Why is prilosec dangerous?

If you’re someone who enjoys stuffing yourself with burgers, burritos and pizza while streaming your favorite shows on Netflix, it’s highly probable that you’ve indulged in the use of heartburn medication a couple of times. Prilosec (Omeprazole) is one of these drugs which are available over the counter. But before popping another pill to provide relief from all that acidity in your gut, you should be aware about its potential detrimental effects on your health.

What Is Prilosec?

Prilosec belongs to a group of medications called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Its main function is reducing stomach acid production by inhibiting an enzyme process responsible for hydrogen ion transfer within cells lining the stomach walls. This leads to less acidic fluid refluxing into other organs as well as diminished symptoms like bloating or nausea; often caused by digestive disorders such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

From this description alone we can see why people would take prilosec; after all nobody wants indigestion or a debilitating stomach-ache just because they ate their favourite foods! However, there are plenty more reasons why taking prilosec might not be worth it – read on if you don’t believe us!

The Side Effects: Reason #1

Like most drugs, prilosec isn’t perfect either- there aren’t many things in life which are after all! It has been known to cause some unpleasant side effects; ranging from mildly annoying to downright dangerous.

Here are a few common ones:

  • Headaches
  • Diarrhea
  • Abdominal pain
  • Respiratory infections
  • Nausea

Note how every single entry contains at least one visceral sensation – headaches / abdominal pain etc.. These may seem like small inconveniences now but when combined together across timeframes beyond what is considered short-term, their collective impact can be so great that it severely impacts your daily ability to function.

The Side Effects: Reason #2

If you thought the previous side effects we mentioned were bad enough, get ready for round two! Prilosec has been linked to a long list of serious health issues such as,

  • Osteoporosis – increases the risk of femur fractures by 44%.
  • Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) – this isn’t reversible!
  • Hypersensitivity and Allergic reactions
  • Upper Respiratory Tract Infections
  • Vitamin B12 deficiency
  • Pneumonia
    Oh no… / hooboy… time to reconsider taking those pills?

Why Does It Affect Our Bones?

As for what causes prilosec to affect our bones in such catastrophic ways; it happens because acid secretion plays an important role in bone resorption. When acid levels are reduced by medications like prilosec, our body’s reserves usually opt to dump calcium phosphate into organs just because it ‘thinks’ there’s too much alkalinity present. This release of calcium leads directly towards osteoclast cell activity which goes on overdrive breaking down healthy bone tissue far more quickly than new cells can rebuild them leading ultimately towards fragile bones. An added disadvantage is that the same mechanism also disrupts fracture healing processes making you break more easily or experience longer downtimes post-injury!

Antacids vs H2 Blockers Vs PPIs

Antacids are compounds that neutralize stomach acids while Histamine-2 receptor antagonists (H2 blockers), such as Pepcid or Zantac help reduce the amount of digestive acid produced inside the stomach itself.

Let’s compare these options:

Med Name Advantage Disadvantage
Antacids Fast acting Needed to be taken often
H2 Blockers Moderate lasting relief from symptoms, fewer side effects than PPIs but depend on lifestyle factors (too much stress, smoking etc.) in controlling acid secretion. Does not provide the complete efficacy of prilosec
Prilosec (PPI) Most effective treatment against GERD and its associated complications like Barrett’s esophagus if to be believed with number of prescriptions written for it! Long term usage has been linked with various health conditions that may hinder your quality of life. Stronger dependence than Antacids or other OTC digestive medication

Why Do People Take It?

Now you might wonder why anyone would even risk taking something so dangerous then? For starters most people are looking for a quick fix – they want their stomach pain gone right when they pop the pill instead of waiting hours / perhaps days depending upon what treatment course is prescribed!

Moreover, doctors used to hand these medications out like candy in low dosages as soon as someone complained about heartburn without explaining all potential adverse outcomes accompanying long-term therapy; there just wasn’t enough data available back then especially regarding bone damage.

Not until recently and only after countless lawsuits was a proper caution put out stating how PPI use over long durations has inherent risks sometimes leading towards premature death itself.

What Else Should I Know Before Taking Prilosec

Apart from aforementioned side-effects there are still some more things worth knowing –

Interactions With Other Medications

It is very important that you talk with your doctor first before using prilosec together with any blood thinners or seizure drugs else sudden shifts in bleeding patterns may ensue saying nothing about unnecessary drug-induced fatigue which can affect everything from driving performance levels up through heightening confusion around decision-making abilities down below where focus and willpower are involved while avoiding GIGO situations – “Garbage In, Garbage Out”.

Not Safe During Pregnancy

Prilosec should not be taken by pregnant people because there is still limited research on how it may affect the growing fetus. If acid reflux occurs frequently during pregnancy, many healthcare practitioners offer alternatives to prilosec such as lifestyle interventions or H2-blockers.

Duration of Use Matters

Even if you’re taking white-list modern anti-acidic medication, doctors advise that only short term use – say around two weeks max- will prevent any unnecessary risks post your course completion date itself. But with Prilosec and other proton-pump inhibitors; a few months down the line can lead towards chronic kidney disease, Barrett’s esophagus (increased risk for throat cancer) and even changes towards intestinal microflora just due to lower proton activity levels.

The Takeaway

In conclusion, Prilosec isn’t a one size fits all solution. People have been using antacids or H2 blockers successfully for years without encountering significant negative side effects while millions more continue to do so across present times…so what’s really stopping us from switching over? Yes we understand that each patient deserves an individualized approach which recognizes their unique situation & needs … but why take undue high-risk alternative options where none exist! Think twice before popping those pills next time or at least make sure there are safe (relative) alternatives available or mind reaching out unto qualified medical professionals as some things never worth compromising..right?!

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