Stop omeprazole/Prilosec/nexium and lose weight

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Replies

  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    I find it curious that this is OPs only post on a new account and hasn't been back. For myself, I've been lucky. The only time I have experienced reflux was while I was at my heaviest. As my weight has dropped, I haven't been experiencing it. I know this isn't everyone's experience. It was ridiculously uncomfortable, so for those who find relief with medications, I'm glad for that. I haven't looked at the pharmacokinetics of the PPIs for a while, so I can't comment with confidence on those. It is a decision that needs to be made with your doctor, along with discussing side effects that you are experiencing. All drugs carry risk. And like with most medications that have weight gain as a potential side effect, that doesn't have to be the case for all who take it.
  • ldowdesw
    ldowdesw Posts: 222 Member
    Hi guys, my hubby has had reflux since he was 15! Turns out he has a hernia, so please be realistic about stopping taking meds.. As for gaining weight being a side effect, I think this can be a possible side effect which we like to use as an excuse! Don't get me wrong, I have the depo injection instead of taking the pill, side effect-- weight gain.. I'd sure like to think that I'm a little under 19 stone because of a single injection every 12 weeks, or it could just be that I treated my body like a trash can for years? I've lost 15lbs since new year from counting calories, some days aren't as honest as I'd like, but if it were 'a side effect' would the weight come off at this rate?? I don't have the answers and don't really want to offend anyone, but I didn't get this size by eating lettuce X
  • suzan06
    suzan06 Posts: 218 Member
    I'm taking it for Barrett's esophagus. I have no heartburn (except when pg... I called the nurse in a panic because I honestly thought I was having a heart attack!) But the GI says I need a 6 month trial, or possibly forever, due to the cancer risk.

    Ugh. I hate taking it, I suck at remembering to take it, and I'm stopping after 6 months at least for a short break.

    I did some research and it looks like it can cause high weigh gain if you are allergic to the drug, but otherwise it's not an issue.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    One thing to remember when you do take ppi's. They should not be taken at the same time as other medications or vitamins. They can inhibit the absorption of the other meds.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    suzan06 wrote: »
    I'm taking it for Barrett's esophagus. I have no heartburn (except when pg... I called the nurse in a panic because I honestly thought I was having a heart attack!) But the GI says I need a 6 month trial, or possibly forever, due to the cancer risk.

    Ugh. I hate taking it, I suck at remembering to take it, and I'm stopping after 6 months at least for a short break.

    I did some research and it looks like it can cause high weigh gain if you are allergic to the drug, but otherwise it's not an issue.

    if you get off them you will have rebound acid,trust me on this and its going to be awful.If you have barretts esophagus its best not to stop it at all. especially since the reflux will get worse. it may be ok the first week or two. but then it will probably come back in a rage
  • northlandrecords
    northlandrecords Posts: 1 Member
    If anyone wants a great way to get off of Prilosec without bad reflux, this is what I am doing - recommended by my pharmacist. First - stop taking prilosec cold turkey. For the first week off of it take 150mg Ranitidine twice daily (or 75mg 4x a day - breakfast, lunch, dinner, before bed), the second week take 75mg twice daily (morning, night) - then for the next two weeks take 75mg once a day - then stop or go every other day if still needed. From what they explained to me, the PPI's stop the pumps from working, and because they are stopped the body builds up more pumps to compensate, once you stop a PPI all the pumps are activated, and since they have been "storing up" or adjusted to a blockage of acid they dump acid all at once. Switching to Ranitidine helps them to ease back into the swing of things without dumping all the acid at once. It's interesting, but so far I am a week and a half into it, and haven't had any discomfort at all - so it's working well and I'm off prilosec and already down to 2 Ranitidine a day. (They also said take Tums when needed).
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    you can still have acid reflux though from time to time. I know I do.some days it doesnt matter what I eat or dont eat. once you stop the ppi you get the rebound acid. I took something called betaine hydrochloride with pepsin with meals and it helped me produce the acid I needed(not all acid reflux cases mean you are producing a lot of acid,some cases you arent producing enough). took that for over a month. I have not needed to take those pills now and all I need from time to time are a few antacids. I keep acid reducers just in case it gets too bad, which rarely happens now.
  • jessiferrrb
    jessiferrrb Posts: 1,758 Member
    If anyone wants a great way to get off of Prilosec without bad reflux, this is what I am doing - recommended by my pharmacist. First - stop taking prilosec cold turkey. For the first week off of it take 150mg Ranitidine twice daily (or 75mg 4x a day - breakfast, lunch, dinner, before bed), the second week take 75mg twice daily (morning, night) - then for the next two weeks take 75mg once a day - then stop or go every other day if still needed. From what they explained to me, the PPI's stop the pumps from working, and because they are stopped the body builds up more pumps to compensate, once you stop a PPI all the pumps are activated, and since they have been "storing up" or adjusted to a blockage of acid they dump acid all at once. Switching to Ranitidine helps them to ease back into the swing of things without dumping all the acid at once. It's interesting, but so far I am a week and a half into it, and haven't had any discomfort at all - so it's working well and I'm off prilosec and already down to 2 Ranitidine a day. (They also said take Tums when needed).

    i tried to stop taking them and the acid return is so bad that i throw up, or i wake up in the middle of the night choking. i know being heavier is making it worse (as well as a lot of other things) but this is worth a shot. THANK YOU!
  • JMcMusicman
    JMcMusicman Posts: 1 Member
    If anyone wants a great way to get off of Prilosec without bad reflux, this is what I am doing - recommended by my pharmacist. First - stop taking prilosec cold turkey. For the first week off of it take 150mg Ranitidine twice daily (or 75mg 4x a day - breakfast, lunch, dinner, before bed), the second week take 75mg twice daily (morning, night) - then for the next two weeks take 75mg once a day - then stop or go every other day if still needed. From what they explained to me, the PPI's stop the pumps from working, and because they are stopped the body builds up more pumps to compensate, once you stop a PPI all the pumps are activated, and since they have been "storing up" or adjusted to a blockage of acid they dump acid all at once. Switching to Ranitidine helps them to ease back into the swing of things without dumping all the acid at once. It's interesting, but so far I am a week and a half into it, and haven't had any discomfort at all - so it's working well and I'm off prilosec and already down to 2 Ranitidine a day. (They also said take Tums when needed).

    i tried to stop taking them and the acid return is so bad that i throw up, or i wake up in the middle of the night choking. i know being heavier is making it worse (as well as a lot of other things) but this is worth a shot. THANK YOU!

    I tried switching from Zegrid (40mg of Omeprazole, I've been on for more than 5 years) direct to Zantac 150 (Ranitidine) 2x and it was horrible... I had such bad rebound reflux after stopping the Zegrid that the Zantac didn't touch it, even on the max dosage. I ended up switching to the OTC Zegrid (20mg of Omeprazole) to try and wean myself off instead of going cold turkey, and after 3 weeks on the OTC Zegrid I was able to start to mix in the Zantac and have since added Aloe juice which is amazing! I drink 1/4 cup (2 oz) before dinner and 1/4 cup before bed and I make it through the night with no reflux and I've lost 5 pounds in about a week of being off Omeprazole (which I attribute to not eating as much at dinner time)... being on omeprazole really enabled me to eat more than I should have been.
  • duddysdad
    duddysdad Posts: 402 Member
    I am on a double dose of Prilosec and have been for several years. It's never stopped me from losing weight, and one time when I stopped it for a few months, nothing changed. I didn't lose any quicker, my weight loss was as steady as before. Individual results my vary.
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
    Update to my reply from forever ago: I stopped taking omeprazole a couple of months ago (tired of taking so many other meds for allergies/asthma/migraines that I just didn't feel like it anymore). Never had rebound acid. Still losing weight at the same tick. Not having any type of reflux now as far as I know. Guess I outgrew the problem, or continued weight loss solved it. Either way, it never stopped me from losing.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    Omeprazole doesn't cause ulcerative colitis btw
  • geneticsteacher
    geneticsteacher Posts: 623 Member
    I wish omeprazole would cause weight gain - my husband has been on it for 2 years and is having a hard time putting on weight. 6' tall and 145 lbs.
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    Rantidine doesn't work at all for me. I gave it to my husband for his occasional heartburn. I have to take cimetidine and pantoprazole, and I still have daily pain.
  • klbrowser
    klbrowser Posts: 61 Member
    I would advise against stopping your medication without consulting your doctor first, particularly if you are on it for a reason besides garden-variety GERD.

    I was able to lose 55 pounds while on omeprazole. And I still get horrible reflux at my new lower weight if I accidentally forget to take my medication.
  • Trailtramper74
    Trailtramper74 Posts: 135 Member
    I think you have to find what works for you. People react differently to different things. I can't use Aveda products, the plant based salon products everyone loves, due to the flowers, but I can use Kenra full of chemicals. When I was a kid, I had an ulcer. That was before they knew about H-pylori and all of the drugs discussed above were by prescription only. I took Pepcid for months with no improvement. My doctor switched me to Zantac, and I was cured in 30 days. Go figureZ
  • Lotus621
    Lotus621 Posts: 1 Member
    I stopped taking omeprazole last week after having been on it for 10 years and my weight is dropping about 1/2 lb per day. I did put on a lot of weight on this med. it can affect leptin (satiety hormone)and ghrelin (hunger hormone).
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
    I'm on omerprazole to protect against damage because of my lupus drug. I've successfully lost 100 lbs, 50 before I started it and 50 after, and I haven't noticed any difficulty related to the drug.
  • TreyTnt9
    TreyTnt9 Posts: 104 Member
    Amazing what people will come up with to blame for their weight gain. Omeprazole is an acid reducer. Period. It does not make you fat.
  • nope,Ive been off it almost a year and have lost no additional weight. but I did find that I have a genetic disorder that causes me to have metabolic issues,also going low fat (as well as low sat fat),lower sugar(watching my added/processed sugar) has improved my GERD/acid reflux.