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6 weeks of hell for nothing

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GERD & Acid Reflux
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Posted 6/19/2013 1:51 PM (GMT 0)
Well I went though 6 weeks of burning hell (rebound) coming off ppi's for nothing. I was able to somewhat control my symptoms with diet, supplements, tums, zantac, and carafate for alittle over a month. Then last week at soccer practice (I coach), I did alot of yelling and running around, when at the end of practice I started to have burning chest pains, feeling heavy chest/short breath and burning raw throat. I tried everything to get it to settle down but after 4/5 days I couldn't take it anymore......I'm back on the evil ppi. I have gotten some relief but not as much as I'd like, guess it's going to take a couple weeks of daily ppi to build back up. Also, I'm pretty sure reflux is getting into my lungs giving me the short of breath/heavy chest.

To add, I did go to the ER and my EKG was normal.

THIS SUCKS!!!! mad

Posted 6/19/2013 2:12 PM (GMT 0)
Why do folks think that PPI's are bad. I would give anything if I found a PPI that worked for me.

If they give you relief then take them. In the long term we are all dead anyway. I don't think there are many success stories weaning off them - but there are many who are on PPIs are on long term ppi and are doing fine or get surgery.

I am trying to wean off them because they are not helping me.
Posted 6/19/2013 2:17 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Doggbones,sorry to hear your back on ppis,its a nightmare.I tried over the years to get off them but like yourself,i got a couple of months at best then id be back on them. Im still trying,im on ranitidine and domperidone at the minute,dont know how long it will last though,ive also had a nissen,still doesn't stop reflux!
Don't know about you but it took 3 to 4 weeks for the ppi to get me settled again.Anyway you've just got to keep trying.Good Luck! Barry
Posted 6/19/2013 2:36 PM (GMT 0)
fight-gerd,

I don't mean to be a debbie-downer but here's just a few reason ppi's are bad.

1.They don't cure anything, they only mask symptoms.

2.cause malnutrition

3.bone density loss

4.hair loss

5.big belly (food just sits in stomach)

6.reflux (food just sits in stomach)

7.gastrin released in blood (rebound)

8.I could keep going.....so many more

Baza,

Thanks! Everytime I consider getting the surgery I just don't have a good feeling about it. I just don't know how I would be able to deal with continued symptoms if the surgery didn't completely cure me.

Posted 6/19/2013 2:40 PM (GMT 0)
fight-gerd,

Didn't mean to jump on you. I'm just fustrated as ppi's don't resolve all my gerd/lpr issues, so I'm damed if I do and damed if I don't.

Posted 6/19/2013 2:51 PM (GMT 0)
Your right about PPIS, they are poison.Ive never felt so ill or had so many health problems until I started ppis.Ive proven over and over again by going off them,all my symtoms miraculously disappear. Problem is theres nothing else im afraid! Barry
Posted 6/19/2013 2:52 PM (GMT 0)
doggbones - I know a few people around me who have been taking omeprezole over 5 years. They are happy and don't have any issues taking them. I would switch places with them in a second.

My problem started 2months ago and Omeprezole or Pantoprozole is not working. Anyone else has any experience switching to Nexium and it worked ? My GI doctor will not prescribe it - he said
Posted 6/19/2013 3:26 PM (GMT 0)
hi fight-gerd,i was on nexium five years,theres no doubt they stop the burning but the side effects make life hard.I would say nexium would be one of the stronger or more effective PPis,but many people may tell you different.Youve just got to try them all and see what works best for you.Barry
Posted 6/19/2013 4:46 PM (GMT 0)
DOGGBONES-- PPI's are not a fix-all for GERD. They work great for me in terms of controling daily heartburn, but they do nothing for a weak LES--thus my scheduled surgery in August. One of the major criticisms of PPI's is the great difficulty people have in weaning off of them. My surgeon explained that even after my Nissen, he's going to have to "wean" me off of the PPIs. Whenever I have missed my daily dosage of PPIs, I have paid dearly for that mistake. Once you start taking PPIs, your body becomes dependant on them. So I can really appreciate your frustration. Speak with your doctor and review options. Good luck to you.
Posted 6/19/2013 6:29 PM (GMT 0)
Ian,

Thanks for the reply, however I'm no newbie to gerd or lpr. I've been dealing with these issues for years and have tried just about everything. I have spoke to my doc several times and I get the same answer.....keep taking the ppi's. Ugh

Posted 6/19/2013 6:50 PM (GMT 0)
DOGGBONES-- Have you had surgery? Are you being considered for Surgery. I guess my concern is that if this is a post-surgery issue, then I'm in for a long and difficult recovery.  Like you, I have had GERD for many years (first episode at age 24-- I'm now 48). I get it-- you're frustrated. My GERD manifests in the form of nocturnal aspiration of gastric content into the trachea. It's terrifying and extremely painful. There are very few foods that I can eat. And even if I go to bed on an empty stomach, I can still find myself in the ER at 3 a.m. Reflux disease sucks. If you're not having success with your current M.D., then look for a second opinion.
Posted 6/19/2013 7:05 PM (GMT 0)
DOGGBONES

Sorry to hear the demon is back. I gues I was lucky that when I had my nissen I stopped ppis and didn't have any issues. Then again I felt like crud from the surgery, so who knows.

Take care,
Bill devil
Posted 6/19/2013 7:42 PM (GMT 0)
Ian,

No surgery yet, I would like to put it off as long as I can. Like you it all started when I was 25 and now I'm 42. A lot of my symptoms are like yours......hence the frustration.

Bill,

Thanks for the support!

Posted 6/19/2013 7:43 PM (GMT 0)
Baza - What side effects do you have ?
Posted 6/19/2013 8:57 PM (GMT 0)
Side effects on nexium are Fatigue,joint pains,low mood or depression,ive also had vitamin deficiencies,folic acid and b12 don't know if that's connected to nexium though,i was testing other ppis around that time. As soon as I go off the nexium all symtoms clear and I feel normal again apart from really bad gerd that is. Doctors look at me as if im mad,try to tell me its chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia. Very frustrating!
Posted 6/19/2013 10:51 PM (GMT 0)
DOGGBONES-- Look's like we share similar ages and time-frames regarding our GERD histories. I now regret having put off the surgery as long as I have. Like you, I have avoided surgery as long as possible, but at great cost. (ER visits and pain.) I eventually concluded that with time, the sphincter would only become weaker--and it did. Because I waited, my "small" hiatal hernia become larger and excluded me from having less invasive procedures. Nobody wants surgery, but my guess it that with age and time your symptoms will only worsen. Consider surgery, especially if it means living a reflux free life. I am encouraged by the comments from those forum members who had the surgery and no longer live with debilitating GERD symptoms.
Posted 6/20/2013 1:13 AM (GMT 0)
Doggbones, I am so sorry this didn't work for you.  I feel so much better now that I am off ppi's and other acid -reducers like Zantec.  I wish I could help you.  Our stories and experiences are all so different.
Posted 6/20/2013 11:42 AM (GMT 0)
Ian,

You are correct, my issues have becone worse over the years. It's just that I'm not convienced that surgery will resolve all my symptoms and I really believed I could handle this naturally.....I may have been wrong. Having said that, I'm just not ready to "through in the towel".

Sunbeam,

I hoping this is just a set back on my mission to control naturally. Thanks for the thoughts and wishes. :-)

Posted 6/20/2013 1:15 PM (GMT 0)
Doggbones: I am really sorry! I feel like a drug addict with the PPI drugs, I am terrified to get off of the Nexium because of the rebound. Yesterday I wasn't sure if I took my Nexium or not (I take it an hour before I get ready for work and I fell back asleep) so I decided to see what happens. I was "ok" for the most part until about half the day, then I had to take a pepcid ac. My doctor wants me to try to get off the medication and onto the H2 blocker, but I have been delaying it because of the rebound. I am able to function while on Nexium, as I have a few bothersome symptoms, but I hate being on it long term. I take vitamin suppliments to counter it but I just do not like it.. I may try and step down from Nexium to a OTC dose of Zegrid and then to the pepcid. I feel your pain, I am right with you searching for natural remedies. I also am avoiding surgery, because I am hopeful that there will be new options in the future that are less drastic.
Posted 6/20/2013 2:47 PM (GMT 0)
Erica,

Thanks for the thoughts!  smilewinkgrin   I'm going to order the Iberogast today as I have high hopes the more I reseach it. This seems to be good stuff that has been used in Germany for 40+ years. I've even read several post (other sites) about ppl whos dr's have suggested it's use and have had good results. Here's a link that you can copy and take a look at.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12618546

Posted 6/20/2013 3:18 PM (GMT 0)
We must be twins because I also am about to order the Iberogast! I may as well try it, I have tried many other things and some of the reviewers on amazon have said they were able to get off PPIs by using this.
Posted 6/20/2013 3:44 PM (GMT 0)
Does Iberogast provide the same functionality as Reglan ?
Posted 6/20/2013 3:50 PM (GMT 0)
The reviews mention being able to get off reglan and there are many reviewers who suffer from gastroparesis
Posted 6/20/2013 4:44 PM (GMT 0)
Fight gerd

I am on nexium, as my symptoms still persisted on just omeprazole. It did relieve the symptoms a bit more, but not totally.

Im now a few months on them and the symptoms have calmed down a bit. I am slowly weaning myself back down to omeprazole, have managed to halve my nexium dose so far with little increase in symptoms and my diet has been awful this week!

I havent noticed any side effects from nexium, but i suffer from depression and fatigue before i even went on it so who knows.d
Posted 6/20/2013 5:09 PM (GMT 0)
DOGGBONES-- You wouldn't be throwing in the towel. You'd be doing yourself a favor. At present, there is no "natural" remedy that will tighten a weak sphincter (the source of your reflux). No herbs, plants or drinks exist that can fix your LES. In my career as a licensed therapist (now a college professor) I often worked with clients (with various medical illnesses) who would hold on to salvation in an "all natural approach" while forgoing life-saving or life-improving medical treatments. I saw this with people who had depressive disorders, auto-immune diseases, diabetes etc. At one point I worked with a 38 year old male who decided he could get around kidney dialysis through other means. He was dead within 3 weeks. I support using the least restrictive and least invasive medical therapies, but sometimes people hold on to false hopes when the answer is right in front of them. I don't mean to lecture you or persuade to do something that you don't feel is right for you. I'm just suggesting that you be judicious as you look at options. Again, I wasted years waiting for the miracle cure that never arrived. I have now accepted the reality of my needing surgery. Good luck too you. I hope you find relief.
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