Probitor is omeprazole 20 mg, a proton pump inhibitor. It reduces stomach acid production and is used for reflux, heartburn, stomach and duodenal ulcers, and to protect the stomach in people taking long-term anti-inflammatories. It works over days rather than minutes.
What is Probitor?
Probitor contains omeprazole 20 mg. The South African Medicine Price Registry lists it as a Schedule 4 capsule, under both “Probitor” and “Probitor 20” — the same product.
Omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI). The cells lining the stomach produce acid using an enzyme pump — the proton pump — and omeprazole shuts those pumps down irreversibly. The stomach can only restore acid production by building new pumps, which takes time.
That mechanism explains the two things people most often get wrong about it:
It is not a fast-acting remedy. An antacid neutralises acid already present and works in minutes. Omeprazole reduces acid being made, and takes one to four days to reach full effect. Taking it during an attack of heartburn does very little for that attack.
It keeps working long after a dose. Because the pumps are disabled permanently, the effect lasts far beyond the time omeprazole stays in the blood — which is why once daily is enough.
Take it in the morning, about 30 minutes before breakfast. This matters more than with most medicines. Proton pumps are activated by eating, and omeprazole only blocks pumps that are active. Taken with or after food, or at bedtime, a substantial part of the dose is wasted. Many people who report that omeprazole “doesn’t work” are taking it at the wrong time.
Capsules should be swallowed whole. If swallowing is difficult, the contents can usually be opened onto a spoonful of soft food and taken without chewing — ask your pharmacist first.
What is Probitor commonly used for?
- Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) — persistent heartburn, acid regurgitation and the inflammation reflux causes.
- Stomach and duodenal ulcers, both treatment and prevention of recurrence.
- Preventing ulcers in people taking long-term anti-inflammatories — one of its most important uses.
- Helicobacter pylori eradication, combined with two antibiotics.
- Oesophagitis — inflammation of the food pipe from acid.
- Barrett’s oesophagus, under specialist care.
- Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, a rare acid-overproduction condition.
- Persistent indigestion, where an antacid has not been enough.
It treats acid, not the cause of the acid. For many people that distinction does not matter much; for some it matters a great deal. Reflux driven by weight, smoking, alcohol, late meals or a hiatus hernia responds to those things too, and a PPI alone can quietly manage symptoms for years without anything else being addressed.
PPIs are also over-used. They are frequently continued indefinitely after being started for a short-term reason. If you have been on one for more than a few months without a review, that is worth raising — not because they are dangerous, but because the reason to continue should be an active decision.
How Probitor fits into this medicine category
| Group | Examples | Speed and duration |
|---|---|---|
| Proton pump inhibitors | Omeprazole (Probitor), esomeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole | Days to full effect; strongest and longest |
| H2 blockers | Famotidine, cimetidine | About an hour; lasts several hours |
| Antacids | Eno, aluminium and magnesium salts | Minutes; short-lived |
| Alginates | Gaviscon-type products | Form a raft on stomach contents |
| Antispasmodics | Hyoscine (Hyospasmol) | Cramping, not acid |
| Prokinetics | Metoclopramide (Adco-Contromet) | Nausea and stomach emptying |
A sensible combination is a PPI daily for control plus an antacid kept for breakthrough symptoms — the slow medicine and the fast one doing different jobs. See the digestive and stomach medicines hub.
What to check before using Probitor
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you:
- Have liver disease — the dose may need reducing.
- Take clopidogrel, a blood thinner used after heart attacks and stents. Omeprazole can reduce its effect; pantoprazole is often preferred in that situation.
- Take warfarin, methotrexate, digoxin, phenytoin, citalopram, or medicines for HIV or fungal infections such as itraconazole and ketoconazole.
- Take iron or vitamin B12 supplements — reduced stomach acid lowers absorption of both.
- Have osteoporosis or risk factors for it. Long-term PPI use is associated with a modest increase in fracture risk.
- Are due for an **endoscopy or a test for H. pylori. PPIs can mask cancer symptoms and cause false-negative H. pylori tests**, so tell whoever is arranging the test — you may need to stop it beforehand.
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Practical points:
- Take it 30 minutes before your first meal of the day.
- Swallow capsules whole, unless a pharmacist has advised otherwise.
- Give it several days before judging whether it works.
- Do not stop abruptly after long use. Acid production can rebound above baseline for a couple of weeks, producing heartburn that feels like the original problem returning. Tapering avoids most of this.
- Do not take it indefinitely without review.
Possible cautions and when to ask a pharmacist or doctor
Common effects are headache, nausea, diarrhoea, constipation, wind and abdominal pain. Most are mild.
Longer-term use has been associated with low magnesium, vitamin B12 deficiency, an increased risk of certain gut infections, and a small increase in fracture risk. These are reasons for periodic review, not reasons to stop a medicine you need.
Get emergency help for:
- Vomiting blood, or material like coffee grounds.
- Black, tarry stools.
- Severe abdominal pain, or chest pain with breathlessness or sweating — heartburn and heart attack are confused often enough that chest pain should be treated as cardiac until proven otherwise.
- Swelling of the face, lips or tongue, difficulty breathing, or a blistering rash.
Seek prompt advice for:
- Muscle cramps, tremor, palpitations or unusual weakness — possible low magnesium.
- Severe or persistent diarrhoea.
- Joint pain with a rash, particularly in sun-exposed areas.
Contact your doctor if:
- Symptoms do not improve after two weeks, or return when you stop.
- You have difficulty or pain swallowing, or food sticking.
- You have unintentional weight loss, persistent vomiting, or loss of appetite.
- You are over 45 with new indigestion.
- You have been on it more than a few months without a review.
Related medicine guides
Frequently asked questions
What is Probitor 20 used for? Reflux and heartburn, stomach and duodenal ulcers, oesophagitis, protecting the stomach during long-term anti-inflammatory use, and as part of H. pylori treatment. It contains omeprazole 20 mg.
How quickly does it work? One to four days for full effect. It is not a fast remedy — use an antacid for immediate relief.
When should I take it? About 30 minutes before your first meal of the day. Taken with or after food, much of the dose is wasted.
Can I take an antacid as well? Yes, and it is a reasonable combination — the antacid for breakthrough symptoms, the PPI for control.
Can I stop it once I feel better? Follow the course you were given. After long-term use, taper rather than stopping abruptly, as acid can rebound.
Is it safe long term? It is widely used long term where needed. Long-term use is associated with low magnesium, B12 deficiency and a small fracture risk, which is why periodic review matters.
Do I need a prescription? Probitor is Schedule 4. Some lower-strength omeprazole products are available without one.
Can I open the capsule? Usually the contents can be taken on soft food without chewing — check with your pharmacist first.