Want to get off Nexium

I'm hoping some of you out there might have suggestions for me.

Nearly a year ago I went to a gastroenterologist because I began experiencing wrenching pain just below my sternum. The doctor said it sounded like reflux, and he prescribed 40mg Nexium once a day. The pain got better but then returned, and he performed an endoscopy to see if I had an ulcer or cancer or anything else that might be causing the pain. He said he saw some redness in my stomach, but I had no cancer, no ulcer, no bacteria. He told me to take the Nexium. about four months later I began experiencing LPR symptoms, specifically night-time throat burning, once so bad that I had a sore throat, a tickle and a cough for a week, which pretty much ruined my vacation. At that point the doctor recommended doubling the Nexium dose and taking it before dinner as well as before breakfast. This helped a little bit but not completely. I've since met with the doctor twice. He continues to recommend the double dose of Nexium. But the problems persist. I have frequent night-time burning. When I get it, I take some Eno with some water, and it helps. Eno is a product made by Glaxo-Smith-Kline, and it's basically baking soda. They also call it fruit salt. It works quickly to stop the acid. Additionally, I continue to have frequent abdominal pain, especially after eating overly fatty or big meals. I also have been experiencing severe gas, particularly in the afternoon. Regarding diet, I don't drink alcohol (haven't for 25 years), I don't drink carbonated beverages (I used to drink seltzer almost exclusively, which I suspect may have contributed to these gastro problems in the first place), I avoid large meals, spicy foods, tomatoes, and other acidic foods. I do drink one cup of brewed coffee in the morning (my only vice, which I really have a hard time quitting). I don't eat a speck of food after dinner, and typically have dinner around 6:00 PM. I go to bed around 10:00 or 10:30. I'm 5'6'', weigh 140 pounds (not overweight). I exercise pretty regularly and walk my dog every day, sometimes two or three times a day. I'm a high school teacher. I've tried acidophilus, papaya pills, DGL (which helps a little), apple cider vinegar (worked for a week and then burned my stomach so bad I couldn't sleep for a week). I eat eggs for breakfast every day (typically two eggs, one yolk), and I don't have high cholesterol. I eat yogurt every day, too, usually as a midmorning snack. I also eat homemade granola with my yogurt. For lunch I usually eat a sandwich or leftovers. I eat salads often. I eat a lot of chicken and fish, and occasionally beef. Burgers give me trouble. Steak's not as bad. I tried a wedge pillow, and it helped with the LPR, but ruined my sleep and hurt my neck. I always felt as though I were sliding down it, too. I returned it. I'm currently on 80mg Nexium daily and still have intermittent stomach pains and almost night LPR. If I eat a tiny dinner, I sometimes go the night without burning my throat. All of the night-time throat burnings have occurred while sleeping on my right side. Left side is better, so I try to always sleep on that side, but it's hard. Sometimes I wake up and I'm on my right side.

I've been on the Nexium in various doses for almost a year, and while they may have helped a little, I sometimes wonder if they've made things worse. They certainly haven't stopped the LPR or the occasional stomach pain. I want to get off of Nexium. Every time I've tried to come off it, I've had trouble---abdominal pain, night-time LPR flare-ups.

The last time I saw my gastro doctor two weeks ago, he said my reflux isn't a serious illness and that, aside from surgery, I can either take the recommended doses religiously, try another medication, change my eating habits and lifestyle (can I really change it much more than I already have?), or stop taking meds altogether and deal with the results. He said it's my call. I took this to mean that he really doesn't feel as though he can help me any more than prescribing Nexium, which in a year hasn't really worked. I'm reluctant to go to another gastro doctor, because I know he'll just do the same thing, prescribe a PPI. He'll probably also want to do an endoscopy so he can see for himself what's going on.

I realize my problems probably aren't as bad as many people's (I've heard of people on PPIs for many years, surgeries, etc). I'm just wondering if anyone has any recommendations.

Thanks!

Gary

Joy, thanks for the advice. I have tried raising the bed. I didn't like it. I kept feeling as though I were sliding down the bed all night. I haven't had a motility study done or a barium swallow x-ray. The gastro doctor didn't seem to think these were necessary. Thanks for replying.
Gary

Hi! I realize this is a very late reply; I certainly hope you figured out a solution years ago. If not or for others looking for information, I'm replying anyhow. :)

I've had GERD since I was a teenager. It got particularly bad in my early 20s at which point I couldn't keep any solid foods down for six months. Since, at the time, my then family doctor didn't know what was wrong (I had a feeling it was GERD), she finally sent me for a barium swallow and, after dropping to the thinnest and most unhealthy I'd ever been as an adult, we confirmed it was because of GERD.

I have since learned my many trigger foods and some of the things you mentioned in your daily eating habits happen to be some of them. For me, triggers include: fatty foods (especially deep fried foods, fatty cuts of meat, creamy foods, mayonnaise), spicy foods, onions, garlic, acidic foods/drinks (coffee, tomatoes, citrus fruits, vinegars, etc.), dairy, alcohol (especially red wines), and highly processed meats (luncheon meats, hot dogs, sausages). I've learned that some of these I have to avoid completely, whilst others I can enjoy in careful moderation. It's a bit of a balancing act.

Another huge key for me has been to attempt to reduce stress in my life. I do so with meditation, yoga, deep breathing techniques, and as much looking on the bright side as possible.

Sleeping on one's left side helps because your stomach is on the left side and if you lay on your right side it can "tip" stomach acid into your esophagus more easily.

Another thing that helps me is to avoid exercising within 2-3 hours of sleeping. I'm not totally sure why this helps, but I seem to produce a lot of stomach acid when I workout or maybe it just puts more pressure on the sphincter allowing acid to rise more easily.

GERD is a serious concern as it can lead to ulcers, esophageal cancer, poor sleep, tooth erosion, and more.

Best of luck!