Acid Reflux and PPI's

My SO and I and decided once I finish physical therapy we're going to wean off caffeine/chocolate/wine/etc, eat much smaller meals...and try to get off ppi's (acid reflux pills). I've been on the dang things for ten years and my SO has been on them for four...that just can't be doing anything good for our bodies in the long term. Also, knowing that the result will be stopping a medication will give me more incentive than the nebulous "you'll feel better" platitude.

Anyone else made the break??

I don't know...
I think the cause (hiatal hernia) is worse than the cure.

PPI have been linked to increased fracture risk when taken continuously for more than 7 years. http://www.medicalconsumers.org/page...pfractures.htm
However, if your GERD is not controlled by diet and weight loss (if appropriate) you need to have a discussion with your doctor about the relative risk of esophageal cancer from not taking the drug vs. hip fracture from taking the drug. Isn't self-care management fun?

my DH is in the same boat. he's taking some heavy duty stuff and wishes he didn't have to. He heard about someone taking small amounts of VINEGAR and getting completely off the stuff!

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Originally Posted by newfsmith

PPI have been linked to increased fracture risk when taken continuously for more than 7 years. http://www.medicalconsumers.org/page...pfractures.htm
However, if your GERD is not controlled by diet and weight loss (if appropriate) you need to have a discussion with your doctor about the relative risk of esophageal cancer from not taking the drug vs. hip fracture from taking the drug.

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Thanks, I'd read that too, I'm planning on discussing it with my doc.

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Originally Posted by newfsmith

Isn't self-care management fun?

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So true!

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Originally Posted by Biciclista

my DH is in the same boat. he's taking some heavy duty stuff and wishes he didn't have to. He heard about someone taking small amounts of VINEGAR and getting completely off the stuff!

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I'm planning on trying the apple cider twice a day trick after I get off coffee.

please let me know how that works. I wish he could still drink coffee, we both know that's part of the problem. he loves coffee, it has replaced other rituals like smoking and drinking ...and except for the stomach, there's no really bad side affects from it.

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Originally Posted by Biciclista

please let me know how that works. I wish he could still drink coffee, we both know that's part of the problem. he loves coffee, it has replaced other rituals like smoking and drinking ...and except for the stomach, there's no really bad side affects from it.

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Will do, I LOVE good coffee (and wine) and will miss it terribly, but if I can't get off that drug it'll be worth it.

My poor husband has been on Prevacid for more than 10 years. He's dropped the weight and changed the diet and nothing has worked, except that.

I can't imagine taking an acid (vinegar) to prevent acid burn in the stomach!

Karen

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Originally Posted by Tuckervill

My poor husband has been on Prevacid for more than 10 years. He's dropped the weight and changed the diet and nothing has worked, except that.

I can't imagine taking an acid (vinegar) to prevent acid burn in the stomach!

Karen

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In researching reflux I've found out a couple of things,
one is that when you try to stop taking ppi's a "rebound" period happens, it's where your body produces a bunch of acid within the first couple of weeks after ditching the ppi's. Most people get right back on them during the rebound period.

The second thing was that using apple cider vinegar (heavily diluted in water) is supposed to help your stomach better regulate either it's acid content or production (not sure which since the site mostly said "hey, it works!").

Another thing I found was that the "cure" for reflux seems to be highly individualized, what works for one person won't work at all for another. For example, one of the most mentioned suggestions is to eat a sweet apple every day, lots of folks swear by this...for me eating an apple is like gargling acid so that "cure" is a bust for me.

Bottom line...when I was a kid I heard a few adults complain about heartburn, now everyone I know is on some sort of ppi, it's doesn't make sense that all of a sudden everyone has acid reflux problems. There has got to be a better way to function.

Here is an interesting link to a site of folk remedies and holistic treatments for common aliments, including GERD:

http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/acid_reflux.html

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Originally Posted by bambu101

Here is an interesting link to a site of folk remedies and holistic treatments for common aliments, including GERD:

http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/acid_reflux.html

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Thanks! I'll look it over tonight.

Do you notice that it goes away when you are not stressed? I teach school, and I have had terrible GERD for the last 15yrs (my father died from esophageal cancer). The only thing that seems to work well for me is summer vacation. When I am not stressed, I have very little heartburn. Also, I have found that when I sleep half sitting up, like on the couch, I have very little heartburn.

One of the best drugs for GERD was taken off the market, because it interacted with several other drugs. Propulsid actually worked to strengthen the lower esophageal sphincter. That keeps the acid where it belongs, which is in your stomach, of course. If you can get a doctor to write you a prescription for it, you might want to try Motilium. Janssen makes Motilium, which is similar to Propulsid but without the drug interactions. It works by regulating gastric emptying. The only problem is that you would have to order it from a Canadian or Mexican pharmacy, because the FDA held up approval of the drug for so long that the patent was going to run out too soon for the drug company to turn a profit after launching the drug. I have taken Motilium, and I think it is a great drug. I always buy some when I am out of the country.

Good luck.

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Originally Posted by cogmarks

Do you notice that it goes away when you are not stressed? I teach school, and I have had terrible GERD for the last 15yrs (my father died from esophageal cancer). The only thing that seems to work well for me is summer vacation. When I am not stressed, I have very little heartburn. Also, I have found that when I sleep half sitting up, like on the couch, I have very little heartburn.

One of the best drugs for GERD was taken off the market, because it interacted with several other drugs. Propulsid actually worked to strengthen the lower esophageal sphincter. That keeps the acid where it belongs, which is in your stomach, of course. If you can get a doctor to write you a prescription for it, you might want to try Motilium. Janssen makes Motilium, which is similar to Propulsid but without the drug interactions. It works by regulating gastric emptying. The only problem is that you would have to order it from a Canadian or Mexican pharmacy, because the FDA held up approval of the drug for so long that the patent was going to run out too soon for the drug company to turn a profit after launching the drug. I have taken Motilium, and I think it is a great drug. I always buy some when I am out of the country.

Good luck.

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I started having reflux when I was working 70+ hour weeks and being on call 24/7 while working with mentally ill homeless adults, it used to go away when I was on vacation but now it's always there (even after I changed professions to something much more laid back). So I'm not sure if it's the "rebound" I kept reading about or what. I'm hoping the dietary changes and the addition of the cider vinegar will help.

Thanks for the info.

Raleighdon doesn't have to take his meds when we are on vacation, even while eating big late meals.