Weaning off PPIs (article)

[JackieOnLine]

yes, I don't think I had any chance of cutting down if I hadn't gotten off caffeine. and the over-eating thing can be an issue, for sure.

thanks for reminding me about Pepcid, I should get some.

 

[JackieOnLine]

sadly, the generic throat-coat tea I got and was going to make for work tomorrow says don't use if you have high blood pressure. and I found this, that says don't combine H2Blockers with PPIs. I'd like to know what all the science-smart people think.

Doctors usually don’t recommend taking both a PPI and an H2 receptor blocker at the same time. H2 receptor blockers can interfere with the effectiveness of PPIs.

Friday was rough so I'm not looking forward to tomorrow.

 

[Larra]

the only reason given in the article for not taking H2 blockers and PPI's at the same time is that the H2 blockers can make the PPI's less effective. But, if your issue is trying to wean off PPI's and not using PPI's to maximum efficacy, to me that doesn't seem to be an issue. OTOH, for someone with a bleeding ulcer, for example, that could be a big issue, so as always these things need to be individualized.
I thought there was a lot if good lifestyle advice in the article. There are also certain foods that can make GERD worse, and I'm sure someone can round up a list of them somewhere on the all-knowing internet. Mint and, sadly, chocolate, come readily to mind, and of course anything acidic. But there are more.

 

[JackieOnLine]

There are also certain foods that can make GERD worse, and I'm sure someone can round up a list of them somewhere on the all-knowing internet.

a lot of really good foods* so hopefully this is temporary! I did get both pepsid and zantec today and ordered slippery elm and chamomile.

coffee! pizza! chocolate!

 

[JackieOnLine]

Since I just linked to this thread, I might as well update. the weaning down is VERY hard. I have been on 2 pills a day for 10 years and had been trying to do only one pill every three days. so, 2 days the same and day 3 one pill instead of 2...
this may be too fast and I will be looking at slowing it down even more.

like with SSRIs (I went of Lexapro last May) with PPIs you have to wean at a GLACIAL pace.

 

[JackieOnLine]

today I was scheduled to skip one pill and instead I am taking half. couldn't open the capsule without a knife so it got a little messy, luckily it's not a horrible tasting drug.

I'm going to take a shower and come back to talk more about this.

 

[JackieOnLine]

it's been one week since I cut omeprazole 25%: instead of 2 pills I take 1 1/2 every day and it's getting better. I still carry tums and ginger, etc, but as long as I avoid coffee (that should get easier at some point, shouldn't it??) and over eating I'm doing well.

 

[southernlady]

(that should get easier at some point, shouldn't it??)

Yes it should. I wish cutting coffee from two cups to one cup had helped me.

 

[hilary1617]

Interestingly, a woman sitting next to me on a recent flight was a physician who works for a Japanese pharmaceutical firm (perhaps Takeda?) focusing on upper GI / GERD drugs. She was returning from a conference in Lisbon.

Her current research focuses on whether the reputation for PPI's potentially contributing to bone loss is or is not well-deserved and if so, what the mechanism would be. One hypothesis was that reduced stomach acid could lead to malabsorption of nutrients/minerals. However, her cross-study research is apparently showing no supporting evidence that PPI's impact underlying levels of calcium, PTH, vit D, etc. We had quite a robust discussion!

 

[LizJ]

I heard of this but never really looked into it. I currently take 20 mg Omeprazole once a day and have no problems with re-flux. I see my surgeon next week and my PCP in January. Should I bring it up or wean off myself?

 

[southernlady]

I see my surgeon next week and my PCP in January. Should I bring it up or wean off myself?

Why not try...the first week might be miserable but after that it might work.

 

[JackieOnLine]

just don't go cold turkey, that would be ugly I assume.

I was at 20 mg a day after surgery until I went back to drinking coffee.

 

[RainCity]

At my last appointment, Dr. K told me that PPIs reduce GERD symptoms but do not correct the overproduction of acid, so damage to your esophagus and stomach still occurs, you just don’t feel it.

 

[LizJ]

Why not try...the first week might be miserable but after that it might work.

I think I will start and try next week. I'm going out of town this weekend and eating out a lot. I haven't had any problems and I drink 3 cups of coffee a day... I just hope I won't have to give them up.

 

[JackieOnLine]

At my last appointment, Dr. K told me that PPIs reduce GERD symptoms but do not correct the overproduction of acid, so damage to your esophagus and stomach still occurs, you just don’t feel it.

I really hope this isn't true.