Question: I've been on Omeprazole for many years (hiatal hernia and GERD) and started having palpitations and arrhythmias on a daily basis since the middle of February. I've been wearing an event monitor for the month of April, and have been told by the nurses when I call them that the arrhythmia are not dangerous, and that it's just early beats, not A-Fib, which is what my PCP suspected. (I've had A-Fib twice and self-converted in the ER very quickly both times, once in 2005 and once a year ago.) My chiropractor suggested that the arrhythmias may be caused by the Omeprazole (10mg) and I begin reading about how dangerous PPIs are ~~ so I researched stopping the Omeprazole and begin taking Pepcid instead. The Pepcid was fine until I took it this morning and then again tonight. Both times I feel my heart pounding in my ears, my chest, and my stomach and I feel very nervous and jittery for a number of hours. Could I be developing an allergic reaction or a sensitivity to Pepcid? I didn't react this way when I first started taking it last week. Would taking Benedryl help this reaction go away or should I just wait it out ~~ it took about 6 hours for the morning's discomfort to disappear, and now that it's happened a second time, I suspect that I should not take it again. I do not want to go back on the Omeprazole after hearing about kidney failure, dementia, and arrhythmias (even heart attacks) that it can cause.

I've been on Omeprazole for many years (hiatal hernia and GERD) and started having palpitations and arrhythmias on a daily basis since the middle of February. I've been wearing an event monitor for the month of April, and have been told by the nurses when I call them that the arrhythmia are not dangerous, and that it's just early beats, not A-Fib, which is what my PCP suspected. (I've had A-Fib twice and self-converted in the ER very quickly both times, once in 2005 and once a year ago.) My chiropractor suggested that the arrhythmias may be caused by the Omeprazole (10mg) and I begin reading about how dangerous PPIs are ~~ so I researched stopping the Omeprazole and begin taking Pepcid instead. The Pepcid was fine until I took it this morning and then again tonight. Both times I feel my heart pounding in my ears, my chest, and my stomach and I feel very nervous and jittery for a number of hours. Could I be developing an allergic reaction or a sensitivity to Pepcid? I didn't react this way when I first started taking it last week. Would taking Benedryl help this reaction go away or should I just wait it out ~~ it took about 6 hours for the morning's discomfort to disappear, and now that it's happened a second time, I suspect that I should not take it again. I do not want to go back on the Omeprazole after hearing about kidney failure, dementia, and arrhythmias (even heart attacks) that it can cause.

I've never used Gaviscon and am not familiar with it. Is it similar to Tums, which I have been using? Is Tums OK to use, or would Gaviscon be superior? On sites where discussions of PPI Rebound is discussed, DGL Licorice is often mentioned as a helpful alternative. Do you have a positive recommendation for that product?

I've never used Gaviscon and am not familiar with it. Is it similar to Tums, which I have been using? Is Tums OK to use, or would Gaviscon be superior? On sites where discussions of PPI Rebound is discussed, DGL Licorice is often mentioned as a helpful alternative. Do you have a positive recommendation for that product?

I should mention that I did not get much sleep last night, and I woke up with the usual palpitations, but am also very cold, shaking and shivering. Could this be part of the Pepcid side effects, or more of the Rebound from going off of Omeprazole? I probably should have spent more time weaning myself off of the Omeprazole by taking it every other day, every 3 days, every 4 days, etc. but the first week without it seemed so easy (along with the Pepcid) that I thought that because the 10mg was such a small dose, it might be easier to just drop it. But I have been on it for many years ~~ originally 20 mg, then 40mg by a different doctor, then 20 again with my most recent PCP, and I talked her into just taking 10 when I discovered that it could be ordered in 10mg. But when I heard about how dangerous it could be after taking it long-term, I wanted to be rid of it ASAP!

I should mention that I did not get much sleep last night, and I woke up with the usual palpitations, but am also very cold, shaking and shivering. Could this be part of the Pepcid side effects, or more of the Rebound from going off of Omeprazole? I probably should have spent more time weaning myself off of the Omeprazole by taking it every other day, every 3 days, every 4 days, etc. but the first week without it seemed so easy (along with the Pepcid) that I thought that because the 10mg was such a small dose, it might be easier to just drop it. But I have been on it for many years ~~ originally 20 mg, then 40mg by a different doctor, then 20 again with my most recent PCP, and I talked her into just taking 10 when I discovered that it could be ordered in 10mg. But when I heard about how dangerous it could be after taking it long-term, I wanted to be rid of it ASAP!

I think that I had a blood test for thyroid function. I also had a 24-hour urine collection test and I don't know what that was for ~~ could that have been for thyroid, too? Anyway, whatever those tests were for, I think that they came out OK. I had surgery on parathyoid adenomas back in 1996, but I no longer have insurance for the doctor who treated me for that problem and who did thorough thyroid checks, too. I suspect that my PCP might have checked only one thyroid function, rather than the whole panel.

At this point I have stopped both the Omeprazole and the Pepcid as you suggested, and I am researching the best foods to eat (and those to not eat) when it comes to acid reflux.

My palpitations are much less annoying and not as pounding and tiring, and my heartbeat seems to be more steady and even, now that I am not taking either Omeprazole or Pepcid. But food choices to avoid the rebound heartburn are very limited.

I looked up Gaviscon and discovered that it has aluminum in it ~~ that seems like something that wouldn't be good to ingest. Isn't that harmful?

I think that I had a blood test for thyroid function. I also had a 24-hour urine collection test and I don't know what that was for ~~ could that have been for thyroid, too? Anyway, whatever those tests were for, I think that they came out OK. I had surgery on parathyoid adenomas back in 1996, but I no longer have insurance for the doctor who treated me for that problem and who did thorough thyroid checks, too. I suspect that my PCP might have checked only one thyroid function, rather than the whole panel.

At this point I have stopped both the Omeprazole and the Pepcid as you suggested, and I am researching the best foods to eat (and those to not eat) when it comes to acid reflux.

My palpitations are much less annoying and not as pounding and tiring, and my heartbeat seems to be more steady and even, now that I am not taking either Omeprazole or Pepcid. But food choices to avoid the rebound heartburn are very limited.

I looked up Gaviscon and discovered that it has aluminum in it ~~ that seems like something that wouldn't be good to ingest. Isn't that harmful?

Thank you so much for your answers. Since you are not a cardiologist you might not wish to express an opinion about this, but do you think that Omeprazole could be the cause of my arrhythmias (which is what my chiropractor believes?) And if so, would I still have arrhythmias after not taking it anymore (it will be 2 weeks tomorrow since I had my last PPI.) I'm just wondering if I should still be having arrhythmias once I am no longer taking the Omeprazole.
Or, since the acid rebound can happen for long periods of time after not taking Omeprazole, can it also still contribute to arrhythmias for a period of time, even though I am no longer taking it?
I was on Omeprazole for many years, maybe longer than a decade, but my last years were only 10mg. daily. Would that contribute toward my acid reflux healing quicker than if I had been on a stronger dose before I quit taking it?
I really appreciate the time that you have taken to answer my questions! Thank you!

Thank you so much for your answers. Since you are not a cardiologist you might not wish to express an opinion about this, but do you think that Omeprazole could be the cause of my arrhythmias (which is what my chiropractor believes?) And if so, would I still have arrhythmias after not taking it anymore (it will be 2 weeks tomorrow since I had my last PPI.) I'm just wondering if I should still be having arrhythmias once I am no longer taking the Omeprazole.
Or, since the acid rebound can happen for long periods of time after not taking Omeprazole, can it also still contribute to arrhythmias for a period of time, even though I am no longer taking it?
I was on Omeprazole for many years, maybe longer than a decade, but my last years were only 10mg. daily. Would that contribute toward my acid reflux healing quicker than if I had been on a stronger dose before I quit taking it?
I really appreciate the time that you have taken to answer my questions! Thank you!

Earlier you asked if I was tested for Thyroid function. Our "Portals" have been changed recently, so I had to re-register to see if I had a Thyroid function test, and I did have blood drawn for that purpose on March 8. (My problems began with an ER visit on February 13 for suddenly high blood pressure, which resulted in a couple of changes of blood pressure medication after that, and several visits to the ER after that for arrhythmias that were diagnosed as "Panic Attacks" (because I feared that I was experiencing A-Fib or a heart attack because of arrhythmias that were suddenly so frequent and fast, hard-pounding, and long-lasting ~~ sometimes lasting for 12 or more hours at a time instead of an occasional one or two hours which had been my usual "Panic Attack" occurrence before this began in February.

ASSAY, FREE THYROXINE ..... Component T4, FREE ....... 1.0 ng/dL
ASSAY THYROID STIM HORMONE ..... Component TSH ..... 1.009 mcUnits/mL

I have not seen my PCP since then, so I really don't know the significance of those Thyroid numbers, or if they would be related to my arrhythmias.

Earlier you asked if I was tested for Thyroid function. Our "Portals" have been changed recently, so I had to re-register to see if I had a Thyroid function test, and I did have blood drawn for that purpose on March 8. (My problems began with an ER visit on February 13 for suddenly high blood pressure, which resulted in a couple of changes of blood pressure medication after that, and several visits to the ER after that for arrhythmias that were diagnosed as "Panic Attacks" (because I feared that I was experiencing A-Fib or a heart attack because of arrhythmias that were suddenly so frequent and fast, hard-pounding, and long-lasting ~~ sometimes lasting for 12 or more hours at a time instead of an occasional one or two hours which had been my usual "Panic Attack" occurrence before this began in February.

ASSAY, FREE THYROXINE ..... Component T4, FREE ....... 1.0 ng/dL
ASSAY THYROID STIM HORMONE ..... Component TSH ..... 1.009 mcUnits/mL

I have not seen my PCP since then, so I really don't know the significance of those Thyroid numbers, or if they would be related to my arrhythmias.