Omeprazole Usage

Omeprazole is used in the treatment of acidity, heartburn, intestinal ulcers and stomach ulcers.

How Omeprazole works

Omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI). It works by reducing the amount of acid in the stomach which helps in relief of acid-related indigestion and heartburn.

Common side effects of Omeprazole

Nausea, Abdominal pain, Constipation, Flatulence, Diarrhoea

Expert advice for Omeprazole

• Inform your doctor if you do not feel better after taking it for 14 days as you may be suffering from some other problem that needs attention.
• Omeprazole can decrease magnesium levels in blood. Get your magnesium levels checked regularly. You may need a magnesium supplement or need to discontinue your medicine. 
• Inform your doctor if you are suffering from osteoporosis as Omeprazole can weaken your bones by decreasing calcium levels in blood. You may need a calcium supplement, preferably calcium citrate.
• Omeprazole is a well-tolerated medicine and provides relief for a long time.
• It may take a few days to show its effect. You can take an antacid for a quick relief during this time unless your doctor has asked you not to use them.
• Once you start feeling better, do not stop taking your medicine. Take it for the duration as advised by your doctor

Frequently Asked Questions

Ques. Q. Can I take Omeprazole with domperidone?
Omeprazole can be safely taken with domperidone as no harmful effects have been reported clinically. A fixed-dose combination of these two medicines is also available. Domperidone works by increasing the gut motility and Rabeprazole decreases the acid production in the stomach. So, this combination is very effective in the treatment of reflux esophagitis associated with acidity, heartburn, intestinal and stomach ulcers.

Ques. Q. What are the various conditions in which the use of Omeprazole is contraindicated?
Use of Omeprazole is contraindicated if you are allergic to this medicine or any other medicine belonging to the same class of drugs. Also, do not take Omeprazole if you are already taking a medicine containing nelfinavir (used for the treatment of HIV infection).

Ques. Q. What if I miss my dose of Omeprazole?
If you miss a dose of Omeprazole, take it as soon as you remember and the next dose as scheduled. However, if it is almost the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose and then follow the regular schedule. Do not take double the dose.

Ques. Q. Can I take Omeprazole along with oral contraceptive pills (birth control pills)?
Omeprazole can be safely taken with oral contraceptive pills (birth control). They do not affect each other's action and no harmful effects have been seen when they are used together.

Ques. Q. What is Omeprazole?
Omeprazole belongs to the group of medicines known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). This drug decreases the acid production in your stomach and is indicated for the treatment of conditions caused by excess acid secretion in the stomach.

Ques. Q. Can Omeprazole cause subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus?
Omeprazole has been reported to cause subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus in many studies. Common signs and symptoms of this disease include painful joints, tiredness, weakness, rash, fever, anemia, mouth ulcers, hair loss, and many others and these may get aggravated again and again. Talk to your doctor if you experience these side effects as you may need to discontinue this medicine.

Ques. Q. Can I take Omeprazole with ondansetron?
Ondansetron is an anti-emetic medicine which helps in relieving nausea (feeling sick) or vomiting. No harmful effects have been seen when Omeprazole is used with ondansetron. So, these two medicines can be taken together.

Ques. Q. Can Omeprazole cause lactose intolerance?
Lactose intolerance has been reported with the use of Omeprazole in some patients. Many Omeprazole preparations contain lactose as an ingredient. This is a digestive problem in which the patient cannot digest lactose, a type of sugar mainly found in milk and dairy products. The patient may complain of symptoms like flatulence (gas), diarrhea, bloating, stomach pain and feeling of being sick (nausea). Read the ingredients mentioned on the pack before taking the medicine.

Ques. Q. Can I take Omeprazole with Vitamin E?
Omeprazole can be taken with vitamin E. The combinations seems to have a beneficial effect in terms of better maintenance of moderate to severe esophagitis. However, there are not many studies or reports on this subject. Talk to your doctor for more information on this.

Ques. Q. Can I take Omeprazole with levosulpiride?
Omeprazole can be safely taken with levosulpiride as no harmful effects have been reported clinically. A fixed-dose combination of these two medicines is also available. Levosulpiride works by increasing the gut motility and Omeprazole decreases the acid production in the stomach. So, this combination is very effective in the treatment of reflux esophagitis associated with acidity, heartburn, intestinal and stomach ulcers.

Ques. Q. Does Omeprazole use increase the risk of clostridium difficile infection?
Use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) like Omeprazole may be associated with an increased risk of Clostridium difficile–associated diarrhea (CDAD) as reported in few studies and informed by the US FDA as well. A possibility of CDAD can be there in patients taking PPIs and developed diarrhea that does not improve.

Ques. Q. Can Omeprazole be used in cancer patients?
Omeprazole can be taken by cancer patients as prescribed by a doctor. Since cancer patients may also take many other medicines for the primary cancer treatment or for other symptoms and infections, there are chances of drug interactions with Omeprazole.

Ques. Q. For how long can Omeprazole be taken?
Take Omeprazole for as long as advised by your doctor. The duration of taking Omeprazole would vary depending on your condition. Do not stop taking this medicine without talking to your doctor.

Ques. Q. Can Omeprazole cause calcium deficiency and osteoporosis?
Omeprazole can cause osteoporosis (thinning of bones) as it decreases the calcium absorption leading to calcium deficiency. This leads to an increased risk of bone fractures on long-term use, like hip, wrist or spine fractures. Inform your doctor if you have osteoporosis or if you are taking corticosteroids (these can increase the risk of osteoporosis) before starting your therapy. Take enough calcium and vitamin D to reduce the risk.

Ques. Q. What are the rare side effects of Omeprazole?
Rare side effects seen with the use of Omeprazole includes a decrease in white cells or platelets, allergic reactions, problems like blurred vision, wheezing, shortness of breath (bronchospasm), dry mouth, thrush, liver problems like jaundice, hair loss (alopecia), skin rash on exposure to sunshine, joint pains (arthralgia) or muscle pains (myalgia), severe kidney problems (interstitial nephritis), increased sweating and inflammation of the gut causing diarrhoea.

Ques. Q. How does Omeprazole work?
Proton (acid) pumps are found on the stomach mucosa and they are responsible for secreting acid in the stomach. Omeprazole works by blocking this gastric acid pump and this unique mechanism of action helps in decreasing the acid secretion in the stomach.

Ques. Q. Does Omeprazole cause hepatitis B and can a patient of hepatitis take Omeprazole?
Omeprazole can rarely cause hepatitis with or without jaundice and very rarely it can lead to hepatic failure and encephalopathy in patients with the underlying liver disease. Omeprazole does not cause hepatitis B or any other viral hepatitis. However, there are studies showing an increased occurrence of hepatic encephalopathy in hepatitis B patients using PPIs. These medicines should be used with caution in patients with the underlying liver disease.

Ques. Q. Does Omeprazole increase chromogranin levels?
Use of proton pump inhibitors like Omeprazole has been seen to be associated with an increase in chromogranin levels. This increase in chromogranin levels can be due to the effect of these drugs on enterochromaffin cells and this could also falsely increase the levels in patients with neuroendocrine tumours.

Ques. Q. Does Omeprazole cause dementia?
Use of proton pump inhibitors like Omeprazole has been recently linked with the development of dementia in elderly patients. As this risk of developing dementia is not confirmed, talk to your doctor for more information on this effect.

Ques. Q. Does Omeprazole cause vitamin deficiencies?
Omeprazole may cause vitamin B12 and vitamin C deficiency. When taken orally, vitamin B12 requires an acidic environment for its absorption from the stomach while Omeprazole causes a decrease the gastric acid secretion. You may need to take vitamin B12 supplements from outside. The clinical significance of the decrease in vitamin C levels is not known, so vitamin C supplementation is not recommended.

Ques. Q. Does Omeprazole have an expiry date?
Yes, Omeprazole does expire. Please check the expiry date written on the pack and it refers to the last day of that month. Do not use Omeprazole after the expiry date.

Ques. Q. What is the role of Omeprazole before endoscopy in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding?
Omeprazole before endoscopy in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding reduces the need for endoscopic therapy, the rate of post-endoscopy bleeding, and shortens hospital stays. Hence Omeprazole is given before endoscopy in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding.

Ques. Q. Are there any withdrawal symptoms associated with the use of Omeprazole?
There are no withdrawal symptoms seen when patients stop using Omeprazole as it has no habit forming tendencies.

Ques. Q. Can Omeprazole cause magnesium deficiency?
Omeprazole can cause magnesium deficiency in the blood. Low magnesium levels is a rare side effect seen in patients treated with Omeprazole for at least three months and in most cases after a year of therapy. The patient may have symptoms like tetany, arrhythmias, and seizures and may need to stop this medicine and take magnesium from outside. Magnesium levels should be tested at regular intervals in the patients taking Omeprazole for a long duration.

Ques. Q. Is Omeprazole a controlled substance?
Omeprazole is not a controlled substance. It is available when prescribed by a doctor.

Ques. Q. Can Omeprazole be used in cardiac patients?
Patients with cardiac disease can take Omeprazole. However, Omeprazole can interact with certain drugs (e.g clopidogrel, digoxin) which might be used by a patient with an underlying cardiac disease. Patients taking Omeprazole and digoxin may need to be monitored for digoxin toxicity. Omeprazole decreases the activation of clopidogrel, thus reducing its effects. Patients taking these medicines together needs to be monitored closely by a doctor.

Ques. Q. Can the use of Omeprazole cause iron deficiency?
Use of Omeprazole can cause iron deficiency and a decrease in hemoglobin levels as it decreases the acidic environment of the stomach needed for the absorption of iron. However, there are no recommendations on the regular monitoring of iron levels or taking iron supplements when the patient is taking Omeprazole.

Ques. Q. Is Omeprazole a narcotic substance?
Omeprazole is a not a narcotic substance and has not been reported to have any abuse potential. Omeprazole does not get you high and does not cause any addiction as no withdrawal symptoms have been reported when you stop taking this drug.

Ques. Q. Is Omeprazole available without a prescription as an over the counter product?
Omeprazole is a prescription medicine and you can buy this drug by providing a doctor's prescription. Omeprazole is not available as an over the counter (OTC) product.

Ques. Q. How is Omeprazole metabolised in the body?
Omeprazole is metabolized in the liver by the cytochrome P450 enzymes mainly CYP2C19. There could be an increase in the level of Omeprazole in patients with underlying liver disease because of a decrease in its metabolism. However, the amount of drug does not increase if given once a day.

Ques. Q. Can Omeprazole be used in stroke patients?
Omeprazole can be used in stroke patients. There are studies suggesting that proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) as a class are not associated with an increased short-term risk of recurrent stroke or death among older adults treated with clopidogrel after stroke.