Would you .......

What are the problems with Omeprazole? I have been prescribed it, using it daily (although a very low dose).

I have to admit that I assumed it was a 'safe' drug.

Sorry, I should have responded to the OP's question.

Yes, I would mention anything I was taking, to my GP. Many drugs have an unwanted interaction.

I, too, would have doubts about using Chinese medicine. I can't see how strengths could be controlled, so one batch could be stronger than another etc.

Having written the above, if I were desperate and had not been able to find help with 'western' medicine, I can understand one trying anything from anywhere as a last resort.

It is a safe drug but NICE don't actually recommend continuous use for years (possibly because long term effects not known?). Drug safety testing does not include testing years of use - nothing would ever get to market if it did.
There are a few concerns - it is normal to have stomach acid and abnormal to block its production.
One of the interesting things about it is that there was a study in which it was given to people without reflux symptoms - and when they stopped quite a %age developed "rebound" symptoms. So it may be a hard drug to give up.

That's interesting, Jess. I know my symptoms gradually became worse when on Lansoprazole (similar in action to Omeprazole) and much worse after stopping it. My GP seems clueless...

The only way that I managed to stop acid rexflux was to lose weight, stay off fruit juices, not have more than one glass of wine, and not to eat anything at all after about 8 pm.
I was also having the hoarseness mentioned and some trouble swallowing, and a fair bit of choking easily.I never went to the GP about it, but tried different things myself.Never had the tooth pain others mention though.

I am on a prescribed dose of 10 mgs omeprazole. A while back I doubled up, took two tablets daily, then added another 10 mgs so I was taking 30 mgs. It didn't make any difference so I went back to the one tablet. I had a little bit of rebound for a couple of days, but could hardly tell the difference really. I am now having another go at doubling up to the 20 mgs.I don't think it matters how much you take, within the limits. Some people take 40 mgs.

Omeprazole works well for Gerd, but nothing really works for LPR (silent reflux)

The trouble with 'silent reflux' or LPR though is that you don't get the heartburn or acid sensation in the throat, so it's very hard to know when it's happening.

x posts jingl - yes, it's so much worse than GERD.

You get the white tongue and horrible bitter taste all the time though. I think it might be fumes from stomach acid that come up.

I don't get the white tongue or horrible taste. It seems to affect everyone differently...

Yours all sound a lot worse than my problems.The white tongue and bitter taste must be horrible.

I do know that Omeprozole depletes Magnesium and something else that I can't remember.
Has anyone had a Pepsin test? I'm going to ask about this when I see the Gastroenterologist. I won't hold my breath, my own Dr didn't know about it!

Oh! I bought some magnesium tablets but then I couldn't remember what I had bought them for. That must be it. I can't find them now.

It is well known that proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole can cause small benign polyps in the stomach - that is what they did to me. It is also suspected that they might inhibit the absorption of some goodies that we need. The info about this is readily available on the internet.

As with all medication it is a matter of weighing up the risks and the benefits. If I had the serious problems that some gransnetters have outlined in these posts then the decision to take them would be the right thing to do in order to have a reasonable quality of life and relieve the misery.

I was able to control my problems in other ways, so made the decision to go off it. As with anything I always try and go for the tiniest dose that is effective.

Well, I've never heard about the polyps - apart from when you've said it on here before. Can you put a link up? They would probably be harmless, even if they did exist.

(that was to Luckygirl of course)

Oh yes. You said benign.

I don't think GPs have much of a clue either where this condition is concerned. I've suffered with acid reflux for over ten years. At first I was told that an allergy was causing my breathlessness and hoarseness, and then late onset asthma. Then I was sent for an endoscopy and I was put on omeprazole. It was effective for quite a long time and then, when it stopped working I was put on lamsoprazole, which made it worse. I am now on ranitidine, which works most of the time, though there are days when I get really terrible reflux. My doctor gave me to understand that it was not likely that I would ever be able to stop taking this drug in some form or other. But I would never fall back on alternative therapies either.

Sometimes I wonder about some sort of allergy - quite often when I get a dry-throat coughing fit I sneeze a lot too!

As you say, Greyduster, GPs (or most of them) seem clueless and obviously can only prescribe what's been recommended for any sort of reflux problems and hope for the best...

Yeah. I get the dry coughing too. And the sneezing. I have to keep a packet of Halls extra strong lozenges in my handbag in case I get an attack in a shop. Only thing that helps.

I bought a tonge scraper. Just tried it. Not good. I nearly choked from the acid fumes!

Is this TMI for anybody?

When the 'clug' as I call it, gets bad I find a really strong chewing gum clears the airways (see what I did there, 'airways') I find it works for a while.

I have been taking Lanzoprazole for several years now after a gastroscopy showed a large hiatus hernia. I am currently on a maintenance dose of 15 mgs but also have to use Gaviscon Advance twice ( at least) a day . I have the dry cough and choking and also the sneezing bouts which, before reading this thread, I had not thought was connected. It makes life very miserable at times and I personally think stress makes it worse.

Re GP's not understanding the condition much, when I have yearly revues for Meds I will be asked about blood pressure tabs and statins but never about the Lanzoprozole they churn that out on a repeat scrip with never a query.

Has anyone gone up as far as 40 mgs of omeprazole? I thought about giving that a quick try. You can buy it OTC now.