Helicobacter Forums

HI:

I had posted a question last week about Omeprazole, being prescribed by my gastroenerologist one a day at 40 mg.

Was told on this forum it wasnt as good as 20 mg b.i.d., since blood levels go down. But both the pharmacist and my doctor's office said it would have same result. And same success rate. As long as total daily is 40 mg Receptionist at gastro's office said he usually prescribes it like this for H.Pylori to cut down on the number of pills a day--since patients are already taking so many..

My question is: There's over-the -counter product "Prilosec"-- which is brand name for Omeprazole-- which provides 20mg of delayed release tablets. I bought this thinking this might be a way to break it up to 20 mg every 12 hours, as was suggested here.


BUT: Is this OTC Omeprazole really as good (or better) than how I'm now taking it? Might the Omeprazole one gets via prescription be of a different grade and be somehow different from the medically prescribed form? Or that the OTC form is in tablets and not capsules?

If it's just as good I'm tempted to switch over to t?hose time-release tablets. On the other hand, who would know better than my gastro? And he prescribed it as 40 mg /once daily

the prilosec will be the same, as long as you take 2 tablets (20 mg), 2 times a day.

Follow up question:

If I continue taking the 40mg Omeprazole (as prescribed) at night and then i take another 20mg of the OTC Prilosec 12 hours later, would I then be taking too high a dose? It would be a total of 60 mg/day. Is that too high a daily dose?

I have only one more week left of this triple therapy regimen and I want to optimize the eradication success

Prof. Marshall usually prescribe rabeprazole 20 mg, three times a day. But it would be best if you inform your doctor first. after all, he is responsible for the medication prescribed to you.