Omeprazole and Headaches: What Users Say

• Fam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 13, 2021

For GERD "I've been taking this pill for 3 weeks. Started to feel dizziness, headache, and lightheaded. Loss of appetite, chills, tingling, brain fog, and feels like being drunk all the time. Has been hit hard. Off the meds for 3 weeks. And still feel woozy and drunk. The meds haven't worn off yet. Anyone know what to do at the moment?"

• Anonymous
• November 7, 2020

For GERD "I went to the ENT doctor because I was having trouble swallowing my saliva. So, she stuck a tube up my nose. After she was done and told me the back of my throat was red, and I have severe acid reflux. Before coming to the ENT doctor, I suffer from anxiety & depression already. Not knowing the drugs she prescribed me would make that worse, I took omeprazole for 6 days. The side effects I couldn't deal with - my anxiety got worse, I got more depressed, my eyes felt dilated, I got a headache, diarrhea, woke up and my arms were slightly aching without me doing anything. Also, having to clear my throat with nothing in my throat to be cleared and loss of appetite. I will never take omeprazole again. I'm going to try the natural way to hopefully leave my system soon."

• liq...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 11, 2019

For GERD "I never had acid reflux in my life. Was given omeprazole while in the hospital for 3 days. Heart-related issue. Dr. wrote me a prescription for it. I have no clue why. When I tried to stop taking it, I had acid reflux really bad, so I continued to take it. Lost 30 pounds in a month. Started to have muscle spasms, headaches, complete unwellness, and lost a lot of muscle mass. I was finally able to get off omeprazole. Started to gain weight back and I look healthy. This is a very bad drug from a nutritional standpoint. Will never take it again."

• Moo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 16, 2019

For GERD "I started taking this medicine four days ago. It makes my whole system feel suppressed. Shortness of breath, I feel dizzy, tired and like I am going to pass out. I have pressure on both sides of my head and a headache plus palpitations, it’s a really horrible drug. I cannot wait for it to leave my system. I feel so ill."

• Jai...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 11, 2020

For GERD "I've been on Omeprazole going on 10 years. No one ever mentioned anemia or any of the other problems that can come from this medication. I've been trying to get off this med for close to a year. Went down from 40mg to 20 mg, not too bad. Now trying to get off 20mg. For the last week, I've had chills, headaches, diarrhea, extreme heartburn, anxiety, body aches, exhaustion, and depression. This is awful. It helped reflux but at quite a price. B12, MAGNESIUM, FERRETIN SHOULD ALL BE MONITORED WHILE ON THIS MED. I had a hysterectomy and gallbladder removed in the last 5 years and wonder if those surgeries could have been avoided."

• Dai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 19, 2020

For GERD "I had taken omeprazole years ago for acid reflux and had no side effects. I recently started taking it again (20 mg) and I’m on day 4. Something changed. My anxiety is very bad. Like bad! I’m out of it, feeling like I’m not in the real world. I’m dizzy and my body aches. Horrible headaches too! And I’m extremely depressed. I’m going to stop taking it tomorrow, and hopefully, I start to feel better this week. Hopefully, I don’t have withdrawals or anything. Couldn’t be worse than this anyway. I’m going to give it a 3 just because it worked years ago for me with no side effects."

• TTT...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 25, 2021

For GERD "Worst experience, only been 8 days, and I feel breathless all day! I’ve had so many panic attacks, which I think are because of the breathlessness. It has made me constantly anxious about it, then causing panic attacks. I have the worst headache, and my eyes just feel strange, only on 20 mg in the morning! And I’m stopping it straight away! I’m sure it works well for some, but it’s a no from me! My doctor told me to up it to 40 mg as it’s just my GERD, but I know it’s not!"

• Jef...
• November 3, 2019

For GERD "I was just prescribed omeprazole this week. The first day I took it, I thought it was magic. Suddenly, my terrible, nightly heartburn was completely gone. Unfortunately, the side effects are numerous, immediate, and simply not worth it! It gave me a constant headache, messed up my sleep, made me feel a constant lingering nausea, and made me feel emotional emptiness, anxiety, and sluggishness. I usually take ibuprofen for headaches, and it works very well. It would not touch the headaches caused by omeprazole. Also, my normal remedies for feeling anxiety or stress did not work at all. I have a few go-to substances that usually totally wipe it out. Neither worked. So after very little sleep for three days, a constant headache, feeling like I needed to throw up, and a major increase in anxiety along with empty and hopeless feelings, I have stopped taking the omeprazole. It is back to antacids for me and some needed diet changes. This stuff is horrible!!!"

• DDa...
• March 5, 2021

For Barrett's Esophagus "I was taking Pantoprazole and having serious side effects. Omeprazole is so much better so far. I have to take 20 mg, 2 times daily, or I get a bad headache. I have Barrett's esophagus, and it's pretty bad. I have to watch what I eat, or I get serious upper middle chest pain. I always have trouble with medication. Sending prayers to everyone who has this. It is not fun at all."

• Luc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 15, 2023

For GERD "Awful side effects. The fatigue was off the scale, severe headaches and stomach pains. I won't take them ever again. I was on them only for 2 weeks. I stopped them, and 4 days later started to feel normal. I thought my GERD was worsening, but it wasn’t, it was these pills. I would advise anyone not to take them."

• kle...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 11, 2022

For Hiatal Hernia "I had the camera by mouth, told that I have a small hiatal hernia. I've been taking lansoprazole for 20 mg twice a day and was feeling so bad. I had nausea, muscle pain, headache, anxiety, and after I told the doctor, he told me to change to omeprazole, which the first days it was okay, but after 1 week it started to cause so much anxiety, numbness in my foot, sweating all over my body. It's so horrible. It still doesn’t work, and I still have the symptoms as before in my stomach. I've been on PPI medication for 1 month, nothing has changed, just getting worse."

• Anonymous
• January 22, 2012

Omeprazole "I took this medicine for an acidity problem, especially overnight. After 10 days, acidity feels less, but I had an adverse drug reaction: fever, joint pain in my hips, lower back pain, duodenal discomfort, diarrhea, fatigue, and some side effects: headache and nausea."

• Liz...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 19, 2022

For GERD "On omeprazole for GERD, 40 mg, and for 4 months, I thought I was going to die. I had anxiety attacks every night and could hardly breathe. Headaches, drooling, coughing, choking, and had no energy and a rotten taste in my mouth, and throat burning up, so I couldn't speak. I refuse to stay on tablets, instead, I am going to watch my diet and lose weight. Any tests I had showed clear, so it was tablet side effects making me worse. Natural products are best."

• Sas...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 18, 2019

For GERD "Dr. recommended omeprazole for GERD symptoms. I felt fine this morning (other than GERD) and so took my first ever omeprazole pill and got a severe headache and dizziness. Can't wait for this to be out of my system!! I have no idea if this works, but I won't be using it again."

• jad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 24, 2020

For Stomach Ulcer "I was prescribed omeprazole in the past, and it worked wonders. However, this time I have no end of bad side effects. I was having panic attacks for no reason at all. I was having night sweats, extremely dry mouth, no appetite whatsoever, and lost 16 pounds in 11 days. I also had a constant headache alongside dizziness and couldn't even drink sips of water. I decided to stop taking the medication, and three days off it now, I haven't had any of these symptoms, and I am starting to eat small amounts and feeling a lot better but not yet 100%."

• yiz...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 17, 2018

For GERD "I had developed GERD a few months ago and also had my gallbladder removed. Since I started omeprazole, within 2 weeks, I started having anxiety and headaches. However, it does control the acid reflux, but it's the side effects I do not care for. When I started weaning myself from it, my anxiety and headaches started disappearing. I will be consulting with my doctor about alternatives that will not give me the same symptoms."

• Jan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 5, 2019

For GERD "I’ve only been taking omeprazole for 1 week. I noticed I started to have headaches, dizziness, and a sick feeling. I immediately stopped taking it. I already have anxiety attacks, so to add those symptoms didn’t make it any better. The heartburn I was feeling did go away, but I just can’t deal with the dizziness, etc. I’d rather treat naturally."

• Aar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 14, 2022

For GERD "Do not take this or any other PPI! I’m dead serious when I say this, either doctors bury their heads in the sand or they know and just don’t care what this does to some people. How in the heck does a PPI that is supposed to control stomach acid affect your head and heart? I’ve had all of these same symptoms as everyone else on here. Headaches out of nowhere, uneasiness feeling when lying down, feeling like a weight on my chest at night. When I’m about to fall asleep, something in my body shocks and I gasp for air-just craziness. I tried PAN for 30 days, and a week after it must have caused bad bacteria in my stomach because for 1.5 weeks I was bloated every day and burped nonstop… for the first time in my life. That happened on and off for 2 months, but the doctor wanted me to try it again to get rid of chronic gastritis once and for all. Four days in, all the symptoms again, but on Omeprazole this time… it was actually worse than I remember on PAN."

• sna...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 11, 2019

For Gastritis/Duodenitis "Been on this medication, omeprazole, for two months and just went off two weeks ago. Started to get flu-like symptoms. Went to the doctor twice, one time he said that it was allergies, and he gave me a Kenalog 40 shot. Two days later, I went back, and he said now I have a viral sinus infection. I've been off work for a week and I finally went online and did some research, and I found out this is most likely withdrawal symptoms. I've been having heartburn, pain near my belly button, chills, stomach growling, fatigue, sweats, burning in my legs, jaw pain, headaches, diarrhea, and shakiness. My urine color is good, and I am not having bloody stools, so I know that I'm not having major issues. These PPIs are really bad since the side effects are worse than what is supposed to be treating."

• Isa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 7, 2021

For GERD "I was on this medicine for 3 weeks, ever since I missed my period, fatigue, depression, diarrhea, headaches, cough, extreme abdominal pain (feels like a constant dull food poisoning feeling), and definitely mood changes. I was diagnosed with silent acid reflux GERD. I’m really hoping there is another medicine I can take or a home remedy I can try. Side effects from this medicine are not fun to deal with."

• 2nd...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 12, 2016

For GERD "The VA prescribed this medication, have been using it for over a year. I found that excessive gas was experienced, also diarrhea, dizziness, bad headaches. When I stopped using this prescription, the bad side effects went away. Now to find something that works for the GERD without all the bad side effects."

• Cas...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 4, 2020

For Duodenal Ulcer "I’m going to give this 3 stars solely because it does help with ulcer/reflux pain. But the side effects are crazy. I’m typically not one to ever experience side effects from medication, but this one was a totally different story. I had pins and needles in my hands and feet constantly, weird sensations all over my body, headaches, dizziness, terrible anxiety, and stomach cramps. I literally have a neurologist appointment this month because I had convinced myself I had MS. I’ve been off of it for 5 days now, and today is the first day I can somewhat confidently say that I feel a little better. All of this started the day after I began omeprazole."

• goa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 26, 2020

For Gastritis/Duodenitis "I believe the medicine worked, but began to experience terrible side effects after three weeks: chest pain that radiated to my back, night sweats, dizziness, headache, loss of appetite. I stopped for two days, and symptoms began to clear up."

• But...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 23, 2019

For Gastritis/Duodenitis "I had an endoscopy done and was told I have gastritis and a hiatal hernia. I was given omeprazole, 20 mg twice daily. I felt better, it worked. I was feeling like myself again. But it's been over 9 months, and I feel that long-term use is causing some bad side effects - headaches, dizziness, constipation, and flatulence. I thought the gastritis was getting worse or my hernia. But then I stopped taking the omeprazole 20 mg. It's been 2 days, and I feel like myself again. I'm thinking taking this medicine for a long time will start causing you to feel sick."

• pai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 31, 2018

For GERD "Started taking because of side effects from another medication that caused pain and dryness in the throat. My pain in my stomach and abdomen got worse, and so did headaches. The dizziness came back that I had in the first place. Never had heartburn, but now I do. I'm just wondering how long it will take to get rid of the damage this omeprazole has done. I'm only on 2 other meds, and they have nothing to do with my stomach or intestines. I know 2 other people that have the same side effects that I have, and some other people got off it."