# Prilosec OTC (Omeprazole) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 3, 2010, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prilosec-otc-omeprazole/538106 "2010-05-03T02:23:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Batfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Batfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batfish)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prilosec-otc-omeprazole/538106/1 "2010-05-03T02:23:04Z")
A heartburn medication. The directions for use are: Take one tablet a day for 14 days. Don’t repeat 14-day regimen for 4 months!! The good news; it worked while I was taking them and a short period after. The bad; I can’t take anymore until July. What are the consequences of taking it more often than the package directs? How do YOU use Omeprazole? ---
**Author:** ![Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirka_T_Bawa)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prilosec-otc-omeprazole/538106/2 "2010-05-03T02:45:47Z")
Omeprazole is approved by the FDA for short term use OTC, i.e. for 14 days. There is really no difference between the prescription only version, which you can take every day, and the OTC version, (as long as it is the same strength, 20mg is the only one available OTC, while some people take 40mg by prescription) you would be totally safe taking OTC Omeprazole for longer then 14 days. The main problem is that a Proton Pump Inhibitor like Omeprazole can hide some more serious medication conditions that people think might be caused by acid reflux (Heat burn). If you feel that you need Omeprazole longer then then the two weeks you have taken it, you should probably see your doctor. If your doctor tells you that you need a PPI, then you could probably take Omeprazole OTC if your insurance doesn’t cover it. Also, one thing to warn you, Omeprazole has many drug-drug interactions, if you are on any other prescription medications, you should probably check with your pharmacist to make sure it is okay with the medications you are taking. So basically, it is safe to take Omeprazole for longer then 14 days, as long as your doctor as ruled out any other causes for your heart burn, and your pharmacist has ruled out any drug-drug interaction with other medications you might be taking. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prilosec-otc-omeprazole/538106/3 "2010-05-03T03:10:32Z")
[A previous thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=501159) ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prilosec-otc-omeprazole/538106/4 "2010-05-03T03:14:27Z")
I have acid reflux,so my doctor put me on Prilosec indefinitely. The warning is so your doc can diagnose why you need it, not because it causes problems. ---
**Author:** ![Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirka_T_Bawa)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prilosec-otc-omeprazole/538106/5 "2010-05-03T03:20:42Z")
> [@dogbutler](#): > > The warning is so your doc can diagnose why you need it, not because it causes problems. Exactly, there are many medical problems that can be mis-diagnosed as GERD, so you should talk to a doctor before taking it regularly to make sure that you don’t have one of those problems. There is no issue with taking PPI’s regularly, as long as that is the only problem you are having. Also, as I said, there are many Drug-Drug interactions with Omeprazole, so if you are on other medications, double check with your local pharmacist to make sure there is no problems. ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prilosec-otc-omeprazole/538106/6 "2010-05-03T04:15:09Z")
Doesn’t long term use of PPI’s make for a hellacious rebound heartburn if you try to quit, making them in a sense physically addictive? ---
**Author:** ![Diver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@Diver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diver)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prilosec-otc-omeprazole/538106/7 "2010-05-03T15:34:54Z")
> [@groman](#): > > Doesn’t long term use of PPI’s make for a hellacious rebound heartburn if you try to quit, making them in a sense physically addictive? Not according to my doctor. That was something they worried about initially but he said it turned out not to be a problem. He prescribes it for me a year at a time. ( I travel all the time and see him once a year). ---
**Author:** ![Batfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Batfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batfish)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prilosec-otc-omeprazole/538106/8 "2010-05-03T15:42:05Z")
Thanks to everyone for your replies, they’re very helpful. For the record I’m taking no other medication and I’m pretty sure it’s acid reflux. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prilosec-otc-omeprazole/538106/9 "2010-05-03T15:44:16Z")
I echo what others have said. I had stomach problems so my doc suggested I take omprezole daily. When I read the package and saw the 14-day limit, he told me that was for people who weren’t under a doctor’s care, so couldn’t be sure there weren’t other problems. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prilosec-otc-omeprazole/538106/10 "2010-05-03T15:53:37Z")
I take it every day and have for years. Its quite literally a miracle drug. I used to get the _worst_ possible heartburn. Now, never. Unless I forget to take the pill. ---
**Author:** ![Marmite\_Lover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Marmite\_Lover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marmite_Lover)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prilosec-otc-omeprazole/538106/11 "2010-05-03T15:54:46Z")
You shouldn’t take Omeprazole long term. Because it inhibits acid generation, the body tries harder to make new acid producing cells, so that when you actually come off it you have more cells than when you started:eek: I have just completed a regime for H Pylori. I have sufffered with acid reflux for decades. I decided to give H Pylori treatment a whirl. After 2 weeks completely cleared the problem. I have been symptom free now for 3 months:D, so I guess that was what I had all those years. I’d say anyone having reflux etc to check for H Pylori or just go out and buy the regime and do it for 2 weeks. H Pylori is found in about 75% of us. What you need to do though is also treat your partner ( kissing can spread it ), also do NOT share food as it is passed in saliva to babies etc. H Pylori if left untreated has been shown to cause stomach cancers. Triple regime that worked for me was 14 days of: Omeprazole 40mg once a day Clarithromycin 500mg twice daily Flagyl 500 twice daily ---
**Author:** ![Marmite\_Lover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Marmite\_Lover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marmite_Lover)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prilosec-otc-omeprazole/538106/12 "2010-05-03T16:00:35Z")
FoieGrasIsEvil Make sure you have your B12 checked and you do know you are at risk of C Diff bacteria:eek: It also interferes with your bone mass production so you are more likely to have fractures. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prilosec-otc-omeprazole/538106/13 "2010-05-03T19:08:52Z")
> [@dogbutler](#): > > I have acid reflux,so my doctor put me on Prilosec indefinitely. The warning is so your doc can diagnose why you need it, not because it causes problems. Concur. I’m on it long term… in fact my dosage was recently doubled and the doctor is wanting to double _that_ (I’m resisting). And certainly there can be side effects, despite the product generally having a good safety profile. This is true of any drug, and as with any drug, it should be used only as long as it’s needed. [http://www.drugs.com/sfx/omeprazole-side-effects.html](http://www.drugs.com/sfx/omeprazole-side-effects.html) If the heartburn you’re treating isn’t a transient thing, discuss with your doctor to see if you require additional treatment / monitoring. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prilosec-otc-omeprazole/538106/14 "2010-05-03T21:06:22Z")
H. Pylori does not cause reflux. It causes dyspepsia (AKA epigastric pain). 90% of cases are asymptomatic, and lots of folks are colonized with H. Pylori with no symptoms or problems whatsoever. While H. Pylori is also associated with peptic ulcers and stomach cancer, there is no evidence that it should be regularly tested for or eradicated in an otherwise asymptomatic, low risk population. Testing and treatment for H. Pylori is indicated for those folks with significant dyspepsia, signs/sx of peptic ulcer disease, and a high risk profile for stomach cancer. I don’t even test for it in folks with plain old GERD. Of course, one needs to take a careful history to differentiate between GERD and dyspepsia, but if one does so and elicits only symptoms of GERD, one should not be reflexively checking for H. Pylori. Widespread use of antibiotics to treat every positive H. Pylori test is already causing an upswing in resistance to antibiotic therapy. Problems associated with longterm use of proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole remain mostly hypothetical at this time. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prilosec-otc-omeprazole/538106/15 "2010-05-03T21:23:59Z")
Another thought to throw in the ring - I’ve been working with my doctor to try to figure out what is causing my chronic stomach pain for a couple of years now. After many tests and treatments (I **wish** I had _H. pylori_), my doctor is fairly certain that my stomach pain is a result of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. My first food challenge, dairy, resulted in a dramatic drop in stomach pain and nausea. I’m still having some pain and nausea, so there’s probably something else that I’m not tolerating, but I need to do some more food challenges to figure out what it is. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prilosec-otc-omeprazole/538106/16 "2010-05-03T23:11:47Z")
My son’s pediatric gastroenterologist prescribed it for him – take one morning and one evening. Forever. Never said anything about side effects and there have not been any. That being said… My guess is that the 14-day thing is so that you should see a doctor to determine WHY you need it, in case there is some serious condition that needs other sort of attention.