My experience weaning off PPI

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Hi Rose and Jane,

When you stopped zantac, was that cold turkey?I am planning to take pepcid for sometime as I dont want to go back to prevcid.Its one month since I stopped and I still have a lot of burning,some days its bearable but sometimes it shoots up. Do you think pepcid can be stopped cold turkey?
Did u stop zantac at once and did it not give any rebound?
I feel so discouraged at times,its so unbearable and I dont want to go back on prevcid.I hate the doctors.I just went for mild pain which could have been controlled by diet.But I never knew that all other symptoms like burning would start which I never ever had.
I am taking DGL,slippery elm,manuka honey.
So looking at all of your posts,looks like it takes atleast 2months.
so Jane,for those 2 months did u take zantac everyday?What was the dosage?and did u stop zantac cold turkey?


Anu
 
My quitting process was FIVE months altogether, but I decreased my dose gradually. It was about 2 months from the time I completely stopped taking Prilosec to the point that my stomach felt OK without Zantac.
 
Strange thing is I don't have any burning in my stomach...no stomach problems at all. Even when I did the "cold turkey" in January I had no problems. Just burning in the sternum and into my throat.

I'm still doing an every other day regimen. I have noticed a lot of post nasal drainage since cutting down on the pills and have read that this is a related problem and wondering if I have chronic rhinitus. This is more of an annoyance than the little bit of burn I'm getting on the "off" days.

I am a little concerned because I am going on vacation next month and I don't want to feel crappy for that week. I told my husband that I was considering going back to the pills for that week just so I could enjoy myself and he said "you've come this far, why stop now". I guess he's right, but boy it's tempting. It's all part of the weaning process, I guess.
 
I thought I'd start this thread for the benefit of those wanting to rid their lives of these pills. I started two weeks ago and plan to keep going until I'm totally PPI-free. First a little background:

I've been taking 20 mg/day Aciphex for the past 8-9 years with no problems. I could eat anything and the pill worked. I had NO heartburn before I started taking them, just a little minor stomach upset (along with a stressful situation at the time) and my GP handed me the prescription. Because I trusted doctors, I took them and kept taking them. I even questioned my GP on two separate occasions about the effects and he told me that they were safe to take long term. Knowing what I know now about these pills and the long term effects, I would have not just jumped right into it. They did not suggest even a diet change which I believe in my situation, would have worked.

Flash forward to January of this year. I tried to go cold turkey and at the same time totally changed my diet. I went back to the pills 2-1/2 weeks later because I had no updated tests and was afraid if I had something really wrong, I would make it worse. Over the past 5 months I had a Barium Swallow and EGD which was "completely normal" as my GI doc said. He had previously said if my results showed no Barretts I could go off the pills if I wanted. So here I am.

On 5/29 I started the weaning process. I could not split the pill because of it being enteric coated. I didn't want to risk it irritating my stomach. Keep in mind, this is my own plan for weaning. For about 1-1/2 weeks I took the Aciphex every 36 hours. Then on 6/9 I switched to every other morning. That is where I am now. So far so good.

- I'm really not having to use Zantac in between, although I do have it on hand.
- I do have DGL Licorice which works great for me when I need it.
- I take powdered Calcium Citrate w/Vit D 2x per day
- I take Digestive Enzymes (with Probiotic) 3x per day
- I keep Gaviscon on hand, just in case. I only take it when nothing else works, but have not had to use it these past two weeks.

Over the past 5 months, my diet has changed several times. Prior to January, I was a carb and sugar junkie for years. I have evolved to the following diet (and it wasn't hard at all):
- No processed fooRAB. No High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Keep added sugar to a extremely low minimum. Currently the only added sugar I get is in my Almond Milk.
- I use honey as a sweetener and that is also a daily low minimum
- The only carbs I get are in fruits and veggies. Occasionally I have some pretzels or corn chips....but rarely.
- My snacks are nuts, seeRAB, fruit
- I try to eat mostly seafood (salmon, shrimp, crab, haddock) and chicken. I eat very little red meat.

I do believe that because my complex carbs and sugar is low, and some days not at all, that I am tolerating this process fairly well. As I decrease the frequency of the pill I may feel more burn...I don't know. I'll see over the next few months and try to update at least every week. I also never had a problem with nighttime heartburn (knock on wood), so I don't really need anything before bedtime. On occasion, I'll feel a little burn and chew some DGL and it seems to take care of the situation. Every person is different so what works for me may not work for someone else... or it might.

I do plan on seeing a Naturopathic doctor very shortly to discuss this with her. Until then, I'll keep chugging along.

Sharon
 
Hi Jane,

Did you wean off and did u experience burning too?How many months did it last?

Anu
 
Rose,

When u quit zantac was that cold turkey?I just wanted to make sure there is no rebound effect for zantac.
This is the beginning of 5th week without prevcid and I still have burning.I feel like giving up but then all these efforts will go in vain.
Anu
 
When I first quit Prilosec, it was a Zantac 75 four times a day (before each meal and bedtime).

Then, when I felt good on 4, I tried 3 (breakfast, dinner, bedtime). Then two (breakfast & dinner), then one, then none. Each step took a couple weeks. I designed my own quitting protocol, and "minimal pain" was the guiding principle.

I do not think I had rebound from Zantac, I just decreased the dose as the prilosec rebound grew less severe.
 
Yes, I did wean, and I did have slight burning at times. I described the whole thing on my thread "How I started, then stopped PPIs."
 
Well, I went back on the pills every day for the last 10 days. The reason being I have a vacation coming up in 2 weeks and was afraid how I would feel. BUT, today I went back to the every 36 hr regimen I was on earlier this month. Uggh! I can't make up my mind. For the last couple days to a week I've been having gas pains, bloating and general abdominal area pains which I believe is from the Aciphex. Turns out, when I'm off the pills I feel better even though I'm dealing with the heartburn. However, for me the heartburn is not all that bad...nothing I can't handle. I'm driving the husband nuts with my "off and on". I'm still concerned how I will be on vacation but I think I can handle it. I can deal with the heartburn if I don't have the blasted side effects from the pills. Funny thing is, I took these things for about 8 years straight with no effects. Now that I'm "screwing around" with them, they are giving me trouble. Go figure.

Rose, a quick question. You went on spring break (I believe) when you were going through this. How did you cope?
 
My rebound lasted three months!

I thought it would last a couple of weeks and was amazed and dismayed when I continued to experience severe heartburn for weeks and weeks.

But those severe symptoms subside eventually and thankfully.

Rose
 
Well, I've gone the weekend without anything except a DGL once or twice and Gaviscon last night. Last Aciphex was Friday evening. I can't put up with the side effects (muscle pains, headache). I am having a little burning, not much, but I have the "lump in throat" feeling off and on. I wanted to wean off every other day from the Aciphex but the side effects I couldn't stand. So now I'm thinking I'll try every other day with the Omeprazole (which I had taken earlier this year before going back to Aciphex) and wean from there. I don't know if this is a good idea or not but I don't want to do cold turkey again even though my diet is much different than when I tried it earlier this year. I still haven't taken anything today yet. I may go a week ppi-free and see how I feel. I do have Zantac 150 that I may try.

Hangin' in there.
 
Thank you for posting this. I think these posts are going to be very helpful to future forum merabers who are trying to wean themselves off a PPI.

I agree with a hundred percent of what you have posted. I too took Aciphex and it was a wonder drug for me.

I need to keep working at keeping my carbs on the low side. I can tell a difference when I eat more bread or other carbs than I should.

Rose
 
JAne,

When you say the burning lasted a couple of months, how many months was it?
I finished one month and still have burning which I nevere ever had before taking the PPI's.

Anu
 
Hi Jane,

Sorry abt asking too many questions.When u say a couple of weeks for each step was it like 2 weeks Jane?maybe I notice the burning a lot because I am not taking anything.

Anu
 
Oops. That's not entirely true. I had frequent headaches, more than the average person and I developed eczema, which I believe is from the low acid.
 
I never noticed side effects from Prilosec, but Aciphex made me nauseous constantly. I tried it for 2 or 3 days and said, NO WAY!
 
Hi,

I am new here.I have been off prevcid for 2 weeks now and its been horrible.
Did u experience burning in ur stomach?I nevere ever had burning..I have so much burning in my stomach now.Did u experience it too..Will it ever go away?
Please advise...

Anu
 
Hi Rose and Jane,

The burning has stopped at last.But I have some stomach pains now which I am thinking is due to the excess acid which might have caused some damage.
I dont want to go back on medication again.any tips on this?Did u ever incure stomach pains and gas pains after stopping the PPI.

Also one thing is for sure,REBOUND does EXIST,the burning lasted a month for me,when I say burning its like my insides were on fire.

Anu
 
I carefully watched what I ate. I was still taking Zantac twice a day back in March. I ate low in carbs and took my remedies and antiaciRAB. I did not go back to the Aciphex. I walked a lot while on spring break and that also helped move things along. I chewed a lot of sugarless gum.

I think going on and off the Aciphex is probably not giving your body the chance to become adjusted one way or another. Aciphex is a very effective drug and that is why I think the rebound is so strong. The more effective the acid suppression, the stronger the rebound.

I am now off all medication, except for an occasional antiacid like Tumms. I watch my diet, limit my carbs and eat smaller portions.

I am not heartburn free but it is manageable.

Rose
 
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