Curist Heartburn Relief (omeprazole 20 mg) is a proton-pump inhibitor. This class of over-the-counter medications is used to treat frequent heartburn that occurs 2 or more days per week. It works by decreasing the amount of stomach acid that the stomach produces and is more effective in providing long-lasting heartburn relief than H2 blockers (e.g. Pepcid®) or antacids (Tums®).

Curist Heartburn Relief (omeprazole 20 mg) is not intended for immediate relief of occasional heartburn. Many people get relief of heartburn symptoms within 24 hours, but it can sometimes take up to 4 days for full effect. 

Curist Heartburn Relief (omeprazole 20 mg) is a delayed-release capsule. A full course of treatment is 14 days: during the 14 days, take one capsule daily before eating. You should not take omeprazole for more than 14 days or repeat a 14-day course more often than every 4 months unless directed by a doctor.

One course of treatment of Curist Heartburn Relief (omeprazole 20 mg) is to take daily for 14 days. This course can be repeated for up to 3 times per year (i.e. every 4 months). You should not take each course for more than 14 days since long-term use can put you at risk for many health issues such as osteoporosis, low magnesium or vitamin B12 levels, and rebound acid secretion (where your body starts to create more acid than before after stopping these medications).

Omeprazole is the medicine that is in the brand Prilosec. There are many brands of omeprazole, including Prilosec and Curist Heartburn Relief. Both Prilosec and Curist Heartburn Relief have the same strength of omeprazole (20 mg), so the relief for heartburn and acid reflux is the same but Curist is available for half the price of Prilosec.

Do NOT take Curist Heartburn Relief (omeprazole 20 mg) if you have:

• Had an allergic reaction to omeprazole in the past
• Trouble or pain when swallowing food
• Vomiting with blood
• Bloody or black stools
• Heartburn with lightheadedness, dizziness, or sweating
• Chest pain, or shoulder pain with shortness of breath, or pain spreading to arms, neck, or shoulders
• Osteoarthritis problems
• Developed kidney damage

Both prescription omeprazole and omeprazole OTC contain the same active ingredient, omeprazole, which effectively reduces stomach acid production. Prescription omeprazole is used in conjunction with a doctor, and therefore can be used to treat diseases (e.g. residual symptoms of GERD, H.Pylori eradication, dyspepsia, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, etc.) that require a diagnosis and supervision by your doctor, while omeprazole OTC treats frequent episodes of heartburn symptoms without doctor supervision.

Both omeprazole and esomeprazole are medicines called PPIs that treat acid reflux and frequent heartburn. There are differences between omeprazole and esomeprazole in their chemical structure, to learn more read the Curist blog omeprazole vs esomeprazole.

Researchers and physicians have agreed that both omeprazole and esomeprazole have the same effects for treating acid reflux and frequent heartburn, and that one is not better than the other. While both omeprazole and esomeprazole generally offer the same level of benefits for heartburn treatment, it may just come down to personal preference (e.g. with the least amount of side effects) and cost. If you take other medications or have any medical conditions, we recommend you to consult your healthcare provider first. To learn more if omeprazole is better than esomeprazole for you read the Curist blog omeprazole vs esomeprazole.

Omeprazole (Prilosec Generic) is available over the counter and can be purchased online at Curist. Curist sells Prilosec Generic (omeprazole) at the best price online and ships directly to your door.