Starting my adventure to give up Nexium after 10 years..

I am still doing ok with DGL, Slippery elm, and 20 mg Prilosec. I hope once I have things under control, I will start reducing my PPI dose. The only time I feel heartburn sensation when I am hungry, and heartburn is a hint for me to eat something. I am looking for something that I can eat while I get heartburn sensation and that can last longer and does not have too much calories.

I use raw carrot for that, or rice cakes

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New stuff: GERD, Recurrent cystitis/Overactive bladder
Lifelong stuff: Food allergies/intolerance, eczema, asthma

A cup of tea might work, licorice would compliment your dgl, or chamomile, or rooibos. I always drink some rooibos tea before putting food in my stomach in the morning.

Post Edited (sunbeam48) : 4/8/2012 4:15:09 PM (GMT-6)

Wow - tea is instant heartburn for me! All kinds, no exceptions!

MMM

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New stuff: GERD, Recurrent cystitis/Overactive bladder
Lifelong stuff: Food allergies/intolerance, eczema, asthma

Glad I found this thread to help me with my quest to abandon PPI's. I've been on either Nexium or Dexilant for probably about 2 years. My GI pretty much told me to just stop cold turkey. I tried that and came running back to PPI's after I couldn't sleep feeling the acid rise in my throat, ugh. Now I'm attempting to go from 40mg Nexium to 20.6 mg Omeprazole magnesium. Right now I have some slight burning in my upper chest and I can feel a small lump forming in my throat so I think I'll take some Tums before I lay day for bed. Going to try to change my diet (I admittedly struggle with staying away from fatty and fried foods) immediately to help break my dependence. Might be a bad time to do it considering I have a lot of papers due this month which will undoubtedly lead to stress but I'm determined to make this work. Can you guys tell me more about DGL? Seems helpful for a number of people so I'm thinking about picking some up.

Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice (DGL) is a special extract of licorice where the glycyrrhizin component has been removed. GL is most effective in chewable tablet form. It takes salivary enzymes to help break down the healing properties, increase absorption and stimulate healing to relieving stomach discomfort immediately. Source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/110565-dgl-licorice-acid-reflux/

You can also search this form for DGL or google DGL. There is a lot of information available on the Internet for DGL.

Having said that, DGL alone might not be enough, or perhaps, DGL might not work for you. Everyone is different, and different supplements work differently on everyone. I have been doing a lot of experimenting. For me diet changes, elimination of soda and tomato, drastic reduction in cheese and fats, reduction in caffeine, adding DGL and slippery elm have helped.

Good luck.

Thanks. Going well so far. Have taken a few Tums before bed time more as a precautionary measure. I haven't eaten any meat today as I felt those options would have been worse on my stomach. I'm actually considering going vegetarian to improve my diet. Has anyone also done so to improve their GERD symptoms and if so how has it worked out? (think im gonna make this its own thread).

By accident last year I cam across a website about "going Paleo" (stone age diet) and there was a forum thread within that with some guys saying how their GERD had gone since they went "paleo". Of course they may have given up beer and pizza at the same time, but it might be worth googling?

MMM

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New stuff: GERD, Recurrent cystitis/Overactive bladder
Lifelong stuff: Food allergies/intolerance, eczema, asthma

steve,
There is also a lot of diet info on the Koufman Diet thread. The Koufman diet has been very helpful to me, gradually bringing my symptoms under control. I am now (finally!) off PPI's.

Alkaline diet (most of what is listed, not everything ) has been helping me greatly. I am also in the process of weening off medication after 7 or so years on it.

Hey guys, i've stayed away from meat and its been helpful in avoiding any direct burning symptoms but the night before last I had a bad attack of what I gather is more LPR related. First I had trouble swallowing and then my throat started to hurt a lot. I took some Tums and omeprazole and struggled to fall asleep. When I did awake from bad sleep my throat felt scorched. It felt better as I drank and the day went on but coughed and hacked a lot. The soreness returned again last night and again I had trouble sleeping again. Today I have what feels like a sore throat that possibly could be separate from my GERD (my nose is a bit runny and stuffy too) but it seems unlikely that I caught something just as I decided to make this switch in medications. My main concern is that I've been reading that the symptoms I'm feeling can result in asthma or asthma related symptoms. Does this take a lot of time or can it happen fairly immediately? I can deal with pain but the irritation in my breathing is kind of worrisome. Thanks all

Steve,

I forgot whether you are or were on PPI. If I were you, I would try PPI till I have throat issues and heartburn under control. Once everything is ok, then I would try to experiment with diet change and supplements.....my two cents.

Another option is an h2 blocker like Zantec, which available Otc. I use this product, and it is just as effective for me now as my ppi was, without the long term side effects. I did go through a week of worse symptoms, about the third week off of the ppi, but I'm better now. This occurred even though I tapered down to 10 Mg of the ppi.

Post Edited (sunbeam48) : 4/14/2012 4:22:15 AM (GMT-6)

Hello

I hope people here are on the mend now, I haven't been on here for a while but feel i should have some closure here and perhaps help some people who don't get the answers. I was asked by a user on another forum how i gave up the PPI's (Nexium) so i will post it here for all to use. I dont know if the links will be moderated but here goes.

Yes you will feel bad Nexium stuffed my whole digestive system in few short months i was on it. Ok i have been off the drug for 2 months now and will give you a bit of a timeline if i can.

First week - Felt good had energy no reflux or aches in abdomen.
Second week - Started getting rebound reflux abdominal aches loose stools continued since i started on the drug.
Third week - Still had aches in abdomen, reflux continued due to rebound effect.
Fourth week - Aches started to subside slowly, rebound reflux continues.
Fifth week - Aches come back in spasms for a day then go again. Reflux goes and comes back as well same time as spasms in abdomen.
Sixth week - Symptoms continue to reduce aches very rare now and don't follow reflux rebound now.
Seventh week - Aches gone now. Periodic reflux not as bad still reducing.
Eighth week - Back on normal foods now no aches in abdomen. Reflux is minimal even on normal foods.

Few things you have to be aware of.

Beware the rebound effect when stopping can take up to 12 weeks to get off the Nexium, use over the counter meds and possibly consider using Zantac which is not a PPI but has same effect and as such is a lot easier to get off of. You don't say if you stopped cold turkey i would advise against doing so, and reduce your meds slowly over time it worked for me doing this. I was on 40mg Nexium for a while then went to 20mg Nexium for few weeks before attempting to stop, then Nexium 20mg every 2nd day and used Zantac in between. Over a few weeks i cut out the Nexium till i was just on Zantac each day. This would be during the first 4 weeks even cutting the Zantac in half and then to quarters till i was off Zantac in 5th and 6th weeks.

I was also on a diet suggested by my Naturopath which was a soothing diet designed to reduce the work my stomach had to do for digestion. Also she put me on Intestamine powder and Peptex tablets and also IBS support to help my system.

I have included links here to getting off Nexium as you will no doubt be aware if you search for info most of the time you find links for online pharmacies trying to sell the stuff.


http://www.livestrong.com/article/75132-quit-nexium/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/192520-how-to-quit-taking-nexium/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/32285-side-effects-eliminating-nexium/

Wish you well I know it is not easy but will subside over time.

As a foot note i have to mention there are quiet a few people that complain about a ache below the left ribs in the upper abdomen tests all come back negative and still have this ache i know i had it too and nothing showed in the tests at all. Even a colonoscopy i had booked previously and went through even after i came good just as a check came back all good and my specialist had to concede after all the tests that all my abdominal aches loose stools etc was all caused by the Nexium and has now made note of it for future use.

So don't let your doctors fob you off as crazy i know they do it happened to me too.

All the best for the future to you all i will still monitor these posts if anyone still wants some info.

Gastritis, thanks so much for this post.  Your details are very interesting.  I think I am about week 5 completely off a PPI, and continue to do  well.  I have some belching right after eating, and my ongoing stomach tenderness that I also had on the PPI.  Nothing I can't live with.

Gastritis,

Thanks for sharing your experience with us. In my case, controlling diet and avoiding trigger foods have been key factor in reducing GERD symptoms. I have been able to switch from 40 mg Nexium to 20 mg Prilosec. In addition, chewing gum when I get little heartburn sensation has been really helpful. I also nibble on almonds in between meals as snacks, and almonds seem to help too.

Once in a while, I take only 10 mg of Prilosec without many issues. My next step is to take 10 mg Prilosec for a while before I try to close the loop on PPIs.

Since I have started my adventure to come off PPIs, I have lost 14 lbs, and my cholesterol numbers are way better. I guess most of those things that are bad for GERD are also bad for you anyway (except onion and tomato).

I have also tried DGL, Slippery Elm, Aloe vera juice, marshmallow root, and mastic gum. DGL always helps, so I take DGL before meals ( if I remember to take one). Slippery elm seemed to help, but I got tired of taking 3 pills 3 times a day. I replaced slippery elm with gum and almonds. After reading side effects of aloe vera juice and the fact that it didn't help much, I stopped taking aloe vera juice. Marshmallow root does the same thing as slippery elm. I couldn't go past the smell of mastic gum.

I also tried manuka honey. It was soothing, but it did not help much.

Sunbeam48: I know is not easy but does go eventually hang in there your doing well.

Adam77: Manuka honey is good for pylori bacteria and works well but can take months to work it magic. But is no side affects with honey.

stkitt: Thanks for leaving links in my post here all the best to you.

Also am guessing you know acid reflux can be caused by too much AND to little acid. As we age acid decreases with maximum acid production in our 20's then starts decreasing, so taking PPI's that reduce acid could actually be making things worse. I found ACV worked for me when coming off Nexium am also thinking my reflux was actually caused by the Nexium as i had no symptoms except lump like feeling in throat with a gagging cough. After ENDO i was told i had a small piece of throat lining about 1cm long flopping around in my throat the specialist took a biopsy and after ENDO have never had that cough again. And more importantly no reflux Hmmm TC everyone.

I was trying to take 10 mg Prilosec (half of OTC 20 mg), but it did not go well. I kept getting heartburn and belches. I am back to 20 mg Prilosec. I think I need to try to come off 20 mg by taking Zantac.

Adam77

Yes try Zantac I used 150mg OTC works the same as PPI's just does not have the long withdrawals so is easier to get off of and wean yourself.

I am currently withdrawing my PPI due to side effects - am taking 300 mg Zantac twice a day and half my ppi. Side effects have gone so I may plateau on that dose until I see the GP, which we should all do if we're changing our medication doses of course!!

MMM

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New stuff: GERD, Recurrent cystitis/Overactive bladder
Lifelong stuff: Food allergies/intolerance, eczema, asthma

Hello all,
Sorry to jump right in here but I don't know what to do anymore. I stopped taking PPI since Oct. 2011 and since then I have been doing DGL + taking Digest Plus before each meal. I was diagnosed with gastritis in June 2011 and I was on PPI for about 4 months. The reason I decided to stop the PPI because I was loosing so much hair. I told my GP and she didn't believe me . I am also going to a Naturopath and Acupuncturist. I am eating healthier and cut out coffee and all the trigger food. Just about a week now I feel much more bloating than usual and I am at the verge of taking the PPI again
Should I try taking the Zantac? What is the difference between Zantac and the PPI? Thanks for any input.

Zantac is an H2 blocker where as PPI's shut down the pumps in your stomache. From what I have heard, H2 blockers has less long term side effects than PPIs but they are also not as strong.

has=have

Thanks ericapeace2000, I think I will buy Zantac on the way home tonight to try. Also one more question can I take PPI as I need it?