Dr Asif Ahmed, a GP, issued a warning about three commonly prescribed medications and their potential for addiction and other serious side effects in a TikTok video
A GP has issued a stark health warning about the prolonged use of three widely prescribed medications, emphasising their potential for dependency and other severe side effects. Dr Asif Ahmed shared his concerns through a TikTok video, advising anyone taking these medicines to speak with their doctor before making any choices about ongoing treatment.
He initially addressed omeprazole, a “proton pump inhibitor” utilised to treat conditions that cause excess stomach acid. “In my experience a lot of people are put on this for simple heartburn and reflux but aren’t investigated and are put on it for many months, even years,” Dr Ahmed said.
“They get stuck on it, get rebound symptoms and can’t come off it and this has lots of side effects”
He recommended that if you’re taking omeprazole long-term and uncertain why, you should consult your GP who may be able to slowly decrease your dose.
Dr Ahmed then turned to gabapentin, a powerful painkiller commonly prescribed for nerve pain.
“When gabapentin is prescribed for pain – from my experiences and the studies I have read, the dose you need to treat pain is so high that the side effects of feeling drowsy and sleepy are so severe,” he explained.
However, the GP stressed the importance of finding a balance between pain management and preserving quality of life.
“In some patients it’s working great and the pain is well controlled and they don’t have many side effects,” he explained. “But these cases are rare. Please ask your doctor if it’s something that you have side effects from.”
Dr Ahmed finished with a warning about diazepam, a medication commonly prescribed for anxiety, muscle spasms, and seizures. “This is a highly, highly addictive medication,” he warned.
“Whilst it’s also highly, highly effective – especially in treating things like panic attacks and short term use is not an issue – any longer than this, people can become addicted.”
The GP continued: “If you then try and come off it, you can get really bad withdrawal symptoms that can be life threatening. In rare cases, people need it to maintain a good quality of life, but these patients are normally ones who who have been on it for many years and it’s more risky to their health coming off it.”
TikTok users dealing with health issues were swift to share their own stories.
One user commented: “I’ve been on omeprazole for years. If I miss a couple of days, I’m in agony. Very uncomfortable throat burning and acid gurgling in my throat.”
One person revealed: “I’ve been prescribed diazepam for eight years and I’m not addicted. I use it when needed.”
Another chimed in: “I was on two omeprazole a day for over 10 years and they wanted me to go on three x three 300mg of gabapentin a day but I stopped the gabapentin and omeprazole altogether.”
Meanwhile, another shared their experience: “I was on gabapentin in my late teens for fibromyalgia related pain, when I asked my doctor to take me off them and try something else because they made me feel hungry all the time, he tripled the dose.”
The NHS has offered some advice: “All medicines are designed and prescribed in order to help patients overcome the symptoms of illness, or to prevent symptoms coming back. They are intended to help. It is true, however, that medicines can also cause unwanted effects, which we also call ‘side-effects’.
“No-one can promise, or be promised, that a treatment will not cause side-effects. This is not realistic or honest. A great deal can be done to share information about how small or large a problem or side-effect might be, whether it will lessen over time and what else can be done to reduce a particular side-effect. Do remember that information about side-effects is based on averages. Even a common side-effect doesn’t affect everyone who takes the medicine.”
The statement continues: “Understanding which side-effects a medicine might cause can make them feel more manageable and less worrying. This is clearly very important for patients. It is also important for healthcare professionals. Having honest and open conversations about side-effects helps patients to get the best out of medicines. Ignoring the issue can often result in someone not taking their medicines and becoming unwell again.”
For tailored advice regarding your medication, it’s always recommended to consult with your GP.