Omeprazole for GERD User Reviews (Page 3)
Brand names: Prilosec, Prilosec OTC, Omesec
Reviews for Omeprazole
- ter...
- October 8, 2011
Omeprazole "I started taking Prilosec over 6 years ago. It was very effective at helping with the acid and GERD symptoms, however, my doctor prescribed two tablets a day (over recommended dosage due to the seriousness of GERD). I seemed to be fine until I started getting horrible spasms in my sides and intestines. I broke my ankle in March, and the spasms were bad, they worsened. I had my calcium checked, and I was dangerously low. We backed down to 1 Prilosec, and the spasms disappeared. So, watch your calcium with higher doses."
- Jac...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- September 19, 2021
"Was put on 20 mg of this for about 2 1/2 months after experiencing intense daily heartburn and acid reflux. I had taken it before for only a week, and it helped, so the doctor prescribed it again. I have never felt what has been happening to me before. I stopped in May, and it is now the end of September. Anxiety, shortness of breath, joint pain, brain fog, and inability to focus my thoughts. Feeling unable to control my thoughts. Nausea, discomfort, fear, and hopelessness. When I first stopped, symptoms would be gone for a few days, then back. Around August, I would go weeks without symptoms, but about a week before my period, they would start coming back. Began seeing a functional medicine doctor who provided me with vitamin D, a trace mineral supplement, and iron, which I started taking in August. So afraid this is going to happen for the rest of my life, and I am a single mother. Any other woman experience an uptick in their symptoms around their period? This is a terrifying way to feel."
Frequently asked questions
- Pantoprazole vs. omeprazole: What's the difference between them?
- What foods should I avoid when taking omeprazole?
- Can you take an antacid with omeprazole?
- Is famotidine safer than omeprazole for heartburn?
- Ger...
- Taken for 5 to 10 years
- March 28, 2018
"When I was diagnosed with GERD and put on omeprazole, it worked quite well, so I stayed on it. After taking the drug for 5 years, I had something happen in my chest area, like my heart fluttering, and I couldn't get my breath. It was like I was struggling for oxygen. This happened 2 other times and was very frightening. I changed to pantoprazole, and it hasn't happened since. I just wanted to know if this has happened to anyone else after long-term use?"
- Mis...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- June 30, 2020
Omeprazole "I've had GERD since 1999 and, in 2016, I was being tested for all sorts of GI conditions because of the symptoms I was experiencing. My GI doc at the time told me to take Prilosec every day to control nausea and acid reflux. I took it for less than a week and had to discontinue because, every time I ate, I felt like I had a brick sitting in my stomach. It felt like the food would just sit there, undigested, and it was very painful. I've done better with other PPIs."
Are you taking this medicine?
Your review helps others make informed decisions.- Jef...
- November 3, 2019
"I was just prescribed omeprazole this week. The first day I took it, I thought it was magic. Suddenly, my terrible, nightly heartburn was completely gone. Unfortunately, the side effects are numerous, immediate, and simply not worth it! It gave me a constant headache, messed up my sleep, made me feel a constant lingering nausea, and made me feel emotional emptiness, anxiety, and sluggishness. I usually take ibuprofen for headaches, and it works very well. It would not touch the headaches caused by omeprazole. Also, my normal remedies for feeling anxiety or stress did not work at all. I have a few go-to substances that usually totally wipe it out. Neither worked. So after very little sleep for three days, a constant headache, feeling like I needed to throw up, and a major increase in anxiety along with empty and hopeless feelings, I have stopped taking the omeprazole. It is back to antacids for me and some needed diet changes. This stuff is horrible!!!"
- Gra...
- Taken for 5 to 10 years
- February 7, 2013
Omeprazole "Prilosec has worked for me 90 percent of the time for the past eight years. My one and only complaint is: Why does it have to be packaged like it is gold? First, a large box with three smaller boxes in that, and then the pills individually sealed in foil sheets. What a pain to get all this open and just think of the amount of waste to the landfills. I called the company, and they said they do this packaging for safety reasons. Many, many more dangerous other meds are not packaged like this. Please get those pills into a bottle."
More FAQ
- Can I take omeprazole in the morning and famotidine at night?
- Is omeprazole (Prilosec) bad for your kidneys?
- Does omeprazole cause cancer?
- How soon after taking levothyroxine can I take omeprazole?
- Jan...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- November 18, 2018
"Have been taking the prescription of this drug for a week now after having been on rabeprazole 20mg for 4 weeks with no relief. And for the most part, the omeprazole has taken away that stuck in your throat feeling. The downside is that the nausea feeling is terrible, and I get stomach pain, something that I didn’t have with the previous PPI. Anyone else having bad nausea?"
- MKa...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- October 3, 2019
"This medication, omeprazole, was/is awful. Do not take. I’ve been taking it daily for almost three weeks because it does help with acid reflux-at first. After a few weeks of taking it, I noticed severe night sweats, stomach pain, blurred vision, dizziness, vertigo, nausea, vomiting-the list goes on. I had to be off work for two days because I was so weak/tired from this medication I couldn’t function. I didn’t feel like eating anything or drinking anything because I was afraid I would vomit it all back up. Your head feels terrible, worst migraine I’ve ever experienced, body rash... severe fatigue. I am going to stop taking it starting tomorrow and see how it goes. When I contacted my doctor, she seemed to think it was not a big deal. This pill is miserable. Do not take this pill."
- Luc...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- May 15, 2023
"Awful side effects. The fatigue was off the scale, severe headaches and stomach pains. I won't take them ever again. I was on them only for 2 weeks. I stopped them, and 4 days later started to feel normal. I thought my GERD was worsening, but it wasn’t, it was these pills. I would advise anyone not to take them."
- jai...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- August 23, 2012
"Within 12 hours of taking this medication, I got the chills, dizziness, stomach cramps, and extreme dry mouth. Within 2 hours of taking my second dose, I experienced anxiety, swelling of the tongue, throat, and glands, continued dizziness, extreme dry mouth and thirst, frequent urination, and stomach cramps."
- Lan...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- August 25, 2019
"I’ve been on this medication for 3 weeks, and it helped a lot with my acid reflux symptoms (lump in throat feeling). However, during the second week, I started noticing my mood changing and becoming more anxious/paranoid. Then, in the third week, I had muscle aches and panic attacks. I stopped taking this 2 days ago and am still feeling dizzy, anxious, and nauseous. Anxiety/Depression sufferers, beware of this medication, as it definitely heightens them. I will now look for more natural solutions to GERD, such as a healthier diet and smaller portions. This medication is not worth the side effects, in my opinion."
- Bec...
- Taken for 6 months to 1 year
- April 20, 2017
Omeprazole "I've been having problems for years with my stomach and GERD. I was put on Prilosec and was told that it would possibly cause an upset stomach to begin with, but to try to work through it. I took it for around 5 months, but I could not handle it anymore. I kept having stomach cramps and an upset stomach the whole time. I couldn't keep enough fluids in me to keep myself hydrated. Months later, I was prescribed it again and tried it once again. Same thing, but worse. I had bad blood work come back saying my kidneys weren't working right, and my potassium was so low I was admitted into the hospital. Since then, my kidneys are still not okay. I've been peeing blood on and off. I am pretty sure that this medicine has messed my kidneys up. Bad stuff for me."
- ste...
- Taken for 5 to 10 years
- December 30, 2024
Omeprazole "I had acid reflux so bad I'd wake up choking in the middle of the night. I couldn't catch my breath and almost passed out. I'll take one a day. I can eat anything and never have problems like I used to."
- Bri...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- September 12, 2022
"I am so happy to know that I’m not as crazy as I thought I was. I started this medication in hopes that it would help alleviate some stomach issues I was having, it did just that and more. As the months went on, I started getting dry mouth, and I developed erythema nodosum. I continued to take this per my doctor as I was going on vacation, and she didn’t want things to change for me. Afterwards, I started to taper off, and I began to become anxious/nervous and panicky. Once I was fully off of the medication, things got worse for me. I am only just over a month off of this medication, and I’m still having a heck of a time. I have never been on any medications, and I have never dealt with anxiety like this. I haven’t wanted to leave the house, and I’m just hoping the symptoms subside soon because I can’t stand to feel like this while trying to care for my children."
- RDa...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- December 3, 2019
"I’m currently taking this drug for acid reflux and only took three pills so far, 40 mg. HORRIBLE SIDE EFFECTS!! Nausea, hard to swallow, anxiety is so bad right now! Can’t wait until it leaves my system!!"
- SCR...
- February 27, 2019
"This medication at 20 mg was enough to relieve the symptoms of GERD, but for months, I started to suffer with symptoms I've never really experienced - anxiety, major lack of concentration, brain fog, aching on days where I had done no physical training. I have come off the medication for 2 weeks and already started feeling better, and the side effects have disappeared. I have changed my diet to combat the GERD effects, although this hasn't completely solved it, I also take a good multivitamin now. The medication was not worth the side effects."
- Dan...
- July 27, 2013
Omeprazole "I have been taking Prilosec for several years, and I take one with water every morning about 30 minutes before I get up. It has totally eliminated any burning in my chest or esophagus. Also, I learned not to eat any Mexican or spicy food within 3-4 hours before going to bed."
- Ady...
- Taken for 10 years or more
- January 16, 2020
Omeprazole "I started on Zantac and then went to Prilosec and Nexium. I was fine for years, but now I am having side effects I can't live with. After taking one 20 mg pill, I got chills, nausea, and felt very tired. I have a hiatal hernia and not sure what to do."
- Jwr...
- Taken for 10 years or more
- July 23, 2016
"I was diagnosed years ago with a hiatal hernia. It's not a bad one as far as hiatal hernias go, but it caused really bad acid reflux. My reflux was so bad, sometimes at night, the stomach acid would back up into my lungs. I would wake up coughing that crap up, and it burned sooooo bad. The doctor who was in charge of my hernia care decided that the hernia wasn't bad enough to risk surgery, so he opted to try omeprazole. I have been on omeprazole for nearly 10 years now and can count on one hand the number of times I have had issues with reflux. I also want to note that I take a multivitamin as well. Omeprazole can cause mineral deficiencies if taken long term."
- Sus...
- Taken for 1 to 2 years
- November 19, 2020
Omeprazole "I started taking Prilosec OTC 20 mg tablets last year. I didn't notice any side effects. My very mild GERD was definitely completely unnoticeable. I was happy. Up until around 40 days ago, I realized that the hair loss I was experiencing was the Prilosec. The hair loss started 2 months after I began the 20 mg tablets. Never had any hair loss in my life, and I've taken tons of different meds over the years. I'm a female in my early 30s. I had to eliminate one other medication to come to the conclusion that it was indeed the Prilosec making me go completely bald. Hair was coming out in huge clumps in the shower. Every time I touched my hair, it fell out. My little remaining hair was also very dry and brittle. It was definitely stressful, I had no idea this could be a potential side effect of such a low dose once a day. 40 days off, and the hair loss has dramatically decreased already. For me, that particular side effect was extreme, shocking, and unexpected."
- JCN...
- February 27, 2010
Omeprazole "It was wonderful to be able to take one in the morning and be free of distress all day, but soon I began to have dizziness on arising which soon increased to all day. By process of elimination I found the cause to be Prilosec. The problem was resolved after discontinued use. Now I am taking ranitidine with no such side effects and very satisfied."
- Got...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- December 19, 2019
"I had been on ranitidine for a year before the recall happened, then I was taking cimetidine. My reflux was controlled “ok” by the ranitidine as long as I took it very specifically, but I’d still get flare-ups at night really badly. Cimetidine was less effective in some ways, less predictably effective, and my flare-ups got to the point I went to the ER to get lidocaine for my stomach to make it stop. The ER doc prescribed me omeprazole for 30 days until I can get in and see my regular doctor. For me, the PPI is like night and day, like as if I have a healthy stomach again. It’s incredible. I’ve been taking it at night, around 5 PM instead of morning, and I so far have not had any reflux sensation at all. I have so far not experienced any of the other side effects, and I feel happy and normal on it. I hope this continues because it’s a lifesaver for me."
- Ell...
- Taken for 6 months to 1 year
- August 28, 2018
Omeprazole "I took this to help control acid reflux, and it seemed to help that, but it gave me IBS-D (irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea) that took me years to control, where I couldn't work or leave the house. Still to this day, I deal with it - 6 years later, but improved. I never made the connection until I went back on Prilosec a few months ago, and it flared up like crazy again. I never had problems like this before Prilosec."
- LFa...
- February 22, 2017
"I didn't know I had GERD as I've never experienced heartburn. I did, however, experience difficulty swallowing, and I constantly had to clear my throat. I couldn't get a sentence out without making this annoying noise. I thought I had post-nasal drip; I was taking Claritin D every day (I stopped) and Flonase. My primary sent me to an ENT; I complained about this throat thing forever. After listening to me talk and hearing the hoarseness in my voice, the ENT said, 'I don't think you have post-nasal drip,' put the camera through my nose and down my throat - I have GERD... say whaa. I had no symptoms of that, so I thought. That day I started taking 40 mg of omeprazole... It has changed my life... almost immediately it went 90% away. :-)"
Are you taking this medicine?
Your review helps others make informed decisions.Learn more about GERD
Care guides
- Barrett Esophagus
- GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)
- GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) in Children
Symptoms and treatments
Medicine.com guides (external)
More about omeprazole
- Check interactions
- Compare alternatives
- Pricing & coupons
- Reviews (499)
- Drug images
- Side effects
- Dosage information
- Patient tips
- During pregnancy
- Support group
- Drug class: proton pump inhibitors
- Breastfeeding
Patient resources
- Omeprazole drug information
- Omeprazole Delayed-Release Capsules and Tablets (OTC)
- Omeprazole Orally-Disintegrating Tablets
- Omeprazole Delayed-Release Capsules
- Omeprazole Powder for Oral Suspension
Other brands
Professional resources
- Omeprazole monograph
- Omeprazole (FDA)
- Omeprazole Magnesium Granules (FDA)
- Omeprazole ODT (FDA)
- Omeprazole Tablets (FDA)
- TopCare Omeprazole (FDA)
Omeprazole "About three months ago, my doctor ordered Prilosec 20 mg for heartburn. I also have diverticulosis that caused me to have a burning itching discharge. By the time I had taken 42 Prilosec, I noticed the burning and itching had completely stopped. I am still taking one Prilosec every other day. I now need to know if I can take one 20 mg Prilosec tablet per day indefinitely without harm to my health."