Do PPI help ANYONE with LPR?

kevinla

You are right, members come and go and often they are only active when they have problems and are looking for advice and support.  People who feel good and are not having sx don't always post.

 

Hi Kevin.

I developed GERD in late April of 2011 all of the sudden one day. It then developed into LPR over the course of the next month. I had both GERD and LPR symptoms for a total of 5 months before I elected to start taking Prevacid 30 mg in the am before eating. It working instantly but gave only 70% relief. Over the course of the next 6 weeks, it gradually began to work even better I guess as I adjusted to it maybe?? Anyway, I now experience 95% relief of symptoms. about 3-5 days out of a month, I will have a vague, acid vaporish type feeling in the base of my throat. If I didn't know I have GERD, I wouldn't even really be aware of it, but I think I'm hypersensitive to anything that remotely resembles acid b/c of what I've been through. I sort of live in fear of the day when (or if really) the PPI stops working. I hope I am one who benefits from them for a long period of time.

Good luck,

Liz

Hi Kevin,

Well I don't know about permanently but for right now...yes. I can't see getting off of them in the near future because my quality of life was poor at best prior to starting them 4.5 months ago. I was eating oatmeal, egg whites, chicken, green beans and water and still having reflux ALL DAY LONG with no breaks. Sucked really, really bad. I became depressed, anxious, and had a short temper, which is not good when you have two small children you stay home with all day. Toddlers can drive you nuts just normally but when you have constant burning pain, it's way worse.

Honestly, I have told myself that I MAY try to get off of them in a year slowly and gradually. If I am symptom-free, then great. If not, I will either get back on them which I'd rather not do b/c I hate taking meds with the exception of vitamins. I also do not want to increase my chances of bone loss due to poor calcium absorption which is a side effect of PPI's. Hopefully, surgical antireflux procedures will continue to improve and perhaps I will opt for one of those. The problem with those is that I am extremely active and teach many exercise classes per week. Weight lifting is a hobby of mine and I would hate to give it up. I understand that heavy weight lifting post op is potentially dangerous in the way that it can tear the wrap down.

Take care,

Liz