Hello,
I’m aware of the recent research highlighting the negative impact of long term use of omeprazole. I have been taking omeprazole and was worried about stopping due to the ‘rebound heartburn’ that happens.
I stopped 6 weeks ago and although it was a horrible 6 weeks due to the rebound, finally I have no heartburn and will never touch omeprazole again!
Just wanted to share my experience and give hope that you CAN come off omeprazole if you give yourself 6 weeks to withdraw from it.
Hi. I am in the same situation. I tried reducing and chewing on gaviscon tablets the days I wasn’t taking it but that didn’t work. I asked my gp who said to take it as needed. Well I need it every night. How did you manage to stop? I tried ACV and celery juice, baking soda but that didn’t help. Or did you just suffer for 6 weeks. The heartburn get so bad that I am sick with it.
Hi,
I took gaviscon liquid sometimes every 2 hours in the first two weeks, including waking up in the middle of the night to take it! This gave me a sore stomach but I kept going. And in the first two weeks, I was actually sick a few times.
Then it slowly started to get better and I reduced the amount of gaviscon over the following few weeks. I didn’t take anything else during this time. I slept almost sitting up and made sure to sit straight, as when I slouched it seemed to make it worse.
So yes, I just pushed through and it was pretty horrendous but worth it. I chose a period when I had some leave from work and not much on.
Good luck!
Hi, good for you I am in the process of doing the same thing. Been a week for me now and I have had to sleep upright and at times felt like I’m having a heart attack, even drinking water causes pain in middle of chest through to back. I have been taking digestive enzymes and awaiting betaine hcl hopefully the two will help. I am never going back to esomeprazole again as I feel most people have low acid not high and they just make it worse for the digestive system x
It’s horrible but push through and it will get better!
Omeprazole/esomeprazole completely disrupt your body’s ability to regulate acid so that’s why people are on them longer term, as the ‘rebound’ heartburn is often worse than the heartburn that it was prescribed for! (I.e. a drug company dream - long term users that can’t come off)!
I had been on omeprazole on the highest dose for 10 years. It is terribly difficult to come off and this was my fourth attempt (usually lasting only a week in the previous weeks).
I found drinking milk helped as well.
Good luck! Let us know how you get on.
I didn’t know about milk helping I must try this. This is the second time I’ve quit them last time only lasted ten days but this time I’ve done a little research into hcl and enzymes etc I am going to stick with it even though I have slept upright for two nights I am determined to never go back on them and I’ve had serious bowel and stomach problems lately am awaiting a colonograhy, Gp says it’s my ibs and it’s a flare up I believe it’s ten years of esomeprazole messing up my stomach. You have to really research anything given now a days as they usually cause alternative problems in the long run. I will definitely let you know how I get on and thank you x
Hi all. These posts are very useful as I have tried to cut down my dosage. However just halving the dose caused terrible pains as with 'Curly' so I went straight back on to full dose. I spoke to my doctor who is referring me to a gastroenterologist to talk about a possible procedure (at my request) as I don't want to be taking any more of these as it's already been far too long. If I thought I could get off them and be ok I would try again but I do have a hiatus hernia. I was wondering if anyone else has a hernia and successfully weaned themselves off?
That sounds really tough. I’m not aware of the impact of hiatus hernia on this so hopefully someone more knowledgable can come and answer your question. What would be the procedure you are looking for?
It is really distressing pains to have when weaning off them so it’s important to make sure that isn’t impacting the hiatus hernia in any way.
Good luck with cutting down your dosage though!
Thanks. I have an appointment in a couple of weeks so will ask all the relevant questions. The procedure for a hernia used to be quite a risky one but evidently there is something newer and less intrusive. Thanks for your reply.
hi same as you i am lean but they still fitted a gastric belt,which has now slipped,did not work anyway just ate less,so now im thin and have ibs and gerd nighmare fighting off the heartburn i can just go outside open my mouth and all my stomach contents will flow
I have a hiatus hernia and been on lansoprozole a long time. I don't believe this drug has caused my issues. I have been told to continue with this medication. Without it I suffer terrible Gerd hense why I was initially prescribed omeprazole then switched over to lansoprozole when omeprazole didn't seem to relieve my issues, plus I'm on steroids too. I believe the cause of my hiatus hernia is several periods of vomiting due to inflammation and generally feeling unwell. It doesn't happen all the time but this is my que to go to A&E when I can't eat and keep anything inside me. Thankfully that doesn't happen often either.
Congrats on getting off the PPIs! I did the same thing about 2 months ago... So glad I did! I went through atleast 2 giant bottles of tums, now I only have to take them if I eat stuff I know will cause it lol. But ya, betaine HCL, ox bile supplement(miracle, since no gallbladder) and I actually started taking drops of 4%hydrochloric acid through the day. I would highly recommend anyone suffering from 'ibs' to watch some John Bergman on YouTube, educate oneself on what true health is!
Did you suffer with sore/scratchy throat and coughing during your withdrawal as well? I found I very very slowly got better with first week being the worst during the withdrawal. Then it peaked and got worse at 4 weeks with sore/scratchy/cloggy throat and coughing along with rebound reflux/indigestion. Hope you're still feeling great off it now??
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