I started taking Prilosec under direction of a gastroenterologist in 1992, which I think may have been very close to the when it was first available. I had severe Barrett's Esophagus and was having emergency endoscopies about once a year. I took it 365 days a year from about 1996 until early this year. The scarring in my esophagus has almost completely healed, which is wonderful. Unfortunately, I also now have low B-12 levels, low iron levels, constant fatigue, and muscular non-arthritic pain. When I stopped the Prilosec, much of the muscle pain stopped as well. I think there is a strong possibility of a connection, but no doctor even told me of the B-12 connection, which is in fact well-documented. However, if you have been on Prilosec steadily for a long time, you cannot just discontinue it. Please do talk to a doctor first. There is a severe rebound effect and you have to do it very slowly. I am still taking some Prilosec after 6 months because I can't quite manage without it. Published: September 29, 2008 ::

The Prilosec worked well controlling my GERD. But in the literature there is conflicting information. They seem to mention that you should only take it for 14 days except for certain conditions, but they sell it over the counter in 30 day increments. I took it for 4 months not knowing this. I had some stomach distress (nausea) at times. The worst was that my ankles and feet started swelling and my liver enzymes shot up. After reviewing literature on the internet I discovered that a) I probably took it too long. b)It can cause serious liver issues in some patients and c) When I quit taking it my stomach produced WAY more acid than it had previously. Almost like it was making up for lost time. I have been off of it for a month and my swelling is gone. I will find our about the liver function in a week. The acid reflux is still worse than before the Prilosec, but it's calming down a bit each day. Advice: make sure you keep an eye on your liver function. It's not a common reaction, but it is mentioned as a very serious potential reaction in the literature. Published: June 09, 2008 ::

This medication and others like it cause water weight gain in the feet, hands and especially the mid-section (belly) which only complicates the problem of pressure related to the stomach and esophogus. Not to mention the joint pain due to all of the excess fluid. Lethargy always accompanies drug use. We trade one disease for another unless the drug is a cure for the disease (which these medicines are not). Furthermore, once you stop taking it, the buringing is worse than ever before and so you almost become addicted to using it. I wonder how many folks have a malfunctioning gall bladder which is causing the problem and therefore these medications are only a band-aide fix for a larger concern. Also, these types of medications, including other anti-acids cause your bones to be weak. Counter to what we have been told about anti-acids being good sources of calcium. Perhaps, but your body needs the acid to rid the bones of old bone material. Otherwise, it just keeps building up causing bones to become brittle. Published: June 25, 2008 ::

I have been taking this drug for a year to help me with my acid reflux. It works very well for that but it has cause side effects for me that I have endured over the last year and was not able to pin point until recently. It caused me to become vitamin D deficient, I gained about 30 pounds, I have experience hair loss and my joints and muscles have been weak and in pain for a year. I decided to try not taking this product for a few days to see if my joint and muscle symtoms would clear up and they are. Follow the directions on the packet. Do not exceed 14 days of treatment unless your doctor prescribes it. Published: March 31, 2008 ::

I took Prilosec/Prevacid for 7 years and found that when you try to wean off you'll experience acid rebound and it's 100x worse than regular reflux. It made me extremely sick. I also found out that I have osteoporosis after years of taking these pills and have since read articles linking these drugs to bone loss. If you have reflux, you may want to have a HIDA scan to check your gallbladder. About a year ago, I had my gallbladder removed and the reflux is almost gone & can be controlled with just Zantac. Published: March 23, 2008 ::

This medication has greatly helped my acidic stomach issues but I am now concerned about some side effects that may be related to this med. I, too, am experiencing hair loss and lack of energy. I have also been diagnosed with anemia but with not apparent cause. Recently I have also experienced a generalized anxiety. I am wondering if these symptoms are related to the prilosec. I have also had major issues with frequent sinus infections and noticed that one of the side effects of prilosec is sinus issues, although this is rare. My thyroid checks out o.k. Anybody have any of these same experiences? Published: March 19, 2008 ::