Acid Reflux and Omeprazole

[jarmummy123]

So.......... I have been given Omeprazole for acid reflux......... I was given 20mg once a day, this worked for a few days then heartburn came back so Dr said take 40mg so I take 20mg morning before food and then before evening meal. I have been on 40mg for the past 5 days and 'touch wood' feel 80% better, but I am finding I get slight heartburn middle of the afternoon but its only slight................
Also, is acid reflux common? and does 40mg seem really high? I am so worried its a sign of cancer. I've had an upper abdominal ultrasound scan in Oct and that was normal.
Can you still get some heartburn with Omeprazole or should it get rid of all indigestion?
Thanks

[Lifelonganxiety!]

Omeprazole is not guaranteed to work, you might need to try a different kind of medication. Keep in mind that the longer acting medicines can take a couple of weeks to be effective.

I found Nexium was good for me, but expensive. Stick to Omeprazole for a couple of weeks, then maybe try something else.

I'm on Omeprazole and still get occasional mild heartburn.

Oh and as for it being something else. Heartburn is extremely common, cancer is rare.

[Fishmanpa]

First off, acid reflux/indigestion is probably one on the most common stomach ailments there is. I mean, look at all the products on the shelves to deal with it. From chewable tabs to prescription drugs. It's also aggravated by stress and anxiety.

I have it as well as my wife. She was on Omeprazole for a while but it didn't alleviate all the symptoms. Both of us are on Pantoprazole now and it's working fine. That being said, there are certain foods that aggravate things regardless so we watch what we eat and take a shot of Mylanta when needed.

Keep a food diary for a few weeks. You may need to avoid certain things to keep your tummy in check.

Positive thoughts

[23tana]

I'm on 20mg Omeprazole in the morning and 20mg at night. It doesn't totally stop the heartburn especially if I am anxious. I take a dose of gaviscon when I really need to.

As Fishmanpa said, you do have to watch what you eat.

[Coppernob]

Omeprazole made my acid reflux worse - much worse! But I appreciate that was unusual, many people are helped by it. The answer for me was a high dose of ranitidine, 300mg a day. I was eventually able to come down to 150mg and am now trying to reduce this further. But the answer is - yes, omeprazole doesn't always work. 40mg is the dose I was put on when 20mg didn't work, but it made me even more unwell.

[Holds1325]

Omeprazole 20mg works perfectly for me. It gets rid of my reflux and helps it stay away.

However, Nexium doesn't work for me well. It does take some of the acid reflux away but it honestly doesn't keep it away no matter the dosage. I still get heartburn from it occassionally.

Perhaps you can talk to your doctor about switching?