Off Protonix trying Oil of Oregano...

I'm new to this forum, first post.

I've been on Protonix (pantoprazole) for "GERD"for 7 or 8 years. It works, but after being prescribed a statin for cholesterol, I decided I needed to do some research on the drugs and the "conditions" that have caused the need to use them.

Anyway, I came across some information on h-pylori, irritable bowel, and other gastro/ stomach problems. One of the suggested experiments for each of these was the use of Oil of Oregano. It has both antiseptic and anti-bacterial characteristics. So I gave it a try. 2 weeks of no Pantoprazole. Stopped cold turkey.

Now, I'm not going to tell you that it's perfect, but it's workable. I can't have my ice cream before bed yet, and cheese too late in the day gets the acid up, but I feel the Oil of Oregano is working. After dinner last night I was feeling a little bloat and acid, so I put three drops of it under my tongue as I have for the past two weeks and after about 30 minutes the bloat and acid were nearly gone.

I've been using three drops under my tongue, three times per day. First around 10am, next around 3pm, and the last 7-8pm. I can't complain so far. The oil is spicy--- peppery, so be aware. I wash it down with a glass of water. I slosh it around a little and swallow, finishing the glass.

Just curious if anyone else has tried this treatment. I was very skeptical at first, but it really does seem to be working. I haven't made any other changes other than to cut out chips and bread, which were basically the only simple carbs I take.

I'd be interested to know others experiences with this.

Hi,
I'd be interested in trying this but not sure where I'd buy it - I'm in UK.

I have been trying slippery elm for about a month and didn't realise how good it was until I came off of it.

Jenny.

Oil of oregano can be bought in the UK - I got mine through a company called Waterfall who sell products for recurrent cystitis. I would advise caution though - it's like swallowing fire!! I did try it for cystitis but didn't get past one dose when I tried it for GERD! Interesting that you are finding it helpful - keep us posted.

MMM

Tablets of oregano oil? Didn't know there were any. However, I have mild gastritis and don't tolerate many supplements. I tested negative for Helicobacter so I'm not sure what oregano could do for me?

MMM

Are the positive reviews for GERD specifically?

MMM

Thank you - I'll have a read. I'm always trying the natural remedies (though dread to think of the collective cost after 2 years of experimenting!!), so I'll look into it.

MMM

Yeah, I agree, they certainly aren't conclusive reviews, but I was reading from a standpoint that what I had/have is misdiagnosed as GERD or GERD with an underlying cause. I forget the actual breadcrumb trail I followed with google, sadly, but it lead me to the antiseptic and anti-bacterial properties of Oil of Oregano. I also have always had a degree of constant sinusitis--- often not too bad, just bothersome.

In the readings I followed, there was a lot about Candida, particularly in individuals having used courses of antibiotics with some regularity. But I've suffered from what people might call dyspepsia or stomach upset as far back as 18 and I'm 43 now. So I wasn't certain about Candida. H pylori made some sense to me altho I think I would recall the Dr. telling me about it when I had my endoscopy a number of years ago.

Either way, I believe there is some underlying link to both of these issues. Since using OoO, both of these symptoms have been reduced and nearly eliminated. The reason I wondered about the pill form of OoO, is that it apparently gets further into the digestive tract. So I'm reasoning that if I have something there I should get rid of it too before it "reaffects" the stomach.

I'll be having an endoscopy within a couple months, so I'll talk to the Dr, but I don't expect much in the way of natheopathic info, but he will certainly be able to tell me if I have H pylori or Candida.

I put 3 drops of "BeingO" under my tongue 3-4 times a day and wash it down with water. I let it sit there a while, maybe 30 seconds or so, and then slosh the water in and swallow it down. Are you using the undiluted form of Oil of Oregano? If so, the recommendations I've seen say to mix it with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The brand I have is already diluted in the EVOO.

I find it hot, but not to the point of it being too much to take. I also slosh it around with my morning coffee.

If you want to help with the breadcrumb trail, google GERD + sinusitis. I'm pretty sure that's what got me started on this line of thinking.

And as I recall, I actually started with sinus + histamine + GERD... I've spoken with the Dr. over the years about noticing when I have an allergy flair up in the Spring or Fall that doses over the recommended one tab per 24 hours of alavert, often made my GERD symptoms diminish. All he's ever had to say is, "Interesting." A little research on the NET shows that PPI's and Anti-histamines are often used in conjunction with one another and that some of the better known GERD medications are actually histamine blockers.

I've long been convinced that what ever I suffer from is connected somehow. Even when my blood pressure was slightly elevated, I felt it had something to do with this. And I've since read somewhere in this breadcrumb trail that histamine responses can elevate both cholesterol and blood pressure. Just trying to connect all of the dots and I find it interesting that OoO has done something for both of these problems.

Post Edited (dude1969) : 12/11/2012 10:45:19 AM (GMT-7)

So as I read a little more yesterday after suggesting the breadcrumb trail, I found a couple more crumbs...

First, I found this: www.chiro.org/alt_med_abstracts/ABSTRACTS/Gastroesophageal_Reflux_Disease.pdf

Melatonin and D-Limonene were both highly successful. The PDF is really worth the read.

Next I found this: www.longecity.org/forum/topic/26591-probiotics-and-digestive-enzymes-for-gerd/

This entry was VERY interesting to me:

"I give my mom L-glutamine and Aloe Vera and it nips it in the bud. The use of glut makes sense. The problem with GERD is not the level of acid, perse, rather, it's the random dilatation of the Lower esophageal sphincter. This is kept tightly shut by adequate levels of GABA. The body makes GABA from L-glutamine given there is enough Lysine available. So, if more foods were fortified with L-Lysine, I suspect the incidence of GERD would decrease."

Here's why it is specifically interesting to me. about ten days after starting with OoO, I started another vitamin regimen for my cholesterol level. I had recently read an article about Linus Pauling and his theory/ protocol for cholesterol management, after being prescribed a statin for my elevated cholesterol. Problem was, with a little research, I found that while my overall cholesterol was high, all my ratios were excellent. Anyway, his protocol, in part, calls for 5+ grams of vitamin c and L-Lysine per day. So when I read the entry about the GABA and its L-Lysine that helps in the function of the muscle that helps to keep the stomach sphincter closed, the radar goes up.

This is becoming very interesting.

Yes, some of these have come up on the forum before. I tried D-limonene which, if anything, made me worse. A lot of people find supplements can aggravate things, making it hard to experiment. The research on melatonin was first discussed last year I think, but those of us in the UK can only buy 5HT not melatonin. The study had good results but used B vitamins too. If I remember rightly, last time it was discussed here there were concerns about side effects of melatonin.

Some people do well with probiotics, especially in liquid form. Sadly they all contain dairy so I've got no where with that particular experiment.

L glutamine is another popular one to try. I think it's best to try one thing at a time and keep a diary of what you are taking and what symptoms you have.

MMM

Thanks. I haven't tried OoO again yet as I've had a minor flare of symptoms. I think it did shift my cold though!!

I'll dig around for the old thread on melatonin - I think it was a concern rather than an actual adverse reaction.

MMM

Hi Nickles---

I'm 43. I haven't completely removed simple carbs, but I've significantly reduced them. I don't do pretzels, chips, sodas, crackers, or many wheat products. Never really did anyway, tho. I will have potatoes, some pasta, occasionally, and some long grain wild rice. I also still enjoy a few beers a week, but I began taking a break and having wine instead or nothing at all to drink. Transfats are out, too. I have some type of red meat maybe once a week or once every other. And I've ramped up the complex carbs... salads instead of cold cuts for lunch.

So there are other things going on. But in the past when I've cut things out, I've always needed the Protonix regardles. With the notable exception of when I was on the South Beach diet about 6 years ago. Since the Oil of Oregano experiment, I have not. And I didn't cut out all those things with the initiation of the change in diet. I think the dietary changes have just accentuated the success with the OoO.

As part of trying to avoid taking a statin, I've started a 5Gram VitaminC and Lysine regimen in divided doses thru-out the day. And at night I take a probiotic, magnesium, and VitaminD3. I'll soon be adding in the rest of the Pauling/Rath Heart Protocol with Proline and a couple others.

I'm almost certain I was deficient in vitamins based on how quickly I feel more energized from just the ones I've been taking for the past month. I've read extensively over that period of time and I am more convinced than ever that my problems are interconnected somehow with food, potential allergies, and the long term use (7 yrs) of Protonix.

Thanks for mentioning the probiotic. I'm good about taking it but not religious about it. But as you mention it, the several times I've felt a bit of an upset stomach, it was on days that I missed the morning dose of the probiotic and maybe even then night before's dose, so I do believe that is helping.

The OoO I think is helping as an anti-bacterial. I'm not certain, but for the first time in a very long time, I don't feel congested, my stomach is not upset, my blood pressure is lower, and I just feel, generally, better. So whatever the cause I that, I'll take it. I just think that there's a lot available that people can use either with traditional medicines or instead of. I'm glad to be off Protonix. Hopefully it's soon enough to avoid osteoporosis as I get older.

So I also just read on Wikipedia, of all places, that Vitamin C has major antihistamine attributes. Maybe I stumbled onto my perfect therapy. I just can't get over not having to use the Protonix. Perhaps my GERD really was allergy based as I had been suggesting to my Dr. all along. My diet hasn't changed much since using the OoO and these heart supplements (vitamin C and l-Lysine). There has to be some beneficial cocktail thing going on here. I just wish I had found it years ago...