Nick asked
Hello! So about 3 months ago, I took Prilosec OTC for my acid reflux and it helped greatly with no side effects. It started to come back recently so I started taking Prilosec OTC again Sunday and it has helped the acid reflux but I have had very mild stomach aches and this morning had some diarrhea. Should I stop taking the Prilosec even though it is a 14-day dose?
At a glance
- Diarrhea and abdominal pain are common side effects when taking Prilosec (omeprazole).
- As long as the diarrhea and abdominal pain are mild it is likely not necessary to stop taking Prilosec.
- If you experience more severe diarrhea that does not improve, seek the care of your healthcare provider as this could be a sign of a more severe form of diarrhea.
Answer
Stomach upset and diarrhea are common side effects of many medications as virtually any medicine has the potential to cause stomach disturbances.
Diarrhea and abdominal pain are common side effects associated with Prilosec (omeprazole) therapy, occurring in 3.7% and 5.2% of subjects in clinical trials, respectively.
Usually, diarrhea and gastrointestinal side effects occur when initiating the medication and do not continue long term. However, there is one important exception.
Prilosec belongs to a class of acid-suppressing drugs called Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs). PPIs inhibit acid secretion in the stomach and have been associated with an increased risk for the development of Clostridium Difficile associated diarrhea.
Clostridium Difficile is a type of bacteria that can cause severe diarrhea. Clostridium Difficile associated diarrhea usually occurs in hospitalized patients or patients taking certain antibiotics.
So again, it is likely not necessary to stop taking Prilosec as long as the upset stomach and diarrhea continue to be mild.
These side effects will likely resolve after a few days.
If you do experience prolonged watery diarrhea that occurs frequently throughout the day, please reach out to your doctor or another healthcare provider as this could be Clostridium Difficile associated diarrhea.
Lastly, Prilosec can be taken for more than 14 days but should only be done under the supervision of your doctor. In other words, self-treatment shouldn't continue for more than two weeks.
If you are finding it necessary to take Prilosec for more than 14 days to adequately control your symptoms, it would be prudent to go to your doctor to be evaluated and make sure nothing more serious is going on.
