Omeprazole is a commonly prescribed medication used for the treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (or GORD for short) and associated conditions such as acid reflux, heartburn and in some cases, it is even issued in parallel with antibiotics for the treatment of helicobacter pillory. As a generic version of the branded Losec, Omeprazole is manufactured in a tablet form by Dexcel and in capsule form by Mylan pharmaceutical company. Highly efficient in decreasing the levels of stomach acid, Omeprazole certainly stood the test of time and is still one of the most commonly sold GORD medications in the UK.
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How does Omeprazole work to alleviate acid reflux?
At the root of all problems characteristic of GORD is the inability of oesophageal sphincter (the circle of muscles acting as a kind of valve between the food pipe and the stomach) to properly close and prevent the stomach acid from entering the oesophagus and causing uncomfortable symptoms and even damage in some more severe cases. The root cause of this issue can vary from case to case – in some individuals, the muscles themselves might be affected, while in others additional pressure can cause the same problem (for example, in people who are overweight).
As a generic version of Losec, Omeprazole works by inhibiting the activity of so-called proton pumps which are present in the cells in the lining of the stomach. Proton pumps are tasked with producing and releasing stomach acids which are essential in proper digestion of food. Once Omeprazole is present within the stomach, it will inhibit this function, thus lowering the levels of acid, making it less likely to rise and enter the oesophagus. Consequentially, the symptoms of acid reflux such as heartburn will begin to diminish, eventually disappearing altogether.
Can I buy Omeprazole online?
Yes, it is possible to purchase this medication online. However, if you are looking to buy Omeprazole in the UK, you should know that this is a prescription-only medicine, meaning that you can obtain it only with a valid medical prescription issued by a certified medical professional – similarly to other medications belonging to the same class like, for example, Nexium. If you are simply looking to renew your prescription, you will still have to provide the already issued one to the online clinic of your choice. If everything checks out, the doctor will just ask you to answer some other questions and will then renew your prescription and have the medicine sent to the address you provided.
However, if you are buying Omeprazole for the first time, you will have to first obtain a prescription. Luckily, you can do this fairly easily through most online clinics operating in the United Kingdom. You will have to talk to a doctor and provide him with relevant information so he can assess your condition, the suitability for the treatment and your medical profile and history. This is usually accomplished via a kind of chat app or, more commonly, a detailed and customised medical questionnaire.
Once you provide the doctor with all the necessary information, he will assess your suitability for Omeprazole treatment. If you get the green light, a prescription will be issued and used that very same moment to send the medicine to the address you provided.
How is Omeprazole used?
Prior to commencing Omeprazole treatment, you should ensure that you are completely certain about every aspect of the treatment. If there are any unanswered questions, you should discuss them with your doctor. Finally, if you need a quick recap at any point of the treatment, you can always refer to the official patient information leaflet that is issued within every pack of the medicine.
In order to help our readers get a clearer picture of what Omeprazole treatment might involve. So, keep in mind that what follows is not intended to be used as an instruction, but more as an example. For a detailed step-by-step guide, please refer to the patient information leaflet or contact your doctor or pharmacist.
- Always take Omeprazole as instructed
- The usual starting dose is one 10mg tablet daily
- If your oesophagus has been damaged by the condition, then the doctor might recommend an increased dose of 20mg, or in the most severe cases, 40mg
- The treatment might last somewhere between 4 and 8 weeks with the possibility of further prolonging the treatment if necessary
- Take the capsules whole with water, without chewing or breaking them
- Never exceed the prescribed dose
- If you miss a dose, do not try to compensate by doubling on the next one – instead just continue with the treatment as usual
What are Omeprazole side effects?
While not everyone using this medicine will experience side effects, it is still important to get familiar with them so you react properly if something does go wrong. Most importantly, you should be able to differentiate between some of the more dangerous side effects that might require you to stop Omeprazole treatment altogether and seek immediate medical attention and those which can be very uncomfortable, but otherwise harmless. Those side effects that you should be aware of include symptoms indicative of an allergic reaction, severe skin problems and hepatitis symptoms.
Other documented side effects can be presented in the following manner:
Common (1 in 10 users) | Uncommon (1 in 100 users) | Rare (1 in 1000 users) |
· Headache
· Diarrhoea · Stomach pain · Constipation · Flatulence · Nausea |
· Swelling of the feet
· Insomnia · Dizziness · Pins · Needles · Sleepiness · Vertigo · Rash |
· Allergic reaction
· Low sodium levels · Mood swings · Sense of taste change · Dryness of the mouth · Thrush · Liver problems · Hair loss · Sensitivity to light · Muscle pains |
Please keep in mind that this is not a full list of all documented side effects – for a more comprehensive overview, please refer to the official patient information leaflet.
Is Omeprazole safe for me?
While Omeprazole is a relatively safe medication, there are some situations where the doctor might advise against using it. This can be the case if you are currently taking some other medications that might adversely interact with Omeprazole such as blood thinners, St. John’s wort, phenytoin or cilostazol. Alternatively, the use of Omeprazole can be contraindicated if you have some other medical condition that can be exacerbated by Omeprazole.