Medicine question

I don't believe that there is an O-T-C version of Pantoprazole. I would ask your doctor what the correct dosage would be because the O-T-C version of prilosec might be different than your 40 mg/2x a day Pantoprazole. Traditionally, the O-T-C drugs are not as strong as prescription strength versions. Since you have been cutting back to make your prescription last longer, you are more than likely suffering from acid rebound. This is the same as when someone tries to wean themselves off of PPIs. Gastritis takes a while to heal, have you been following a strict diet in conjunction with your medication?

Hello FearBug, I have not read your previous posts but here is what our doctor said. You must be careful of what you are eating. Log what you eat and how you feel. He said you must eat how you should have been eating well before the health problem happened. This will help with healing. The taking of medicine does not mean you can go and eat anything you want or desire just because you feel better. What you eat can be very helpful. Avoid carbonated beverages, coffee, tomato stuff, fried greasy foods. Also be aware of the proper timing of taking your medicines--important too. Life style changes that will become more permanent. I wish you well - you WILL get better. The logging of your foods and how you feel will help you you find the trigger foods that need to be avoided . You need to do it for YOU.

You have to take the PPIs the way they work, not just when you feel reflux or pain. You have to take them on an empty stomach half an hour to an hour before eating, and then you MUST eat! The little acid pumps in the stomach wall have to be turned off while the medicine is metabolized and gets to them, and THEN you must eat to turn them on so the medicine can turn them off. Sounds stupid, but that's the way they work. The 20 mg dose won't do diddly, which is why your doc told you to take 2.

I never got relief from Prilosec, but got good relief from a couple of others. If one doesn"t help, try another. Look through your insurance's formulary and see if there's one they will pay for.

I had no trouble switching from one PPI to another with no break in between. They're all similar meds.

As for diet - Is there any possibility of certain foods triggering reflux? It's pretty common for people to have specific food or chemical triggers. My trigger is sulfites, found in specific foods. Keep a "food journal" (see pages in the archives - the search box at the top of the page). My allergist got me doing this and it was a godsend!

I kept my stomach non-acid, avoided my trigger foods and only had to be concerned with fluids coming up if I was not elevated on two pillows at night. Beats surgery! I eventually had to have surgery (Nissen) after an accident that shoved my stomach into my chest. But I still have to avoid my trigger foods.

My allergist lumps everything (sensitivities) as allergies. I didn't have the delicious sounding grilled chicken vegetable salad at restaurant tonight because it had sunflower seeds, which would have sent me to the hospital in tachycardia. I learned years ago to avoid like the plague my favorite barbecued pork ribs (pork, brown sugar, vinegar, loaded with sulfites. Oh yum.). I'd get tachy in the parking lot on the way out, every time.

The "usual"foods to avoid have nothing to do with a lot of us. Bland does not mean it's good for you. I can't eat corn syrup, corn starch, garlic, boxed or canned potatoes .... I'm fine with coffee, tomatoes and many other non-bland foods.

Put a notebook on your kitchen counter and give it a try. Ignore fad diets, the latest cures, etc.

FearBug how can you make a difference between gastritis and reflux? Are they not the same sensation?

Thank you for your advise. My gallbladder has not been checked, the doctor has not suggested to do so. My friend suggested that to me, but there are no symptoms of gallbladder problems that I know of. I wouldn't know what to,look for.

Cocktaildress- gastritis is an inflammation of the stomach and causes a gnawing burning pain anywhere from the stomach to the belly button area. In my case between the burning and sometimes cramping feeling, is the feeling of intense hunger pains even though I had already eaten.
GERD- is more of a burning sensation in the chest, throat, even your back sometimes, with my case, belching, and nausea. I thought that gastritis caused Gerd, but my doc said no, they are two different problems, although I still feel they are connected, because mine came at the exact same time.
I think one of the sensations they both share is indigestion.

SharonZ, you are so right. It makes mine worse. I believe mine was triggered by that and NSAIDs.

I have not taken any since January. I would think it would be healing up pretty fast, but I guess it's a process