?

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

It seems to be aggravating my IBS and if I am coming off the pred I won't need it anyway. The rheumatologist suggested I could taper the two together. If it is as she suspects my PMR could be a misdiagnosis by an over keen GP registrar who was too quick to give me them in the first place 😞

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

Fair enough. I've never taken it in 16 years on pred except if I needed to take NSAIDs. And it DOES cause problems for lots of people.

You can taper it off, probably quicker than the pred - start by halving the dose to 10mg if you are on 20mg. After a week or so you can start to have odd days without it, increasing the days without until you are off it. Have some Gaviscon handy just in case you get some acid indigestion while doing it.

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you PP ☺️

[Koalajane]

I was never put on it and seem to have coped without it

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Koalajane]

I don't hear it mentioned here - people seem to survive!!!!

[Kendrew]

I was going to be prescribed it as a precautionary measure when I began taking steroids 5½yrs ago. I said no thankyou unless I begin to show symptoms that suggest I need it. 5½yrs on and so far I haven't needed omeprazole. That of course may change, and if so then I would absolutely reconsider my choice.As I always say, we're all different, and my choice regarding the taking of omeprazole won't necessarily be right for everyone else.

Good luck with your tapering.

[Rene20 in reply to Kendrew]

I have been on pred for 12 yrs.now recently completely off it.I have been prescribed Lansoprazole 15mg

No issues still take but not daily.

[Louisa1840]

Hi Lady Jayne,

I have been on Esopreze (same thing) for a couple of years now) If i stop I get awful acid stomach. I think, as others have said, reduce slowly and have an antacid ready...Good Luck!

[Angelsmummy]

Morning Lady Jane.Was prescribed it at beginning of GCA(60 mg) Weaned off it when I got to about 6.Just take my Pred with yoghourt,NO problems at all.x🌼😜

[Windy183]

Hi, yes I was prescribed it but it gave me terrible diarrhoea so I don’t take it any more. No symptoms of any stomach trouble after 2 years. Hope that helps

[marionofnorwich in reply to Windy183]

I also get diarrhoea or at least loose and urgent poos. I think it is down to Lansaprazole as it seems to happen if I take it. Hard to be sure. I don't have stomach or digestion issues without it but try every now and then in case the pred is doing invisible damage as it has with bone damage (now osteoporotic)

[ChrisBeeLoop]

Yes, it gave me terrible diahorrea as well, and occasional vomiting.

I asked to come off it and the GP said no because it protects the stomach. When I finally had enough of the stomach upsets and told her she told me to take some stool tests. One of these showed inflammation in the bowel so she referred me to a gastroenterologist. 6 month waiting list. Meanwhile she conceded that it might be worth doing some blood tests. These showed an exceptionally high level of creatinine suggesting kidney malfunction.

At this stage I was fortunate enough to make an appointment with a new GP in the surgery and he recommended stopping the Omeprazole. As I am down to 5mg of Pred he said no need to taper the omeprazole. I started to feel better almost straight away. Second blood test after two weeks showed a small dip in the creatinine, although still high. After waiting another two weeks for a urinary tract ultra sound scan, last Friday I got an all clear result. Lovely GP texted me immediately and asked for another blood test in four weeks.

I feel so much better physically, leaky bowels are not pleasant. I remain concerned about how much damage has been done to my kidneys.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to ChrisBeeLoop]

"As I am down to 5mg of Pred he said no need to taper the omeprazole"

Yes and no - you have been lucky. If you stop omeprazole suddenly a lot of patients experience rebound production of acid. Nothing to do with the dose of pred but the cold turkey action. If you taper the PPI slowly over several weeks it is far less likely to happen.

[ChrisBeeLoop in reply to PMRpro]

Yes, I had read that and queried it twice with the GP. He said try Gaviscon if there is any problem with reflux. I think he was concerned with the impact the Omeprazole was having on my kidneys and wanted me off it pdq.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to ChrisBeeLoop]

Yes, fair enough, but it still only takes about 3 weeks even tapering.

I forgot before - "she conceded that it might be worth doing some blood tests.". Too b£**dy right. She should have been checking every 3 months at least right from the start,

[bluepuddy1]

Hello LadyJayne,

I was given Omeprazole near the start of my PMR journey. It upset my stomach so I advised the pharmacist and it was removed from my list of prescribed medication. Hope this helps.

[NewPMR]

Dr insisted that I took stomach protection . Was given , omeprazole it made me ill for weeks. Stopped taking it and was prescribed Famotidine . Not happy about taking anything so have started halving the dose. From your previous posts and your family history, your symptoms do sound very much like PMR so please be kind to yourself if you need to start taking pred again after your tests.

[Hidden]

Thank you all very much for your kind replies. I have read them all. I have decided to halve the dose of Omeprazole as I reduce the Pred. This will get sorted, it's been a rough year since Covid last January.

[Bayleaf1]

I have taken Lansoprazole for just over two years having been prescribed it when diagnosed with PMR. However, having tapered my prednisone down to 0.5mg I have just started to taper the Lansoprazole. I was taking 15mg per day so I am trying to take it every other day for a couple of weeks and see how I go. Hopefully I can then extend the days in between and then stop. Hope you get on ok.

[Karendeena]

You should always take this whilst on prednisolone

[paintpots]

Hi Lady Jane.I was prescribed omeprazole when I first had PMR 4 years ago. It did affect my stomach causing diahorrea mildly. I had a spell in hospital and I was put on famotadine which worked but my doctor then put me on lanzoprazole. I have been on it ever since. I am off the prednisolone but still take lanzoprazole because I get heart burn not acid reflux. I have to take a tablet around every 6 days and then I am fine. I do not seem to be able to come off them but really I need to talk to the doctor about it but it is so difficult seeing one, I just feel it is not worth bothering.

[Everett19]

I've always taken laprasolene since I started on prednisolone 10+ years ago. Do get IBS symptoms but thout meds helped it rather than caused it?Was reduced down to one a day but GP thinks I now have stomach ulcer and has doubled dose to twice a day. Really hoping it sorts it all out as not wanting to have another camera down unless absolutely have to. Currently trying to reduce preds too but slow process.

[Hugh_Marc]

yes. I had to come off it after a couple of weeks due to severe diarrhoea. I was on 30mg a day. I’m now on 15mg lansoprazole every other day. So far so good.

[Broseley]

Hi, my GP put me on it when I started on pred in 2021. I have to take it while I'm on pred, even though I'm down to 1mg. There has been no question of me stopping it even though I get diarrhoea, which has been investigated by colonoscopys and IBS specialists. I have to adjust my diet instead. I would like to stop it, and tried once, for two weeks, but no difference. I think my guts have become hypersensitive now. I am trying to reintroduce certain foods one at a time, now I've got it under control. So far, I've discovered coffee, even decaff, is a no-no, as are fizzy fruit drinks and wine.

[Harrywogan]

Hi ladyJane, don't take it never had a problem.H

[Holidaytime89]

Yes - I was also prescribed it to protect my stomach. I suffer from Restless Leg Syndrome which became much worse. I eventually realised that Omeprazole can deplete magnesium - which makes RLS worse- and is also bad for your bone health- so I decided to stop it.

I first halved the dose from 20mg to 10mg, then gradually stopped it. During the weeks I was reducing it I had really bad indigestion but much better now.

I’m now on 2mg pred which I take with yoghurt and all seems okay.

I have magnesium citrate powder and if I can’t sleep due to restless legs a spoonful of that in water stops it almost immediately. Restless legs at night are much less frequent since stopping the Omeprazole.

Doctors don’t seem to know much about this - I’ve read that Omeprazole was not designed for long term use - it needs more research.

[Hidden in reply to Holidaytime89]

Thank you, and to everyone who has taken the time to reply I have reduced my dose to 10mg and will taper it down alongside the Pred.

The tragedy of all this is that I was misdiagnosed by an over keen GP registrar and should never have been started on these medications in the first place.

Mind you, one good thing to come of it I have 'met' some very lovely people on this forum 💐

[Quilterone]

Yes, I have been on it all the time while on prednisone. I take it before eating each am.

[Ginntonic]

If it helps I take Lansoprazole first thing on waking. I was originally given it when I was on ibuprofen for arthritis in my hands. It seems to work well with no apparent side effects. (My stomach isn’t brilliant anyway but that was calcium tablets)

I hope that helps

[Bcol]

Hi, apologies for late reply, I'm in the middle of packing boxes and everything else to do with moving, so time is a bit limited. I was on Omeprazole for just over four years with no problem/s at all. I came off as I ended my Pred journey a couple of months ago. I tapered down over six weeks, by dropping one tablet a week, again, with no problems.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bcol]

Shouldn't have bothered unpacking I wouldn't have ...

[Bcol in reply to PMRpro]

I would agree, but although this was a temporary stop it, certain things have moved a tad quicker than expectation, unexpected but in real and long term a good thing.

[Nagswoman]

Yes, but only when I complained of stomach pain.

[ubaoz]

I've been on pred for over four years, initially for PMR and didn't take a 'prazole' for most of that time, including when first diagnosed with GCA two years in and on very high doses of pred. I found just taking my pred with a good Greek yoghurt did the trick and never had any stomach problems.

However, I had a major flare of the GCA a few months back and was put back up to 50mg for a few weeks. I've have been tapering down slowly ever since. At the the time of that flare, the doctor I saw was adamant I needed stomach protection, despite the fact that I hadn't needed it previously. He said the cumulative effect of all the pred I'd taken over the years needed to be taken into account and painted an extremely bleak picture of dying of a perforating stomach ulcer, which scared the whoops out of me frankly.

So I agreed to esomeprazole 20mg and have been on it ever since. I plan to taper off it gently (as suggested elsewhere in this post) once I get down to 10mg of pred. I had an upset stomach (and ironically stomach pain) for a week or two when I first started taking the esomeprazole, but that settled down when I changed to taking it with my pred and some yogurt! I also take a magnesium supplement daily to counteract the depleting effects of the esomeprazole. I worry about my iffy kidney function and the esomeprazole too, so will be relieved when I can get off it.

And I still think that yoghurt is the best option if at all possible.

Good luck!

[HeronNS]

If you don't need it, please be aware that Omepraole was not supposed to be taken longterm, although doctors often prescribe it that way. It is implicated in bone thinning - which, ironically, is one of the reasons those same doctors want to taper us off pred asap! The reason is it can interfere with proper absorption of a number of nutrients, including calcium.

[Hidden in reply to HeronNS]

Thank you, I should not have been given either Pred or Omeprazole back in August. With support from the kind people here I have a plan to be off both by the New year. I am already feeling better for having reduced the dose of both.

[HeronNS in reply to Hidden]

All the best - do let us know how you get on, we care!

[Hidden in reply to HeronNS]

Thank you, I know and I will x

[Hidden]

Sorry to sound like a stuck record but I am struggling with the Omeprazole. It is aggravating my IBS dreadfully and giving me an upset stomach. I have halved the dose to 10 mg but can I just stop it? I am sick of it (literally). I am still reducing the Pred by 1 mg every week to ten days. That seems to be going ok so far. J

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

Now you are at a half dose - take it alternate days for a few days before stopping. The risk of just stopping is you may get severe acid production. But you could just stop and depend on Gaviscon or get famotidine or cimetidine at the pharmacy to tide you over this period.

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you. I read on NHS website that Movicol should not be taken with this due to risk of low potassium. I've taken Movicol for years, I have to 🙄The GP didn't mention this. She didn't mention much to be honest 😠

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

Now why doesn't that surprise me?

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

Thank goodness for the HU forum 😄