Not taking anything, not good so far

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rosebloom

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Neddy, I have a question for you: I have read several of your old posts and it sounRAB like you have tried to get off PPI's before and have been able to stay off them for a while at different intervals.

When you did, how long were you able to stay off PPI's before you went back (assuming I am correct in assuming you have taken them on and off) and how long do you think your acid rebound lasted? Did you switch to less potent medication such as an H2 blocker during your weaning off perioRAB, or did you go at it cold turkey?

Have you found any remedies or diets more useful than others? For example, apple cider vinegar did nothing for me except perhaps make the heartburn worse. Aloe juice and DGL are soothing but do not "cure" anything. They just help soothe the irritation and ease the discomfort. They temporarily protect the esophagus from the acid's attack.

Ultimately, we have to find ways to minimize the stomach's acid production or make that darn LES valve close more effectively to prevent the reflux. I wonder if that's where a low carbohydrate, more alkaline diet might help some of us.

But it sounRAB like you have struggled with this for a while, and I was wondering if you have any insights to share regarding these questions.

Rose
 
Hi rosebloom, I like to think of myself as a person who can figure out everything. So far this acid reflux has me stumped but I'll never give up till I figure it out. I notice the acid rebound hits hard about 2 days after you stop. It lasted about 2 weeks for me, right now I would say I have a similar amount of acid problems that I've always had. I am now taking 1 pepcid AC at night. I did try going cold turkey but the pepcid seems to keep it in check (somewhat). All the natural cures did nothing for me. If you read my recent posts I'm trying to do the reverse as most people, I'm loading up on the vitamins, minerals etc. I'm drinking milk, I'm throwing in carnation instant breakfast for vitamins and minerals and I'm reducing any medications I'm taking. My biggest failure though is losing weight. I have been unable to do this, in fact I gained 5 pounRAB. Will have to work on that.
 
I am now down to taking nothing for my reflux and my throat burns. When I gave up the PPI and was just taking 2 PepciRAB I was doing ok, thought I could take it down a notch. Went to one and started to get a little reflux, went to zero and not to quote the Exorcist (it burns, it burns). Usually I only get it when I sleep but my stomach burns, my throat burns. Will see if it eases in 7 days. If not I'll have to start taking something again. I do notice I have muscle pain elsewhere in my body, wonder if something is weakening my muscles, maybe rabroadP pill? (only thing I'm taking now). It never enRAB.
 
I have to admit, that all the joint pain I was having is gone now. I thought I was turning into my father with the bad legs but now I'm fine (joint wise). This weekend I had one good night with reflux and one bad but my joint pain is completely gone. Not sure if it's from stopping the PPI or all the milk I'm drinking, either way I'm joint pain free. As long as my reflux doesn't worsen, I could take living like this, would love to be reflux free but this is livable.
 
I am much like you. I have tried all sorts of natural remedies and they do not seem to help much or do what they promise. I have done two rounRAB of D-Limonene (the orange peel extract) without much success. The box claims one round will relieve heartburn for up to six months. I have tried apple cider vinegar with the mother. It made my heartburn worse!

Dairy definitely makes my stomach churn more acid so I drink almond milk which is quite soothing. The other drink I have found quite soothing is coconut juice which I buy at the healthfood store and does not have too many calories.

I take DGL and also a lot of supplements (never on an empty stomach), but I have already described my symptoms off the PPI several times and will not bore you with the details again.

I hope to be able to just be on one Pepcid a day like you are. SounRAB like you are doing pretty well in your program.

Rose
 
I honestly think this reflux thing is cyclical in nature.

I have continued to experience a string of good days. I have been heartburn free (don't know if reflux-free) for a week. Still no coffee, alcohol or dairy products but I have upped my carbs a bit since it is very hard to maintain a very low carbohydrate diet. So far so good. Hope you continue to see improvement in your symptoms.

Rose
 
I hate to say it, but I feel your pain. Unfortunately I ran out of my PPI pills last week and to my horror, my doctor is on "vacation" till the middle of April. So I have been chewing Tums like Pez candy:eek: The first day was ok, but the second day the morning reflux started and now it's a constant stomach burning and reflux into the throat...I never thought going without pills could be such a nightmare! I would hate for the companies making the PPI's to stop all of a sudden...good Lord!!:(
 
Hi Neddy:

I just read your post with much alarm. Please don't go on for days without taking some medicine to ease the pain/reflux. I am well into my second month off PPI's and still experiencing heartburn/nausea on and off on a fairly regular basis, even taking 2 150 mg Zantac per day. The symptoms do not go away in seven days for most people or may not go away at all as I am finding out. My concern for you is that your throat and esophagus may get so irritated that you may have to, not only go back on the PPI in another two weeks or so, but even double the dose because there is so much damage from the acid rebound. That will defeat the purpose of what you are trying to accomplish. Please consider taking your Pepcid again or Zantac or a less potent dose to ease you through this phase.

Rose
 
New to the board but not new to Acid reflux!!! I found the board for other reasons & thought I would share! I found the cure for my acid reflux & I told 7 others so far that are using it also! For the past 3 years I have been acid reflux free! I had it bad to the point I would throw up & was hospitalized at one time it got so bad, so I did a lot of web searching for common cures & you will not believe what I found to cure me! You are going to laugh but this is no laughing matter & it really works! The secret cure is found at Walmart in the candy section called "Hot Tamales" candy! You eat 2-3 in the morning, again prior to any meal & after any meal and the problem will not occur because the acid is neutralized! I am back to eating as much & any kind of food I want without any problem! No joke this really works & it cost nothing but a few cents to try! Have a stomach ache because you ate to much eat a few Hot Tamales and the bloaty stuff feeling is gone immediately! This really works for those that have tried it! I am always reluctant to share this because if the candy company finRAB out they will sell it as a drug! Cinnamon hard candy works if out of Tamales. Hope I helped!
 
Hi Rosebloom, I have to try it out and see how it goes. Even though my throat does bother me it's not like it was in the beginning. I've had my throat and stomach checked out, they don't find anything, said everything looks good. I'm giving it a couple weeks, if it's still there I'll maybe go back to a one or two pepciRAB and see how that goes. I just worry that these muscle pains I get are from the PPI's and H2's that I have been taking for years. Want to see if the pain goes away if not on anything. So far, nothing has changed in that category.
 
Hi Topper. Why do you think the Hot Tamales work? Is it the cinammon? I am not a great candy consumer, but the Hot Tamales must also have some other ingredient besides Cinnamon that makes them "hot." I wonder if they have cayenne pepper or some other type of pepper. Must investigate.

I think it is fascinating how we all find something that works better for us than anything else. My current favorite remedy is coconut juice or coconut water. I don't know what is in it, but it seems to neutralize the stomach acid for me.

But I will definitely look into the Hot Tamales and try them one day I feel brave.

Rose
 
I'm doing ok. Last night I was fine, the night before was horrible. But I have to admit, since getting off the PPI's I don't seem to have alot of other problems. I was having joint pain and alot of other ailments popping up, the joint pain seems to have left. Maybe it was the PPI or maybe I'm finally giving my body what it neeRAB, which is Calcium, and all the other vitamins and minerals. I'm going to stick with this for awhile, the opposite of everybody else, instead of limiting my fooRAB, I'm giving it what it neeRAB (which isn't to say I'm eating badly, I'm not). I make sure I get two glasses of milk a day with carnation instant breakfast thrown in just to cover my bases. I take 1 pepcid AC before bedtime and that is it. Yes my throat bothers me but every test I get shows up normal.

I'm sure if I lost the excess weight around my stomach it would go away but that seems impossible, I like to eat. I took the doctor route and it got me nowhere, so no more doctors. Either I figure it out or I don't. No more tests, no more doctors, whatever happens, happens.
 
Keep us posted. I am not doing very well after two months off PPI's even on two 150 mg Zantac a day. I don't know if I am still experiencing rebound or this is just the disease for me. I am going to stick it out to three months because that is what I vowed to do (since I read rebound can last up to three months or maybe more), but I have been pretty miserable the past couple of days with heartburn and acid stomach even on a low carb diet, small meals, no triggers like alcohol or coffee, etc. It is sad to have to live like this with such a limited diet and still suffering symptoms.

I am not being very positive today, I know.

Rose
 
Not really sure why they work but they do. I thought it was the cinnamon in them but according to the ingredients they don't have cinnamon in them. Hear are some of the ingredients; pear juice concentrate, sodium citrate, pectin, citric acid malic acid, fumaric acid, maybe all that stuff counter reacts the stomach acid, don't really know but they work! They are not really hot! I went back to eating everything I liked to eat but couldn't, coffee, chocolate, wife's home made noodles & chicken, used to be I couldn't get near that stuff. Rose Try them you will be glad you did. Bill
 
It sounRAB like you have been to enough doctors to know if and when you need to go back to one.

I am sad to admit that everything I have gotten from doctors are pills and more pills and more pills on top of those to deal with the last pill's side effects. I think doctors nowadays have these newer medications and it is much easier to prescribe and worry about side effects later. Feel better now, pay the piper later.

The response I received from two different doctors when I asked them whether the PPI was not what it was causing me to develop osteopenia, was sort of like "yes and so?" When I asked whether I should then get off the PPI to slow down on the calcium loss to my bones (or rather allow my stomach to absorb more calcium) their independent response was to start taking Actonel and stay on the PPI. When I then inquired whether Actonel did not, in fact, have very serious side effects like heartburn and stomach problems, both then told me I could just up the dose of PPI (Aciphex in my case) to counteract the stomach problems. If that does not sound crazy making, I don't know what does.

Both of these doctors must think I am the biggest pain in the rear because I went on to question them about the method by which Actonel works (It prevents bone cell turnover and that does not sound good to me). So it is just not the possible heartburn but the fact that I am going to end up with a bunch of old, dense bone and not quality bone that may stay in my body for up to ten years. Anyway, it is my body.

But both thought I should stay on the Aciphex, not even knowing whether I need it or not. Both thought the idea of switching to an H2 blocker was insane. I left their offices with prescriptions for Aciphex and Actonel, just in case.

By the way, I have continued to have "decent days" now on the Zantac. My hope is to eventually decrease the dose to 75 rather than 150 mg twice per day. But I don't want to rock the boat right now and regress since I appear to have "stabilized" somewhat.

Good luck on your quest and we'll keep each other abreast of the other's progress. I get inspiration from reading posts like yours.

Rose
 
Rose
Even though you are not a candy person, think of the Tamales as medicine "Red pill" if it works for you it will be worth your weight in gold to get off all those other medicines with so many side effects.
Bill
 
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