Question Title: Omeprazole: Safety of long term usage and possible side effects?

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Dear Janice,
Studies from Europe suggest that omeprazole can be taken for years without any significant side effects. There have been reports that there is a reduction in vitamin B12 absorption but this has not been a major clinical problem. There is also a theoretical risk of gastric tumors, including cancer, related to the supression of acid.

If you are taking omeprazole as treament for ulcer disease, you should be checked for H. pylori infection. If H. pylori was the cause for your ulceration and the infection has been successfully eradicated, then your risk of recurrent ulceration is less than 1% and you may not need any medications.

This information is presented for educational purposes. Always consult your personal physician for specific medical questions.

HFHSM.D.-rf
*keywords; ulcer, H. pylori, omeprazole
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