stop nexium cold turkey?!

Vanessa,
I am very pleased to hear that your doc (I assume you are referring to your board certified licensed medical doctor) is imbracing the controlled diet approach and advocating getting off the meds. How can she argue with your fantastic results!

Norm

Hey hearty,

I feel your pain.  I was away suffering from a relapse.  I had GERD and gastritis really bad.  Again.  Went to the doc to get tested for H. pylori, again.  Negative again.

Serious.  If you're serious try a few things.  Theralac probiotics are great.   I've had the scope from both ends.  Apparently I'm fine.  Yeah right.  Not fine.  I went and got ALL the notes that docs keep.  You know all the medical files.  Guess what...my gastro doc actually wrote in his notes that my PPI's may have given me abdominal pain.  IBS...baby.  I wish they would've told me this ahead of time.

Don't just listen to people.  Do your own research.  So I went back on my "meds" if you will.

Once a day I take a probiotic.

Three times a day inbetween meals I crush 2 DGL licorice tabs,

Empty 3 slippery elm tabs,

and

three gastramet tabs,

and 20 drops of IBEROGAST. (go to pub med and look up IBEROGAST) doctors studied it and concluded that it works.

In to a cup of water and drink it down.  Taste like...but works.

Also find REFLUXIN...it is an antacid that doesn't change the PH of your acid.

Took a couple dedicated weeks but my GERD is gone, and my gastritis is better, not perfect, but better.

PPI's are bad, they cause addiction, a gastric juice imbalance, and death to the good bacteria in your intestines. 

The proof is in the pudding.  I dare any one on PPI's to try and go off.  They can't.  Their body and mind thinks they need it.  And worst yet, is that they work for some people. 

What happens when your stomich acid is too low?  Your body makes more.  What if it can't because of PPI's?  Then the things in your intestine, (good bacteria) that need a proper balance of acid DIE.  And then you can absorb all the nutrients your body needs. 

PPI's messed me up bad.  Trust your body not your doc.  I promise that if a doc has GERD, that he or she won't take PPI's. 

Which brings the question.  What did people with GERD do before PPI's? 

That's right.  Natural medicine.  Affordable and effective. 

Serious hearty,  I don't know who you are.  I just want you to get better.  I'm not getting paid to care.

Be well and win.

ALfred, Thanks for your post....what you say makes sense. I take probiotics....jarrow brand from the health food store. I have had no heartburn since starting the nexium which makes me scared to stop. But I still get the chest pain, burping, etc..... Did you quit the ppi drug you were on....cold turkey or did you wean yourself off? My doc has told me that prilosec otc will work the same and he thinks that after taking these drugs for SEVERAL months....I will have my system straight and be able to get off of them or take them only as needed. I hate taking medicine but the heartburn was so severe I was basically housebound....always felt totally awful.

I am so happy for you that you are free of your problems. Where do you buy the theralac probiotics and the refluxen and all the other stuff you mentioned?

My doctor actually posed the question to me that you did...what did people do a few short years ago when no one had even heard of tagamet, zantac, nexium...you get the idea!! He said it can't be a sudden epidemic. Doctors are in a tailspin over this but the only thing they are trained to do is order tests and prescribe meds....in my opinion.

I was able to work 5 out of 5 days last week for the first time in a long time...you can see why I am freaking out over the possibility of getting off of these meds and having a relapse.

Hearty,

I took PPIs for years. Prilosec seemed the best. And when I tried to go off I got panic attacks and found I couldn't do it. Even missing one dose set me back. One day I read the contradictions or the packet insert. The possible side effects scared me straight. I haven't taken a PPI in over 3 years now.

go to

http://www.gutdoctor.co.uk/ ABSOLUTELY read everything on this site.

and

http://www.theralac.com/about.aspx?selection=12

I'm not free of my problems. I just found natural ways to cope with them, and someday cure them, I hope.

It's hard work taking all the natural suppliments to stay healthly. But it's better than the alternative.

It helps when I don't eat the following foods.

white sugar
caffeine
alcohol
white flour
aspartame
hydrogenated oils
dairy

and

High glycemic foods such as
bananas
juice from concentrate
spaghetti
corn

be well

Post Edited By Moderator (~Jennifer~) : 10/23/2005 3:56:27 PM (GMT-6)

Hi Dee, nice to hear from you. I haven`t been on line much in the last few days because I have started a new job. I really am enjoying it too. I am a support worker for the elderly and disabled. I take them out and about for their shopping and for treats, like taking them out for lunch. I am really struggling to keep to my low carbs with all these meals in restaurants. But I have kept off the PPI`s. If I have over indulged I take a little gaviscon. Don`t know if you have that in America. It`s an OTC medicine that`s white and chalky. But I do feel so much better for being off the PPI`s. Even the cough has almost gone. I am pretty much eating normally now. Just keeping the bread and wheat products to a minimum. As you said tailoring the diet to suit you is the key.
I was sorry to hear about your early life and what happened with your mother. It must have been very tough for you.
I am glad you have managed to get back off the PPI`s after your little relapse.
ALFRED, as you can see some of us have managed to get off the PPI`s following the low carb diet. I don`t take any alternative remdies at all. Just eat healthily and keep the bad carbs to a minimum.
Take care everyone, Vanessa

Well....I worked all five days last week....I am a substitute teacher so I never know how much I will work. I have taught for 10 years but health issues forced me to quit. I am still on the nexium 40 mg. My doctor really thinks if I take them for several months and get my system straight...I will be able to go off of them. I ate spaghetti with a lot of sauce twice this weekend and today my stomach and chest have felt bad and I have burped a lot...but still no heartburn. Also, I drank about 1/4 of a dr. pepper. So....I know to stay away from those two foods. I plan to start walking...I am not overweight but my stomach is fat. Does that make sense to anyone? It is really weird. My doctor thinks I am fine but there is much more than an inch to pinch!!! I wonder if abdominal fat affects acid reflux?

Alfred

Your post is very inspiring.Do you know what caused the flair up?I've started taking probiotics and I've included fibre in the form of fruit, beans and some grain back into my diet.I wish I could low carb as Norm has outlined but my digestive system has come to a standstill and I have abdominal pain --mild --and I feel constipated all the time.I'm ok since I've added the above foods back in but then I feel a bit acidy although I have no heartburn.This is so frustrating but at least I'm less uncomfortable than I was before I discovered low carb.

You have built up a good knowledge on how to cope with your particular problem--good work.

Hi gals, hope you are all having just a wonderful GERD free day!

Vanessa, I didnt realize you are from England..when you made reference to "there in America" I thought you were from Canada LOL...which is where Im from. We have many choices in our restaurants too, low carb, low cholesterol, you name it. Even our fast food restaurants are promoting healthy foods and giving us choices. Guess you will be stuck with salads for a while huh. HEY, maybe you can open your very own restaurant and offer all these healthy food choices (sorry Im a dreamer by nature).

hearty...I'm wondering if you haven't inadvertedly stumbled on something by mentioning the extra pounds in waist area. I started gaining weight in February of this year and gained a lot very quick...like 20 lbs in just a little over a month...and mostly in the waist area. I thought it may be due to quitting smoking and starting a new med. It was at about the same time my heartburn started to show its ugly self. And it only got worse over time. Now I've dealt with heartburn almost all of my life, but I had never experienced it to that degree. It was horrible. It use to cut my breath. I couldnt sleep. I was always burping and bringing up bile, or food and it always left an acidy, sour taste in my mouth. I had a permanent lump in my throat and sleeping was a thing of the past. For some reason I also attributed the severe heartburn, somehow, to the quitting smoking and the new meds (which I stopped about 3 months later).So now that you mention the tummy problem...and it certainly is a problem area for me, I'm wondering if it isnt related to the heartburn. By the way, I have noticed a significant difference with my heartburn (for the better) when I walk. It helps a great deal and I always notice that my heartburn gets a little worse when I dont get to walk. So I encourage you in starting this exercise and hope you see results.

Jocaste, I was sorry to read you are having a little harder time getting the results you are hoping for by making changes to your diet. Although its nice to hear that you are at least a little more comfortable. All I can suggest is just keep trying. You'll find the perfect combo for you,  and soon I hope.

Anyone else care to share their results or maybe have some suggestions that may help someone alleviate their heartburn????

I'm happy to say I am still heartburn and med free. Im quite satisfied with my diet. I don't seem to be feeling like I'm missing out on foods. Vanessa said it best when she wrote "I am eating a good healthy diet now". I really believe that is the key.

So to all, best of luck in getting rid of that nasty heartburn and reflux, whatever you chose to do.

Hugs to all

I just wanted to know exactly what foods Dr. Norm recommends on the low carb diet and how to find his book.  Thanks,  Lori

Hello everyone, Lori, welcome to the forum. I am sure Dr. Norm will point you in the right direction if you e-mail him.

Dee, I thought everyone new I was from England, but I thought you were from America. You are so lucky to live in such a beautiful country. I visited Niagara falls a few years ago. What an amazing sight!!! We are so limited in England with specialised restaurants. But I can`t see me opening one. Too much on!!! Thats interesting about the weight thing. I have suffered from heartburn since my teens, but when I hit the menopause I put on weight and the HB went crazy. I had a sore throat for seven weeks and ended up seeing a specialist. When they did an endoscopy they discovered my sore throat was caused by acid and my esophagus was severely imflamed. That`s when I ended up on PPI`s, two and a half years ago. I recently lost one and a half stone so I think that has helped me get off the PPI`s as well as the low carb diet. I will have to keep the weight off to remain HB free I think.

Good luck everyone with the low carb. Take care, Vanessa

Vanessa, I know where you are coming from. I have a rather delicate question....let's see, how do I phrase this? Do you see a difference in bowel movements when this stuff flares up? I know the connection is 100% digestive because of my symptoms. I understand what Norm says about the carbs being the fuel to get the bad stuff going in our guts.

Post Edited By Moderator (~Jennifer~) : 10/26/2005 2:38:01 PM (GMT-6)

My doctor told me I could win the Noble Peace Prize if I could answer the questions I ask him about GERD!! I am glad (not in a bad way) that you confirmed the bowel aspect of GERD. This week when my symptoms were awful from my weekend eating( getting better), I noticed a bowel connection. I actually took a laxative and when I came out of the bathroom, my husband said my face looked so much better. He said the pain was gone!! It is amazing how obvious it is when you are feeling bad. I have been taking probiotics too. Everything I read seems to point to probiotics as a cure for this stuff as the thought is too much bad bacteria is causing it. It goes along with Norm's theory. I just don't think I take enough probiotics to get the job done, but I am afraid to take more than the package indicates. I have heard first hand from people who did that and were gerd free. But I am always freaked out by disobeying the package!!!!!

Hope everyone is having a good day. I feel better now that I am walking!! Maybe that is one of the "answers"?!!