Posted 3/7/2017 3:32 PM (GMT 0)
I know all too well the hopeless feeling of thinking you are "stuck" on your PPI. I would search and search the forums, and no one seemed to have answers. My gastroenterologist would say "who cares? Just stay on it!". But that didn't satisfy me one bit.
A bit of background:
I had pretty intense nausea that wouldn't let up for weeks and weeks. It was horrible. One walk-in clinic doc put me on 40mg of Pentaloc. After a few weeks, I got off of it with no issues (probably wasn't on it long enough), but a few weeks after that, my nausea returned so back on Pentaloc I went. I stayed on it for maybe 9 months. Within those 9 months, I tried twice to get off of it, only to have the worst most horrible reflux of my life. I couldn't even last the day, so I would go back on it each time. Often then I'd "suffer" for a couple of more weeks until my body would readjust to being back on it.
I started having some reflux and what I thought was heart pain while on Pentaloc (funny how I never had reflux before I went on the PPIs). So my doctor switched me to Dexilant. I was on 60mg, and let me tell you, switching from Pentaloc to Dexilant took an adjustment period! My body had to adjust to getting off the one, and getting on the other. I can honestly tell you it wasn't terrible. It really is liveable for those who want to try to do the same. But it is easier to wean off of Dexilant than Pentaloc, because with Dexilant you can open the capsule and dump some out, so it was a blessing actually to move to Dexilant from Pentaloc.
Four WHOLE weeks later, I was good to go and my body had adjusted to Dexilant 60mg. So I tapered down to 30mg of Dexilant. This time it took 3 weeks to adjust to the 30mg. If you are trying this, don't give up! Your body will adjust! Give it time and be patient.
Now as of yesterday, I have opened up the 30mg capsule and removed about half of its contents into a jar. I put the capsule back together, and took my 15mg. Today I took the other half, but without the capsule. My pharmacist said I can do that, as long as I don't bite into the granules, but rather be sure to swallow them whole or mix with apple sauce and eat like that. Today I'm starting to feel the bit of burning, but I know from past experience that my body will take a few weeks to adjust. At least weaning this way is manageable, as compared to stopping cold turkey. THAT was not doable for me.
Apparently 40% of people can stop PPIs no problem. But for the unlucky ones...it's a process.
I still wonder if my initial issue (all that nausea) will be waiting for me when I wean off, but I don't think so. I eat so clean now, I got of gluten and dairy, and I intend to see my chiro to place my stomach when I finally wean. That can help as well.
I'll keep everyone posted, but I'm expecting 3 weeks on the 15mg (half of the 30mg capsules), and after that I'm not sure if I'll go half on the 15mg or just stop altogether...I'm a chicken so likely I'll take the 30mg capsule and remove 1/4 of its contents.