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Can Aciphex or other PPIs CAUSE reflux?

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GERD & Acid Reflux
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Posted 11/17/2012 11:48 AM (GMT 0)
I have been on Prilosec with good results for 20 years. no side effects. Then about 3 months ago I started getting not just reflux but all kinds of other symptoms like constant burping, dizzyness, feeling of fullness, no appetite, weight loss, etc. The GI doctor gave me various other PPIs that didn't help and some gave awful side effects. Last night I tried a new one, Aciphex and my heartburn was way worse this morning. My throat is on fire. And I am still taking the Prilosec every morning so it can't be due to rebound from stopping the prilosec. So yesterday I had Prilosec as usual in the morning and Aciphex in the evening and I am terrble this morning. Or could it be due to I didn't stop eating early enough in the evening? I ate a snack at 8:00 pm, a little later than I usually stop, and laid down at 9:30 for the night. I don't want to take the Aciphex again due to this experience but none of the other PPIs I have tried worked either (Dexilant, Prevacid, Nexium).

Marie
Posted 11/17/2012 1:02 PM (GMT 0)
I can't eat ANYTHING within 4 hours of lying down.  I found that PPI and Gaviscon work best for me.  Recently I had a bad episode and added DGL to the mix.  I take a DGL before each meal, a Gaviscon after each meal and my Aciphex first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.

I had to adopt the acid-reflux diet from "Dropping Acid" book, too.

Posted 11/17/2012 4:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Marie,
So sorry you are suffering with Acid burning in your esophagus at its worst. confused When I was at my worst constant , intense, burning esophagus burning symptoms before my TIF surgery,I was on 40mg of Prilosec twice a day. Zantac 300mg at night. The big difference at that time is when I added Aloe Vera juice 2 oz in am and 2 oz in Pm. Also what CPA Kim suggested not eating anything 4 hours before you lie down to sleep at night should help. I also included a small side dish of yogurt and apple sauce as side dishes with my meals so I could slide down my main meal easier. At work, I would pack 2 apples ,peal them and eat them. Apples are a GERDIE TROOPER friendly food. :-) I am not a diabetic, so I could take TBSP of Honey instead of mylanta ( white liquid anti acid) to relieve in between burning. After a week Of my adding Aloe Vera juice, I was able to cut back to Prilosec 20mg once a day in the morning and Zantac 150 mg at night. When I traveled a long trip in the car, I would take a honey bear in the drink car slot by me and take a gulp if my symptoms increased. I have found after eating a big or small meal it is best to walk for about 15 minutes around your house before sitting down. That will help too.
Best Wishes I hope you can feel better soon.
Anne :-)
Posted 11/17/2012 5:04 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks CPA-Kim and Anne. I do follow the GERD diet now but it doesn't help nearly enough. I take Gaviscon before bed but I don't really know if it's helping. (The only reason I haven't tried it after every meal is I am afraid of getting aluminum poisoning). I always have reflux at night and it was just worse last night. I bought some George's aloe vera juice (the only one that doesn't seem to have citric acid in it) but only tried one teaspoon so far. I will try taking more of it. The DGL tablets gave me indigestion right away so I guess that's out. I do take a half teaspoon of Masuka honey a few times a day. I wish I could sleep sitting up but I've tried and I always end up flat. Tonight I will make sure I stop eating earlier and will brave another Aciphex and give it another try. Thanks for your help!

Marie
Posted 11/17/2012 5:48 PM (GMT 0)
MaMom
Marie. Have you tried the Gaviscon Advance formula. It's not here in US but have it sent here from England . Found it better then just Gaviscon. The strawberry Gaviscon Advance tablets help. I tend to stay away from the peppermint ones, --can't really understand why they make them that flavor when they tell you to avoid peppermint.
Posted 11/19/2012 12:49 PM (GMT 0)
you are having an indigestion problem or dyspepsia. PPI only reduces the stomach acid. It does nothing to help improve your stomach function. As food remains longer in stomach undigested, stomach keeps producing acid. Bacteria may break down the food and cause gases. The gases and burping relax your stomach sphincter and you have reflux.

you need to find a right regimen of PPI with the help of your doc. Are two pills a day too much for you? Will you do better with just the prilosec in the morning + zantac or antacid on demand?

Trying splitting meals to smaller portions and eat them at different time so that your stomach isn't too full at anytime.

Try sleeping on a slanted bed, instead of upright or lying flat.

Keep a food diary and watch for trigger food.

A light exercise or walk after meals usually help.

Don't drink water during meals or within 1.5hrs after meals.

Hope this helps.
Posted 11/19/2012 3:50 PM (GMT 0)
Pat- The Gaviscon I have is called "Extra Strength" and doesn't have peppermint but it does have sorbitol which is supposed to be hard to digest. Plus it has Stearic Acid. Seems like all antacids have some kind of acid in it - go figure. And they all have sorbitol or mannitol or xyitol - all hard on the stomach. So these things may be doing more harm than good it's hard to tell.

WJF I am doing all the things you mentioned to help my indigestion. The PPI I have been taking for 20 year, PRilosec, doesn't seem to be working now and I have tried a bunch of others and they seem to work either (or they give me intolerable side effects). I need to find out why i am all of sudden getting this indigestion. Will probably have to have a barium swallow test (because the food doesn't want to go down or stay down), a gastric emptying test (Because the food doesn't seem to move a long), a breath test (to see if there is overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine), a gallbladder test, and possibly a colonoscopy and PH test. I see the doctor on Tuesday and hopefully he will take this seriously and try to get to the bottom of it instead of prescribing more PPIs that don't work.

Marie
Posted 11/21/2012 2:52 PM (GMT 0)
You have a comprehensive test suite to go through. I hope this will shed some light on what's going on. However, don't be surprised if nothing shows up on the radar screen. Sometimes dyspepsia can be acausal.

:-) In that case I do have other tips that I will share with you by then. I have been dealing with indigestion for a long time with some success.
Posted 11/21/2012 4:14 PM (GMT 0)
I got the ultrasound results - negative. I now am scheduled for a CT scan and HIDA gallbladder scan Friday morning after Thanksgiving. Plus I am having difficulties with laryngitis due to the acid coming up to my vocal chords and sinus drainage. I started a nasal steroid so help with the sinus drainage. I feel like I am constantly clearing my throat. Trying not to talk much in order to rest my throat but with my family home all weekend this is hard to do. I also have an appointment with my PCP to request an anxiety medication because I think the stress is making it all worse. I don't want a benzo like Xanax or Ativan because I had a bad experience with that in the past, and I don't want an SSRI because those upset my stomach so I hope there is something else out there that I can take temporarily.

Marie
Posted 11/26/2012 2:57 AM (GMT 0)
hi Marie,

You are right. stress can make acid reflux worse!

Most anxiety meds are either a benzo or a selective re-uptake inhibitor, you can try the natural methods - deep breathing, muscle relaxation, meditation. They help. One thing you can do is not to think about the illness or pain all the time, set aside a time frame in which you are free to think about it, and try not to think about it outside of which.
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