Caffeine, Prilosec, and acid pain

Hi,

I am almost 3 years post surgery and everything is going well. I've lost 100lbs and loving life. The only problem I have is that I cannot get off Prilosec (Omeprazole). I have tried several times. 

Originally, I was prescribed 2 times daily for the first 3 months. I experienced a lot of pain when I stopped taking it after the 3 months. And my doc told me to just keep taking it. So I have gradually taken less and less and can make it every other day with 1 pill. If I go 2 days, the pain is back. 

There was a recent study about a correlation between dementia and kidney problems with long term use of Omeprazole, so I am trying to stop taking it. 

So yesterday I had my annual appointment with someone new, and she insisted that I try harder to stop taking Omeprazole ASAP. She said that caffeine is the culprit of my acid pain and to stop drinking coffee! Uugh!

So I'm trying decaf as of today. 

Has anyone had a problem with coffee? I did switch to decaf before and after my surgery but let it creep back into my routine. Coffee is literally the only vice I have! 

yes, caffiene bothers my reflux. Decaf doesn't. 

I hope you feel better soon!  In my case - getting WLS in the Fall and was told only decaf coffee for life.

Yes, caffeine gave me gastritis. I now limit myself to 1 or 2 coffees a day and the rest is decaf. I've been doing this for a year now and I've been fine. You do not want to mess around. An ulcer in your blind stomac would not be good. 

Jen

I came to the painful realization that I just cannot have coffee ever again last week. Stopping coffee hurts my heart (figuratively) but I realize that drinking coffee hurts my heart (literally). 

I hate to say this, but coffee itself is a gastric irritant, so for many (most?) people, switching to decaf doesn't make reflux go away.  I hope you are one of the lucky ones where switching to decaf does the trick!

Chocolate and any form of oils are other common triggers.

If coffee is your only trigger, maybe taking a Rolaids (the white kind with calcium carbonate + magnesium hydroxide is both safest (no aluminum in the colorants) and least likely to cause constipation) just before or after the coffee would help?  I don't know any reason why your dr would say not to try it, but it's always good to ask before changing any meds or adding any supplements.

If you like tea, it has a gentler caffeine kick than coffee but also is not a common reflux trigger. And it's full of healthful phytonutrients. A good English Breakfast or Irish Breakfast tea, brewed strong with just-boiled water (but not more than 3 minutes or it gets bitter), with milk/cream and a touch of sweetener provides a very similar "ritual" as coffee.

Try cold brew coffee. It tastes great and it is less acid. 

I put my decaf in a car and let it sit for a day or so, strain it and then heat it up. Yummy and doesn't hurt the tummy!