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I've been taking omeprazole for my reflux for eight years. I wish I'd known this from the start: The lining of my stomach was thinning all along. And no one told me. I started taking the pills in my early fifties. Heartburn after every meal. That burning sensation in my chest at night. My doctor told me: take omeprazole. And so I did. At first, it helped. But over the years I noticed the burning slowly came back. It wasn’t just heartburn anymore. 🔥 That sour taste rising up my throat at 2 a.m. 🔥 Waking up with a voice like I’d swallowed glass 🔥 That burning and itching chest feeling that never went away 🔥 Burping up the taste of dinner three hours after eating 🔥 Sometimes the burning was so bad I had to sleep sitting on the couch I always had a packet of Rennie on my bedside table. One in my bag. One in the car’s glovebox. I knew every bathroom along the M1 between Sydney and my daughter in Melbourne. I tried everything: ❌ Higher dose of omeprazole when the standard dose stopped working ❌ Extra antacids ❌ Gaviscon before bed (essential but useless) ❌ Apple cider vinegar (it burned even more) ❌ Raising the head of the bed (helped a bit, but my husband hated it) ❌ Giving up coffee, wine, tomatoes, orange juice, and chocolate (a nightmare, and the burning persisted) ❌ A wedge pillow costing $300 from the chemist (I’d slide down every night) Nothing worked. Or it worked for a week, then stopped. I always blamed myself. I ate too late. Drank too much coffee. Shouldn't have had that glass of wine at dinner. I never blamed the pills. Why should I? The doctor said I’d probably need them long-term. So I kept taking them. For eight years. The breaking point came at my nephew’s christening. We were in our small country church, surrounded by family. The burning started right in the middle of the ceremony. That slow feeling rising in my chest. That bitter taste in my throat. I tried to ignore it. When we reached the reception hall, sweat was dripping down my back. I couldn’t eat. Or drink. Or speak normally. My daughter whispered: “Mum, are you okay?”. I spent the rest of the christening in the bathroom, rinsing my face with water and chewing Rennie like mint sweets. I missed out on the cake. The family photos. My son-in-law’s speech. I drove home along the Hume Highway in silence, thinking: I’ve been taking these pills for 8 years. Why does it keep getting worse? Two weeks later, I was at my daughter’s place in Melbourne. Her mother-in-law, Karen, was there too: a retired gastroenterologist from a leading hospital, in her seventies, very sharp. We started talking about health and I mentioned I’d been on omeprazole for years but still sometimes felt that burning. She put down her tea and looked at me. “How long have you been taking it?” “Eight years.” “Has anyone ever explained exactly what’s going on in your stomach?” I shook my head. She grabbed a napkin and drew three circles. "Imagine your stomach as a system made of three parts working together. When one stops working, the others follow. And now? Probably none of them are working properly." “PROBLEM 1: The lining thins” "The stomach is lined with a mucus layer, like a raincoat, protecting tissues from acid. When we're young it’s thick. But after fifty, the cells producing mucus slow down. The lining thins. It wears out. It develops small holes. Omeprazole reduces acidity but doesn’t repair the lining. So even a little acid can irritate it." “PROBLEM 2: The tissues are damaged” "When acid penetrates the mucus layer, it damages the underlying tissues. They become irritated and inflamed. Rennie and Gaviscon temporarily neutralise the acid but don’t repair the tissues. They stay damaged and sensitive. Every meal is a new attack." “PROBLEM 3: Slow digestion” "Here’s what no one tells you: omeprazole can slow down digestion. Food stays in the stomach longer than it should. Pressure builds up. And where does that pressure go? Upwards. Through the valve. Into the oesophagus." She pointed to the central spot where the three problems overlapped. "This is where you are. Thin lining. Damaged tissue. Slow digestion. And no single pill will fix all three problems." "So what should I do?" I asked. "I’ve been taking antacids for eight years." She sighed. "Omeprazole was never meant for long-term use. It lowers acidity, which helps short-term, but doesn’t address the lining, tissue damage, or gut motility. I could suggest switching to pantoprazole or esomeprazole, but you’ve probably thought of that. I could recommend more Rennie, but that’s only a temporary fix. The women I’ve seen who actually improved? They tackled all three issues at once: the lining, the tissues, and gut motility. Not with more medication, but with targeted nutrients." "Like what?" She wrote on the napkin: For the lining: DGL - deglycyrrhizinated licorice extract 👉https://go.usevelaro.com/Gut-Vital/how-to-protect-your-esophagus-from-heartburn-acid-reflux-and-gerd