Does taking omeprazole for a long time cause stomach cancer? If you're constantly tethered to the toilet, or if you see blood in your stool, it's time to give your doctor a call.If the answer to "What's that smell?!" For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet.Do not take St John's wort, the herbal remedy for depression, while you're taking omeprazole.St John's wort may stop omeprazole working as well as it should.Tell your pharmacist or doctor if you're taking other medicines, including herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements.Omeprazole is a type of medicine called a proton pump inhibitor (PPI).Proton pumps are tiny substances in the lining of the stomach that help it make acid to digest food.Omeprazole prevents proton pumps working properly. One possible remedy is to try taking the pill just before your meal instead of first thing in the morning, according to the Headaches are a potential side effect of many, many medications and antacids are no exception, Ravella says. But if you're feeling so wiped out not even an extra nap would help, it's time to raise the red flag. If you don't have a syringe or spoon, ask your pharmacist for one.Do not use a kitchen teaspoon as it will not give the right amount.Sometimes your doctor will increase your dose of omeprazole if it isn't working well enough.Depending on the reason you take omeprazole, you may take a higher dose to begin with, usually for a month or two.After this, your doctor may recommend that you take a lower dose.If you bought the medicine yourself from a pharmacy, tell your doctor if you feel no better after taking omeprazole for 2 weeks.They may want to do tests to find out what's causing your symptoms or change you to a different medicine.Depending on your illness or the reason you're taking omeprazole, you may only need it for a few weeks or months.Sometimes you might need to take it for longer, even for many years.Some people don't need to take omeprazole every day and take it only when they have symptoms.Once you feel better (often after a few days or weeks), you can stop taking it.But taking omeprazole in this way isn't suitable for everyone. The list below contains recalls that were issued in 2019. A small number of women may develop a rash as a side effect of omperazole, Ravella says. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine.It's very unlikely that taking 1 or 2 extra doses by accident will cause any problems.But you should check with your doctor if you have taken too much and have any of these symptoms:Most people who take omeprazole don't have any side effects. Talk to your doctor about what's best for you.Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.If you forget doses often, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. Over-the-counter (OTC) PPIs include Prilosec OTC (omeprazole), Zegerid OTC (omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate), and Prevacid 24HR (lansoprazole). Women's Health may earn commission from the links on this page, but we only feature products we believe in. Women's Health participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. The recall applies ONLY to Zentiva product.Not to Omeprazole products from: The Boots Company PLC Dexcel AstraZeneca UK Limited Discovery Pharmaceuticals Actavis UK Ltd Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (UK) Ltd ISSUE : FDA notified healthcare professionals and the public that prescription proton pump inhibitor (PPI) drugs may cause low serum magnesium levels (hypomagnesemia) if taken for prolonged periods of time (in most cases, longer … They work in the same way as omeprazole to reduce acid in your stomach.They generally work as well, and have similar side effects, as omeprazole. This is because omeprazole may hide some of the problems that would usually be spotted during an endoscopy.It's usual to take omeprazole once a day, first thing in the morning.