Omeprazole to reduce stomach acid

About omeprazole

Acid is produced naturally in your stomach to help you digest food and to kill bacteria. This acid is irritant so your body produces a natural mucous barrier which protects the lining of your stomach. In some people, this barrier can break down allowing the acid to damage the stomach, causing inflammation, ulcers and other conditions. Other people can have a problem with the muscular band at the top of the stomach that keeps the stomach tightly closed. This may allow the acid to escape and irritate the oesophagus, causing heartburn. This is often referred to as 'acid reflux'.

Proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole stop cells in the lining of the stomach from producing too much acid. This can help to prevent ulcers from forming, or assist the healing process where damage has already occurred. By decreasing the amount of acid, they can also help to reduce the symptoms of acid reflux disease, such as heartburn. Omeprazole is also given as one part of a treatment to get rid of Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium found in the stomach, which can cause ulcers.

Omeprazole is available on prescription. You can also buy short courses of omeprazole at a pharmacy for the treatment of reflux symptoms (such as heartburn) in adults.

Before taking omeprazole

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking omeprazole it is important that your doctor or pharmacist knows:

• Si está embarazada, esperando un bebé o en período de lactancia.

• Si tiene alguno de los siguientes síntomas: dificultad para tragar, pérdida de sangre, pérdida de peso o si se encuentra mal (vómitos).

• Si tiene algún problema con el funcionamiento de su hígado.

• Si alguna vez ha tenido una reacción alérgica a un medicamento.

• Si está tomando otros medicamentos. Esto incluye cualquier medicamento que esté tomando y que pueda adquirirse sin receta, así como medicamentos a base de plantas y complementarios.
  

How to take omeprazole

• Before you start this treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about omeprazole and will provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking it.

• If you have bought omeprazole for reflux symptoms such as heartburn, take one or two (10 mg) tablets daily, preferably in a morning. You may need to take omeprazole for a day or so to control your symptoms. If your symptoms do not improve within this time, you should talk to your doctor about this. Swallow the tablet with a drink of water - do not chew or crush the tablet before you swallow. Do not take omeprazole for more than four weeks without speaking with a doctor.

• If you have been prescribed omeprazole, take it exactly as your doctor tells you to. There are different strengths of tablets and capsules available so your doctor will tell you which is right for you. It is usually taken once a day. If you are taking it for either Helicobacter pylori eradication or for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, it is likely you will be asked to take two doses a day. Your doctor will tell you which dose is right for you and the directions will also be on the label of the pack to remind you.

• Omeprazole tablets and capsules contain small pellets which are specially coated to make sure that the medicine is absorbed correctly by your body. Do not chew the pellets. If you find capsules or tablets difficult to swallow, let your doctor know. Some omeprazole capsules and tablets can be mixed with water or fruit juice to make swallowing easier and your doctor can prescribe these for you.

• Omeprazole can be taken before or after food, although taking it before food can be preferable.

• Si olvida tomar una dosis a la hora habitual, puede tomarla cuando se acuerde (a menos que sea casi la hora de la siguiente dosis, en cuyo caso omita la dosis olvidada). No tome dos dosis juntas para compensar la dosis olvidada.

Aproveche al máximo su tratamiento

• Try to keep your regular appointments with your doctor. This is so your progress can be checked. If you are taking omeprazole on a long-term basis your doctor will want to review your treatment at least once a year to make sure it is still right for you.

• A typical course of treatment lasts for one or two weeks if you are taking omeprazole for Helicobacter pylori eradication. It will last for one or two months if it is to allow an ulcer to heal. For all other reasons for taking omeprazole, your treatment will last for as long as is necessary to control your symptoms.

• Algunos alimentos pueden empeorar los síntomas. Entre los alimentos y bebidas de los que se sospecha que pueden agravarlos se encuentran la menta, los tomates, el chocolate, los alimentos picantes, las bebidas calientes, el café y las bebidas alcohólicas. Si parece que un alimento está agravando sus síntomas, intente evitarlo durante un tiempo para ver si mejoran. Asimismo, evite las comidas copiosas, ya que también pueden empeorar los síntomas.

• El sobrepeso ejerce una presión adicional sobre el estómago y favorece los síntomas del reflujo ácido. Perder algo de peso y seguir una dieta sana y equilibrada puede ayudarte.

• Fumar aumenta la cantidad de ácido producido por el estómago y puede empeorar sus síntomas. Si es fumador, hable con su médico o farmacéutico sobre cómo dejar de fumar.

• Recent studies suggest that there may be a slight increase in the risk of bone fractures when proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole are taken for longer than a year. If this affects you, your doctor will check that you are taking enough vitamin D and calcium to reduce this risk.

• If you buy any medicines 'over the counter', always check with a pharmacist that they are safe to take alongside your other medicines.

Can omeprazole cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with omeprazole. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Si experimenta cualquier otro síntoma que considere que puede deberse al medicamento, consulte a su médico o farmacéutico.

How to store omeprazole

• Mantenga todos los medicamentos fuera del alcance y de la vista de los niños.

• Almacenar en un lugar fresco y seco, lejos del calor y la luz directos.

Información importante sobre todos los medicamentos