How and when to take omeprazole - Brand names: Losec, Losec MUPS, Pyrocalm

Always follow instructions from your doctor, or the instructions inside the pack on how to take it.

Dosage and strength

Each tablet or capsule contains 10mg, 20mg or 40mg of omeprazole. Liquid omeprazole comes labelled as either 2mg/1ml or 4mg/1ml.

The usual dose to treat:

• indigestion is 10mg to 20mg a day
• heartburn and acid reflux is 20mg to 40mg a day
• stomach ulcers is 20mg to 40mg a day
• Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is 20mg to 120mg a day

Doses are usually lower for children and people with liver problems.

Changes to your dose

Sometimes your doctor will increase your dose of omeprazole if it is not working well enough.

Depending on the reason you take omeprazole, you may take a higher dose to begin with, usually for a few weeks.

After this, your doctor may recommend that you take a lower dose.

How to take it

You’ll usually take omeprazole once a day, first thing in the morning. It will not affect your stomach, so you can take it with or without food.

If you take omeprazole twice a day, take 1 dose in the morning and 1 dose in the evening.

Swallow tablets and capsules whole with a drink of water or squash.

If you have problems swallowing capsules, most brands of omeprazole capsules are easy to open. This means you can empty the granules inside and mix them into a small amount of water or squash. You could also sprinkle them on soft food, such as yoghurt or apple puree.

Talk to your pharmacist if you're not sure whether you can open your capsules.

Omeprazole also comes as a tablet that melts in your mouth.

You can buy omeprazole 20mg tablets from pharmacies and supermarkets. You cannot buy omeprazole capsules, they are prescription only.

Omeprazole tablets that you buy from pharmacies or supermarkets can be taken by adults for up to 14 days.

Liquid omeprazole can be prescribed by a doctor for children and people who cannot swallow capsules or tablets.

If you or your child is taking omeprazole as a liquid, it will usually be made up for you by your pharmacist. It will come with a syringe or spoon to help you take the right amount. If you do not have a syringe or spoon, ask your pharmacist for one. Do not use a kitchen teaspoon because it will not measure the right amount.

How long to take it for

If you bought the medicine yourself from a pharmacy or supermarket, you can take it for up to 14 days. If you feel no better after taking omeprazole for 14 days, tell your doctor. They may want to do tests to find out what's causing your symptoms or change you to a different medicine.

Depending on your condition 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 do not 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 for a short time to treat symptoms is not suitable for everyone. Talk to your doctor about what's best for you.

If you forget to take it

If you usually take it once a day, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it’s 12 hours or less to your next dose, do not take it.

If you usually take it twice a day, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it’s 4 hours or less to your next dose, do not take it.

Do not take 2 doses to make up for a forgotten one.

If you forget doses often, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine.

Stopping omeprazole

Usually, you can stop taking omeprazole without reducing your dose first. But if you've been taking omeprazole for a long time, speak to your doctor before you stop taking it. Stopping suddenly could make your stomach produce a lot more acid, and make your symptoms come back.

Reducing the dose gradually before stopping completely will prevent this happening.

If you take too much

It's very unlikely that taking 1 or 2 extra doses by accident will cause any problems.

But you should check if you are worried.