Omeprazole and alcohol can usually be safely combined, although there may be exceptions. The patient could have other health issues that might make alcohol unsafe, such as another drug interaction or an underlying liver condition. Those with concerns about food and drink conflicts with medication can discuss them with a medical professional. It can help to keep a food and drink diary to track symptoms if side effects appear to be related to something the patient is taking.
Individuals use omeprazole to treat acid reflux disease. It cuts down on stomach acid to make patients feel more comfortable and give ulcers time to heal. The medication can be taken in extended release and regular formats, and it is available in a number of strengths. There are no known drug interactions with alcohol, and it should be safe for patients to have beer, wine, or spirits while taking omeprazole to control acid reflux.
There are some concerns about the risk of aggravating acid reflux with alcohol along with spicy or acidic foods, which can make using them together a bad idea. Patients with severe acid reflux may want to temporarily stop drinking to give their stomachs an opportunity to recover when they first start taking the medication. They may also want to consider moderation in their alcohol consumption to protect their stomachs. The omeprazole may not be as effective in patients who drink heavily, as the suppression of stomach acid from the medication might be offset by the increased production triggered by the alcohol.
Patients with acid reflux could have other conditions that make alcohol dangerous. These can include liver damage or conditions treated with medications that react poorly to alcohol. Those with a personal or family history of alcoholism might also want to be careful about taking omeprazole and alcohol together. The drinking might not cause an adverse reaction because of the medication, but the patient could develop alcohol dependency.
If patients notice that their acid reflux gets much worse when they use alcohol with omeprazole or alone, they may want to consider stopping or cutting back on drinking. They could also consider other triggers that might be contributing. For example, if someone is drinking alcohol because of stress, the stress might be causing the acid reflux. Likewise, patients drinking beer with spicy food might have trouble determining which of the two is causing the problem.