Sunbeam,I love the support you provide as well. I'm not arguing with the evidence. There are plenty of dismal studies about PPIs, steroids, and menopause. Don't get me wrong. I understand and totally believe that there is lots of evidence that PPIs should be taken with eyes wide-open. Actually all drugs need to be taken sparingly and only when absolutely necessary.
That said, there are some of us have been given the short stick physically, and we need to weigh the benefits vs the risks. Telling people who are suffering from reflux, or asthma that they must not take whatever it is that they need to take because the risks are so high can be debilitating.
I agree that some people take PPIs too freely,and at times they're given out too easily. Pharmaceutical advertising also puts pressure on doctors as their patients often request the medication they see advertised on TV. Perhaps Shelliz's condition was not bad enough to warrant the risk of taking the medication. Perhaps it was. Still, I understand her frustration that she was not given the information she was due that would allow her to make an informed decision.
Over my lifetime I've had to make decisions about the risk-benefit ratio of many things.
Unfortunately, as most of us here on the forum have discovered, (and as Marcello so wisely stated) we most often have to search out this information ourselves.
Still, I think there is a place for anecdotal evidence that these things can be taken when necessary and often the benefits make the risks worth taking.
At those times it's very comforting to know that there are actually people out there who've had to take this or that medication that has risky side-effects listed and the world has not caved in on them. (Again, Marcello has astutely pointed out that all medications have long and scary lists of side-effects.)
When I discussed the risks of having a Nissen fundoplication and other medications with my asthma/allergy doctor he very wisely quotes Thomas Aquinas:
“If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever.”
― Saint Thomas Aquinas
We can run around with our hair on fire about all kinds of medical interventions that have substantial side effects. But when it comes right down to it, we have to make a decision as to whether we're willing to take that risk in order to achieve an overall better quality of life. Is there a chance that we'll be the ones who succumb to whatever the side effect is? Of course. Still, what is the alternative?
I'm sure there are people who take PPIs so they don't have to make any lifestyle changes that will decrease their reflux issues. There are also people whose reflux is damaging their bodies and have changed their lifestyle choices without improvement. Still others want to be able to enjoy their trigger foods and consider it important enough to their happiness that they're willing to accept the risk.
Personal anectotes offer others who take PPIs because they don't have any other options (and believe me, many don't) some comfort in knowing that there are people out there who have taken them without dire consequences.
I'm sorry if I've offended your sensibilities by sharing my own experience. I do think it's important to put it out there. There are some, like you, who will find my comments offensive and off-putting, while others who have fewer choices will take comfort in my experience. In the end it's all about personal choice.
I'm glad we have people like you who delve into alternative options and offer them to others who may be able to follow those alternative practices with success. We're blessed here at the forum to have a wide range of experiences, philosophies, and information. What a great resource we're providing for others who are seeking answers.
Very best wishes,
Denise
Post Edited (dencha) : 4/8/2012 9:34:30 AM (GMT-6)