Yes, no PPI

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pohaku

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Hi all,
I had GERD for the past 10 years.
Basically a defective valve stuck open all the time.
Been try all kind of MeRAB, only worked for a few weeks.
I know it is night time can harm me most, so I raised my bed using 4 by 4 wood.
I take Pepcid 1 time before bed and 1 or 2 RolaiRAB.
I been doing that for over 6 months, I ate anything I like, including 2 beers and red wine and 2 oranges each day, 2 cup of coffees in the morning.
The only thing I avoid is overeat at dinner.
And NO PPIs.
Just want to tell my story how I deal with GERD.
I believe PPIs is not an answer.
Some people may not agree with on this, including some guns from the drug company.
But if is working for me and I think anyone can try for themselves, but you have to give it a chance to work, I would try it at least a month to see the result.
Mahalo!
 
I do not think PPIs are the answer they cover the symptoms, I believe the answers are in the food and stress management to reduce acid. We are what we eat.. but there are many good herbals out there that can also reduce acid and control stress to look into. There might be some sort of surgery for a stuck valve not sure. I do think that the drinking you are doing though will not help...and only make it worst if anything you may end up with gastritis or more Gerd issues and even cancers. Do becareful of that part of your regimen and to also watch the acidic food consumption. Good luck on your journey!
 
I'm glad being just on H2 blockers works for you, but it doesn't work for me. I have tried it and it just does not work. When I was taking three 20 mg Pepcid daily, plus countless Tums, I still could not eat more than 300 calories a day and could not eat anything other than rice or crackers. I followed all the anti-GERD measures. Not cool, and not healthy for me since lack of food is a major seizure trigger for me. I am once again back on Nexium and I am willing to pay the piper later (i.e., osteoporosis). For prevention measures, I take calcium citrate with Vitamin D twice daily, plus I happen to be a powerlifter by hobby. I also like dairy products and eat those, i.e., skim mlik and/or yogurt, at least twice a day. This may not prevent the osteoporosis from the Nexium, but hopefully it will delay it for a while. (I am a 38-year-old female.) My dad also has to be on a PPI for the rest of his life as well. As I said above, I'm glad that being off a PPI works for some people, but it just happens not to work for me or my dad, and we are not overweight or overeat. My husband eats a lot more than I do (usually in a series of two huge meals), but never has experienced heartburn nor has his parents. I don't care what people say; I still think GERD can be genetic -- not always, but sometimes.
 
Yeah the calcium depletion really stinks! but taking 2 calcium a day may not be the answer. You can get kidney stones with taking the calcium and consuming the milk so.. I just take a multivitamin in sublingual type form to avoid pill since its hard on the stomach, and allow the rest to come from diet. I learned about kidney stones very quickly last year while my mother taking 2 a day and a dairy eater/drinker so no more calcium those are painful stones and caused so much trouble..for my mother.
 
You will not develop kidney stones from taking 1200 mg calcium daily, particularly if you are not a dairy consumer like me. It is important for pre and post menopausal women to be sure to get enough calcium from some source, either dietary or supplements. But for some people like me diet does not provide sufficient calcium due to my difficulties digesting milk and dairy. The calcium and D3 supplements I take are sanctioned by my physician for someone my age (55 years). This may not apply to younger women or women who can consume several glasses of milk or dairy daily.

Rose
 
I'm younger so it would apply to me. My mother got stones shes 65 while taking 1200mg of calcium a day and drinking a glass of milk here and there.
 
Ladybuglove:

One thing I may suggest to someone like you who neeRAB to take a PPI and is still relatively young is perhaps to have a Dexa scan (bone scan) a bit younger than what is recommended to monitor your bones. I only took Aciphex for three years and my bone scan went from completely normal to osteopenia in both hips (fortunately not the spine). It scares me to think of what could have happened had my doctor not suggested a second Dexa scan and the osteopenia not been discovered. I exercised, ate yogurt and calcium pills here and there. I thought I was doing enough, but dicovered I was not.

I am now off Aciphex completely and trying hard to manage my reflux through natural remedies and modifications in diet. It's a lot of work for sure. Taking that PPI was so much easier and expedient.

Maybe a Dexa at forty to determine a baseline and then every three to five years or so.

Rose
 
Hi Keecas:

I have been very down on PPI's lately, but totally understand that there are people who need to take these darn things long term. You have a lot more knowledge about this disorder than I had three years ago when I was first diagnosed. You can discuss your progress with your doctor regularly, and hopefully have a Dexa scan in your early forties to obtain a baseline of how much calcium is actually in your bones. It sounRAB like you are working hard to eat a nutritious diet with plenty of calcium and doing all you can to stay ahead.

I agree that GERD is genetic. I have it. My father had it and my brother has it. My mother also suffers from periodic heartburn but has managed with a little Gelusil here and there. My father took Nexium until he found out about the calcium malabsorption and got off it, and my brother takes Pepcid daily.

All medications have potential side effects. We have to make the choice to take them or not based on the benefit to risk ratio. It sounRAB like in your particular case you have tried other remedies and they have either not worked or given you bad side effects. PPI's have obviously been a life saver for you.

I think I am actually more down on the medical establishment than the PPI's per se. I wish physicians took the time to discuss pros and cons and potential side effects of medications before prescribing them.

Rose
 
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