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Question about the pills

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Posted 2/15/2007 2:34 PM (GMT 0)
Many of us are on different PPI's, no?  For those of you who are, do you find that your PPI (Prilosec, Nexium, Prevacid, etc.) gives you 100% relief or do you still need to control your diet and other behaviors?  How much relief does it give you?  I am on 20 mgs of Nexium twice a day.  I tried Prilosec 20 mgs but it stopped working for me, or at least did not give me complete relief after several weeks on it.  My doc switched me to 40 mgs of Nexium but the side effects were debilitating.  So, I am not taking 20 mgs in the morning and about 8 - 12 hours later.  Most of the time, I feel about 80 - 90% better but I still have episodes of 'acid leaks'.  Is this the same for all of you?  I would LOVE to just take my pill and get on with my life but that doesn't seem to be the case.  Am I asking too much?

Thanks.  Tummytuck

Posted 2/15/2007 2:35 PM (GMT 0)
Oops.  I meant 'I am NOW taking 20 mgs . . ."

Posted 2/15/2007 4:20 PM (GMT 0)
Tummytuck,
You are asking too much!
Did you try any of the many suggestions on this site?
Watching you food intake, make it mostly alkaline, keep a food diary. Trying DGL 20 minutes before each meal and at bedtime. Sleeping only on your left side.
Re-read your posting, you are really saying you just want to take a pill and then eat/drink whatever you want. You will never cure yourself that way and you will always be dependent on drugs.
Please change.
Posted 2/15/2007 4:24 PM (GMT 0)
DANIE,
Thank you for your enthusiastic advice, but you are not contributing an answer to my question. I have read your posts and appreciate that you have been able to help yourself. Let the rest of us ask legitimate questions as we see fit.

Tummytuck
Posted 2/15/2007 4:43 PM (GMT 0)
TT,
I'll post what I did again since it's about the drugs I took. I was on 40 mgs of Prilosec twice a day for 1 month. I ate mostly the way I had always eaten, which was low fat and nutritious food. Toward the end of the moth all the symptoms came back and my GI put me on Zantac. I was on it for 2 days and felt even worse so I took myself off it and started the DGL and completely alkaline foods.
Just my story.
Posted 2/15/2007 5:32 PM (GMT 0)
TummyTuck, I don't believe I read any place where Danie said you couldn't ask questions as you see fit. You asked a question and Danie responded to it. I must say I agree with her.

Everything I read into your first post was basically saying to me that you are looking for a pill for 100% relief and you just want to be able to keep going on with life as you were before this condition and to me this sounds as though you are hoping you can still eat, drink whatever you want and let the pill do all the work. Well wouldn't we all.This is called being lazy TummyTuck and you should know better.

If you would read all these posts you would see that people taking PPI's are finding them not to be the cure all for their Gerd so YES, you are asking too much from these pills. You need to also do something and quit relying on pills and doctors to do all the work. Start with the things YOU can control and that's what you eat and getting more exercise and losing those extra lbs I am sure you have just like most here.

I suffered for two years so I know what people are going thru and the pain they have. It takes alot of hard work like Danie has said countless of times. For some of you people I just don't believe you have the desire and will to get off your butts and do the required work it takes to heal yourself of this. You just want to take a pill and go on with your life like Tummytuck says. It doesn't appear to work like that from everything I read. I do wish you good luck TummyTuck.
Posted 2/15/2007 5:50 PM (GMT 0)

RandyDandy, I don't think it's fair to say that Tummytuck is trying to be "lazy" and that she should "know better."  It is normal for people to trust their doctors and doctors are perscribing these pills.

I know of at least 5 people who take PPIs once a day and can eat whatever they like.  They have no symptoms while they are on the pill.  It really depends on how severe the GERD is.  I am not an advocator of using the pills for myself.  I'd rather be off of them.  But, tummytuck just wants to heal, just like all of us.


Post Edited (friendlygal) : 2/15/2007 10:58:26 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/15/2007 6:15 PM (GMT 0)
Boy, am I getting yelled at for nothing. Take it easy, Dandy Randy, I was just asking a question. And, you don't know me, so don't be so quick to judge.

Tummytuck

PS it would be nice to be able to post here without having those who have 'cured themselves' jump down your throat. Can't the moderator do something about that?
Posted 2/15/2007 6:18 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with TT and FG
Posted 2/15/2007 6:41 PM (GMT 0)
I don't think you're asking too much. It's never asking too much to eat what you want and not have to suffer a bunch of BS as a consequence. It may be a little unrealistic to want the pill to cure you 100 percent, but maybe not.

I'm on Prevacid but I still have trouble. I thought that it wasn't doing anything for me until I decided to stop taking it, at which point I realized pretty quickly that I needed to stay on it. I don't think I have any side effects....I just don't like to take pills. I also tried the licorice that Danie talks about, but it just didn't work out for me, unfortunately. Some people seem to have success with that stuff and I wish I were one of them. Anyway, it's hard for me to quantify how much relief the Prevacid gives me. Sometimes I'll miss a dose and not notice it at all. Other times I'll miss a dose and can feel it a little. When I first went on it I could never miss a dose without being in misery, though, so I suppose that suggests a little improvement.

GERD is a problem that seems to require multiple solutions for some people, and even then it may not be a total solution. Others can get away with just taking a PPI and they're fine.
Posted 2/15/2007 6:49 PM (GMT 0)
debaser,

I'm new to this GERD thing and don't really know anyone (except you all) who suffers from it. You know, when you watch the commercials for things like Prilosec and Nexium, they make it seem as if all you have to do is to take their pill and you will live happily ever after. I had no idea that it was going to be an entire lifestyle change - I'm not complaining about that; I just didn't know. I am watching what I eat with the Nexium but I am still experimenting and keeping a food diary so that I can learn what hurts and what doesn't. I think I'm getting a handle on it but I know it will take more time. It really is a pain in the rear.

As you say, sometimes I feel the pills aren't working but if I don't take one . . . boy, I can sure tell that they are working. There must be people out there with somewhat mild cases of GERD for whom 'just one pill a day' works. Unfortunately, I don't think that is going to be me.

Tummytuck
Posted 2/15/2007 7:14 PM (GMT 0)
TT,

Zantac works for me better than Protnoix but now I am taking DGL so I don't have to take any pills.
Posted 2/15/2007 7:17 PM (GMT 0)
I am on nexium was on 40mg a day but upped to 80mg a day and I am doing fine.. As long as I stay away from really spicy foods.
TCCIC
Posted 2/15/2007 7:19 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, all advertising is stupid. Pharmaceutical marketing is certainly no exception.

You may get to a point where you don't need the pill any longer, though. Don't lose hope completely.
Posted 2/15/2007 7:50 PM (GMT 0)
Heartburner,

Is the DGL working for you? I'm curious to see how that goes. Do you have a hiatal hernia or other physical complication?

poobear,

80 mgs. of Nexium a day!?!? Don't you get any side effects with that?


debaser,
I will keep the faith. Thanks for the encouragement
Posted 2/15/2007 8:02 PM (GMT 0)
TT,

Today is just my 2nd day and so far so good but I don't have any physical complication and my symptoms are not really bad. I was having more chest pain than burning feeling and never had problem with my throat. I will keep you update as Danie said it takes a month to get cured with DGL. And yes don't lose hope, some thing will work for you. I have tried different medicines before I find out Zantac works for me better than any thing else.
Posted 2/15/2007 8:32 PM (GMT 0)
indersonu, i definitely do not want the PPIs to constipate me.  Especially since I have a serious condition now where I can't go BM.  so i'll have to disagree with you on that.

Posted 2/15/2007 8:32 PM (GMT 0)
indersonu,

I take 40 mgs but split it up by taking 20 mgs before breakfast and 20 mgs before dinner. The 40 mgs all at once did a number on my stomach which included terrible diarrhea. I have no side effects with the 20 mgs twice a day but it doesn't seem to work quite as well as when I took it all at once. I'm at about 80- - 90% as well. Thanks for your feelback.

Tummytuck

ps have you noticed any long term side effects after taking it for 3 years?
Posted 2/15/2007 9:49 PM (GMT 0)
Tummytuck,

I think everyone pretty much answered your question but I do have one other suggestion. Briefly, I'll say that since last october I've been on Prilosec, Aciphex, and now Prevacid. The losec and Aciphex were not strong enough to completely shut down my acid...I didn't think...so I started Prevacid and I was still having breakthrough acid a few times a day, enough that I didn't think the medicine was working.

My doctor thought I was crazy and I wondered what was going on. Of course, when I tried getting off the Prevacid, I could see that it was working alot but only about 75%. Well, I was also taking probiotics to help intestines and constipation...when I ran out of the probiotics for a couple of days, I had no breakthrough acid. I bought some new probiotics and zap, I started having breakthrough acid again, even coming up to my tongue. Anyway, I stopped taking the probiotics completely and now, the Prevacid works 99%.

My theory is that there could be other medications or herbal remedies that also interfere with the PPI working correctly. Do a little experimenting if you are taking any other medications.

Good health to you inspite of this condition.
Posted 2/15/2007 11:54 PM (GMT 0)

Tummytuck said...
Boy, am I getting yelled at for nothing. Take it easy, Dandy Randy, I was just asking a question. And, you don't know me, so don't be so quick to judge.

Tummytuck

PS it would be nice to be able to post here without having those who have 'cured themselves' jump down your throat. Can't the moderator do something about that?

Sorry if you felt I was yelling at you. The fact is you asked a question and apparently I gave you an answer that you didn't want to hear. I sincerely apologize TummyTuck. Friendlygal, you too. I am so glad to hear you had a bowel movement Friendlygal. I am glad you took my yogurt advice.

RandyDandy :-)

 

Posted 2/16/2007 2:14 AM (GMT 0)
RandyDandy, I already had yogurt in my fridge from before so I always knew to try yogurt.  For some reason the yogurt worked this time.  Maybe it's because I didn't eat anything else with it.  I was taking DAnie's advice to eat only soft foods.

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