There are 745 ratings for the drug: PRILOSEC in the Askapatient database.

Key to ratings for prilosec: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine.

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Rating	Reason	Side Effects	Comments	Sex	Age	Time Taken		Date Added
				F  M
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1	acid reflux, hiatal hernia	After a few weeks I developed a severe depression. I have never felt so miserable and panicked in my life and I am 80years old. I had to go on antidepressant meds and am still taking them. Stopped the prilosec as soon as I read about the side effects.	When I told the psychiatrist that I thought the cause of my depression was prilosec he pooh-poohed my idea. Now I see how wrong he was!	F	80	2 weeks		2/19/2009
2	ACID REFLUX	diarrhea	I've been told that I have acid reflux. I have seen my own throat and have seen the white sores and edges on my vocal chords that the doctor says are evidence of acid reflux. BUT, I have no pain! I have trouble swallowing, and I cough at the drop of a hat, and choke, and my singing voice is compromised...cracks easily. Prilosec was helping , I thought, but then I started having diarrhea all the time, a case that had no symptoms of sickness. However, so inconvenient! My husband has suggested that the prilosec may be causing it, so I stopped taking the medicine this morning, and no big tummy rumbles and no diarrhea! Plan to ask my doctor for a plan B.	F	79	60 days		2/25/2008
5	gastric damage from NSAID	NONE except possible small weight gain which I think is because with the Prilosec I don't get stomach pains. Duh -- eating is pain-free so I believe I eat more and gain weight. Figure it out and maybe it isn' a side effect of the drug but a relief of symptoms which made eating unpleasant.		F	78	3 weeks		7/10/2007
1	yes	Anxiety,felt like i wanted to run and scream and crash through a window,made me very nervous, dicconected with my whereabouts	Stop takeing the drug after two days, I would not take it again.I had rather have gerd and take malox	M	73	2 days		9/1/2008 Email
4	GERD	I tolerated the drug well for 14 days, then, following the instructions I stopped taking it and immediately had much worse acid reflux and nausea than before! So I have started taking the pills again.	Why does the drug company limit consumption to 14 days? Are they just covering themselves legally?	M	72	15 days		2/15/2009 Email
4	acid reflux	It helped the acid reflux but after 5yrs. it caused B12 deficiency and gall bladder removal due to gallstones & necrosis of the bladder. Recommend that anyone with long term usage, have the above checked.	It worked very possitivelly for acid reflux.	F	72	5 years		9/24/2005 Email
1	Acid Reflux	Headache, vision problems, some dizziness, sleep interruption	Wanted to try something besides Nexium which has caused bloating. 20 mg Nexium before bed helped with violent coughing. Prilosec did not stop coughing on arising. Will stop Prilosec immediately. Have tried Prilosec before, but only 3 days this time.	F	72	3 days		7/24/2008
5	scaring, reflux, gas. gagging	no side effects	stopped taking it, dont like anything that warns about liver problems, all symptems returned. 10 mg was all I needed was taking lipitor, and had liver elevated, dont know what was cause. its a jungle out there	M	71	2 years		8/8/2004
4	Severe GERD	Forgetfulness, sleeplessness, which I thought due to aging, pain in feet, gas.	I must have been on this for about 6 years, after a bout of esophageal bleeding during vomiting. A year or two before that, a doctor (perhaps over-) dilated the point where food enters the stomach after I had several episodes of trouble swallowing. The Prilosec worked much better than Cimetedine or Tums, but due to insurance considerations, I have been on the generic form for about a year. I am glad to have found this site, as I now suspect some of my troubles may be due to Prilosec. Will start taking supplements, especially melatonin, as there was an article in the San Diego Union Tribune today, Health section, p.7 or 8, saying some tests suggest that 5~6mg of melatonin, plus some supplements (didn't say what) works better than Prilosec in many cases. Here's a link: http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20080916/news_1c16gastro.html I am going to try to get off Prilosec using melatonin and supplements. Up till now, the longest I could go without it and still have no trouble at ni	F	71	6 years		9/17/2008
1	Acid reflux	Increasingly severe joint aches sometimes causing me to wake up at night--hip, neck, fingers (sharp and intense attacks of pain that felt like pin pricks), shoulders and lower back pain; dry mouth at night; chest tightness; irregular heartbeats; unusual fatigue	At first I attributed the symptoms to age since they came on gradually, but finally I was feeling almost crippled with neck, hip, and back pain. I have been an active person--tennis, rowing, skiing etc, and I was having trouble just walking. I visited my doctor several times with each of these complaints. He said heart irregularity was not serious enough to worry about and told me to cut down on drinks with caffeine. Joint aches were explained away as arthritis. I just had a chest xray at my request because of aches and tightness in my chest--negative results; Dr. told me to increase Prilosec--I was taking OTC 20 mil 1 tablet a day--to 2 tablets. By coincidence I had just read the recent NY Times article on dangers of some acid-reflux drugs including Prilosec and decided to stop taking it without consulting Dr. Today 3 days after I have stopped taking Prilosec I realize that I am free of joint aches and feel like the person I was before all of the symptoms started piling up on me. I knew something was wrong and that something had to be done, but it never occurred to me that Prilosec might be the cause. Out of curiosity I went online to check side effects, and I was stunned when I read this report. I am really distressed that my doctor never questioned Prilosec as a possible cause and instead advised me to increase the dosage. As many have already commented, I will find my own way to deal with acid reflux but I will definitely stop taking this drug.	M	71	6 months		5/29/2009
5	acid reflux	No side effects I'm aware of.	I have a history of esophageal problems, including having food stuck for up to 60 minutes (Shatzki's Ring) This was fixed twice by balloon dilation, but is likely to come back if I don't take a Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) daily. I took Protonix, another PPI, for 2 years but got tired of the $70 copay. I tried Omeprazole, which has a $16 copay on my plan, and it works about as well. I can drink caffeinated beverages, drink alcohol, and in general don't need to avoid anything, and have not had a recurrence of esophageal symptoms so far. If I were to have symptoms again I would go back to Protonix or one of the other expensive PPI's but so far so good with Omeprazole.	M	70	2 years		11/29/2008
3	acid reflux	vitamin B12 deficiency		F	70	5 years		2/15/2005
5	acid reflux	none whatsoever.	It is very, very effective for nauseau, but I can't get by without it.	F	69	9 years		6/29/2008
4	GERD	Osteopenia, osteoporosis, vitamin D deficiency, heart palpitations, right arm pain	Ten plus years ago I started taking prescription Zantac, progressed to Nexium and the last 5 years I've been taking OTC Prilosec. Yes, it stops my acid reflux but I have been concerned about long term use. I have always been super healthy but managed to inherit my mother's digestive problems. My doctor says that using Prilosec just cuts back the excess acid I produce and to keep taking it and that I can even double up on it. I take Prilosec in the morning but if I eat dinner out I find I have to take alka seltzer before bed. I have tried to quit but "misery" doesn't begin to describe how I feel, I have to go to bed propped up with a hot water bottle and I can't even go one day without Prilosec. I've tried OTC Tagamet, Zantac, Tums and they are of no help. I have long suspicioned my confirmed vitamin D deficiency has something to do with Prilosec blocking absorption, same with the osteoporosis as it doesn't run in the family and I use hormone replacement patches which helps protect against osteoporosis. I don't know if the Prilosec has anything to do with it but for the first time my cholesterol has zoomed to 254. It's time to take this in hand and I am going to make a real effort to start weaning myself away from Prilosec. If I have success I will report back.	F	69	5 years		1/18/2010 Email
1	Abdominal surgery recovery	Constanat nausea after about 2 weeks on the drug. A fuzzy head.	Why I let the hospital talk me into this "safe" drug, I do not know! I took it briefly 10 years ago - for vague chest discomfort - and knew after 2 weeks that it was making me sick. This time I foolishly took 20 mg per day for almost 5 weeks, per instructions. Nausea hit big time about 10 days ago. The nausea is debilitating, the slight depression is getting in my way! The other factors in my recovery are moving ahead smoothly. I'm quitting Prilosec today and trust that it will be cleared out of my system in 3 days - per "textbook."	F	69	5 weeks		1/9/2008
3	heartburn			F	68	3 years		10/11/2008
2	Severe, frequent heartburn	I have experienced frequent, severe heartburn for several years. I have relied upon antiacids as treatment. I take no medication but am being treated for anemia, likely caused from giving blood too frequently (every 2 months for several years). My doctor prescribed a colonoscopy and endoscopy, both of which were negative. At my doctor's direction, I am taking an OTC iron pill that has corrected the anemia. Prilosec completely eliminated the heartburn but I experienced frequent bouts of fatigue, usually lasting one to four hours but on occasion longer. The periods of fatigue were usually daily experiences but there were some periods (2-3 days) that I did not experience the fatigue. I have always had tons of energy and exercise daily, walking at least 4 miles per day. The fatigue is not so severe that I am unable to exercise but the feeling is inconsistent with the quality of life I have experienced for years. I have also gained weight, about 6-8 lbs.	Good medication but I do not like the side-effect. I plan to discuss with my doctor and may alter my diet and revert to the antiacids.	M	68	60 days		11/13/2006
2	severe acid reflux	effective for a while, but then did not work. Also, became constipated and very fatigued		F	68	3 years		6/22/2009
1	acid reflux	Lightheaded, dizziness, weakness in legs and arms, slight vision problem,tingling in hands and fingers.	I took generic Prilosec after taking antibiotics before and after a prostate biopsy because it gave me acid reflux. It took a week or more for the symptoms to show up. I couldn't figure out what was causing it. Then the light bulb came on that the change was the generic Prilosec. I got on line and came to this site and see that there are many it side effect like I am having. I have stopped for two day and still feel really bad. Hope it goes away soon.	M	68	10 days		7/8/2009
1	GERD	The only fender benders I've ever had, I had while on Prilosec. It's an antihistamine, it makes me stupid; just a little stupid, but it shows. P eliminates stomach acid, therefore makes digesting calcium impossible - if you're post menopausal, this is a disaster; if you're not, your nervous system needs CA, not just bones. I have a GERD cough for a year; the P doesn't help it. I've taken it on and off for years following surgeries with pain killers and antibiotics galore destroying my gut. P. suppresses the immune system. It may suppress acid reflux, the symptom, but the price is very, very high, especially long term.	There has to be a better way than H-2 blockers, Mylanta et al. Stop eating?	F	68	14 days		11/16/2006
1	pain at base breastbone, gastritis	Back pain, stomach pain, tingling in hands and feet, depression,chest pain	I took Prilosec for two months. The doctor started me at 20mg per day for 30 days and then 20mg twice a day because of lack of improvement of symptoms. Side effects got much worse with 40 mg per day. I stopped Prilosec 4 weeks ago and still have tingling, chest pain and stomach pain. The first 3-4 days after I stopped were OK and then the side effects started again. Also, I now have bad acid reflux which I didn't have before I started the pills. I'm told this is the acid rebound effect. I started taking Zantac because the acid reflux started after 4 days of no Prilosec. I would really like to hear from anyone who can tell me how long the side effects continue, how long acid rebound can last and if anyone has had side effects from Zantac. Some people on this site indicated they had side effects from Zantac similar to Prilosec. I would really appreciate any help you can give me.	M	68	2 months		2/22/2009 Email
1	Heart burn	Extreme thirst, anxiety, shortness of breath, head-ache, back-ache.		F	68			1/19/2009
3	Heartburn, GERD onset?	Lightheadedness/dizziness, fatigue/woozieness, sour stomach with bloating/pain. The mental effects are particularly bad 1-3 hours after taking the med, the bloating, etc., starts in the afternoon a few hours after lunch.	Seems to work re heartburn/GERD symptoms for a time but has side effects - the bloating and sour stomach started after two weeks on the med. Was using 20 mg once in the AM 1/2 hour before breakfast. Symptoms above disappear when Prilosec discontinued. Have run this A-B several times.	M	67	18 days		1/24/2009
1	To see if I have acid reflux	Insomnia increased significantly; tightness in upper chest; took pill in the morning, these symptoms happened at night.		F	67	2 days		11/19/2009
1	AFTER GALL BLADDER REMOVAL	None for the first month or so. Then I started experiencing horrible leg and foot cramps at night. They would occur every night and wake me up in horrible pain. Had to stand up and walk around for a while to make them go away. They were ruing my sleep. Plus, my mouth felt dry as the dessert all day and night. Was drinking tons of water and even carried a bottle when I went shopping. My wife, who had been put on this drug didn't experience leg cramps but suffered from the dry mouth. She was only taking 1 prescription tablet, whereas, I was taking two per day.	I decided to check the internet about this drug and found that the prescription dose does warn you about this effect but the OTC version does not. I didn't read the instructions while taking the prescription version. Apparently, these symtoms occur only after prolonged use (8 weeks or more). I stopped taking the drug a few days ago and the cramps and Charlie Horses went away!!. So, use it with caution and not for very long time.	M	67	60 days		11/24/2009
1	no appetite	Took Prilosec for 18 months for having no appetite. I did not notice any difference ut continued on it. Finally was diagnosed with an 85% blockage in the right artery of my heart & had a stent put in. Continued the Prilosec, and still had no appetite, no energy,felt poisoned, and lost 26 pounds which put me at 96 pounds. I was hospitalized many times and felt better, but would come home and be unable to eat again. I am on Plavix and an RN told me about the recent news on the use of Plavix and Prilosec, so I went off of it and take Pepcid now. I figured out that whenever I was hospitalized, I was not given Pri;osec so I was able to eat and didn't feel "poisoned." I almost died from the use of this drug. It also affected my blood pressure (normally 110/60 and would go to 180 with a pulse over 100.) The last time I was taken off of in the hospital, I had a seizure and my pulse went down to 24. And of course, as usual, there was "nothing medically wrong with me." My		F	67	600 days		11/30/2009
5	acid reflux disease	I usually get some gas and/or acid stomach late in the day about three hours before bedtime. I usually take three Rolaids Fruit flavor as an antacid. Sometimes I need the Rolaids Berry flavor for gas relief. This is cheaper than the Gas-X that I sometime use.	I've taken Prilosec OTC everyday for over 6 years now. I can really tell after my lunch meal if I haven't taken it in the morning! My doctor had originally prescribed Nexium. After the pharmacist wanted to charge me over one hundred dollars for a thirty day supply, I knew I had to find something else for my acid reflux disease. Prilosec is the answer for me. I've sure saved a lot of money over the years, and it has kept my acid reflux in check!	M	66	6 years		1/1/2009 Email
5	GERD	None.	I've been taking 20 to 40mg Prilosec each day for many years (10?)and it has stopped my GERD symptoms completely. Acid reflux starts again if I miss a dose. I've not had any side effects and I'll change my doctor if she tries to take me off of it.	M	66	10 years		8/6/2008
4	GERD	Has anyone felt burning on the bottoms of their feet or in their gluteous maximi(us)? I have gained almost twenty pounds in the nearly ten years I've been taking Prilosec (or omeprazole) and have great fatigue. Until reaching this web site, I didn't put these symptoms together with the med.	After many years on Prilosec/omeprazole it became less and less effective. With continuing heartburn and throat-clearing, my doctor ordered an EGD which showed Barrett's esophagus. He changed me to AciPhex and I will try that for a while. Prilosec was wonderful for years, but the effects of such long usage concern me. Not taking medication could be worse, however, with the development of Barrett's. I would strongly suggest that people with recurring heartburn undergo the EGD exam to understand what, if any, damage is being done by the acid reflux.		66	9 years		3/1/2009
3	barretts and gerd	depression,anxiety,insomnia,fatigue,headaches,ringing in ears,constipation,breaking out on back and torso,some loss of sense of smell	took it from October 2002. am trying to quit as of today-the insomnia,headaches,fatigue and anxiety are rendering me incapable of enjoying life.	M	66	7 years		2/2/2010 Email
5	Severe Acid Reflux		Must take medication for the rest of life. Miss just two days and reflux returns.	M	65	15 years		3/7/2004 Email
4		My daughter took Prilosec and did not realize it was drying up her saliva - she went from cavity free to over a dozen cavities in 18 months - the saliva cleans the food and aids in digestion - she is going to lose weight and get off Prilosec.	I have taken it off and on for about 6 months - it helps wth my gerd but I am concerned about all the listed side effects.	F	65	176 days		1/11/2009
4	Barretts	fatigue, irratablity,depression,anemia,anxiety attacks,weight gain.	WOW A pill to have to take,cant find anything else that works.Been taking it for 15 years.Tried to quit many times , but must have it.	F	65	15 years		10/21/2007
1	upset stomach	high blood pressure and back pain	I stopped taking yesterday but over the last month my blood pressure & heart rate has climbed from 123/74/53 to 169/97-80 fairly steadily. When can I expect to see a reduction? Please help me with any infromation.	M	65	6 months		3/11/2009 Email
1	acid reflux	Lost dexterity and strength in hands; not yet completely back to normal after not taking for 3 months. I was so severely affected I could not squeeze toothpaste from tube, open doors, comb my hair or generally use my hands for normal activities.	My actual malady is cricopharyngeal spasm; Prilosec did nothing for me as I was not experiencing any reflux symptoms. I would not recommend this med for anyone. It has had frightening side effects for me.	F	65	2 months		5/14/2009
5	For heartburn	I have had no side effects. It works great for me.		F	64	4 years		9/2/2008 Email
4	ulcer	Flu-like symptoms. Ulcer pain stopped within hours. Then same night developed severe head cold, severe coughing incidents. Coughing woke me every 1-1.5 hrs. Extremely fatigued after days/nights of taking only short naps, then waking with severe coughing episodes. Coincidence? or Side effects of P? Not going to take the P this afternoon. I gotta get some decent sleep. Let me know if anyone else has had this experience. Send me email. My numerical rating of "4" is because it did stop the ulcer pain, or maybe the Chimichanga I ate at the same time stopped it. No kidding!		M	64	5 days		5/6/2007 Email
4	Barretts esophagus	dry mouth,sore tongue, stomach pain, spastic colon, always thirsty, plummeting Vit D blood levels, no appetite thus 30lb weight loss, itchy skin	It controls GERD, but I feel lousy from the medicine itself. I cannot get off it, as only ppi's control the acid.	F	64	3 years		1/1/2007 Email
3	Reflux Oesophagus	At first none, drug was brilliant! But after about 2 months noticed dryness of mouth which has gradually got much worse, with glands around jaw/neck becoming so swollen that they stick out from my face.	On reading other people's comments, realised that I was suffering many of the symptoms which I had put down to other health problems, age etc. These I can put up with, but the dryness of my mouth is so bad I drink water all the time, or, when out have to be constantly sucking candy. At 6 months, doctor dismissed dryness as unimportant. Other symptons: tooth enamel decay (which I've never suffered with, is this the candy?), depression, lethargy, sudden urges to go the bathroom sometimes only resulting in gas and sometimes not(!), recent short term memory loss which my family have noticed (which I put down to age!). Found another site which offers 'natural vegetable remedies' for a fee(!) am not averse to paying, but site is American and these items may not be available in the UK. Would be grateful to hear of any natural remedies other people have found which bring relief to acid problem and which might be available in UK. Thanks!	F	64	9 months		11/20/2006 Email
1	acid reflux	Metallic taste in mouth...horrible! Itching on body trunk, and severe hair loss. Tendonitis in upper arms.		F	64			3/13/2009
1	GERD/Reflux	Burning/ tingling sensation in feet,even though cold to touch. Very short of breath, with dry cough. B/P shot up high. Anxiety and feeling depressed.	Have had this shortness of breath & other symptoms on & off for several years. It was only when my B/P went sky high that I realised I could have a problem with Omeprazole. Looking back at my state of health when not taking this drug... I noticed a pattern had emerged, the breathlessness & cough had gone, I was feeling much happier & with more energy. The last time was in October of last year. Since then I have been back on this drug & have felt awful & progressively worse. I am no longer taking this drug, and would advise everyone to think twice before starting it. I have been off it for just a week now, The depression has lifted,, the anxiety also. I just hope the breathlessness will go soon .... it is quite debilitating.	F	64	4 years		12/5/2009 Email
5	Acid reflux, heart burn	None, This produced the best results of any medication I ever tried.		M	63	8 years		4/10/2008
5	heartburn	initial headache and minor stomach pains	it is very effective but expensive	M	63			12/22/2000
5	Gerd	Very minimal if any. I got more side effects from Rolaid's. I tried all of the antacid's available at the time and still had indigestion and GERD problems. Prilosec (Omeprazole) solved all of the indigestion and Gerd problems immediately.	I didn't like the high prices at the pharmacy so living in San Diego I drove to Mexico and found it for $79 for 180 20gr capsules. I moved and now buy it online from (pharmacymex.com). It comes from Mexico City and takes a couple of weeks to arrive. I use my Visa card and have never had a problem. If you are going to use Prilosec you may as well save lot's of money. You can use the savings for pepperoni pizza ;-) and de-fuse the indigestion misery.	M	63	7 days		11/27/2005 Email
2	GERD	Sporadic pain in places such as hands, feet, toes and especially shoulders, sometimes enough to keep me awake at night. Also, headaches and gas. I'm amazed this can be sold without a prescription.	The pains were similar to those Cipro caused me 2 yrs. before. I wonder whether the Cipro reaction earlier made me more susceptible to this med's side effects.	M	63	30 days		1/18/2007 Email
2	acid reflux	Didn't help much. Developed depression within several days, tired, slept, unable to concentrate. One day off meds I felt better. On an H2 receptor now without mental side effects.		M	63	10 days		7/15/2008
2	GERD	I came down with Osteopenia (a precurser to Osterporosis) and joint pain and complications.	There was no reason for osteopenia for me--not in my family makeup; I exercise regularly; I lift weights; and have been taking calsium for many years--so I was bewildered and then the GMA morning show featured a doctor who mentioned that they are finding that proton pump inhibitors are responsible for some people acquiring osteoporosis and a light went on. On this website I found out about the rebound effect of Prilosec and went off immediately. I used probiotics and enzymes to help through the first four weeks (especially the first two weeks) and now it has been over two months---no more problems. I do watch how much I eat and when I eat, but generally speaking I no longer have a problem. I believe my GERD started because of taking ibuprophen and other aspirin containing products. In the meantime since going off of Prilosec my knees are feeling much better.	F	63	10 years		9/25/2009 Email
1	GERD causing sore throat pain	Took on and off over 6 months. First few months didn't associate chills and hot flashes with Prilosec. Diagnosed with swollen glands in neck, inflammation of nose, sinus and ear - MD gave antibiotic for which first got rash and hives that went away so MD said to continue antibiotic - within 24hrs had severe watery diarrhea which lasted 18 days, also new high blood pressure and sudden fluttering in heart with lightheadedness. Heart symptoms went away after stopping Prilosec but now have worse GERD with severe pain in esophagus never had before and constant sinusitis with nasal drip never had before.	My MD asked when I was next going to my dentist - hope I don't have cavities from Prilosec drying out my saliva. My MD switched me to Prevacid for severe GERD pain, a completely new symptom - after 2 days had to stop because of severe heart palpitations, edema in ankle, and severe coldness in hands that was painful - it was helping GERD pain but felt like having a heart attack so stopped taking immediately. Feel strict diet only hope of getting rid of terrible GERD during the night.	F	63	4 months		4/18/2009
1	Possible GERD, H.Pylori ?	Lump in throat, severe throat & mouth burning. Suddenly began having numbness, tingling in hands & fingers plus swelling, increased BP (always low before). Stopped 20 mg. dose following endoscopy & now increase in stomach acidity & discomfort since stopped pill.	New gastric distress-increased symptoms. Had endoscopy that was negative.Never advised about side effects. Thought I had some very weird illness or virus. Did not relieve my symptoms now they are worse since stopping dose 5 days ago. Will this end? Any advice as to what to do to control withdrawal. How long does this last?	F	63	16 days		12/21/2009 Email
5	Acid Reflux	Side effects have been rare. Occasionally I experience headaches but I am not sure they are directly related. I do notice some flatulence but I don't know if it is related to the drug or just my age. In any event, it is not excessive.	When Prilosec first came out, I was taking generic Zantac before bed or before eating spicy foods. My doctor suggested I try Prilosec. Since they were quite expensive at the time, I tried a half tablet each morning and found I still got all day relief. I told my doctor about it and he said if it works to continue. I asked about the 14 day warning, but he said with a half tablet I should be OK taking them indefinitely. He said the warning is for those who do not tolerate this drug. I ask about continued use each time I go in for medical visits. My new doctor concurs that it is safe to take in half-tablet form and can be effective for most patients. If you are on a limited budget, you might try a half tablet to see if you continue to get relief.	M	62	5 years		7/18/2008
5	acid reflux	none	two prilosec otc a day keep my heartburn and acid reflux away!!!	F	62	5 years		5/21/2007
3	L P Reflux	After taking Prilosec 2 weeks I started experiencing abdominal pain and diarrhea. At first the stools were tarry and loose. After a week, the stool color was restored but still have diarrhea.		M	62	1 months		12/17/2001
3	Acid Reflux	Prilosec completely cured my acid reflux but I experienced very watery extremely urgent diarrhea one to three times a day. Any alcohol consumption made the diarrhea worse. Anti-diarrheal medications helped somewhat but the unpredictable bouts of diarrhea caused me to quit Prilosec. I switched to Ranitidine (150-225mg/day) and the watery diarrhea disappeared almost immediately.	I took Prilosec for several years and the seriousness of the diarrhea crept up on me slowly so I did not associate it with Prilosec. I was listening to a nutritionist talk about irregularity and she mentioned that a digestive system with too little acid can result in causing vile bouts of diarrhea. Apparently, Prilosec resulted in more acid reduction than my system could tolerate. The Ranitidine does not work as effectively to control my acid reflux but my overall quality of life is so improved that I will never go back to Prilosec.	M	62	5 years		3/23/2009
2	Heartburn	Very tired and depressed mental state. Feel like sleeping all day.	I received this OTC drug in the mail. But the almost immediate effects make me wonder why these symptoms aren't listed as possibilities on other websites or in the packaging. I had no other changes in my daily activities and am on no other drugs.	F	62	1 days		6/9/2008
2	GERD	BLOATING, SEVERE ADOMINAL PAINS, DIARHEA, TIGHTNESS IN CHEST, TIREDNESS	I will stop taking this medication. It is not worth it. I will try a holistic approach.	F	62	10 days		9/11/2007
2	Dr. recommended propadeutic.	Impotence without prior symptomology very first day. Anyone else experience this?		M	62	1 days		10/8/2006
1	GERD	Severe abdominal pain and bloating. I thought I had flu or maybe food poisoning. Headache, depression, dizzines and weakness.	After I concluded that it wasn't food poisoning I stopped taking it. Its now three days later and while my symptoms are subsiding, I am still not back to normal.	M	62	7 days		6/11/2007 Email
1	GERD	Headache all the time, dizziness, finally on day 5 blurred vision in left eye, severe enough to have to see a doctor, no GI side effects, but felt very jittery and easily startled, weird feelings.	No reason to take this drug. Gaviscon works far better and has minimal side effects!	F	62	5 days		1/20/2009
1	GERD and Barrett's	Tightness in chest, heart palpations, trouble breathing, nervous feeling, headache, stuffy sinuses, tingling in hands, I felt as though I was on caffine overload	I am so happy that I found this website. So many people have listed the same side effects as I was having. I was getting ready to call my PCP and make an appointment to have my heart checked . I have never had heart problems in my life. The palpations got worse when I would lay down at night especially on my left side. I was really starting to get scared. Seemed like nothing I did helped. I also have been taking Protonix 40 mg for several years without any problem. Why he put me on 2 different proton pump inhibitors is beyond me. When I asked I was told that it would help the several digestive problems I have. I haven't taken the Prilosec for 2 days now and I'm starting to feel much better. Thank you everyone that posted their comments about the awful side effects they were having while on this drug.	F	62	14 days		5/11/2009
1	stomach protection	Severe headache and on day 5 of taking it, I had a stroke in my left eye. This was in January and it progressively got worse for about 2 months. Now I am left with very little vision in this eye!!! I would never ever recommend this drug.	On the Astra Zeneca website there is mention of anterior ischemic optic neuropathy...which is a stroke of the optic nerve. People need to take this very seriously, since this is permanent!!!!	F	62	5 days		5/12/2009
1	acid reflux	Heart palps, severe sweating episodes w/chills afterwards, dizziness, blood pressure spikes, muscle pain, vertigo	I use the Prilosec-20mgs. over the counter. I have went off, but go back on due to the reflux. I know one is only supposed to stay on for 14 days then give it a rest before going back on...but I have been taking continually for awhile. My symptoms have been getting worse & worse (even though I have been walking every day for the elevated bp, the walking has not had an effect on it). Also, my sweating & weakness have been off the charts! I have been blaming it all on my diagnosed fibromyalgia & change of life symptoms....BUT...I now believe some of my symptoms are exacerbated by the Prilosec. I'M GOING OFF!!! Thanks to this site for all the shared experiences.	F	62	2 years		9/21/2009
5	acid reflux	No side affects at all. None that i'm aware of anyway.	I take the prescription version, omeprazole. I take half a dose daily, 20mg. It has totally stoped my acid reflux.	M	61	4 years		10/16/2008 Email
5	acid reflux- GERD	None, as far as I know, but after taking it for so long, I am now concerned about calcium absorption news. I have knee osteoarthritis requiring surgery, I wonder if it could be related to Prilosec daily use for more than 5 years.	It has been wonderful for me. I am very satisfied with no sysmptoms except cough once in a while. Also, recently noticing floaters in my vision and again wondering if related.	F	61	5 years		1/10/2007
3	Acid Reflux	Dr. tried Nexium but my tongue swelled and burned, apparently it happens in 1 % of people. He put me on Prilosec otc 20 mgs, didn't help so he put me on 20 mgs twice a day. I still have reflux especially if i bend over or slip and eat anything with fat. I drink tons of water, don't smoke or drink alcohol. I have been researching natural methods. Read a tsp spoon of honey may help, before meals and a tablet called DGL it is derived form licorice. Didn't like reading that it may cause depression since I have felt a little depreesed lately, never thought of the Prilosec. My insurance does cover it if the Dr. writes a script for it, but wow reading all these side effects sure has scared me, but my attacks were so bad made him give me an E.K.G and a stress test, which were fine. Even had an edoscope to see if there was anything else going on, but no. Love to garden how am I not going to bend over? Have gained a few lbs come to think of it.	Definetly going to keep researching some natural ways. Anyone have any luck with the natural route?	F	61	6 months		4/14/2006 Email
1	GERD/acid reflux	Some relief from acid reflux symptoms, but had diarrhea almost on a daily basis, daily stomach pain which kept me feeling like I needed to eat all the time, and worst of all--decreased bone density (discovered later, due to incomplete absorption of minerals), condition known as osteopenia (precursor to osteoporosis).	Am now 61, but started this drug around age 52. Had suffered with GERD for at least 20 years, but symptoms got worse with age and increasing weight. Went off Nexium, then to Prevacid, and later to Prilosec, hoping to get fewer side effects, but not successful at this at all. All together, was on proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) drugs for about 7 years. Gallbladder removed at age 44. Diagnosed with rare-type pancreas tumor in 2005 and had surgery in Dec. 2005. Went off all PPI drugs in early 2006. Real reasons for GERD: eating too much sugar and wheat (and other gluten grains) for many years, and not enough bile acids for proper digestion. MY CURE: taking bile acid salts and full-strength pancreatic enzymes supplements with every meal. Drastically changed my diet to high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carb (NO wheat or other gluten grains) with absolutely no processed food; added raw dairy and grassfed, pastured, locally-grown beef, poultry, pork, organic produce. I have normal digestion now--no	F	61	4 years		4/13/2008 Email
5	acid reflex			F	60	1 years		8/26/2007 Email
5	GERD	NONE	I've taken Omeprazole for over 10 years and have never had a side-effect. And it totally relieves the heartburn. It's a wonder drug	M	60	10 years		12/27/2009
4	intestinal ulcer	chest pains/heart palipitations		M	60	4 weeks		3/4/2001
3	Several small stomach ulcers/reflux	Light headed, weight gain despite exercise, increased systolic blood pressure. Normally b/p is 98/68 - now 122/63	Almost daily breakthrough burning in stomach/esophagus	F	60	3 months		3/26/2007
2	duadenal ulcers	bloating, dry mouth, weight gain, fatigue	I have only been taking prilosec for about one week. It seems to be easing the pain somewhat, but I am so fatigued and uncomfortable from the bloating that I will probably discontinue use.	F	60	9 days		12/5/2008
1	Acid Reflux Disease	ALL listed on this site. It amazes me that I was dumb enough to poison myself for 6 years without figuring it out! As the symtoms appeared, one at a time, I would go to doctors & referred specialists for the current malady. It wasn't until recently, when the most severe arrived, that I did my own research. Wait until you get those!! (Misdiagnosed) Cluster Migranes, 10 hours in duration, & explosive diarrhea. What a thrill.	Worked great for the first 3-6 months. Then lump in throat, muscle pains, pain in chest, severe eye problems, bloating, watery stool, neck/shoulder pains, cramps, nightmares, PTSD, tingling in arms, weakness, lack of focus, depression, sensitivity to light, and the kitchen sink arrived over time. Experimented to ensure it was omeprazole/prilosec, confirmed, STOPPED. Different folks are allergic to different things. Can't wait to see what the long term effects wull be.	M	60	6 years		7/27/2008 Email
1	acid reflux	Worked for 15 years off and on. Would get gnawing, bloating, abdominal pain. tender tummy. On 1/28/09 everything I ate would end up with the same results. Switched to bland soups, white rice.Dr. upped it twice a day and it got worse.Ended up in ER and had all the tests and they are all great. Went off by myself and most symptoms went away, but acid came back.Put me on Pepcid and got numb mouth (not a good sign)Tried me on 40 mg of Nexium and I am nervous as a tick so thats no good and that's just one dose. ER is getting to know me quite well. Have much more to say but not enough room. I have eaten soup,bread, white rice and a little chicken every day since 1/28/09!!! I need help!	ALL Doctors will tell you that it's not the pill, you know why? Cause they prescribed it!! They don't want a law suit and they will deny they made an error. Think about it folks!!!In this day and age everyone is "sue" happy and doctors are not gonna admit they screwed up!It was a good drug when first taken, but thru the years with all these side effects you think it's your fault, something wrong with you, well it's not people!! It is the drug and keep fighting til you get answers, I know I am!!	F	60	16 years		3/29/2009 Email
1	acid reflux	I took Prilosec daily for 2 weeks. I experienced unusual coldness in my fingers. They turned yellow with purple nails by afternoon and no amount of hot water on them or hot drinks or hot baths improved the condition. I also felt difficulty in my chest---breathlessness, coughing and pressure---like a weight on my chest. I became extremely thirsty had to get up 3 or 4 times at night. I became constipated. I also experienced muscle and joint pain. I stopped eating after lunch because of the increased feelings and went to bed by 8:00 pm.	All my side effects evaporated when I took myself off Prilosec. Of course the acid reflux returned and I need to find an alternative medication for that.	F	60	14 days		3/30/2009
1	GERD	Nausea, explosive gas and bowel movements, chest and stomach pain, heart palpitations, elevated blood pressure, even deeper depression, achiness	I had stopped smoking adn doc started me on Chantix (very evil nasty drug) I was complaining of chest palpitations and pain so after being sent to a specialist she said it looked like i "might" be having GERD, so she started me on Omeprazole. To be honest I never had any problems with heartburn that I know of and a few hours after taking the first pill, was doubled over with cramps. I had already begun weaning myself from Chantix (In my opinion a drug that should have never been approved). Doctor claimed that what I was experiencing was not a side effect of Prilosec and said to up the dose. Being very analytical and having even more severe side effects after following her instructions, decided enough is enough and stopped the Omeprazole 2 days ago. MY stomach still feels like I'm digesting chain saws and still having chest pain and erratic BP, but slowly feeling more normal. Thank goodness for this site and others like it. With today's totally broken american med	M	60	4 days		12/7/2007
1	Severe heartburn	Terrible diarrhea IMMEDIATELY after eating. Since it happened no matter what I ate - bland, spicy, greasy - I think it has to be the prilosec. I'm going back to my tums. My MD told me that I could take as long as I wanted to - no need to go by the 14 day regimen advised on the package.	It relieved my heartburn the very first day but I cannot live with the diarrhea. It is bad!	F	60	4 months		10/11/2007
1	acid reflux	This stuff really works for the acid reflux, but after about a year, I started to have an irregular heartbeat, so I did some research and discovered that is a common side affect of the Prilosec. I stopped it about three days ago, and the symptoms are waning. If you can tolerate it, it works great. But, just be prepared there might be adverse reactions. I'd rather have the relux than the irregular heartbeat.		F	60	1 years		1/4/2010
1	GERD	Prilosec 20mg, 2x per day, prescribed one month ago. I had GERD symptoms approx 2-3 times per month in association with spicey foods, etc. so finally went to the doctor. Underwent a scoping, which showed damaged esophogas, etc. Prilosec worked the first few days, in conjunction with a diet change, but for the last week I have been getting GERD symptoms during and after every meal, excess saliva, "locking" of the esophogas and other negative symptoms. Have quit the prilosec and will see the doctor next week. Had a very negative impact on me.	Glad I discovered this site	M	60	30 days		4/17/2009
5	Acid Reflux	No side effects	I suffered with severe heartburn and pain for several years before my doctor introduced me to Prilosec. Before Prilosec even water caused severe heartburn. Now I could eat all the foods I want and not suffer anymore. I tried Zantac, Prevacid and several others with little or no cure. The first day I tried Prilosec it worked like a charm and is still doing so.		59	9 years		12/4/2007 Email
4	stomach acid	Muscle weakness esp. in my shoulders. They feel tired and weak. It helped my heartburn alot. Also, I have some lower bowel gas.	None	M	59	5 weeks		4/27/2006
4	Acid reflux and halitosis	Mild to moderate headaches at first, then they decreased in intensity. Found that exercising when the headaches come on makes them go away! I'm taking the OTC 20 mg, thought that the 40 mg prescription would give severe side effects like the 150 mg Zantac did and the prescription Protonix.	Have tried Zantac 150mg and 75 mg, Protonix 40 mg. The Zantac 75 mg helped alot and also gave me energy, but the headaches wouldn't go away, but they might have if I would have exercised when they came on, Zantac 75 also made me dizzy.. I couldn't believe the low price of the generic Zantac at Costco, it's less than 3 cents a tablet. Prilosec is about 60 cents a tablet at Costco.	M	59	11 days		11/6/2005 Email
4	frequent heartburn	Headache, dark loose stools	On balance beneficial for me	M	59	30 days		5/14/2006
4	gerd - hiatal hernia-acid reflux	Frequently tired, irritable, and depressed. Short term memory loss. Heart palpitations, chest pains. Recently developed anemia and am experiencing hair loss.	Have been taking Prilosec daily for more than 5 years. Doctors say long term use OK. I just recently began questioning if my problems are caused by more than aging - decided to discontinue Prilosec and see what happens.	F	59			9/24/2008
3	H-Pylori caused Acid Reflux	Dizziness, joint pain, muscle pain, anemia and overall lack of energy, which resulted in being less active and weight gain of 20lbs. Of course this resulted in general depression and feeling older than I am.	I have antibiotic resistant H-Pylori and the acid reflux is horrific without the Prilosec and my doctor said I'm at risk for ulcers & cancer without the Prilosec, however, he didn't mention that long-term use of Prilosec also causes cancer. I am not going to take it anymore.	F	59	2 years		3/26/2007
3	gerd	none		M	59	4 years		9/27/2004
3	GERD-related vocal changes	Heart palpitations with sudden acceleration of activity level. Initially, vile flatulence(quickly resolved), and occasional constipation, associated with some pain in lower intestinal tract.	Mostly concerned about the heart palpitations, which aren't even listed as a side effect in most on-line resources. Don't understand why. Heart burn, heart arrythymia's and palpitation have NOT been an issue prior to using this medication.	F	59	4.5 weeks		12/19/2008 Email
2	gerd	leg pain and muscle pain to the point I had difficulty walking, fatigue, weight gain.	Before I saw a doctor about the symptoms, I checked online for prilosec side effects since this was the only medication I was on to see if this might be causing the problems. I found all my side effects had been experienced by other people so I stopped taking it. I noticed a difference within 2-3 days. The muscle pain has greatly decreased and my energy level is starting to return to normal. I am looking for other ways to deal with the acid reflux but prilosec is definitely not the answer for me.	F	59	6 months		7/5/2009
1	Acid Reflux	Anxiety, panic attacks, depression, blurry eyes, temors hands and face, sore tongue, dry mouth, loss of appitite and feeling of fulliness. Lost 15 pounds. Many more side effects as described by others	I went to the ENT because of a lump in by throat was told I had acid reflux and told to take prilosec 2x a day. After 2 months felt like I was going crazy. Went through cat scans, MRI's multiply blood work. two trips to ER thoughtI was dying and could not breath. Was put on anti-anxiety pills. Depression got so bad could not even function. Was told my all doctors could not be the medication. Finally went off it and after one week starting to feel a little better. Anxiety still there, but depression seems to be leaving. Do not take this POISON!	F	59	2 months		8/24/2009
1	Gerd, no gall bladder,	chronic cough, chronic swallowing, heart palpitations, blood pressure up, 130 or more at times. Arthritis has become crippling for me at times. Can't exercise so gaining weight I AM MAD AS HECK....ABOUT THIS I want my life back	I am currently being treated for these symptoms and the ENT is suggesting to up the dose because he's thinking I need 40mg to be more affective. M heart can't take anymore of this. I feel like I am going to have a heart attack. I have been on previcid also.I try to get off it but have terrible heartburn (like a heart attack) Doctor is saying Prilosec might not be working anymore...But what to do now?	F	59	15 years		1/8/2010
1	Reflux	I've only been taking the OTC Prilosec for about 10 days, but I've noticed extreme fatigue, nausea, pain after eating, feeling of disorientation and headache. It's all very unpleasant, and I can't imagine taking the prescription form!	I agree that the people who read this information on this site are probably here because they have side effects. For those who don't, great....but for those who do, the effects sound horrendous. Good reason to use natural remedies, if you ask me.	F	59	10 days		3/24/2009
1	acid reflux	tiredness,depression, muscle aches, severe dependency	I never had heart burn or symtoms of any kind. Didn't know what heart burn was. After reporting to doctor that I sometimes had a full feeling when swallowing, I was put on Prilosec. After a year I want to stop, so I can feel like myself. The last month has been hell. Can't eat at all without hours of bloated fire in stomach. Sore throat. Can't sleep for over an hour and have to get up to drink water or alkaseltzer. Must constantly drink, snack or eat to keep guts cool. Guess I'll go back on. Can't believe there is no warning of dependancy!	M	59	360 days		10/9/2007 Email
1	Heartburn	Began to have severe nightly GERD, more severe heartburn, diarrhea, etc. I tried the OTC couse of 14 pill, discontinued after 10 days, and that was several weeks ago. My husband and family were convinced I had developed heart trouble. Side Effects continue and will cost me a doctor visit soon.	SHOULD NOT BE OTC -- not worth the additional symptoms	F	59	10 days		5/23/2007
1	heartburn	tremors in legs neck and stomach especially at might, nausea, loose gassy stools, rumbling, fatigue, anxiety like symptoms	I do not recommend this drug, or at best be careful and know of the many problems. I would really like to know if anyone has had lingering symptoms. After my first horrible month in October the symptoms have abated but still come back although much less intensive at least once a week. It has been over 3 months since I took prilosec. Dr. is convincing me it can't still be caused by medicine. Also I have gone on it before for 2 weeks to a month with no noticeable effects.This site was the only reason i suspected prilosec.	F	59	10 days		1/21/2008 Email
1	Acid Reflux/ years of gastritis	Severe abdominal pain near sternum,extreme bloating,severe gas,blurred vision,dizziness,weight loss 30 plus pounds,panic attacks,anxiety,PTSD like dreams.	Omeprazole is being pushed due to it's lower cost by the VA. I took one tablet twice a day for over year with few problems. Within a few weeks of the RX being changed to two pills twice a day I became very ill with the symptoms as stated above. I have been to the ER, seen 5 MD's, had every GI test done and all were normal. This medicine I feel is to blame. I quit it today.	M	59	1.4 years		4/10/2007
1	Heartburn	severe abdominal cramps,diarrhea, hot flashes, chills, light headed, and nausea. The abdominal pain was the worst I ever suffered. I had the same reaction about 3 months ago when traveling and thought it was a severe case of food poisining. Stopped taking Prilosec due to feeling so bad but did not put 2 and 2 together until I started taking it again and had the same reaction. I then decided to look at the side effects and found this site. Once I read the comments, I am now sure that the stomach pain is a side effect of taking Prilosec and will stop immediately.	Although the drug helped my heartburn it was mild compared to the side effects. Other members of my family have taken the drug with no side effect. I would recommend this drug with extreme caution and suggest others research the side effects first.	F	59	2 days		6/18/2007
5		None whatsoever.	Have been taking it regularly for two years with no side effects. It's the only thing that has helped my heartburn. Tried lots of natural remedies, none of which worked.	M	58	2 years		10/20/2008
5	acid reflux	No side effects that I am aware of.	I have only taken Prilosec OTC for about 3 weeks, but so far it has really helped. I was disappointed when I read the comments on this site. I figured most everyone was happy with it. I will pay closer attention to any possible side effects.	F	58	3 weeks		12/28/2007
5	GERD	Slight headache at beginning	Has made my quality of life so much better. I can now eat most things. I'm not uncomfortable. I can take antibiotics without getting sick. I take it once at night before dinner to avoid the headache, and that has worked very well. I also take Zantac in the morning. I've had two bad experiences with burning and pain in stomach, and each time it turned out to be yeast in my stomach from taking prednisone and levaquin. Otherwise, prilosec is a miracle drug.	F	58	5 years		1/30/2009 Email
4	GERD	Because my insurance company would not pay for Nexium I switched to Omeprazole. Within the first week of taking the drug I had two horrific nightmares that literally made me awaken to stop their continuance. The drug is working fine otherwise and I hope this side effect is only a brief conditioning until my body acclimates to the new drug. If the nighjtmares persist I will have to consider asking my physician for another medication.		M	58	4 days		4/5/2007
3	heartburn	constipation , headache, wind			58			8/13/2001
1	acid reflux	Terrible stomach pain, miserable feeling of fullness, swelling in ankles, fogginess. I thought I was crazy, or had some terminal illness until I found this site. Thanks to all of you who posted. I am not for govt intervention in our lives, but FDA needs to be brought in on this.	THIS DRUG AND ALL IN IT'S CLASS ARE POISON!!!. Oh yes, I thought it was a miracle drug when first taking it, because the symptoms went away in two days. But, long term consumption of this class drug is asking for nothing but TROUBLE. Has taken me 3 mos. to get off it going the natural route. BEWARE, BEWARE!! This drug should have a skull and crossed bones on the box.	F	58	5 years		2/14/2009

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Key to ratings: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine.

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