Omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor usually indicated to decrease the amount of acid producing in a patient’s stomach. It is commonly recommended to treat a variety of conditions caused due to excess acid in the stomach, including GERD or acid reflux, peptic ulcer, gastritis etc. It is also effective in healing the damage done to the patient’s esophagus due to excess stomach acid. If you have been prescribed with Omeprazole to treat any of these conditions, you must know that it is not meant to provide immediate relief from any symptoms. Read this oneHOWTO article to find out how long does it take for Omeprazole to work.
Forms of Omeprazole
First of all, you need to know that Omeprazole can be given to the patient in a number of forms, including oral capsules, oral tablets, oral suspension, delayed release capsules, or powder for suspension.
The dosage recommended to a patient will largely depend on the age of the patient, the condition to be treated, and the patient’s current health condition and tolerability. The amount of Omeprazole that you take also depends on the strength of the medicine being given to you. How many doses you should take in a day, how much time you should allow between your doses, and how long you should take the medicine depends on your medical condition that needs to be treated. For more information, we advise you take a look at our article on How to take Omeprazole.
Omeprazole dosage and effectiveness
There are several conditions that can be treated with Omeprazole, with or without other medications. Find their general dosage information here:
For treating acid reflux
Adults more than 17 years of age are given 20 mg once per day before meal. Dosage given to children below 16 years depends on their body weight. Usually, they are given 5 to 20 mg once in a day before meal. If the medicine is given to an infant below 1 year of age, then the dose will range between 2.5 to 10 mg once per day before meal. The medicine can also be given to a pediatric patient below 1 month of age, but the dosage should be closely determined by a pediatrician. Full effects of the medicine can be seen only after 2 weeks of starting the treatment.
For duodenal ulcer
Adults are usually given 20 mg of the drug to be taken before meal, however the dosage may be adjusted as per your personal response to the medication. Dosage given to children below 12 years of age is determined by the physician, and should be followed closely. Most patients start noticing improvement within a week of starting the medicine, and heal completely by 8 weeks.
For gastritis
Adults are usually given 20 to 40 mg of the medication once, twice or thrice in a day before meal. The medicine is usually recommended along with other medicines like amoxicillin and clarithromycin. Dosage to children should be given strictly following the physician’s instructions. Effects are seen within 7 days of starting the medicine, though you need to continue taking it for 28 days or as directed by the physician.
For erosive esophagitis
If a patient’s esophagus has been damaged due to stomach acid, he will be given 20 mg once in a day before meal. Dosage for children is determined by the physician. The patient may feel better within 7 days, but maintenance therapy may continue for as long as 12 months.
For gastric ulcer
Adults are recommended to take 40 mg once per day before food. Children’s dose is determined closely by a physician, depending on his or her medical condition or body weight. The effects take 4 to 8 weeks to show completely.
For treating GERD
Adults are given 20 mg once a day before meal, and the treatment may continue for 4 to 8 weeks. Children between 1 year to 16 years of age are given 5 to 20 mg of the drug before food, however the recommended dosage depends on their body weight. Children below 1 year of age are given the drug under strict medical supervision.
For treating Zollinger Ellison syndrome
Adults are given 60 mg once per day before food, while children’s dosage depends on their medical condition and body weight. Treatment may continue for 8 weeks.
This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to How Long does it Take for Omeprazole to Work, we recommend you visit our Drugs & supplements category.