Acid Rebound from Zantac & Tums?? How did I get myself in this mess? Thanks DOC!

I have been reading a lot in this forum about coming off of Nexium/PPI's. And it's been very enlightening as I've been trying do figure out how I even got here. Back before Christmas of 05' I woke up with horrible indigestion. It was so bad I started throwing everything at it. Tums, Zantac, Gas-ex, Maalox etc...I did this for several weeks. Truth is it never got totally better but I finally stopped taking all that over the counter stuff and all of a sudden I started getting horrible Nausea. This brought on a whole new set of worries for me. I didn't know at the time that acid could cause nausea...bad. So I finally went to an GI guy and he gave me Nexium. So I popped them for around 5 days and started feeling better, so again not knowing I just quit cold turkey...and bamm! the nausea came back with a vengeance. I've been so upset and worried as to why I keep getting nausea but my doctor never told me how long to take the nexium and what would happen if I just stopped. This has been a huge educational experience for me. Even though I have no symptoms of burning in my chest, I'm currently trying to stay on the nexium until my nausea goes away and I can wean my self off the right way.

My question is has anyone else experience acid rebound from over the counter meds? Does any of this make sense?

Hi Thedwp,
I believe that rebound is possible with any drug. I actually get rebound headaches from tylenol.....when I use it too often. If we take anything that tries to stop something that our bodies are doing, then it's likely to affect us even more for awhile, when we stop the medicine.
I don't think things like Tums, mylanta, etc. cause a rebound acid production.....but they have been buffering you for awhile, and when you stop, then you feel the full impact of the acid.
Are you taking any other meds that might have the side-effect of causing more acid production? Are you trying to avoid drinks and food that cause you problems? Are you trying not to lean over much, or put pressure on your upper GI/chest area?
If you are going to quit a drug that seems to help you alot (like Nexium), then you need to prepare yourself first........by avoiding all food, drink, and activities that would worsen your GERD.
How's your diet? Mention has been made here that cutting back on your carbs can help reduce acid production alot, so you might try that.
I'm like you......I might not have any heartburn.....but I'm nauseated all the time. I have learned to recognize that nausea as reflux, even without heartburn.
I don't see any reason to not use Tums, Rolaids, mylanta, etc., occasionally, but I wouldn't rely on them all the time.
I knew a girl who popped something like Tums all the time, and it messed up her system so bad, that she almost needed dialysis........so nobody should consume too many of them.
Also......avoid laying down within a few hours of eating.
Do you feel that your doctor is giving more to work with in controlling this, than just medication? Try doing internet searches on finding non-medication answers. There's alot of possibilities out there.
Sorry about your nausea........I can sure relate to it. Simplify your diet, and back off eating if you can, for awhile, just to get your nausea under control, and try to figure out what you can and cannot eat.
I know one of the things that seems to affect me the most is water !

Hi thedwp,
I figured it out on my own. I don't know what's with doctors these days, but they don't seem to know much. The old-fashioned ones seem to have alot more sense.
The only other times I've had nausea was from going through menopause, and also from taking vitamins.....especially the B's. I could take the vitamins in the morning, and not get nauseated until the evening! So I sort of expect nausea when I take vitamins too.
Just be sure you're checked out for other things. Have you had a good physical recently?

oh, and one more thing... I did have one doc tell me the nausea was stress induced.