Anyone used Prilosec? Looking for reviews/opinions

Hey everyone, I've been dealing with this constant "scratchy" feeling in my throat for about a year now—it’s not really a cough, just this constant urge to clear my throat, you know, that little "ahem" sound. My ENT doctor did an endoscopy through my nose and ended up prescribing me Prilosec.

I was reading up on this medication and saw there's a bit of a trade-off between the benefits and the risks, which has me feeling a little hesitant about starting it for a few reasons:

1) I didn't really walk away feeling like she pinpointed the exact cause of the throat irritation; it felt more like a "best guess" scenario than a definitive diagnosis.
2) She mentioned she was giving me the lowest dose possible, but she actually prescribed Prilosec 40—which my primary care physician noted is actually a pretty strong dose.
3) Looking at the side effects, one of the "common" ones (affecting about 1 in 10 people) is the development of benign stomach polyps. Since I'm generally prone to growths and polyps and tend to have a sensitive stomach, I'm worried this might just trigger more issues down the road.
While digging into the whole polyp situation, I stumbled upon this:
Most hyperplastic polyps almost never turn into something malignant, but if we're talking about adenomatous polyps—especially if they hit 2 cm or larger—there's a 40-50% chance they could become cancerous, particularly near the gastric cardia.

I'm honestly not sure if the risk is worth it, especially since the diagnosis feels a bit shaky. There haven't been any other tests done yet, just the scope.

Some studies have suggested a slight increase in stomach cancer risk for people who stay on Prilosec for extended periods. It’s likely your doctor prescribed it because they noticed that specific throat irritation that comes along with reflux. That's basically just a health issue where acid travels back up from your stomach into your esophagus and throat—which explains why you've been feeling that irritation. So, while it isn't ideal to be taking Prilosec indefinitely if you can avoid it, leaving untreated reflux alone isn't great either—it can actually lead to permanent damage to your esophagus. In my opinion, it seems reasonable to complete a course of Prilosec, while being really mindful of your diet—things like avoiding milk and dairy before bed, generally trying not to eat right before sleeping, and maybe even propping your head up a bit higher at night—and then just seeing how things settle. It would definitely be a good idea to have a thorough conversation with a gastroenterologist about it too.

Nicole James said:Some studies have suggested a slight increase in stomach cancer risk for people who stay on Prilosec for extended periods. It’s likely your doctor prescribed it because they noticed that specific throat irritation that comes along with reflux. That's basically just a health issue where acid travels back up from your stomach into your esophagus and throat—which explains why you've been feeling that irritation. So, while it isn't ideal to be taking Prilosec indefinitely if you can avoid it, leaving untreated reflux alone isn't great either—it can actually lead to permanent damage to your esophagus. In my opinion, it seems reasonable to complete a course of Prilosec, while being really mindful of your diet—things like avoiding milk and dairy before bed, generally trying not to eat right before sleeping, and maybe even propping your head up a bit higher at night—and then just seeing how things settle. It would definitely be a good idea to have a thorough conversation with a gastroenterologist about it too.

Thanks—I actually spent some time Googling stuff about reflux and the esophagus earlier. Regarding the diet advice, the plan is to stick with these stronger pills for four weeks, and then check back in with my doctor; if I'm feeling better, she might switch me to a lower dose for another four weeks. So, at most, I'll be on it for about eight weeks. I definitely tend to eat late and right before heading to bed, so that's probably a big part of the reason.

I honestly thought I had chronic laryngitis, but looking at it now, reflux and acid seem to be the only thing that really makes sense.

I'll give the tablets a shot and hopefully fall into that 90% success group. I haven't even heard of seeing a gastroenterologist until now, so I'll figure out what to do about that when I go in for my next appointment.

Thanks so much for the reply and for explaining everything.

wearystag57 said:Thanks—I actually spent some time Googling stuff about reflux and the esophagus earlier. Regarding the diet advice, the plan is to stick with these stronger pills for four weeks, and then check back in with my doctor; if I'm feeling better, she might switch me to a lower dose for another four weeks. So, at most, I'll be on it for about eight weeks. I definitely tend to eat late and right before heading to bed, so that's probably a big part of the reason.

I honestly thought I had chronic laryngitis, but looking at it now, reflux and acid seem to be the only thing that really makes sense.

I'll give the tablets a shot and hopefully fall into that 90% success group. I haven't even heard of seeing a gastroenterologist until now, so I'll figure out what to do about that when I go in for my next appointment.

Thanks so much for the reply and for explaining everything.

Have you been tested for Helicobacter pylori? You absolutely need to get that done during your stomach exam so you aren't just guessing. Years ago, I tested positive for Helicobacter pylori and suffered from incredibly severe reflux. It dragged on for years and kept getting worse. Once I completed the proper treatment, the reflux finally vanished.

That bacterium is a frequent culprit behind gastritis, which can eventually escalate into gastric ulcers and, in the long term, even cancer. Typically, the standard treatment involves a combination of two antibiotics and a proton pump inhibitor—something like Prilosec.

I am not sure if you have started your treatment yet, but if you don't see improvement, stop and get the tests I mentioned. It is entirely possible to feel better for a short window after starting medication, but if Helicobacter pylori is the root cause, that relief won't last. The symptoms will inevitably return. If they do, you'll know you need to push for those specific stomach tests. I am speaking hypothetically here, of course, assuming the initial therapy fails.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gastritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20355783

I've been taking Prilosec 40... after five pills, I’m feeling pretty good. Should I just finish the whole course to see if the relief holds? If things start acting up again, I can always pivot—or should I just power through the full prescription and then check back in with my doctor?
Thanks and best regards.

Finish the whole course. These pills aren't going to hurt you, and honestly, why risk it? I don't know exactly what your doctor was targeting when they prescribed them, but it's best to see it through. If you're dealing with something like stomach erosion without even realizing it, the heartburn might be your only clue—and if you stop early, you could end up making things much worse in a month or two.

Thanks for the reply!

These pills might have side effects, but regardless, I’d finish the entire course of treatment (the whole box).

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I only took it for five days max and it absolutely trashed my gut flora—it was a total nightmare

I really need to get scheduled for a gastroscopy, but I'm putting it off because of this medication

A lot of people complain that pantoprazole "messes up" their digestion, which honestly isn't a huge shocker—once you start tweaking your stomach's pH levels, things are bound to shift. Some folks are super sensitive to that change, while others don't feel a thing at all.

I see some people trying to play defense by taking probiotics alongside their PPIs, but even that can be a bit of a rollercoaster. Since you're essentially introducing new players into the gut microbiome, you're basically waiting for a "new world order" to establish itself. Until everything settles down, you might deal with some annoying stuff like bloating, loud stomach growling, gas, or even those sudden, explosive bouts of diarrhea. Most of the time, though, it’s just a temporary phase while your system recalibrates.

At the end of the day, pantoprazole is a total game-changer. It’s been a literal lifesaver for so many people, whether they're dealing with an acute flare-up or just trying to manage chronic issues on a daily basis.