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Had Stomach Aches. Food Allergies Negative. Started Prilosec But When Given Higher Dose Get Loose Stools. Suggest?

Posted on Wed, 9 Oct 2013

Question: Hi. My son had complained about stomach aches all this past summer. We tested for food allergies that came back negative. So we scheduled with a GI doctor and in the mean time my pediatrician said he could start prilosec to see if It would help. He was on a half dose for a while and did well but when I upped his dose he started to get loose stools and smelly gas. He has been off them for 11 days and has increasingly more loose stools up to 6 times a day. some of them being in the middle of the night. I am very concerned that the prilosec messed up his stomach.

Answered by Dr. Irshad H Naqvi (24 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Quite often PPI (omperazole)causes diarrhea.

Detailed Answer:
Hi Dear XXXXX

Welcome at XXXXXXX

Prilosec (omperazole) often causes loose and frothy stools. But it is a good PPI.
If the child is not able to tolerate Prilosec then one can try ranitidne.

Ranitidine has got some lower incidences of GIT upset.

Though there are lots of causes of Pain in abdomen but hyperacidity is now days very common which usually responds to dietary changes along with PPI etc.

Some investigations like stool Routine and Microscopic Exam to rule out worm infestation, Absolute Eosinphil Counts, ESR, Mantoux Test, Ultrasound Scanning for whole abdomen to rule out any Mesentric lymphadinopathy or fluid inside the abdominal cavity.

Hope the query is answered

Repeat clarification are welcomed.

Thanks

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Irshad H Naqvi (28 minutes later)

Would it also be common that after discontinuing Prilosec he woul d have an increase in loose stools. He has been off of it for 11 days and never had these types of problems beforehand, just general stomach complaints but never gas and loose stools. If it was causes by the prilosec how long should I expect loose stools to last after he has stopped. Again it has been 11 days sense he stopped Prilosec. Thanks,

Answered by Dr. Irshad H Naqvi (35 hours later)

Brief Answer:
stop PPI add some GIT (gastrointestinal tract) infection medicine .

Detailed Answer:
Dear friend

Sorry for the delay in answering, it was due to some unavoidable reason.

Prilosec induced symptoms usually respond in 3-4 days after stopping the drug. In your son's case, the prolonged symptoms may be due to other causes too. I would consider concurrent GIT infection as a likely possibility. This condition can be easily dealt with antiamoebic drug and some relevant antibiotic for GIT infection (metronidazole and Ofloxacin syp). I would also start probiotic therapy using lactobacillus supplements and yoghurt.

Off course the presence of infection can be confirmed with stool routine - microscope examination and culture sensitivity. You can discuss about this possibility with his treating doctor.

Hope the query is answered.

Further clarification is welcome.

Thanks

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad