Getting off heartburn drug
Posted , 6 users are following.
hi, I've been taking Ppis and H2 blockers since April. I came off them in June and had no ill effects for eight weeks, but then the symptoms returned. I then went back on the drugs for two weeks then cut down to half quantities. I eat a very simple diet with no triggers as far as possible and take a number of things like acididophilus, slippery elm, DGL liquorice but already the heartburn has returned, although not much as yet. Having read all the adverse publicity around these drugs I want to get off them entirely. Any advice?
1 like, 13 replies
zohra77925 hilary07569
Posted
Still on dexilant 60 mg. I wish you recovery and for myself too. And yes you should slowly wean them off. Wish someone would have given me this valuable advise before.
But anyways wish you healthy recovery
zohra77925 hilary07569
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hilary07569
Posted
MrMustard hilary07569
Posted
I've been on PPI for 5 years. During those years I was able to be off of them for about 9 months, which was great. At other "good" times I would take 3 pills a week or even less. Other times I'm back on full dose. Recently I've stopped them for two weeks, and I'm NOT symptom free. I'm thinking about surgery if I can't get off of them because in the past two months they've maid things worse I think. It doesn't mean you can't get off of them. You should continue trying but don't let the symptoms go very bad! It's like balancing on a rope when trying to wean them off.
good luck
Barretts hilary07569
Posted
High doses of PPIs over the course of a few years may deplete the stomach of too much acid (called "hypocchlorhydria" ) .
Stomach acid is required to leech essential minerals from food. Insufficient stomach acid can result in hypocalcaemia (insufficient calcium which can exacerbate osteoporosis and may need supplementation with calcium citrate (not carbonate that just further neutralises acid)), anaemia (low iron can cause fatigue), hypomagnesaemia (low magnesium which has many effects), etc. Stomach acid also acts to control bacteria so depletion can result in bacterial infections like C-Difficile.
In America, PPIs have been avaialable readily over the counter for many years. They are the best way of controlling acid if taken correctly. That means the lowest effective dose for as short a period as required. Unfortunately, too many, finding they worked but "could do better", started taking too many for too long without medical supervision. This resulted in the FDA having to issue warnings about the possibility of PPIs resulting in bone loss, low magnesium, C-Diff etc which has given these drugs (which may be potential life savers) a bad name.
They ara ctually amongst the safest drugs available and have been used for 30 years by millions of peopl worldwide. Some people need to take them for life. I, myself, took them for 15 years increaing to a very high dose (80mg omeprazole) and getting anaemic etc, before I had a fundoplication to reduce the reflux instead.
The lactobacilus you're taking will help defend against harmful bacteria. The other supplements act as a demulcent soothing any inflammation and increasing mucous in the oesophagus. Many find these supplements useful but they are not effective in controlling acid.
Acid + Bile + Reflux attacking the oesophagus can cause the (potentially) pre-cancerous condition, Barrett's Oesophagus. (Oesophageal Adenocarcinoma is the 5th most common casue of cancer death in the UK, EU and US.)
So before you decide to stop PPIs, you should discuss this with your doctor and if yuu've been having heartburn for a while, have an endoscopy to check no permanent damage has been doe=ne to your oesophagus.
hilary07569
Posted
Ive read about the theory that heartburn is caused by too little acid, in which case these pills are doing more harm than good. My doctor thinks this is a flawed theory, however. There seems to be so many contradictory theories around this horrible illness that so many people suffer with that its about time someone came up with facts.
My medication makes me feel tired and down hearted so I really need to seek alternatives.
Barretts hilary07569
Posted
Many "natural health" advocates promote the idea of reflux being caused by too little acid as a way of trying to say their remedies are better than the drug which has been tried and tested. It came from a paper published a few years ago and, as your doctor has said, the research may be flawed.
If your problem is only acid reflux, by changing lifestyle and diet, it may be possible to get it under control within a few weeks on PPIs. However, if dmage has been done (ie Barrett's) it is not possible to cure it (apart from ablation therapy if it becomes dysplastic).
zohra77925 Barretts
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I also wanted to ask you if you are completely cured after your surgery?
Barretts zohra77925
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To cure Barrett's, I would have needed ablation therapy but since my Barrett's is non-dysplastic, it's not worth it.
But as far as needing PPIs goes, I'm totally off them.
zohra77925 Barretts
Posted
And did you ever have light headedness and a tingling in the head with a burning sensation?I am experiencing it very often now and it's making me worried. My gastro said that it's not connected to acidity but I am sure it is ,because in so many other forums I read that acidity caused them ear infections.
I hope that you get rid of barrets too.
Best wishes
Barretts zohra77925
Posted
It is a permanent change from squamous cells to columnar cells as a protection to the body. The columnar cells do, rarely, have the ability to mutate through dysplasia to cancer but cannot disappear to be replaced by squamous.
The columnar cells can be removed by ablation therapy but unless there's dysplasia, it's not worth it. The risks of progression are low and whatever caused your Barrett's initially is still present so it could form again. So those who have ablation require continuation of PPIs and surveillance.
There are cases where people think their Barrett's has gone but it's because the endoscopist hasn't seen it. It can be hidden in the corrugations of the mucosa or a new epithelial layer can form over it.
There are very many symptoms associated with reflux. If you find the Down With Acid site you'll find a chapter on extra-oesophageal reflux that includes the results of a survey conducted last year into the most common. And yes, ear problems are amongst them.
rex_44766 hilary07569
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Barretts rex_44766
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It does as much to reduce stomach acid as pouring a kettle of hot water into the sea. Furthermore some research has shown it can actually be dangerous.