Length of time it takes ppis to take effect

Hi Linda, i definitely think reflux can cause both as i also constantly felt unwell. Literally everyday was a struggle from feeling tired, breathless, pain between shoulder blades, indigestion etc. I certainly felt anxious and down about it all and crying became almost normal! I am now taking 60mg of Lanzoprazole daily increased from 30mg. Symptoms have lessened by about 90% but this didn't happen straight away, took about 3 weeks. My biggest issue now is some lung inflammation which doctors have given me an inhaler for. Haven't seen a massive improvement on this yet. As i type this I'm actually at a hospital now waiting to see another consultant. Will be my 3rd in 5 mths! I may still have silent reflux so my GP referred me again and also because he doesn't want me on 60mg for life!

I changed my diet too but again didn't see the improvement immediately. Everyone is different and i have certainly seen that with this dire problem its not a case of one size fits all. If u feel no better within 4 weeks of taking the ppi, go back to your GP and keep pressing for help. I hope it improves for u very soon.

Hi Linda, I can completely sympathise with you. It's been a real struggle for me also. I have been unwell with this since November 13. I started off on omeprazole the lansorprazole and am now on 80mg Nexium plus domperidone and gaviscon. I was still having problems after being on all these and am now going for an osophagel manometry test soon. My endoscope was clear and a nose scope my a ENT dr showed slight redness at the top of the osophagus and inflammation on my vocal chords. I am feeling a bit better now than I was a few weeks ago but have been on the Nexium originally at 40mg for a couple of weeks and now on the 80mg for the last 4 weeks. I was at my doctor this morning and he hopes to be stepping me down at some point in the future.If things don't settle soon please go back to your Gp again. I hope you are well on your way to recovery in the not too distant future.

Dear Linda, the first month I took dexilant 60 mg (PPI), it was not working at all. I had reflux and pain in my stomach constantly. I could not sleep well, I was tired all the time, I could not work well, it was very frustrating and depressing.

I was following the common recommendations for gastritis (no spices, no chocolate, no coffee, ...) that were useful but still I did not see any improvement.

Then I started following the low acid diet described in the book of Dr Jamie Koufman "dropping acid" and I started getting better almost immediately.

It took a little bit of adjustment to recognize my idiosyncratic trigger foods but I think I know what I can eat or not eat now.

When I got this sorted, my stomach calmed down, my symptoms disappeared, I started sleeping well, my energy came back, I felt like a new person. The side effects from the PPI were very mild, mostly related to digestion with the low level of acid in my stomach.

Good morning Linda,

Yes, this health issue did trigger some anxiety and some depression again for me. I had major anxiety attacks about 7 years ago. My faith in Christ, along with knowledge of this condition has been able to comfort me and bring peace into my heart, mind, spiritual and physical being. I've been struggling with LPR for about a year. I was diagnosed about six months ago. I came to a place where I had to accept that God was using this illness for a reason even though it can be quite difficult at times. I truly feel your pain! Although, no one can put themselves in your shoes. Again, my faith is knowing that Jesus, my Lord and Savior, willingly took on all of my pain, anguish and suffering, and none of what I'm experience is being wasted, is helping me to take the long view of life and break up each day in trusting what God is able to do which I am not able to in my own strength. This discussion forum and the facebook group, has helped me as well to see that many others are experiencing similar things and we are not alone in this. Again, I could go into many other aspects of how faith and trust ties into this. I hope and pray this helps you. Please feel free to ask any other questions any time. God bless!

hi,

i have had gerd ever since oct 2013. i was on dexilant a ppi for over 3months, with gaviscon and other antacids but it did not help me. what has made a marked improvement is when i decided to try an alkaline diet. i was very strict initally with almost a vegan diet. i felt well as far as the acid reflux was concerned after just 3 days. i have since then had to add back a bit of animal protein as i was feeling weak and dizzy. my gerd has however improved very much.

i would suggest to anyone with this problem to try an alkaline diet. not just staying away from acid trigger foods but to consciously eat food that alkalises the body.

Of course you will feel the effects of vitamin deficiencies (especially B12) if you take the PPIs. If it kills the acid it will kill the vitamins! If you have a hiatus hernia it doesn't matter what you eat, acid will leak through and you'll need the operation.

Lynn, it is true that the lack of acid in the stomach due to PPi makes it difficult for the body to synthesize B12 but it sounds like Linda's stomach is still producing acid, too much of it since she has reflux.

Personally I felt much better after a little bit than a month on PPI then ever: I did not have pain anymore, I was sleeping well, I had lots of energy which is the opposite of symptoms of B12 deficiency. From what I read we have reserves of vitamins and the deficiency appears after taking the PPi for a much longer period. It seems to me that just the lack in quality of sleep, the pain, the duration of this disease and the fact that the medication does not seem to be working is enough to feel depressed and anxious.