GERD and Heartburn

Hi MidnightJim,
I'm a pharmacist who happens to also suffer from GERD. The reason Prilosec has to be taken on an empty stomach is because it helps it to absorb. If you forget, just take it when you remember. It might be less effective after you've just eaten but it won't cause any side effects. The next day, go back to your original schedule. It helps me to keep it next to my bed so I remember to take it first thing when I wake up.

Along those same lines, how long is it safe to take Omeprazole? I was diagnosed with an esophageal erosion when I went in for what I thought were heart attack symptoms over a year ago. I saw a primary care physician after having a battery of heart related tests that all came back negative and the pcp immediately told me that based on the description of my symptoms that I had an erosion and its also causing irritation to the vagus nerve which was causing the heart attack symptoms. He gave me a rx for omeprazole and I took it for as long as it was prescribed for and then when it ran out I stopped taking it and I was fine for over a year. Then recently I had another "attack" and was given another rx for a stronger dose (40mg) of omeprazole for 30 days and I just finished that on the 23rd so did not take anything on the 24th and then right before bedtime again last night I started having the same chest pains, shortness of breath, dizziness, etc and after several harrowing hours of this, I finally managed to calm myself enough to get to sleep while sitting upright and took two 20mg otc omeprazole this morning (took first with almost no relief took a second a few hours later without having eaten yet). I don't have insurance, we are on a very tight budget and I can't afford to go see a dr every time this happens. I started eating smaller meals throughout the day rather than the one larger meal that I used to eat and I've started exercising on top of the regular activities I do daily so I am taking steps towards weight loss. I am just concerned about how long I can safely keep taking the omeprazole because after last night's episode it is a certainty that without it, my symptoms return full force and I can't cope with living like that.