A pharmacist has issued a fresh warning about the dangers of self-medicating with Omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor taken by around one in seven Brits to relieve heartburn and acidity after meals.
Juan Jiménez, a pharmacist from Cádiz, shared an experience with a customer on social media to explain why buying the drug without a prescription can be problematic. His video has garnered over 400,000 views.
Misconception about protecting the stomach
In the video, Jiménez describes a customer who asked for a box of Omeprazole before a barbecue. He warned that “there is nothing worse than buying Omeprazole without a prescription and, on top of that, believing you need to take it to protect your stomach before a barbecue.”
The pharmacist explained that this misconception stems from the drug's benefits in alleviating symptoms caused by overindulging in a heavy meal. “Omeprazole lowers stomach acid and prevents the activation of an enzyme called pepsin, which digests proteins,” he said.
Slower digestion and severe pain
According to Jiménez, this would only worsen digestion, making it much slower and heavier, and could even lead to severe stomach pain. “If you’re going to a barbecue and plan to stuff yourself with meat, and on top of that, you take Omeprazole before eating, you could be in for real trouble,” he concluded.
He recounted a conversation with a young customer who said: “I’ve got a barbecue this weekend. I need Omeprazole to protect my stomach.” Jiménez said he steered the customer away from the drug and recommended Colitab instead, which contains digestive enzymes such as anise, fennel, cumin, and passionflower.
“So, send this to that friend who always buys omeprazole without a prescription just to protect their stomach, and save this video for your next barbecue,” he added.
