Weaning off Omeprazole

[Pink_peach]

Does anyone have a treatment plan for a successful weaning off Omeprazole please? I want to start this process but am a bit scared as I stopped cold turkey previously and had horrendous issues. I understand that the drug makes the acid producing valve loose which further contributes to the issue causing rebound. I have just purchased Slippery Elm and Deglycyrrhised Licorice but not quite sure how put everything together. Any advice would be most appreciated.

[Luisa22]

The slippery elm and the DGL licorice you have should help a bit. You can also try chewing calcium citrate, but do beware that you don't get a calcium overdose, so you will have to calculate how much calcium you are taking in per day including that supplement. For an adult I believe the RDA is 1,200mg, unless a different dosage is recommended by a doctor. You could maybe go a BIT above the RDA but be careful.

I once had reflux for a few months and found medical grade Manuka honey helped too.

Plus I elevated the head of my bed by about eight inches and slept that way for about three months until my symptoms had gone.

I also took stomach bitters. I made my own with Gentian, Ceylon cinnamon, Angelica root, orange peel (and something else I have forgotten now!) You can buy Swedish bitters but those often have Senna in them. That's why I didn't use those because of my IBS D. But you could check the other ingredients in them and buy those and make your own bitters. I made a batch to last a few days, and kept it in a glass bottle in the fridge then had a wineglass full 3 times a day. My reflux which started early December 2020 disappeared by early April 2021.

Also make sure you don't get constipated if you can. Constipation can create slow stomach emptying which can make reflux worse.

But what you really need is proper stomach acid for proper digestion and function! Not something to inhibit it.

That said, if you do get very bad times of indigestion or acidity, then a plain calcium carbonate indigestion tablet will help symptoms temporarily (Tums) or alternatively Rennies with calcium carbonate and some magnesium. (again check your amounts of calcium if you are also taking calcium citrate!)

[711debbie]

First I stopped eating any form of bread (I have no idea why that worked but it did. Since then I have used Luvos ultra, a healing loess from Germany, 3 times a day and have no trouble with acid reflux at all (plus sleeping on an elevated wedge pillow). Good luck! It can be done!

[LFHell in reply to 711debbie]

If you dont know why it worked, why did you try it? curious

[Orchard33]

In addition to de-stressing life as much as possible I take Symprove to make my gut as healthy as possible and slippery elm to sooth my stomach. Plus, of course, soothing food. I believe it takes about a year or so for the stomach to recover from PPIs, as much as it ever will. I found that Omeprazole made reflux and acidity worse over time, which is why I came off it, slowly at first. I did it over about a month, taking it only when I had to and using Gaviscon in the weaning process. Well worth it.

[Judyliz]

I found coming off omeprazole very difficult and doing it cold turkey can result in rebound acid production. I have however been off it for over two years with no side effects. I did it very slowly. There is a great deal of information online about coming off but trying to follow that advice was still too quick for my gut.Depending on how many tablets you are taking, if two a day reduce to one a day, if one a day, normally 20 mgs ask the GP or pharmacist to change to 15 mg tablets and then 10 mg tablets. Once you are happy your gut is settled then reduce to every other day, then every third day etc. I stayed with each change for about two weeks, in total it took 6 months.

Most of the online advice is geared towards people who have used it short-term, which is what it is designed for. I had it because of serious side effects from high dose steroids.

I wish you luck with this, I don't know how long you have been taking omeprazole, if a short time you might find it a lot easier. You have been given some helpful suggestions by other members, all of which are worth reading about.

A combination of slow reduction and other non drug related methods might be just what you need.

Some people find changing to an H2- inhibitor such as famotidine or another member of that group of drugs a way of coming of a PPI. A proper chat with your pharmacist might help. They will also be able to look at any interactions with other drugs you might be taking. If you do that also mention any other self prescribed or over the counter medication you take.

[tansy-ann8]

I am also currently trying to wean myself off of Omeprazole, having taken it for many years. My first attempt was so awful, that I have had to start taking it again. However, this time I am going to reduce it slowly and thanks to your question, I can also incorporate some of the answers you have been given. Thank you to all the people who have answered your question and good luck...

[Hidden]

I have kidney disease and apparently it is not good for kidneys. My Nephrologist asked if I could try and cut back some so I went to an every other day regimen for a week and on the days I didn't take it, I got horrible Gerd. I went back to every day. I used to get the worst chest pains like someone shot me the heart.

[farmergiles]

My sister managed it without problems by replacing it with a teaspoonful of vinegar in a glass of water before bed. Worth a try.

[Luisa22 in reply to farmergiles]

Yes, I have heard apple cider vinegar is very good for the stomach. It encourages normal stomach acid production, which we all actually need for proper digestion. The one with the "mother" is supposed to be better as that also contains a probiotic. Braggs is supposed to be the best one.

I tried it but it didn't suit me. The only one side effect I got from it was a constant taste of it in my mouth so I couldn't really taste anything else all day long, and it lasted into the evening. That was a pretty mild side effect but I found I couldn't tolerate it at all.

[711debbie in reply to Luisa22]

You have to take the ACV with either bicarb or honey and water (plenty of recipes on the internet). Taking ACV straight could destroy your dental enamel!

[Luisa22 in reply to 711debbie]

Yes, that is a danger of it. I only had a small amount, mixed it with a bit of water and drank it through a straw right to the back of my mouth mainly because I was concerned about my teeth. But I could only do it twice, because of the long lingering taste effect I got from it. It was unbearable to me. Even rinsing my mouth with water, drinking peppermint tea and trying to eat flavours that took it away didn't work.

[LFHell in reply to Luisa22]

Really? I used to have it on salad, its really nice. I had no idea it could damage tooth enamel? But do all vinegars? I mean blueberries are really bad for enamel too I guess i dont eat them daily tho!

[Luisa22 in reply to LFHell]

Yes, basically anything acidic can damage tooth enamel, and even more if you brush your teeth after eating/drinking whatever it is. Some of the healthiest foods can damage teeth.

I used to love fruit. All fruits. But the weird thing is, since I've been unable mostly to eat fruit owing to its "frisky" effect on my old IBS belly, my teeth are in far better condition. I try to get as much vitamin C as possible from veggies now, and things like watercress etc. which oddly seem to work OK with my tummy.

I was actually wondering )not sure, and don't quote me, as I'll experiment with anything)...but if some bicarbonate of soda (alkaline) is mixed with a little water and the teeth are rinsed with that after eating anything acidic, (then it is spat out) -if that may help to protect tooth enamel, and lower or rather balance out the mouth's PH??

I have no idea. Just wondering.

[LFHell]

It makes the valve loose? The more I hear about this drug, makes me wonder why the hell they prescribe it so easily I took it for gastritis recently, double dose for 6 weeks. But was ok coming off thankfully, until a month later i've developed C which i put down to a probiotic i took. Thats making me a bit refluxey coz blocked up. Wondering now if the PPI could have caused the C? Also wonder if everyones reflux symptoms are caused by food intolerance or C like mine (apart from people with valve issues?)

[Pink_peach in reply to LFHell]

I think because it’s a quick “fix” for those struggling. Unsure about the PPI causing C and I hope that gets sorted quickly for you.

[LFHell in reply to Pink_peach]

Thanks i googled it and C can be a side effect of PPI but not sure if it was that. A friend of mine goes on and off PPI's, hope you can get off it by going slow... For me wheat, onion, garlic, oats give me reflux and i found out i have dairy allergy... other fodmaps are not so bad since i cut out dairy too. Apparently its the number 1 food allergy!

[711debbie in reply to LFHell]

I'm positive my IBS and histamine problems started when I took PPIs for just 3 months because I had a stomach ulcer from too much ibuprofen over the years. I think it was because I had been taking ACV with water and bicard to keep the acid in my stomach, while the PPI blocked it. I was in tremendous pain and had no idea what to do, but by the second month I had a theory that my new problem was IBS, and all the tests confirmed it.

[LFHell in reply to 711debbie]

Whats ACV?

[711debbie in reply to LFHell]

Really?!!!!!!

[LFHell in reply to 711debbie]

oh apple cider vinegar?

[711debbie in reply to LFHell]

Yes! I've been taking it for so many years (probably close to 20 years), I just assume every one with digestive problems knows about it.

[LFHell in reply to 711debbie]

I took it for a while on salad but didnt seem to make much difference. Maybe coz i didn't have it daily. I do notice fermented foods as calming when my gut is upset tho..

[Luisa22 in reply to LFHell]

I wonder if reflux can be caused by slow gut transit, so food stays too long in the stomach fermenting in a sense. Or it can be caused by LOW stomach acid so food, especially proteins, aren't digesting properly.

[Pink_peach in reply to Luisa22]

I think for some it is low stomach acid making the food is come back up.

[LFHell in reply to Luisa22]

I definately only get reflux when i eat foods im intolerant too or more recently since having C. So just wondered if others had this and didnt realise it was a food cause!

Tho my symptoms have never been that bad apart from when i was eating oats everyday and my stomach would lurch vomit up to my throat all the time. Apparently thats a reflux symptom but i rarely get heartburn..

Im almost 100% better since cutting foods out but the gastro doc thought i may have reflux.

[Luisa22 in reply to LFHell]

As far as I've seen, a slow gut transit can often cause reflux because everything backs up and eventually that affects the way the stomach works and empties. The food in there is there for too long and ferments. Foods could definitely make a difference, and anything that keeps the gut as naturally mobile as possible.

[Luisa22 in reply to LFHell]

Oh boy do they prescribe PPIs!

The doctor prescribed it for my auntie, who is 90, who told me herself she never even got acid reflux, "heartburn"or indigestion.

(bear in mind that normal stomach acid prodution which helps us digest our food properly, is incined to decline with age!! and LOW stomach acid is more common in advanced years.)

I asked her why her doctor prescribed them. She told me he said it was "to prevent her getting indigestion". Even she couldn't work it out as she said she never ever got indigestion anyway.

But being old-school, thought the doctor knows best so took them. Now guess what? If she misses her pills, she gets "indigestion".

That;s because her stomach can't process food as well any more as a result.

Her appetite declined. She got dementia. I'm not blaming the PPIs for dementia, but it's all part of the picture. She needed something to support her function, not weaken it.

[Pink_peach in reply to Luisa22]

Sorry to hear, that’s so wrong. I get that PPIs can be needed in certain cases such as an ulcer or managing pain in those with oesophageal cancer but anything else should be treated holistically and not throwing the body out of balance.

[LFHell in reply to Luisa22]

Yeah thats truely sad to hear. Your poor aunt. I wish i hadn't taken it for the gastritis now too. My boss also got gastritis from taking Naproxen and said by the time he had had an endoscopy it had healed itself! I do wonder if all my issues started when i started taking PPI with nurofen years ago as that was about the time I started to get reflux! :mad: Tho hopefully no extra issues have developed this time.

[Luisa22 in reply to LFHell]

Yes unfortunately Nurofen (or Ibuprofen under any name) can be brutal on the stomach. I used to take it once a month for a day, maximum two days, for bad period pains. It really worked. That was like 20-30 years ago. I was lucky because in those days I had a cast iron stomach, and at least wasn't on it all the time, for something like arthritis for example. I was always careful to take the tablets only with food, immediately before food or after. and didn't drink alcohol when on them. But still, some people will be a lot more sensitive than I was and their digestion may not be able to cope with that stuff.

[LFHell in reply to Luisa22]

Yeah i dont trust it since i read it causes stomach bleeding but i had a herniated disc flare up and was just popping anything i could find! For period pains i just take codeine. Its not as good and probably fucks up my gut too but i need it for migraines anyway.

[Luisa22]

Yes, these meds have their place and can be really helpful if needed short term, but they are also routinely prescribed inappropriately as far as I have seen, then people are kept on them way too long without review (as GP appointments are hard to get as many GPs only work part time since Covid, and first you have to get past the Dragons at the Gateway who MIGHT give you an appointment in another month...)

Sorry...bit of a rant there!