Protein Pump Inhibitors and Anemia.

I am concerned about this too. Been on Nexium 6 yrs. I THINK THAT IS CAUSING INTERNAL BLEEDING. That is when I started with low hgb and ferritin.  A connection I think. Not good will cause iron def anemia which has a lot of crappy symptoms

 

I am 70 and have been on PPIs for over 20 years and last year for the first time ever I was diagnosed with iron deficiency anaemia. I had a gastroscopy which I think is the invasive test you mentioned and I definitely do not have internal bleeding from the stomach. Like you I am very tired all the time but have put it down to normal aging as I am quite badly disabled anyway. The only way of knowing whether you have internal bleeding is to have a gastroscope so you really need to think about having one

Hi, I was on PPI's for years because I was taking Naproxen. Like you I got more and more  tired over the space of a year. At one of my regular diabetic appointments, I had a blood test which showed my haemoglobin was 8, at that point I was feeling really tired and ill. 4 is really low. You must be feeling terrible.

I had a gastroscopy, sigmoidoscopy etc, and was found to have four gastric ulcers. I had to come straight off the Naproxen, double th PPI's and take iron tablets. It took three months fo me to feel anywhere near normal, but I feel loads better now. If you get the chance, have a gastroscopy done, it could change your life. I had no idea I had ulcers, no pain, nothing.

If she said 4 she probably meant iron level, same as haemoglobin.

Ive had both colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy— done from the bottom end up.

They found a polyp and a fissure, also diverticulosis,though it was the ulcers that had caused anaemia, been slowly bleeding for I don’t know how long. If I were you I would have the tests, soon over and will rule out any problems. After the menopause in women and at any age in men, anaemia isn’t normal. You need to find the cause.

PPi’s can cause malabsorption of vitamins and mineral, so no a good idea to take for a long time.

Hi Phylis you should also ask that your B12 levels be checked as all GERD medications prohibit the absorption. There are rarely cases of too much acid in the stomach as cell in the stomach wall secrete acid as per need basis. The problem is when the acid travels to areas it shouldn't be ie. the throat. Big mistake clawing back stomach acid because that only sets people up for further problems. Better to correct diet, eat small meals and use produces to protect the lining of the esophagus. Get off the meds and determine if you have other digestive issues such as Celiacs. Your body will always tell you if you are having food allergies. I took Tagamet for years and ended up with a severe B12 deficiency....ended up in hospital so I recommend you stop and get on a healthy diet and increase your stomach acid by using apple cider vinegar. Digestive enzymes are a good idea but they will not increase stomach acid. Good luck.