Alternatives to PPI's Part 3

I noticed that the posts have slowed down quite a bit. I take it that everyone has been doing about the same since there are no updates. I'd like to say that last night I didn't feel any heartburn prior to bed so I decided to forego the pepcid and woke up this morning with very little heartburn and that went away after my juice. For my juices I've decided to stop the kiwi and just do the carrots. The only reason is due to the time it takes to prepare the kiwi and the hours I'm working. I'm trying to cut as many corners as I can to get more sleep. Plus carrots are cheaper than kiwi so that is a plus. I've decided that instead of chancing things, I'll still take at least 1 pepcid a day and then if I don't feel any heartburn prior to bed, I won't take one and just see how things go from there. I've also cut back on fruits quite a bit and don't know if that has anything to do with it. Now I just eat the sprouts and vegetables for lunch and dinner. I don't think fruits really have anything additional that I'm not already getting from the vegetables anyways.

As far as posting updates, I'm thinking I'll possibly do a check-in post every week or two just so you all know I haven't abandoned the forum. I still check periodically, almost on a daily basis to see if anyone has any questions or has an update. So if you have any questions for me I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

I hope everything is going good for everyone. Hope you are having a good summer so far.

Lily,

That is good that you are still improving. I stopped the PPI cold turkey so it is a little different for me. I lasted about 3 months before I started on the Pepcid as I couldn't take it any longer. For the kiwi's I usually cut off the ends plus all the skin as I have read it is best to juice them without. I think I'm doing better with just the straight carrot juice though. I think the acidity from the kiwi wasn't helping much. Right now the only thing I eat that is considered acid forming is meat. I hope you continue to progress.

Hi guys, glad everyone who is posting seems to be doing pretty well these days and I hope the others who are not posting right now are doing well too.
Lily and Javery I am glad you are both doing better!

I am almost fully recovered from a nasty upper respiratory infection thank goodness. I ended up buying a vitamix 6300 and a nutriblast. Love the vitamix. It is amazing, fast and powerful. The nutriblast isn't bad either for the price. I am considering getting another vitamix for our NY home as we are keeping the vitamix at our beach house. Made a delicious smoothie last night. 1/2 kale,baby spinach and chard and 1/2 blueberries, banana, pineapple and a 1/4 of an avocado and I split the smoothie with my dh. It was yummy and creamy and smooth and a beautiful light green. Really so much better than I would have even imagined.

Right now I have ordered samples of protein powders to experiment with adding to my smoothies to make them more nutritional. Sunwarrior seems to be a favorite among those who are vegan and gluten, soy, dairy and sugar free. I will let you know what I think when the packets arrive.


I hope everyone continues to improve and feel well.

Hello everyone, I see you all are coming along just fine I have not been here much but you guys are always in my prayers. I have been crusing the breastcancer.org site and have met a lot of wonderful people like yourselves. Just trying to get as much info possible before starting treatment and then just putting all this behind me.

Javery, so glad you a doing well and the juicing seems to be going well for you. I wish I could do it, I think it's a texture thing for me:)
I did want to tell you that I believe the Ph drops are finally working for me, I think being consistent in using it has made a difference. I wasn't consistent with using when I first got it. I am down half the bottle now and will be reordering, so thanks so much for sharing the info and all the other great info that you research and post.

imlily, you are doing so good down to 15gms, now that's progress!!! Woo hoo!!! I am going to get there too:) not sure if I missed it or if you shared how your test on the polyps turned out. I too thought about counting all those little particles in my pill too, to go from 20mg to 15mg lol!! You have inspired me so I just may try it.

Hayley, glad you are over that nasty infection and are doing better, I had to do two rounds of antibiotics and have fluid drawn off where I had my infection and that was not fun. No infection is fun for that matter. But I'm so glad you are better. Have you been back to your beach house? I think I will head back to the beach in Sept to celebrate my RADS being over. I think we share the LOVE of the ocean:)

Phazshalom, I am so glad you had a great time on your trip and I also have less symptoms when away from home. I think it comes from not thinking about it all the time and having less anxiety about it. That's just my opinion though. I pray you continue to do well with your reduction off the ppi, I KNOW you can do it!!! Also thank you so much for keeping me in prayer that means the world to me, prayer is what has kept me in such peace about my whole situation. So thank you!!!

Well as for my update on my weaning process, I am doing really well, the last couple of days were symptom free felt like my old self. I truly forgot about my GERD. I believe I have adjusted to the 20mg, so I may try to reduce again. Not sure if I should try it now or wait until after my treatment and deal with one set of side effects/symptoms at a time. I have been praying about what to do:) oh well we shall see, I'm still losing weight although I think I'm at a plateau but I am down 18 pounds woo hoo!!! I will be aiming for another 20 and that would put me at 151lbs and that's perfect for me. Have a great symptom free day everyone!!!(HUGS).

Post Edited (Mouche) : 6/18/2014 7:52:36 AM (GMT-6)

Hi Pazshalom, Sorry you have the 'symptoms' again now you are back home. I hope you soon feel better. I don't seem to have any problems getting into this site. Thank you, yes I must say I have been feeling so much better than I was a few months ago and have resumed my normal life. I am still on 15mgs omeprazole but will reduce it again to 10mgs July 1st then I will be back to square one for a few weeks. I just hope I can totally wean myself off this medicine but in some ways it is a scary thought after being on a PPI for 10 years. when I feel well I tend to stray off my diet but so far so good. I am so thankful to feel almost 'normal' again after having such dreadful nausea and pain for several months. This website and the people on it have been a great source of help and information for me.
Mouche, you have inspired me with your story. I hope you are feeling better so that you can start your treatment. Go slowly with the PPI reduction there is no rush. You are doing well with it so far. Regarding the juicing you said it was a 'texture' thing with you. I don't think there is any texture to it as all the pulp is taken out of it and so the juice itself is quite thin. I did read somewhere that juicing fresh fruits and veggies heals the body from the inside out. That is the concept I went with and bought a juicer and coincidence or not I started to feel a lot better when I started to juice over a month ago. I juice anything and everything. Whatever I have in the fridge goes into the juicer, I mix and match sort of thing. I watch for fruits and veggies to be on sale then stock up for a week. If you can get hold of the video "Fat, Sick and nearly Dead' it will make you a believer as it did me.
Good wishes to all - Lily

Short post. I had a bike accident yesterday. We fell (on tandem) but my left shoe wouldn't unclip from the pedal and I broke my ankle/foot in 2 places and it's a bad break. The surgeon cannot even do the surgery for a few weeks most likely because the swelling is intense and I cannot take anti-inflammatory meds because of my medical history of esophagitis. I'm on vicodin but the pain is horrible. Went from a 9.5 to an 8 though so at least some relief from the vicodin but still so painful. Trying to remain upbeat and positive but I am scared I won't get back to the way I was before. That I might never be able to cycle or be active again :(
The surgeon cannot promise anything but said while I might not be myself for at least a year I will probably regain most of my fucntioning. Trying to hold onto that positive.

Thanks for listening and sorry for the gloomy post.

Thank you angelcat. I appreciate your good wishes and support. Hope you are doing well!

Hi Mouche, so glad you are doing well on the reduced ppi's! You are doing great! :)

My orthopedic surgery is scheduled for July 7th. The surgeon said it is going to be a long surgery because my fracture is complicated. A Pilon fracture. Unfortunately because of my weight loss due to the esophagitis I am so skinny and developed pressure sores on my backside and that's only after 5 days of inactivity and sitting. So now the surgeon probably thinks (he asked and I said not but who knows if he believes me) I have an eating disorder. And he has a nutritionist set up to see me while I am in the hospital after my surgery.

Anyway, just asking for everyone to keep me in their prayers while I am undergoing the surgery and healing. I am doing the surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC. Thanks so much and keeping everyone here in my continued thoughts and prayers and hoping everyone is doing well!

Thank you so much Erica. It's going to be a long tough challenge but I am motivated and upbeat (most of the time). I appreciate your well wishes very much.

Thank you Mouche, much appreciated!!! And I am sending big hugs and much love to you and everyone here. I hope you are continuing to do well and feel good!

The hospital called yesterday afternoon and told me I am scheduled for surgery at Noon on July 7th at the Hospital for Special Surgery. I would so appreciate it if everyone would keep me in their thoughts and prayers especially that day. Thank you all and big (((hug))) to everyone.

Hi all, Yes of course Haley I will keep you in my thoughts on the 7th July when you have your surgery. I think of you and everyone else all the time. Did you go for the 2nd opinion? Are you any better than you were?
Mouche - how are you doing? Have you started your treatments yet? How is the PPI reduction going?
Angelcat - how are you?
Javery, where are you and are you still on the Pepcid?
Pazshalom, There is no right or wrong way to reduce the PPI. I know you are listening to your doctor and along with that you have to do what is right or at least what works for you by trial and error.
We can all only hope that eventually we can be PPI free. I have tried not to use any other acid reducer along the way because I don't want to substitute one medicine for another.
I was Looking in the store at all the PPI's and acid reducers that there are to choose from. Now Nexium is OTC. It tells me that many many people resort to help from this medicine instead of trying to look at their diets and lifestyles which is very sad. Where is it all going one wonders.