confused

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melkon

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After 12+ years on PPIs, they seem to hardly work anymore. I'm confused though. The medical literature seems to imply that classic drug tolerance issues should not apply to them.

So my question is, are they not blocking acid anymore, or are they still blocking acid but I've become more sensitive to the acid that remains?
 
PPIs absolutely cause tolerance. I have no idea why the medical community is so reluctant to admit it, but recent studies confirm, after a few months or years on the drug, you can become tolerant and even physically dependent.
 
Ah ok, thanks for the info, Jane. I suspect after more than a decade on them I've built up a tolerance. Do you know if it's possible to get them to be effective again somehow? Maybe by trying to stay off of them for 3-6 mos. or so?
 
Stopping for a while might help. However, many people experience "rebound" symptoms for 2-4 months after quitting, so you might want to taper down the dosage if you decide to quit.
 
I've been on PPI's for many years. After 4-5 years on one, it stops working and I switched to others. That worked for years, but eventually, I found that none of the PPI's do the same job anymore. I did up the dosage of PPI's after about 5 years. If the one you've been taking isn't working as well, you might want to try another.
 
Hi MR, sounRAB similar to my story. I was very well controlled on simply 20mg/day Prilosec for 10+ years, it was a miracle drug for me, allowing me to live life. Then sadly about 6 mos. ago out-of-the-blue it's effectiveness dropped sharply, almost like it was barely was doing anything anymore.

I upped the Prilosec to 40mg, no luck. Then tried Protonix 40mg, then 80mg, no relief. Now on Prevacid 60mg and it's slightly better but still not anywhere near the level of control I need to function. I've got daily heartburn, burning throat, esophogeal spasms, nausea. Getting scared that I'm headed towarRAB that place where I don't have many options.

Still have Nexium and Aciphex to try, don't know what else. I was hoping to just stay on PPIs indefinitely in spite of my belief that they gave me IBS, and in spite of the long-term health concerns with calcium absporption etc. I fear I may have to start considering surgery and from my research it seems like a difficult decision to have to make.

Thanks everyone for your replies and suggestions.
 
I was on Protonix for years before it stopped working.

What I found most effective was the Prevacid 30 mg twice per day in the Solutab version. Not sure why that form of the medication worked best, but it did.

It was Nexium that gave me IBS. I was on it for a couple weeks and am still having problems a couple years later.

I'm currently taking Dexilant 60mg. It is a dual delay release version.

My GI doc had me supplement my PPI's with Gaviscon for a while. I know others supplement with Zantac or Pepcid.

I ended up having a Nissen Fundoplication in fall 2008. It worked wonders from the moment I woke up. My GI doc had me stay on the PPI's though.

I'm having a few problems again now though. Two tests I've had say thesurgery is holding, but the docs still think it is acid causing my problems. I'm waiting for the results of my most recent pH test to see. If it acid, I it sounRAB like they may add yet another dose of PPI in addition to what I'm taking.

Overall, I'd recommend the Nissen in a heartbeat if your symptoms are severe enough. In my case, the acid was coming up and irritating my throat and lungs. I ended up having severe breathing problems because of the acid and needed to get them under control.
 
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