Omeprazole

You can request to buy Omeprazole for acid reflux from our UK registered online pharmacy and doctor service. No prescription is required, however, you will need to complete an online assessment, so our doctors can issue a prescription to our pharmacy. If the doctors approve your order, a prescription is passed to our pharmacy, which will then dispense and dispatch your medication.

About Omeprazole

Omeprazole is a drug that reduces the amount of acid the stomach makes. It is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI). Omeprazole can be used to treat a number of conditions. It is most often used to treat indigestion and heartburn/acid reflux.

Acid reflux, also known as heartburn, occurs when stomach acid travels up the gullet (oesophagus) to the throat. This can cause a burning sensation in the chest and leave an unpleasant taste in the back of the mouth. If acid reflux continues long term, it is called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD or GORD).

Indigestion, also called dyspepsia, is discomfort in the stomach that can cause you to feel bloated or sick. Acid reflux is also a symptom of indigestion.

It is very commonly used to treat these conditions and is effective at improving symptoms of heartburn and indigestion.

Acid reflux can sometimes be caused by serious diseases. Please talk to your doctor or pharmacist if lifestyle changes or over the counter medicines do not improve symptoms, your symptoms persist longer than 5 days despite taking it, you have heartburn frequently for 3 weeks or more or if there are other symptoms, like food getting stuck in the throat, being sick often or unintended weight loss.

Your GP can run tests to rule out serious causes of acid reflux.

When filling out our online form make sure to list all of your symptoms, even if they do not seem linked to acid reflux.

Omeprazole can also be used for:

• Erosive esophagitis (stomach acid can damage the oesophagus long term)
• Zollinger Ellison syndrome
• Stomach ulcers
• H.Pylori stomach infections (omeprazole is taken for 7 or 14 days alongside antibiotics)

Certain factors can cause or worsen acid reflux and indigestion:

• Fatty, rich or spicy foods
• Caffeinated drinks, such as coffee or fizzy drinks
• Alcohol
• Being overweight
• Smoking
• Stress
• Certain medications, such as ibuprofen

How does Omeprazole work?

The lining of the stomach contains proton pumps. These pump acid into the stomach to help digest food. Acid reflux is caused by this acid travelling from the stomach to the gullet and sometimes to the throat.

Omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor. This means it decreases the amount of acid produced by the proton pumps. This decreases the amount of acid in the stomach and improves indigestion and heartburn symptoms.

Omeprazole is very effective at reducing the amount of acid the stomach produces. This makes it an effective treatment for acid reflux.

Omeprazole capsules are delayed release to make sure the medication enters the bloodstream.

Omeprazole capsules are available in strengths of 10mg or 20mg. Our doctors can also prescribe orodispersible versions of omeprazole under the brand name Losec MUPS. It can also come as an oral suspension. These are useful if a patient has difficulty swallowing capsules.

Omeprazole 20mg and Omeprazole 10mg

The usual starting dose is 10mg once daily. If this dose is not sufficiently controlling your symptoms, but you have seen some improvement, your doctor may consider increasing up to Omeprazole 20mg. If symptoms are still not controlled, your doctor may consider prescribing twice-daily doses.

Ideally, you use the lowest dose required to control the symptoms. This will minimise the side effects you may experience. Each person’s dose is dependent on their condition and should be decided by a doctor.

Treatment Comparison

Interactions with other medication

When filling out our online form, make sure to list any medication you currently take.
Some drugs interact with omeprazole and may cause side effects or reduce how well one or both medications work.
Omeprazole may reduce the effectiveness of the blood thinner clopidogrel. Patients who take clopidogrel should be prescribed a different PPI such as lansoprazole.

Other Medical Conditions

When filling out our online form, make sure to mention any medical conditions that you have.
Omeprazole may not be safe for everyone, especially those who:

• Have had an allergic reaction to omeprazole or any other medicines in the past
• Have liver disease
• Are due to have an endoscopy
• Have B12 deficiency or magnesium deficiency

Side Effects

As with all medications, there are some side effects, although not everybody gets them. Some of the side effects of Omeprazole are stomach pain, headache, diarrhoea and nausea. Some of these may be caused by the acid reflux itself.

A full list of side effects can be seen in the patient information leaflet and it is always advised you read this prior to taking any medication.

If omeprazole is taken long term (over 1 year) it can increase the risk of certain side effects:

• Magnesium deficiency (can occur after 3 months of treatment)
• Bone fractures or joint pain
• Vitamin B12 deficiency
• Gut infections (increased risk of clostridium difficile)