Lisams?

Hi there! Sorry for not getting back sooner. I think you're really doing great. Around 3 weeks off I still had some discomfort, but it was mainly when I wasn't keeping food in my stomach often enough. Any longer than 2 hours without eating and the pain would start up. I think that extra acid needs something to work on, and when the stomach is empty it can start irritating it. Just my own thoughts...not sure if medically that's possible but from my experience. Also, if I ate too much at once it would happen.

I used a slippery elm/marshmallow root supplement that I think really helped. They're supposed to help protect the lining of the stomach, and with so much acid I think it might have helped my stomach heal. I got mine from my naturopathic MD, but if you're interested I bet you could find it at a store like Whole Foods or a health food store. If not there, perhaps call around and see if a naturopath would sell it.

Also, drinking tons of water between meals and chewing gum right after a meal helped.

I'm at 31 days off and feeling pretty good. Some mornings I can tell there's a little too much acid, so I take a tums after my breakfast. I actually have an endoscope coming up here on Thursday, so I'm curious what the dr. will say. I'm hoping that things will turn out fine since I'm feeling better.

I think you're really close to getting past this. From what I've read, the acid rebound can last up to 8 weeks but keep in mind that the most drastic acid production is going to be in the first few weeks after stopping, then things will start getting closer to normal. Hang in there!!

Lisa

My burning pain was first right under my ribcage for the first couple of weeks, and then it was lower in my stomach, abdomen area. Wierd how it kind of changed like that. I also noticed a change in my bowel movements (sorry this is TMI!) - they became a little softer. I'm just guessing the whole system needs to adjust to stopping the med and the change in acid.

I stopped taking the slippery elm/marshmallow about a week ago because I wanted to see how things were without, and I felt ok without it. I still take 2-3 tums a day when I feel any discomfort. It's no longer that pain/burning feeling and more kind of like a mild ache and it doesn't last that long.

I think you're really headed in the right direction! You've made it past the really bad part, and it may take a few more weeks for your body to adjust but it will get there.

Lisa

Lisa..just thought I'd give you an update on my 26th day..lower abdominal pain went away 2 days ago..however the upper center stomach pain flared up a bit (kinda weird since it had left)...not until it got sorta bad today did I pop a Tums..I'm hoping I didn't cause too much damage b/c it still aches post-tums (I now realize that when I feel a burn, I should take at least something to protect myself or have a setback)..hope your continuing to improve!

Thats great that you're pain free Lisa! I'm looking forward to hearing the results of your endoscopy tommorow. Today (day 27) has been average for me still trying to fix whatever damage is done to the upper stomach again...I took a tums this morning because I had a heavy feeling on my stomach and kinda wanted to throw up---had that feeling the last 2 days. I think the flare up (upper left center stomach) that started 3 days ago might have inflamed it some. I am also still taking about 400 mg of DGL daily and the probiotics...hopefully tommorow I will have a good update for you!

Post Edited (tiger06) : 7/1/2009 1:32:11 PM (GMT-6)

Lisa, how did your endoscopy go? Still pain free? I'm on day 29..it's hard for me to tell how close to pain free I am since I had flare ups in the upper left/center abdomen this week. I've begin to take Maloox periodically which is working alright but I still have dull pain in those areas after taking it. I've debated about Zantac..just trying to hold out each day. Can't wait to hear from you!

Thanks Lisa..What strength Zantac did you use (75 or 150)?  And how many times a day?  I think I'll resort to that tommorow.  I have a family beach trip next weekend and if this upper left stomach pain doesn't go away I won't be going..that's my burden.  It's not so much a burn but a steady pain like someone kicked me in my left ribs.   I'm hoping there's no damage...I have pondered starting Nexium back in the AM..but if I remember correctly that might take even longer to fix itself.  I'll keep you posted..and am hoping Zantac is the way!

Thanks Lisa...I resorted to Zantac 75 twice daily today...and may go to Zantac 150 twice daily tommorow..just trying to let this upper left abdominal pain repair and go away (it doesn't really burn..its just dull, constant moderate pain)...I feel like its my best bet to do things this way instead of jumping all the way up to Nexium again...I figure if I can stabalize here/pain free (make the beach trip)...I can taper off the Zantac..so keep your fingers crossed for me. My reasoning is it would be a less drastic change for me to go to Zantac at this point...more drastic change to go all the way back to Nexium...because I no longer have any scorched throat, lump in throat..and all those GERD symptoms that come w/ rebound..

tiger06, how are things going? I'm hoping you were able to take your vacation and that the pain is going away. I totally know what you mean about the anxiety. I actually had to start taking an antidepressant because I was having so much anxiety from the rollercoaster ride these past 5 months.

Just checking in to see how you're doing.
Lisa

I'm so sorry you had to miss your vacation. I know what you mean about not wanting to start an antidepressant because it's another thing to eventually have to wean off of. I figure when the time comes I'll do it very, very gradually. I think if you go back on the nexium, at least you'll know how to taper off and know that doing it very gradual is the way to go.

I started Paxil because I had pretty bad depression about 2 months ago. I thought I could conquer it without meds, and then the anxiety kicked in. I started about 3 weeks ago. I don't know why the anxiety peaked as my body was getting better. Perhaps it was the months leading up to it feeling pretty crappy all the time, and then the rebound. I think the Paxil is helping. I've never been on an antidepressant before, so I don't know how long it takes to really start working well.

My stomach has been doing pretty good. Once in a while it gets bubbly and I can't figure out what triggers it. The burning pain is gone, but I'm still afraid to eat anything new (I've been sticking to kind of bland foods).

I'm hoping you feel good here soon...even if it means starting the nexium. You can wean off of it when the time comes and take it very slowly. Hang in there.

Tiger06, how are you doing? Hoping that one way or the other you are having pain free days. Were you able to see your dr. about starting the Carafate?

Going a little off topic, but do you remember how long it took for the Lexapro to help with anxiety? I've been on the Paxil for 4 weeks and I think it's starting to help with the anxiety, but some days it doesn't seem like it's kicked in yet. Just wondering what your experience was.

Sounds like the Nexium is starting to work. Hopefully stopping the probiotics will help with the abdominal pain. I know you've been through a lot, but I'm thinking that once your stomach is really settled that things will really start improving for you.

I really wish I could kick this anxiety. I think that this whole entire stomach issue really caused a lot of anxiety for me (and I'm already normally an anxious person). What I don't understand is that now that I'm over the rebound I'm still having a lot of anxiety.

Keep us posted on how your doing.

Hello emkaye! I'm glad you're here. The more people going through similar situations, the more we can lean on each other for support.

I was on Protonix 40mg for 6 weeks because of gastritis. My dr. then told me I could stop, but didn't say anything about weaning off so I stopped cold turkey and had horrible rebound. So I went back on the Protonix 40 to recover from the rebound. I stayed at 40 for 3 weeks, then switched to 20 for 2 weeks, then 20 every other day for about another 2 weeks and then stopped. I did still have some rebound, but I was able to manage it with Tums (and I took Zantac a few times). If I were to do it all over again, I would have stayed at 20 every other day a little longer and then went to every third day and so on. My rebound wasn't horrible, and I think that is in part because I tapered down to a low dose, but taking it realllly slow is worth it.

I also saw a naturopathic dr. who put me on DGL and a slippery elm/marshmallow root supplement to use during the weaning off period. I do think they helped. I also found that eating several small means throughout the day helped keep the acid somewhat level. That and also drinking tons of water between meals and chewing gum right after eating (saliva help neutralize and the gum increases your saliva).

I also think the Protonix is partly to blame for my anxiety. My personal theory is that my body wasn't absorbing nutrients as well while on it. Also, from the little research I've done, I've read that about 80% of your serotonin is actually created in the stomach. If things are out of balance I can see how that could be effected. I really was hesitant to start Paxil, but it came to the point that therapy alone wasn't enough. Even my psychologist recommended that I strongly consider meds.

When you started Paxil did it take a while for it to help with anxiety? I think I'm doing better, but sometimes it's hard to know. my psychiatrist put me on a very low dose (5mg) for the first week, then 10 for a few weeks, and now I'm at 20 which he says is the typical dose for anxiety. I've also started exercising (walking) and trying to relax more.

Hope you are doing well today!! Keep us updated!
Lisa