Omeprazole...anyone Take It And Able To Get Off It?

[Jrzydva 38]

I have had a history of acid reflux for years and have been taking a variety of prescriptions way too long, (according to my doctor). These drugs are not good for you and your bones and I can understand why you have high hopes of getting off of them. I am afraid of having to take them for the rest of my life. However, I am pre-op stage, and since I have been doing the mandatory 2 week liquid diet before the procedure, I havent had to take the omepr. Only once did I take it and that was out of habit. This leads me to believe that my gastrologist was correct, that not eating the trigger foods does help! I can't eat anything at all, let alone acidic, for another week and truly notice the difference. I am praying you and I can both get off those horrible drugs. At any rate, learn your trigger foods, keep a food journal and track what flares it up and stop eating those trigger foods. Good luck!!

[Miriam 50]

I took it for about 3 months, tried to stop and like you, had major issues - I basically threw up everything I put into my mouth, including liquids. So now I'm back on it, although my doctor isn't too happy with that - he seems to think that at this stage (almost 6 months post-op) I should no longer need it, but I definitely do. Every morning I wake up with my stomach gurgling and unsettled, and it only calms down after taking my daily dosage. So I have no idea when I'll be able to get off it, but this seems to be a small price to pay in the greater scheme of things.

[renogirl 11]

I was given a 30 day script post surgery. I never had issues with acid/GERD pre surgery so getting off of it post surgery was no problem for me.

What's interesting to me is that at 11 months post op, I started feeling intense hunger. After reading this board, I figured out it was stomach acid I was feeling, not true hunger.

My surgeon gave me a script for Omexprozal and my intense hunger is gone. I don't take it every day, just when I feel I need it.

[MegInNOLA 531]

I didn't have excess acid pre-surgery, at least not that I know about. Post-op, I wasn't given a prescription for it--after having terrible problems with not being able to keep anything down, the folks on this forum suggested omeprazole and it literally saved my life. I took it from about month 1.5 until month 5 and stopped. I recently started it again because I've been noticing continuing issues with night-time reflux (I wake up with a sore throat, horrid taste in the back of my mouth, stopped-up sinuses, and squeaky voice, not good for a singer!). So yeah, I take 20 mg every evening. I have an appointment to check on other possible meds, as I know this type of med is not necessarily the best for long-term control. But for now, it's working well.

[clk 3,519]

Anywhere from six months to a year is the norm to get off the PPI. Some folks need them for the long run. I was lucky enough to stop taking mine somewhere between 4-6 months. However, in times of stress I do need them for a short spell again, as I seem to be more prone to acid problems than prior to surgery.

Small price to pay for goal weight, though.

I hope that sometime in the next few months you can wean off. I started coming off by taking one every other day. Try that and see how it goes.

~Cheri

[nalasmom 14]

I'm post op day 16. I stopped using it like 4 days ago. No problems whatsoever.

[CBT 450]

Recent research from Harvard suggest too many typical Americans (not WLS patients) take ppi. They looked at alternatives. Their findings suggest an apple at lunch and an apple at dinner allowed a statistically significant number for patients to get off and stay off at 3 month follow up, their ppi. I do not remember the method (if they tapered off the ppi)

life is a journey, not a destination; so, stop running -H.D. THEROUX

[Jrzydva 38]

I just took an acid pill tonight because I binged on two bowls of healthy options Campbell's Tomato Soup...I was so hungry today...havent been doing my Protein enough so this weekend, I will resume strict liquids and get ready for my surgery in three days..

[echowits 8]

I went to Dr. Kelly. My surgery was 7-25-12. I stopped taking in a week after surgery. They just said it was for my stomach, and I really didn't know what that meant . . .

I have had to restart taking it. I started having acid reflux about 3 weeks out from surgery, and it was causing me to dry cough all day and night. It took me about 5-6 days after taking it again to finally be normal.