Omeprazole is a gastric medicine.
It is used to treat conditions caused by excessive acidity in your stomach, such as ulcers in the stomach or duodenum (upper portion of the small intestine), reflux disease (also known as "heartburn", in which food or acid from your stomach backs up into your mouth, leaving a sour or bitter taste) and hypersecretory conditions such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (a condition in which a growth in the pancreas or duodenum or both secretes too much acid).
This medicine can also be used to relieve stomach irritation and ulceration caused by certain painkillers such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Omeprazole treats these conditions by reducing the amount of acid your stomach makes.
Omeprazole is to be given intravenously (into the vein). It is delivered directly into the bloodstream via the blood vessel.
Your doctor or nurse will administer the injection for you.
This medicine may relieve the symptoms rapidly and it will be replaced with an oral Omeprazole therapy as soon as you are well enough to swallow a tablet or capsule.
Ensure that you keep all appointments with your doctor so that you do not miss any doses. Your doctor also needs to regularly monitor your response to Omeprazole.
If you miss an appointment or miss an injection, alert your doctor or nurse. A replacement appointment or injection should be given as soon as possible.
DO NOT use Omeprazole with nelfinavir or atazanavir (medicine for HIV infection).
Inform your doctor if you have liver disease.
Let your doctor know if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Do not use Omeprazole for a long period of time as it may slightly increase your risk of fracture in the hip, wrist or spine. Inform your doctor if you have osteoporosis (soft, brittle bones).
If your gastric problem seems to be getting worse, let your doctor know.
If you are going for certain laboratory tests (e.g. urea breath test, Chromogranin A), inform your doctor that you are being treated with Omeprazole.
Some genetic traits can affect this medicine’s efficacy. Although not routinely done, your doctor may advise you to take genetic testing to check if this medicine is best suited for you.
Keep your appointments with your doctor. Your doctor needs to monitor your condition and check your response to the medication regularly. You may need to have routine blood tests (magnesium level) to check your body’s response to the medicine. Your doctor will advise you about how often you need to have these tests.
Omeprazole may cause dizziness. If affected, do not drive or take part in any activity in which you need to be alert.
Other side effects include any of the following: headache, diarrhoea, constipation, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and wind in the stomach.
Some side effects may be serious, although they are not common. Alert your doctor quickly if you experience:
- rashes with skin peeling or blisters
- severe stomach pain or cramps, loose, watery or bloody stools, or severe diarrhoea
Inform your doctor if any of these side effects do not go away or are severe, or if you experience other side effects.
DO NOT use Omeprazole with nelfinavir or atazanavir (medicine for HIV infection).
Inform your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any of these medicines:
- medicines for HIV infection e.g. saquinavir, ritonavir
- blood-thinning medicines e.g. warfarin, clopidogrel
- medicines for fungal infection e.g. ketoconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole
- medicines used in organ transplant or certain immune disorders e.g. ciclosporin, tacrolimus
- medicines for sleep disorder or anxiety e.g. diazepam
- cilostazol (medicines used to treat cramping muscle pain or numbness in the extremities)
- digoxin (medicine for heart disease)
- methotrexate (anticancer medicine)
- phenytoin (medicine for epilepsy or fits)
This list does not include all medicines that may interact with Omeprazole.
Always notify your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including herbal tonics such as traditional Chinese medicine, supplements and medicines that you buy without a prescription.
It may be helpful to discuss your diet with your doctor or dietitian. A change in diet may help improve your symptoms. For example, spicy food tends to worsen reflux and should be avoided. Likewise, carbonated ("fizzy") drinks such as soft drinks should also be avoided.
You should also try to avoid lying down soon after eating as this will worsen the reflux symptoms.
Avoid alcohol.
Store in a cool, dry place away from the reach of children.
Medicines must not be used past the expiry date.
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