Bye Bye PPI

Hi

I have been on a PPI for GERD for about 10 months. My symptoms were gone so I quit taking it cold turkey last Friday. Since then, no matter what I eat, I have terrible bloating and intestinal gas right after eating. It goes away 3 or 4 hours later after taking GASX. Anyone else have this problem? Should I maybe taper off instead by using Zantac? Zantac always gives me headaches. Any suggestions?

Jan

Yeah quitting cold turkey is bad! I did it! I don't recommend it. I would decrease ur dosage and keep on it for weeks and occasionally take Zantac as needed. Keep decreasing it until u just have Zantac. Anyway let your GI doctor know.

You can try Pepcid, Tagamet and Axid, ask ur doc.

What you're having now is acid rebound, all of a sudden the dam that kept the water in is no longer there and there you have it. I would go back to your meds if it was me and then taper down. It may take like 2-4 months, see how it goes.

Hope you feel better soon!

Precious

CurlyGirly said...
Thanks for the advice. I'm determined to quit the PPI on my own because I'm sick of doctors. Since Zantac always gives me headaches, I think I'll try the Pepcid. I didn't realize it would take that long to get off them. It's funny that my symptoms are now all in the lower abdomen rather that the chest and esophagus.

Jan

I went off mine cold turkey, as they were making me so sick.  Then I used the Braggs acv, 2 teaspoons plus one teaspoon of honey in warm water after each meal.  I did this for two months and now I am taking nothing, not even the Br acv, and occasionaly a few rolaids.  I do however watch what I eat.  Lately tho, I have been branching out and all seems fine.

 

Good luck CurlyGirly

ACV won't help if your stomach is producing too much acid. If your stomach isn't producing enough, then ACV is gold.

You are going through rebound hypersecretion which does get better. People are right, stopping abruptly isn't the best answer. Talk to your doctor about tapering. The rebound is going to happen even coming off of the smallest PPI dose. It's your body's way of readjusting.

I have been off of Prilosec for almost 4 months and am not healed fully but almost there. I actually wanted to share something because when I was on the generic of Prilosec.. I never got a list of side effects like the one I'm about to share. There was never a list in my boxes. I actually had symptoms of overdose and instead of being taken off of the pills I was put on even more.

Most people who deal with GERD have to ask themselves what creates it in the first place. Most doctors do not acknowledge the rebound effect because most of us (not all) do not need the pills in the first place. They in fact, never used to be OTC. It's up to us to speak with our physicians and improve our lifestlyes maybe before trying such a serious medication. Good Luck and don't leave your doctor out of the loop! I learned the hard way by cold turkeying the medicine!


Symptoms were (these can be considered overdose)

* confusion
* drowsiness
* blurred vision
* fast or pounding heartbeat
* nausea
* vomiting
* sweating
* flushing (feeling of warmth)
* full feeling in my head
* dry mouth, very thirsty

I also experienced:

* constipation
* dizziness
* tooth and gum decay and pain
* left upper back/shoulder pain
* severe stomach cramps
* rash
* itching all over my body, mainly chest and arms
* my feet and ankles were swollen
* difficulty breathing
* muscle spasms,
* tingling in my face, lips, and limbs

 I am glad to have found this forum. I was prescribed 40 mg (once a day) of Nexium on 3/10/2009 (acid reflux- symptoms mistaken for cardiac issue). After 4 days of being on the medication I began to develop stomach issues. After two weeks, I began to feel very sick (severe ab pain, loose BM, loss of appetite-lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks, muscle and hip pain, dizziness, and severe anxiety). Doctor stated that I must have a viral infection (after blood, urine, and flu test came back negative) and I should allow it to run its course. After the 2nd week of feeling sick, I figured out that the symptoms began when I started the Nexium.

I stopped cold turkey on 4/9/2009 (following doctor's advice) and have just started to feel better. However, I am experiencing rebound symptoms (headache, cramping, muscle and back aches, etc). My stomach has started to get back to normal, but I continue to have cramping and gas when I wake up in the morning. My appetite has returned and I have started to feel "normal" again. I should have considered reducing the dose and weening myself off slowly, but I feel that this medication has poisoned my system.   

I did see a GI who did agree that the Nexium was probably the cause of the stomach issues, but disagrees with the muscle pain. I was given Aciphex in lieu of Nexium (told that the side effects were not as severe) but refused to take another PPI.

I have an endoscopy scheduled for tomorrow morning. I plan on trying more natural remedies and controlling the symptoms through diet.                  

CurlyGirl:

Quitting cold turkey is not the way to go. I did it and it was the worst month of my life. Talk to your doctor and work out a plan for getting off the PPI. They were the ones that put you on that treatment to begin with. What is infuriating is that they just might tell you that you have to be on them for life. Not the answer that any of us want to hear. I can tell you that things will get better but just as you have heard from other members the ride is rough. It takes alot on your part you have to change the way you eat and eliminate any of the trigger foods. These are the same foods that used to give you the heartburn maybe years ago but you payed no mind to it because it was only occasional. Look at the amount of stress in your life any things that may have caused the stomach issues to begin with. Eat in moderation exercise take up a hobby on other words occupy your mind and get it off your stomach. Its going to take some time but the mind is an amazing thing if you really want to get better you can.

Good Luck

LittlePeanut

hi i,m ten days in off ppi,s after 4 years and i not been getting heartburn but feeling sick and bloated and have a sick bile taste in my mouth its really hard to get relief with out going back on ppi,s my doctors it does not matter that i taken it so long and she did not appreciate that i said i dont no anybody who come off ppi,s .