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That acid reflux pill may be causing your health problems


Altostrata

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Black Rabbit, I had Horrific, intense GI issues from lexapro withdrawal, things I never had before taking the medication. My doctors threw a whole wack of drugs at me when I first started getting the symptoms. I stopped taking my acid blocker and it didnt help my pain or indigestion or anything for that matter. I almost got off the medication but last month had to go back on the acid blocker. It hasnt made my stomach better or worse during this whole process. Your problem sounds like its adjusting from the reduced Lexapro. I dont think it will hurt you to try it out but If it does not help within a week or so Id get off of it right away. 

Was on 30mg (Lexapro) for 7-8yrs20mg for 3 months (This was my choice my Doc wanted me to drop much faster)15 mg 2week10mg 2 weeks 5 mg 1 week0 since August 24th . PPI Dexlant  30 mg taper has begun. Cutting 20% currently.  using zantac as needed.  Benzo is currently 0.10mg 

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Acid blockers are not a good long term solution but if severe GERD is burning your esophagus than it should help. 

Was on 30mg (Lexapro) for 7-8yrs20mg for 3 months (This was my choice my Doc wanted me to drop much faster)15 mg 2week10mg 2 weeks 5 mg 1 week0 since August 24th . PPI Dexlant  30 mg taper has begun. Cutting 20% currently.  using zantac as needed.  Benzo is currently 0.10mg 

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There's a simple alternative to these meds...using deeper breathing. I've seen studies show it is as effective as PPI's, minus the negative side effects. Deep breathing is also known to calm mind and emotions, so there could be additional beneficial effects, instead of drug side effects:

 

http://www.peakhealthadvocate.com/2434/breathing-exercises-for-acid-reflux-relief/

 

I've read in a number of places that most people have problems with not enough stomach acid, so the drugs only make matters worse. In addition, over the long term, they can cause issues with the gut in terms of the right balance of bacteria..plus, the risks of fractures and of loss of nutrients: http://chriskresser.com/what-everybody-ought-to-know-but-doesnt-about-heartburn-gerd/

 

Doctors give drugs, because that's mostly all they have. That doesn't mean it's the best solution...just the one they are using.

Remeron for depression. Started at 7.5 mg. in 2005. Gradual increases over 8 years, up to 45 mg. in 2012.Began tapering in June 2013. Went from 45 to 30 mg in the first 3-4 months. Held for a couple of months.Started tapering by 3.75 mg every month or 2, with some longer holding periods. Eventually went down to 3.75 mg. about April 2014. Stopped taking Remeron August 2014. Developed issues with histamine a week after stopping--symptoms reduced through diet and a few supplements. Currently having issues with a few foods. Most of the histamine intolerance has resolved or is at least, in remission.

Current Medications:

Current Supplements: Cannabis (CBD and THC), Vitamin C, D, Quercetin, CoQ10, Tart Cherry, Probiotic, Phytoplankton oil, magnesium, Methyl B. What has helped me most: spending time in nature, qi gong, exercise, healthy diet, meditation, IV vitamins, homeopathy, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic, music, and cuddling my cats..

My introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/8459-mirtazapine-withdrawal-freespirit/#entry144282

Please note: I am not a therapist or medical practitioner. Any suggestions offered come solely from my personal experience in recovering from childhood trauma, therapy, and AD use. Please seek appropriate care for yourself.

 

“After a cruel childhood, one must reinvent oneself. Then re-imagine the world.”
Mary Oliver
 

 

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I would definitely not take any prescription medication unless it's an antibiotic and I'm dying from pneumonia.  After my experience with antidepressants I've learned my lesson.  You fear is very much warranted.

 

It doesn't help that many of us are not hypersensitive to medication, making it all the more dangerous to experiment with drugs so many people take with impunity.

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There's a simple alternative to these meds...using deeper breathing. I've seen studies show it is as effective as PPI's, minus the negative side effects. Deep breathing is also known to calm mind and emotions, so there could be additional beneficial effects, instead of drug side effects:

 

http://www.peakhealthadvocate.com/2434/breathing-exercises-for-acid-reflux-relief/

 

I've read in a number of places that most people have problems with not enough stomach acid, so the drugs only make matters worse. In addition, over the long term, they can cause issues with the gut in terms of the right balance of bacteria..plus, the risks of fractures and of loss of nutrients: http://chriskresser.com/what-everybody-ought-to-know-but-doesnt-about-heartburn-gerd/

 

Doctors give drugs, because that's mostly all they have. That doesn't mean it's the best solution...just the one they are using.

Thank you, the thing is...it's not heartburn. There is no burning feeling. It's just an uncomfortable full/bloating feeling. So I don't think heartburn/acid reducers will do any help.

Current meds: Escitalopram

Was put on 20mg Lexapro for 4 years; was at 18mg for ~1 week.

4/19/15: 15mg; WD symptoms include: loss of appetite, weight loss, nausea and indigestion after eating, diarrhea, and anxiety. Most of these happen at night.

6/5/15: 13mg; WD symptoms include: tiredness/lightheadedness, indigestion, numbness (emotionally)

7/6/15: 11mg --> 7/10/14: 11.7mg (wanted to taper by 10%)

8/10/15: 10mg; WD symptoms include: anxiety, nausea, GI upset, headaches

9/1/15: bumped back to 10.5mg (back to tapering by 10%); 10/5/15: back to 10mg

11/8: down to 9mg: feeling depressed so far ---> 11/16: bumped back to 10mg :(

1/23: back to 9mg; headaches, "motion sickness" feeling, anxiety

3/24: 8.5mg; 5/24: 8mg; nausea and dizziness bumped back to 8.5mg 3/26 :(

 

blog: https://offwithyourmeds.wordpress.com

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It could be you've developed a sensitivity to something you commonly eat, such as dairy. Try excluding different food groups systematically -- dairy for 3 days, then wheat for 3 days, etc. -- and see if that helps.

 

Do you drink a lot of coffee? That might be involved. You have to taper off caffeine, if so.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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Prilosec is bad for you? Come on! Not every little symptom you get is caused by psych drugs.

As requested. In the last 3 years to the best of my recollection I first dropped the max dose of Lamictal. Yes I just stopped it was doing absolutely nothing. Then I dropped Lexapro, that was even easier I had been on and off that a dozen times before. There were at least 2 odd off label attempts at anxiety that I won’t be able to remember. Then there was sweet/evil Seroquel. That was the last to go it’s been around 16 months.

Lithium, Prozac, Paxil, Wellbutrin, Effexor, Celexa, Lamictal, Lexapro, Luvox, Viibryd, Brintellix, Pristiq, Zoloft, Seroquel, Zyprexa, Geodon, Abilify, Latuda, Ritalin, Adderall, Valium, Clonazepam, Alprazolam, Propanalol, Spravato

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Prilosec disturbs normal digestive processes and can contribute to drug-drug conflicts. All drugs are wearing on the body. No one should take any drug unless it is absolutely needed.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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Thank you, the thing is...it's not heartburn. There is no burning feeling. It's just an uncomfortable full/bloating feeling. So I don't think heartburn/acid reducers will do any help.

 

I had the full feeling too. The same natural things can help. I started walking for a few minutes after each meal..just slow, gentle walks. Deep breathing aids digestion, so the same breathing might help relieve the fullness. I've read that relaxation practices can also help digestion.

 

When the sympathetic nervous system is more activated, then things like digestion take a back seat. The body is primed to act, not to digest food.

 

You might find ginger tea or peppermint tea helpful for nausea too. The problem with taking other drugs is that it can very much complicate things and produce more symptoms...and you end up not knowing what is causing what.

Remeron for depression. Started at 7.5 mg. in 2005. Gradual increases over 8 years, up to 45 mg. in 2012.Began tapering in June 2013. Went from 45 to 30 mg in the first 3-4 months. Held for a couple of months.Started tapering by 3.75 mg every month or 2, with some longer holding periods. Eventually went down to 3.75 mg. about April 2014. Stopped taking Remeron August 2014. Developed issues with histamine a week after stopping--symptoms reduced through diet and a few supplements. Currently having issues with a few foods. Most of the histamine intolerance has resolved or is at least, in remission.

Current Medications:

Current Supplements: Cannabis (CBD and THC), Vitamin C, D, Quercetin, CoQ10, Tart Cherry, Probiotic, Phytoplankton oil, magnesium, Methyl B. What has helped me most: spending time in nature, qi gong, exercise, healthy diet, meditation, IV vitamins, homeopathy, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic, music, and cuddling my cats..

My introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/8459-mirtazapine-withdrawal-freespirit/#entry144282

Please note: I am not a therapist or medical practitioner. Any suggestions offered come solely from my personal experience in recovering from childhood trauma, therapy, and AD use. Please seek appropriate care for yourself.

 

“After a cruel childhood, one must reinvent oneself. Then re-imagine the world.”
Mary Oliver
 

 

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Thank you, the thing is...it's not heartburn. There is no burning feeling. It's just an uncomfortable full/bloating feeling. So I don't think heartburn/acid reducers will do any help.

 

I had the full feeling too. The same natural things can help. I started walking for a few minutes after each meal..just slow, gentle walks. Deep breathing aids digestion, so the same breathing might help relieve the fullness. I've read that relaxation practices can also help digestion.

 

When the sympathetic nervous system is more activated, then things like digestion take a back seat. The body is primed to act, not to digest food.

 

You might find ginger tea or peppermint tea helpful for nausea too. The problem with taking other drugs is that it can very much complicate things and produce more symptoms...and you end up not knowing what is causing what.

 

Yeah everyone tells me I should take it but I honestly don't want to. I want as least drugs in my system. :(

Current meds: Escitalopram

Was put on 20mg Lexapro for 4 years; was at 18mg for ~1 week.

4/19/15: 15mg; WD symptoms include: loss of appetite, weight loss, nausea and indigestion after eating, diarrhea, and anxiety. Most of these happen at night.

6/5/15: 13mg; WD symptoms include: tiredness/lightheadedness, indigestion, numbness (emotionally)

7/6/15: 11mg --> 7/10/14: 11.7mg (wanted to taper by 10%)

8/10/15: 10mg; WD symptoms include: anxiety, nausea, GI upset, headaches

9/1/15: bumped back to 10.5mg (back to tapering by 10%); 10/5/15: back to 10mg

11/8: down to 9mg: feeling depressed so far ---> 11/16: bumped back to 10mg :(

1/23: back to 9mg; headaches, "motion sickness" feeling, anxiety

3/24: 8.5mg; 5/24: 8mg; nausea and dizziness bumped back to 8.5mg 3/26 :(

 

blog: https://offwithyourmeds.wordpress.com

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Black Rabbit, I had Horrific, intense GI issues from lexapro withdrawal, things I never had before taking the medication. My doctors threw a whole wack of drugs at me when I first started getting the symptoms. I stopped taking my acid blocker and it didnt help my pain or indigestion or anything for that matter. I almost got off the medication but last month had to go back on the acid blocker. It hasnt made my stomach better or worse during this whole process. Your problem sounds like its adjusting from the reduced Lexapro. I dont think it will hurt you to try it out but If it does not help within a week or so Id get off of it right away. 

Hey,

 

So I just took my first prilosec an hour ago and am anxiously awaiting if i have any side effects. If a week goes by and i don't notice any change you're suggesting I get off it? Is this drug a drug that has to be weaned off to? Will I get withdrawal from being on it for a short amount of time? I dont want to be dealing with TWO withdrawals from 2 different drugs! :(

Current meds: Escitalopram

Was put on 20mg Lexapro for 4 years; was at 18mg for ~1 week.

4/19/15: 15mg; WD symptoms include: loss of appetite, weight loss, nausea and indigestion after eating, diarrhea, and anxiety. Most of these happen at night.

6/5/15: 13mg; WD symptoms include: tiredness/lightheadedness, indigestion, numbness (emotionally)

7/6/15: 11mg --> 7/10/14: 11.7mg (wanted to taper by 10%)

8/10/15: 10mg; WD symptoms include: anxiety, nausea, GI upset, headaches

9/1/15: bumped back to 10.5mg (back to tapering by 10%); 10/5/15: back to 10mg

11/8: down to 9mg: feeling depressed so far ---> 11/16: bumped back to 10mg :(

1/23: back to 9mg; headaches, "motion sickness" feeling, anxiety

3/24: 8.5mg; 5/24: 8mg; nausea and dizziness bumped back to 8.5mg 3/26 :(

 

blog: https://offwithyourmeds.wordpress.com

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Excellent info, Alto.

 

Was listening to radio show on the topic of PPI and the inability to properly absorb magnesium.

 

Also just went though thinking my elderly mom, who is on Clopidigrel, had major abdominal issues. I felt it sounded like C Diff. 

 

She went through a lot of expensive tests to find out  it was in fact, C diff. She takes Prilosec like candy.

I'M A WEANER!  :D 
atavan PRN ,Paxil approx 20 yrs ago for major depression
Switched to Klonopin PRN through to current
Paxil wore out
Changed to Effexor 
Depakote added
enormous weight gain - flat affect - led to depression - dropped depakote
Dropped Effexor, changed to Paxil 
PDoc added mixed salts amphetamines for ADHD - took for 2 yrs - was ok at first but had to cut as symptoms too intense -  then the crash was too much. STOPPED
Vyvanse started in 2013 (APRIL) - more smooth than IR amphetamine tabs---Have not used vyvanse daily in full amt since May 2013 

Paxil CT withdrawal 10/2012  :wacko:  Klonopin CT WD

Switched Klonopin to Xanax prn  - too strong

WD CT from XANAX after taking for a while - it was awful but can be done if you hold on!

Back to Klonopin PRN - working very hard to avoid taking it at all. 

Effexor 37.5 started 02/2013, 75mg by 03/2013, 150mg by 05/2012 (approx)  :blush:

Effexor 150mg 3/10/2014 Microtaper -3beads  :unsure:

3/11/2014-4beads ,3/12/14 - 5, 3/13/14 -6, 3/15/14 - 7, 3/18 - 8, 3/22 - 10, 3/24 - 12, 4/6 - 13, 4/7 - 14, 4/11 - 16 - on 4/19 ran out of brand took generic. Bad move. Back on brand on 4/20 and updosed 2 beads. 5/1 - 15, 5/6 - 16, 5/9 -17, 55/10 -17, 5/15 -18, 5/21 -19, 5/24 -20, 6/3 - 21, 6/6 -23, 6/13 -24,6/19- 25, 6/21 -26, 6/25 -27

6/28 -28, 6/29 -30, 7/3 -34, 7/8 -35, 7/17 -36, 7/30 -41,7/31 -42, 8/2 -43, 8/3 -44, 8/5 -45, 8/14 -48, 8/26-50, 9/24 -53, 10/24 -55, 12/1 -57, (lost the tally sheet, thus taper info for some of it), 4/19-63, 4/26-64, 4/30-65 Switched to wt reduction - now @ -.068, 7/14 -.070, August 2015 -.074, between Sept & October 10 -.077, Nov. -.078(feeling great), -.090 as of 1/10/16, down to  -.101 since January 2016 (it is now 6/24/16), -.105 as of 8/13/16
 
 

Ladies, please don't underestimate the possibility of perimenopause. The symptoms can be similar to, may intensify & in some cases mimic protracted w/d from ssri's & benzo's. 

 

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blackrabbit, this topic suggests not taking a drug like Prilosec unless you absolutely need to, and then taking it as short a time as possible.

 

Read it from the beginning and decide if you want to take Prilosec. If you take it for a while, you will need to taper it.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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Admin note: See

Tips for tapering off stomach acid blockers or PPIs (esomeprazole, lansoprazole, omeprazole)

 

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/25/combating-acid-reflux-may-bring-host-of-ills/

 

I believe my taking Zantac for a couple of years (for indigestion) caused a vitamin B12 deficiency that weakened my nervous system and greatly exacerbated antidepressant withdrawal syndrome.

 

If you don't actually have serious acid reflux, you may wish to reduce your drug burden and go off it. To prevent rebound reflux, taper off an acid blocker as soon as possible. My estimate of a good rate is 25% per week. If you get rebound reflux, lower the decrease and take longer to taper off.

 

If you've been on an acid blocker for any length of time, you may wish to get a vitamin B12 shot before starting your taper, or start supplementing with sublingual B12.

 

Combating Acid Reflux May Bring Host of Ills

By RONI CARYN RABIN June 25, 2012 nytimes.com

 

....

Long-term use of the drugs, called proton pump inhibitors, or P.P.I.’s, can make it difficult to absorb some nutrients. ....

 

As many as four in 10 Americans have symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, and many depend on P.P.I.’s like Prilosec, Prevacid and Nexium to reduce stomach acid. These are the third highest-selling class of drugs in the United States, after antipsychotics and statins, with more than 100 million prescriptions and $13.9 billion in sales in 2010, in addition to over-the-counter sales.

 

But in recent years, the Food and Drug Administration has issued numerous warnings about P.P.I.’s, saying long-term use and high doses have been associated with an increased risk of bone fractures and infection with a bacterium called Clostridium difficile that can be especially dangerous to elderly patients. In a recent paper, experts recommended that older adults use the drugs only “for the shortest duration possible.”

 

Studies have shown long-term P.P.I. use may reduce the absorption of important nutrients, vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, calcium and vitamin B12, and might reduce the effectiveness of other medications, with the F.D.A. warning that taking Prilosec together with the anticlotting agent clopidogrel (Plavix) can weaken the protective effect (of clopidogrel) for heart patients.

 

Other research has found that people taking P.P.I.’s are at increased risk of developing pneumonia; one study even linked use of the drug to weight gain.

 

Drug company officials dismiss such reports, saying that they do not prove the P.P.I.’s are the cause of the problems and that many P.P.I. users are older adults who are susceptible to infections and more likely to sustain fractures and have nutritional deficits.

 

But while using the drugs for short periods may not be problematic, they tend to breed dependency, experts say, leading patients to take them for far longer than the recommended 8 to 12 weeks; some stay on them for life. Many hospitals have been starting patients on P.P.I.’s as a matter of routine, to prevent stress ulcers, then discharging them with instructions to continue the medication at home. Dr. Charlie Baum, head of U.S. Medical Affairs for Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America Inc., said its P.P.I. Dexilant is safe when used according to the prescribed indication of up to six months for maintenance, though many physicians prescribe it for longer.

 

“Studies have shown that once you’re on them, it’s hard to stop taking them,” said Dr. Shoshana J. Herzig of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. “It’s almost like an addiction.”

 

P.P.I.’s work by blocking the production of acid in the stomach, but the body reacts by overcompensating and, she said, “revving up production” of acid-making cells. “You get excess growth of those cells in the stomach, so when you unblock production, you have more of the acid-making machinery,” she said.

 

Moreover, proton pump inhibitors have not been the wonder drugs that experts had hoped for. More widespread treatment of GERD has not reduced the incidence of esophageal cancers. Squamous cell carcinoma, which is associated with smoking, has declined, but esophageal adenocarcinomas, which are associated with GERD, have increased 350 percent since 1970.

 

“When people take P.P.I.’s, they haven’t cured the problem of reflux,” said Dr. Joseph Stubbs, an internist in Albany, Ga., and a former president of the American College of Physicians. “They’ve just controlled the symptoms.”

 

And P.P.I.’s provide a way for people to avoid making difficult lifestyle changes, like losing weight or cutting out the foods that cause heartburn, he said. “People have found, ‘I can keep eating what I want to eat, and take this and I’m doing fine,’ ” he said. “We’re starting to see that if you do that, you can run into some risky side effects.”

 

Many patients may be on the drugs for no good medical reason, at huge cost to the health care system, said Dr. Joel J. Heidelbaugh, a family medicine doctor in Ann Arbor, Mich. When he reviewed medical records of almost 1,000 patients on P.P.I.’s at an outpatient Veterans Affairs clinic in Ann Arbor, he found that only one-third had a diagnosis that justified the drugs. The others seemed to have been given the medications “just in case.”

 

“We put people on P.P.I.’s, and we ignore the fact that we were designed to have acid in our stomach,” said Dr. Greg Plotnikoff, a physician who specializes in integrative therapy at the Penny George Institute for Health and Healing in Minneapolis.

 

Stomach acid is needed to break down food and absorb nutrients, he said, as well as for proper functioning of the gallbladder and pancreas. Long-term of use of P.P.I.’s may interfere with these processes, he noted. And suppression of stomach acid, which kills bacteria and other microbes, may make people more susceptible to infections, like C. difficile.

 

Taking P.P.I.’s, Dr. Plotnikoff said, “changes the ecology of the gut and actually allows overgrowth of some things that normally would be kept under control.”

 

Stomach acid also stimulates coughing, which helps clear the lungs. Some experts think this is why some patients, especially those who are frail and elderly, face an increased risk of pneumonia if they take P.P.I.’s.

 

But many leading gastroenterologists are convinced that the benefits of the drugs outweigh their risks. They say the drugs prevent serious complications of GERD, like esophageal and stomach ulcers and peptic strictures, which occur when inflammations causes the lower end of the esophagus to narrow.

 

The studies that detected higher risks among patients on P.P.I.’s “are statistical analyses of very large patient populations. But how does that relate to you, as one person taking the drug?” said Dr. Donald O. Castell, director of esophageal disorders at the Medical University of South Carolina and an author of the American College of Gastroenterology’s practice guidelines for GERD, who has financial relationships with drug companies that make P.P.I.’s. He added, “You don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater.”

 

Most physicians think that GERD is a side effect of the obesity epidemic, and that lifestyle changes could ameliorate heartburn for many.

 

“If we took 100 people with reflux and got them to rigidly follow the lifestyle recommendations, 90 wouldn’t need any medication,” Dr. Castell said. “But good luck getting them to do that.”

 

The book "Pharmageddon" seems to be a good reference to throw in there for this topic.

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Admin note: See

Tips for tapering off stomach acid blockers or PPIs (esomeprazole, lansoprazole, omeprazole)

 

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/25/combating-acid-reflux-may-bring-host-of-ills/

 

I believe my taking Zantac for a couple of years (for indigestion) caused a vitamin B12 deficiency that weakened my nervous system and greatly exacerbated antidepressant withdrawal syndrome.

 

If you don't actually have serious acid reflux, you may wish to reduce your drug burden and go off it. To prevent rebound reflux, taper off an acid blocker as soon as possible. My estimate of a good rate is 25% per week. If you get rebound reflux, lower the decrease and take longer to taper off.

 

If you've been on an acid blocker for any length of time, you may wish to get a vitamin B12 shot before starting your taper, or start supplementing with sublingual B12.

 

Combating Acid Reflux May Bring Host of Ills

By RONI CARYN RABIN June 25, 2012 nytimes.com

 

....

Long-term use of the drugs, called proton pump inhibitors, or P.P.I.’s, can make it difficult to absorb some nutrients. ....

 

As many as four in 10 Americans have symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, and many depend on P.P.I.’s like Prilosec, Prevacid and Nexium to reduce stomach acid. These are the third highest-selling class of drugs in the United States, after antipsychotics and statins, with more than 100 million prescriptions and $13.9 billion in sales in 2010, in addition to over-the-counter sales.

 

But in recent years, the Food and Drug Administration has issued numerous warnings about P.P.I.’s, saying long-term use and high doses have been associated with an increased risk of bone fractures and infection with a bacterium called Clostridium difficile that can be especially dangerous to elderly patients. In a recent paper, experts recommended that older adults use the drugs only “for the shortest duration possible.”

 

Studies have shown long-term P.P.I. use may reduce the absorption of important nutrients, vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, calcium and vitamin B12, and might reduce the effectiveness of other medications, with the F.D.A. warning that taking Prilosec together with the anticlotting agent clopidogrel (Plavix) can weaken the protective effect (of clopidogrel) for heart patients.

 

Other research has found that people taking P.P.I.’s are at increased risk of developing pneumonia; one study even linked use of the drug to weight gain.

 

Drug company officials dismiss such reports, saying that they do not prove the P.P.I.’s are the cause of the problems and that many P.P.I. users are older adults who are susceptible to infections and more likely to sustain fractures and have nutritional deficits.

 

But while using the drugs for short periods may not be problematic, they tend to breed dependency, experts say, leading patients to take them for far longer than the recommended 8 to 12 weeks; some stay on them for life. Many hospitals have been starting patients on P.P.I.’s as a matter of routine, to prevent stress ulcers, then discharging them with instructions to continue the medication at home. Dr. Charlie Baum, head of U.S. Medical Affairs for Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America Inc., said its P.P.I. Dexilant is safe when used according to the prescribed indication of up to six months for maintenance, though many physicians prescribe it for longer.

 

“Studies have shown that once you’re on them, it’s hard to stop taking them,” said Dr. Shoshana J. Herzig of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. “It’s almost like an addiction.”

 

P.P.I.’s work by blocking the production of acid in the stomach, but the body reacts by overcompensating and, she said, “revving up production” of acid-making cells. “You get excess growth of those cells in the stomach, so when you unblock production, you have more of the acid-making machinery,” she said.

 

Moreover, proton pump inhibitors have not been the wonder drugs that experts had hoped for. More widespread treatment of GERD has not reduced the incidence of esophageal cancers. Squamous cell carcinoma, which is associated with smoking, has declined, but esophageal adenocarcinomas, which are associated with GERD, have increased 350 percent since 1970.

 

“When people take P.P.I.’s, they haven’t cured the problem of reflux,” said Dr. Joseph Stubbs, an internist in Albany, Ga., and a former president of the American College of Physicians. “They’ve just controlled the symptoms.”

 

And P.P.I.’s provide a way for people to avoid making difficult lifestyle changes, like losing weight or cutting out the foods that cause heartburn, he said. “People have found, ‘I can keep eating what I want to eat, and take this and I’m doing fine,’ ” he said. “We’re starting to see that if you do that, you can run into some risky side effects.”

 

Many patients may be on the drugs for no good medical reason, at huge cost to the health care system, said Dr. Joel J. Heidelbaugh, a family medicine doctor in Ann Arbor, Mich. When he reviewed medical records of almost 1,000 patients on P.P.I.’s at an outpatient Veterans Affairs clinic in Ann Arbor, he found that only one-third had a diagnosis that justified the drugs. The others seemed to have been given the medications “just in case.”

 

“We put people on P.P.I.’s, and we ignore the fact that we were designed to have acid in our stomach,” said Dr. Greg Plotnikoff, a physician who specializes in integrative therapy at the Penny George Institute for Health and Healing in Minneapolis.

 

Stomach acid is needed to break down food and absorb nutrients, he said, as well as for proper functioning of the gallbladder and pancreas. Long-term of use of P.P.I.’s may interfere with these processes, he noted. And suppression of stomach acid, which kills bacteria and other microbes, may make people more susceptible to infections, like C. difficile.

 

Taking P.P.I.’s, Dr. Plotnikoff said, “changes the ecology of the gut and actually allows overgrowth of some things that normally would be kept under control.”

 

Stomach acid also stimulates coughing, which helps clear the lungs. Some experts think this is why some patients, especially those who are frail and elderly, face an increased risk of pneumonia if they take P.P.I.’s.

 

But many leading gastroenterologists are convinced that the benefits of the drugs outweigh their risks. They say the drugs prevent serious complications of GERD, like esophageal and stomach ulcers and peptic strictures, which occur when inflammations causes the lower end of the esophagus to narrow.

 

The studies that detected higher risks among patients on P.P.I.’s “are statistical analyses of very large patient populations. But how does that relate to you, as one person taking the drug?” said Dr. Donald O. Castell, director of esophageal disorders at the Medical University of South Carolina and an author of the American College of Gastroenterology’s practice guidelines for GERD, who has financial relationships with drug companies that make P.P.I.’s. He added, “You don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater.”

 

Most physicians think that GERD is a side effect of the obesity epidemic, and that lifestyle changes could ameliorate heartburn for many.

 

“If we took 100 people with reflux and got them to rigidly follow the lifestyle recommendations, 90 wouldn’t need any medication,” Dr. Castell said. “But good luck getting them to do that.”

 

The book "Pharmageddon" seems to be a good reference to throw in there for this topic.

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  • 5 months later...
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22955351
 
J Clin Gastroenterol. 2012 Oct;46 Suppl:S18-26. doi: 10.1097/MCG.0b013e318267b55d.
The innovative potential of Lactobacillus rhamnosus LR06, Lactobacillus pentosus LPS01, Lactobacillus plantarum LP01, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii Subsp. delbrueckii LDD01 to restore the "gastric barrier effect" in patients chronically treated with PPI: a pilot study.

Del Piano M1, Anderloni A, Balzarini M, Ballarè M, Carmagnola S, Montino F, Orsello M, Pagliarulo M, Tari R, Soattini L, Sforza F, Mogna L, Mogna G.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:
Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a very widespread condition. In Europe, it is estimated that about 175 million people suffer from this disease and have to chronically take drugs to increase gastric pH. The proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as omeprazole, lansoprazole, and esomeprazole are the most widely used drug typology in this regard. However, the inhibition of normal gastric acid secretion has important side effects, the most important being bacterial overgrowth in the stomach and duodenum with a concentration of >10⁵ viable cells/mL. As a major consequence of this, many harmful or even pathogenic bacteria contained in some foods could survive the gastric transit and colonize either the stomach itself, the duodenum, or the gut, where they could establish acute and even chronic infections with unavoidable consequences for the host's health. In other words, the "gastric barrier effect" is strongly reduced or even disrupted. To date, there are no real strategies to deal with this widespread, although still relatively little known, problem. The aim of this study was to confirm the gastric bacterial overgrowth in long-term PPI consumers and to assess the efficacy of some probiotic bacteria, belonging to both genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, in the reduction of gastric and duodenal bacterial overgrowth, therefore partially restoring the gastric barrier effect against foodborne pathogenic bacteria.

METHODS:
For this purpose, probiotics with a strong demonstrated inhibitory activity on gram-negative bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, were tested in a human intervention trial involving a total of 30 subjects treated with PPIs for either 3 to 12 consecutive months (short-term) or >12 consecutive months (long-term). An additional 10 subjects not taking PPIs were enrolled and used as a control group representing the general population. Four selected probiotics Probiotical SpA (Novara, Italy), namely Lactobacillus rhamnosus LR06 (DSM 21981), Lactobacillus pentosus LPS01 (DSM 21980), Lactobacillus plantarum LP01 (LMG P-21021), and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii LDD01 (DSM 22106) were administered for 10 days to 10 subjects treated with PPIs for >12 months (group B). In the 60 mg formulation, N-acetylcysteine was included as well in light of its well-known mechanical effects on bacterial biofilms. Gastroscopies were performed at the beginning of the study (d0) in all the groups (A, B, C, and D) and after 10 days (d10) in group B only; that is, at the end of probiotics intake. The total viable cells and total Lactobacillus were quantified in gastric juice and duodenal brushing material from all subjects. The results were compared among all the groups and with the control subjects (group D) to confirm the bacterial overgrowth. A comparison was made also between d0 and d10 in group B to quantify the efficacy of the 4 probiotics administered for 10 days. Fecal samples were collected from all groups at d0, including subjects not treated with PPIs, and in group B only at d10. Specific bacterial classes, namely enterococci, total coliforms, E. coli, molds, and yeasts were quantified in all fecal specimens.

RESULTS:
The results collected confirmed the strong bacterial overgrowth in the stomach and duodenum of people treated with PPIs compared with subjects with a normal intragastric acidity. It is also worth noting that the bacterial cell counts in subjects who underwent a long-term treatment with a PPI were greater than the results from subjects taking these drugs for 3 to 12 months. The intake of 4 specific probiotic strains with a marked antagonistic activity towards 5 E. coli bacteria, including the enterohaemorrhagic O157:H7 strain, and an effective amount of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) was able to significantly reduce bacterial overgrowth in long-term PPI-treated subjects. Total lactobacilli represented the major percentage of bacterial counts, thus demonstrating the ability of such bacteria to colonize the stomach and the duodenum, at least temporarily, and to consequently restore the gastric barrier effect. A significant decrease in fecal enterococci, total coliforms, E. coli, molds, and yeasts in subjects treated with PPIs was recorded at the end of probiotics supplementation (d10) compared with baseline (d0) in group B. This is a further confirmation of the barrier effect also exerted at the stomach level.

CONCLUSIONS:
PPIs are the most widely sold and used drugs in the world. However, the chronic use of these pharmacological molecules exposes the subject to the risk of foodborne infections as most pathogens are able to survive the gastric transit in a condition of significantly decreased acidity.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I took Nexium 80mg for a short time in 2012. Not long after, I was driving and I almost passed out behind the wheel from a really bad heart palpitation.

I am pretty sure that it was from Nexium. Nexium happens to be in the class of drugs I don't metabolise very well. Nexium also caused my Iron levels to drop really low.

I saw a cardiologist not long after and she has told me that she has heard of Nexium causing heart palpitations.

I still have issues with reflux, but I don't take anything.

I think that people should be aware of the potential side effects from Nexium.

I am not trying to alarm anyone, and it is very unlikely that this will happen to anyone else.

Just a cautionary tale.

DRUG HISTORY:

 

November 2013- Zoloft, ( Bad reaction).

January 2014 - March 2014 Seroquel.( Quit Cold Turkey).

January2014- Mirtazapine, I was taking 15mg at one stage, reduced to 7.5mg, Pgad reactions to Mirtazapine. Doctor kept increasing it to 37.5mg, until July 2014. No improvement, experiencing panic attacks, on 37.5 mg. I had enough by October 2014. Began tapering.

October 2014- Started tapering Mirtazapine from 37.5mg.

September 2015- Down to 4mg of Mirtazapine. Crashed.

September 16th- Up dosed to 5mg. Held this dose for almost 5 months. Stabilised.

February 2016- Began tapering again. From 5mg to 4.5mg of Mirtazapine. (Rocking the boat, again)! Lol. :(

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That said, what is a natural way of treating Acid Reflux?

I asked my doctor about Apple Cider Vinegar, and she said that Apple Cider vinegar would increase the acid in the stomach.

I have also read that pineapple juice can help with the reflux and Dandelion Tea.

I have tried Dandelion Tea. Dandelion Tea gives me bad head pressure and I have read that it can interact with some drugs.

Does Dandelion tea interacts with Mitrazapine? I could not find anything on the internet.

DRUG HISTORY:

 

November 2013- Zoloft, ( Bad reaction).

January 2014 - March 2014 Seroquel.( Quit Cold Turkey).

January2014- Mirtazapine, I was taking 15mg at one stage, reduced to 7.5mg, Pgad reactions to Mirtazapine. Doctor kept increasing it to 37.5mg, until July 2014. No improvement, experiencing panic attacks, on 37.5 mg. I had enough by October 2014. Began tapering.

October 2014- Started tapering Mirtazapine from 37.5mg.

September 2015- Down to 4mg of Mirtazapine. Crashed.

September 16th- Up dosed to 5mg. Held this dose for almost 5 months. Stabilised.

February 2016- Began tapering again. From 5mg to 4.5mg of Mirtazapine. (Rocking the boat, again)! Lol. :(

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  • Administrator

Please read this topic from the beginning.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 4 months later...

Sorry I just realized the response I sent long time ago re. The link forr ppi impact on Ssri must have been sent to different forum. ,y apology.

 

Anyway, I tried hard but could not find it anymore. Even though, I happened just experienced myself the proof of it. 4 weeks ago I was able to stop the ppi after 16 yrs on it and immediately experienced typical WD of lexapro giving that nothing else I changed. The WD was so severe that I had to increase the lex for about 30% of what I have been taking for months. All symptoms stopped on day one of the increase.

"Lucire has reported 15 cases of zolpidem-induced sleep activities to Sanofi Aventis, over 50 to ADRAC, including 3 fatalities. Zolpidem use on its own was rare, (n = 2). In most, an antidepressant had caused an ADR involving insomnia, suicidal and homicidal thoughts and behaviours and bowel symptoms, which adding zolpidem complicated with hallucinatory delirium and the sleep behaviours. Zolpidem was often added to proton pump inhibitors, the “PPIs,” whose Product information (PI) warns against their use in conjunction with drugs metabolized by CYP450 2C19. Over the counter purchases may cause serious problems."

https://www.tga.gov.au/sites/default/files/review-tga-transparency-1101-submission-yolande-lucire2.pdf

 

to the song all the girls we loved before I would like to sing all the things we learned too late.... that broke our hearts and taught us hate.... 

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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probiotics may be helpful

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22955351

 

 

RESULTS:

The results collected confirmed the strong bacterial overgrowth in the stomach and duodenum of people treated with PPIs compared with subjects with a normal intragastric acidity. It is also worth noting that the bacterial cell counts in subjects who underwent a long-term treatment with a PPI were greater than the results from subjects taking these drugs for 3 to 12 months. The intake of 4 specific probiotic strains with a marked antagonistic activity towards 5 E. coli bacteria, including the enterohaemorrhagic O157:H7 strain, and an effective amount of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) was able to significantly reduce bacterial overgrowth in long-term PPI-treated subjects. Total lactobacilli represented the major percentage of bacterial counts, thus demonstrating the ability of such bacteria to colonize the stomach and the duodenum, at least temporarily, and to consequently restore the gastric barrier effect. A significant decrease in fecal enterococci, total coliforms, E. coli, molds, and yeasts in subjects treated with PPIs was recorded at the end of probiotics supplementation (d10) compared with baseline (d0) in group B. This is a further confirmation of the barrier effect also exerted at the stomach level.

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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more on probiotics  in the treatment of ppi induced small intestinal bacterial overgrowth

http://www.cpmedical.net/newsletter/probiotics-and-prebiotics-in-the-treatment-of

 

 

PROBIOTICS FOR SIBO

Probiotics have been used both alone and adjunctively with antibiotics in the treatment of SIBO. In one short-term, pilot trial, 50 persons diagnosed with SIBO and presenting with chronic abdominal distension were administered either 1 g/day of metronidazole or 10 mL of a liquid probiotic formulation delivering a total of 20 million CFU/day ofLactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Streptococcus faecalis, and Bifidobacterium brevis. After only five days of treatment, a significantly higher percentage of persons taking probiotics (82%) reported symptom improvement on a five-level response questionnaire than did persons taking metronidazole (52%).8 Another short-term, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial assessed the efficacy of 10 billion CFU/day of a multispecies probiotic formulation containing Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium longum, and Streptococcus thermophilus in a group of 50 patients with SIBO and concurrent liver disease. At four weeks, overall GI symptomatology improved to a significantly greater degree in the probiotic group than in the placebo group. Clinical assessment of SIBO by hydrogen breath testing revealed that 24% of the probiotic group had improved, 70% were unchanged, and 5% had worsened. By comparison, no subjects in the placebo group had improved, 84% were unchanged, and 16% had worsened.9 While these results indicate positive effects of probiotics, it should be noted that four weeks is a relatively short treatment period and had the subjects in this study continued the probiotic formulation for a longer period of time the results may have yielded an even higher percentage of responders. This assumption is borne out by a longer-term clinical trial in which a high potency probiotic was administered to a group of subjects with SIBO and cirrhotic liver disease for three months. Subjects took a formulation consisting of 330 billion total CFU/day of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium infantis, and Streptococcus thermophilus. At the end of the treatment period, researchers recorded a significant 54% decline in the incidence of SIBO (note the substantial increase in efficacy over the previous, shorter-term trial). Probiotic treatment also brought about significant improvements in a number of other clinical parameters including orocecal transit time, arterial ammonia levels, and incidence of progression from cirrhosis to overt hepatic encephalopathy.10 An Italian study tested the effects of both probiotics and prebiotics when used adjunctively with antibiotics to treat SIBO. Forty subjects with gastrointestinal complaints and positive hydrogen breath tests completed a seven-day course of rifaximin and were then administered either 24 billion CFU/day of Lactobacillus casei or 2.5 g/day of a FOS prebiotic for the next six months. Upon follow-up, researchers noted significant improvements in multiple symptoms including generalized abdominal pain, pain in the left iliac area, meteorism (abdominal distension), flatulence, and nausea in both the probiotic and prebiotic groups.11 These results are notable in light of the high percentage of recurrence of SIBO following antibiotic therapy as discussed above. Finally, a controlled clinical trial examined the effects of probiotics in a group of 30 subjects who developed SIBO as a result of chronic use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Comparison of the subjects' gastric juice and duodenal brushings to those of non-PPI users revealed not only significant bacterial overgrowth, but also markedly diminished lactobacilli as a percentage of total bacteria in the proximal GI tract. The subjects were administered a probiotic formulation delivering a total of 10 billion CFU/day of Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus pentosus, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii. The formula also contained 60 mg of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an antioxidant and mucolytic agent that has been shown to aid in the degradation of bacterial biofilms.12 Biofilms are communities of microorganisms ensconced in an extracellular matrix that provides a high degree of resistance to antibiotic eradication. After 10 days, treatment with the probiotic-NAC combination significantly reduced bacterial counts in both gastric and duodenal samples. Lactobacilli as a percentage of total bacteria was also markedly increased, and fecal samples showed a significant drop off in total coliforms, molds, and yeasts.13

CLINICAL APPLICATIONS Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth

Here are some key points to help you evaluate and treat patients with suspected SIBO:

  • Symptoms of SIBO may mimic or overlap those of other GI disorders such as lactose intolerance, celiac disease/gluten enteropathy, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
  • While direct bacterial enumeration of small intestinal contents is the gold standard for diagnosis of SIBO, noninvasive glucose hydrogen/methane breath testing is much more commonly used in a routine clinical setting.
  • Antibiotics may temporarily reduce bacterial counts and improve symptoms, but are not a long-term solution to SIBO.
  • Probiotic and prebiotic supplements help restore a healthy microbiotal balance within the GI tract and have proven to be effective treatments for SIBO in clinical trials.
  • Probiotics and prebiotics can be used adjunctively with antibiotic treatment.
  • For best results, long-term use of a high-potency, multispecies probiotic formula along with a clinically tested prebiotic is recommended.
  • Limited evidence suggests use of a natural antibiofilm agent may provide additional benefit to a probiotic prebiotic regimen.
  • A broad-spectrum, natural approach to treating SIBO may also include modification of dietary carbohydrate intake (e.g. Specific Carbohydrate Diet or low-"FODMAP" diet), herbal antimicrobials, and nutritional substances that promote healing of the intestinal brush border.17-19
PREBIOTICS FOR SIBO

Prebiotics create a favorable environment in the intestinal tract for growth of beneficial bacteria and thus seem a plausible agent for helping correct the microfloral imbalances found in the gut of SIBO patients. Although the evidence is limited, and some practitioners prefer to avoid using any substance that promotes bacterial growth during SIBO, clinical trials suggest SIBO patients can benefit from prebiotic use. As discussed in the previous section, an Italian study tested a combination of FOS and rifaximin and found a level of symptom improvement higher than what might have been expected following treatment with rifaximin alone. These results comport with the findings of another clinical trial in which 77 subjects diagnosed with SIBO were randomized to receive rifaximin either alone or in conjunction with 5 g/day of partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG). PHGG has been shown to decrease fecal pH and increase counts of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in the human intestinal tract, thus demonstrating prebiotic activity.14 After 10 days, rifaximin treatment alone led to a SIBO eradication rate of 62.1% (23 of 37 subjects), whereas rifaximin plus PHGG produced a significantly higher eradication rate of 85% (34 of 40 subjects). Overall symptom improvement was also found to be higher in the rifaximin plus PHGG group.15 A third clinical trial tested the effects of a synbiotic (probiotic plus prebiotic) combination in 15 subjects with SIBO. Following three weeks of aggressive antibiotic therapy, and concurrent with ongoing minocycline treatment, a formulation providing 300 millionBacillus coagulans spores/day and 200 mg/day of FOS was administered to the subjects for a period of six months. As a control, an equal number of SIBO patients underwent treatment with antibiotics alone. At six months, hydrogen breath tests were found to be  negative in 93.3% of the synbiotic group compared to 66.7% of the control group. Remarkably, 100% of subjects in the synbiotic group reported resolution of abdominal pain versus only 46.7% of controls. Symptoms of flatulence, belching, and diarrhea were also significantly reduced only by the synbiotic treatment.16

CONCLUSION

SIBO is a form of gastrointestinal dysbiosis characterized by an overgrowth and imbalance of bacteria residing in the proximal GI tract. In addition to producing uncomfortable symptoms such as abdominal pain, gas, bloating, belching, flatulence, and diarrhea, SIBO can compromise nutrient absorption and lead to serious systemic complications. The mainstay of conventional treatment for SIBO is antibiotic therapy, but this approach does not correct the underlying microfloral imbalances in SIBO so recurrence of both bacterial overgrowth and accompanying symptoms is common. Probiotics and prebiotics are viable alternatives, or adjuncts, to conventional treatment of SIBO. These nutraceutical agents go beyond simple bacterial eradication by helping restore a healthful intestinal microbiota and improving the overall function of the gastrointestinal tract. Both probiotics and prebiotics have been shown in human trials to bring about significant clinical improvements in persons suffering from SIBO. Moreover, when used in conjunction with antibiotics, probiotics and prebiotics appear to produce better clinical outcomes than those seen with antibiotic therapy alone.

PROBIOTICS FOR SIBO

Probiotics have been used both alone and adjunctively with antibiotics in the treatment of SIBO. In one short-term, pilot trial, 50 persons diagnosed with SIBO and presenting with chronic abdominal distension were administered either 1 g/day of metronidazole or 10 mL of a liquid probiotic formulation delivering a total of 20 million CFU/day ofLactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Streptococcus faecalis, and Bifidobacterium brevis. After only five days of treatment, a significantly higher percentage of persons taking probiotics (82%) reported symptom improvement on a five-level response questionnaire than did persons taking metronidazole (52%).8 Another short-term, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial assessed the efficacy of 10 billion CFU/day of a multispecies probiotic formulation containing Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium longum, and Streptococcus thermophilus in a group of 50 patients with SIBO and concurrent liver disease. At four weeks, overall GI symptomatology improved to a significantly greater degree in the probiotic group than in the placebo group. Clinical assessment of SIBO by hydrogen breath testing revealed that 24% of the probiotic group had improved, 70% were unchanged, and 5% had worsened. By comparison, no subjects in the placebo group had improved, 84% were unchanged, and 16% had worsened.9 While these results indicate positive effects of probiotics, it should be noted that four weeks is a relatively short treatment period and had the subjects in this study continued the probiotic formulation for a longer period of time the results may have yielded an even higher percentage of responders. This assumption is borne out by a longer-term clinical trial in which a high potency probiotic was administered to a group of subjects with SIBO and cirrhotic liver disease for three months. Subjects took a formulation consisting of 330 billion total CFU/day of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium infantis, and Streptococcus thermophilus. At the end of the treatment period, researchers recorded a significant 54% decline in the incidence of SIBO (note the substantial increase in efficacy over the previous, shorter-term trial). Probiotic treatment also brought about significant improvements in a number of other clinical parameters including orocecal transit time, arterial ammonia levels, and incidence of progression from cirrhosis to overt hepatic encephalopathy.10 An Italian study tested the effects of both probiotics and prebiotics when used adjunctively with antibiotics to treat SIBO. Forty subjects with gastrointestinal complaints and positive hydrogen breath tests completed a seven-day course of rifaximin and were then administered either 24 billion CFU/day of Lactobacillus casei or 2.5 g/day of a FOS prebiotic for the next six months. Upon follow-up, researchers noted significant improvements in multiple symptoms including generalized abdominal pain, pain in the left iliac area, meteorism (abdominal distension), flatulence, and nausea in both the probiotic and prebiotic groups.11 These results are notable in light of the high percentage of recurrence of SIBO following antibiotic therapy as discussed above. Finally, a controlled clinical trial examined the effects of probiotics in a group of 30 subjects who developed SIBO as a result of chronic use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Comparison of the subjects' gastric juice and duodenal brushings to those of non-PPI users revealed not only significant bacterial overgrowth, but also markedly diminished lactobacilli as a percentage of total bacteria in the proximal GI tract. The subjects were administered a probiotic formulation delivering a total of 10 billion CFU/day of Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus pentosus, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii. The formula also contained 60 mg of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an antioxidant and mucolytic agent that has been shown to aid in the degradation of bacterial biofilms.12 Biofilms are communities of microorganisms ensconced in an extracellular matrix that provides a high degree of resistance to antibiotic eradication. After 10 days, treatment with the probiotic-NAC combination significantly reduced bacterial counts in both gastric and duodenal samples. Lactobacilli as a percentage of total bacteria was also markedly increased, and fecal samples showed a significant drop off in total coliforms, molds, and yeasts.13

CLINICAL APPLICATIONS Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth

Here are some key points to help you evaluate and treat patients with suspected SIBO:

  • Symptoms of SIBO may mimic or overlap those of other GI disorders such as lactose intolerance, celiac disease/gluten enteropathy, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
  • While direct bacterial enumeration of small intestinal contents is the gold standard for diagnosis of SIBO, noninvasive glucose hydrogen/methane breath testing is much more commonly used in a routine clinical setting.
  • Antibiotics may temporarily reduce bacterial counts and improve symptoms, but are not a long-term solution to SIBO.
  • Probiotic and prebiotic supplements help restore a healthy microbiotal balance within the GI tract and have proven to be effective treatments for SIBO in clinical trials.
  • Probiotics and prebiotics can be used adjunctively with antibiotic treatment.
  • For best results, long-term use of a high-potency, multispecies probiotic formula along with a clinically tested prebiotic is recommended.
  • Limited evidence suggests use of a natural antibiofilm agent may provide additional benefit to a probiotic prebiotic regimen.
  • A broad-spectrum, natural approach to treating SIBO may also include modification of dietary carbohydrate intake (e.g. Specific Carbohydrate Diet or low-"FODMAP" diet), herbal antimicrobials, and nutritional substances that promote healing of the intestinal brush border.17-19
PREBIOTICS FOR SIBO

Prebiotics create a favorable environment in the intestinal tract for growth of beneficial bacteria and thus seem a plausible agent for helping correct the microfloral imbalances found in the gut of SIBO patients. Although the evidence is limited, and some practitioners prefer to avoid using any substance that promotes bacterial growth during SIBO, clinical trials suggest SIBO patients can benefit from prebiotic use. As discussed in the previous section, an Italian study tested a combination of FOS and rifaximin and found a level of symptom improvement higher than what might have been expected following treatment with rifaximin alone. These results comport with the findings of another clinical trial in which 77 subjects diagnosed with SIBO were randomized to receive rifaximin either alone or in conjunction with 5 g/day of partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG). PHGG has been shown to decrease fecal pH and increase counts of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in the human intestinal tract, thus demonstrating prebiotic activity.14 After 10 days, rifaximin treatment alone led to a SIBO eradication rate of 62.1% (23 of 37 subjects), whereas rifaximin plus PHGG produced a significantly higher eradication rate of 85% (34 of 40 subjects). Overall symptom improvement was also found to be higher in the rifaximin plus PHGG group.15 A third clinical trial tested the effects of a synbiotic (probiotic plus prebiotic) combination in 15 subjects with SIBO. Following three weeks of aggressive antibiotic therapy, and concurrent with ongoing minocycline treatment, a formulation providing 300 millionBacillus coagulans spores/day and 200 mg/day of FOS was administered to the subjects for a period of six months. As a control, an equal number of SIBO patients underwent treatment with antibiotics alone. At six months, hydrogen breath tests were found to be  negative in 93.3% of the synbiotic group compared to 66.7% of the control group. Remarkably, 100% of subjects in the synbiotic group reported resolution of abdominal pain versus only 46.7% of controls. Symptoms of flatulence, belching, and diarrhea were also significantly reduced only by the synbiotic treatment.16

CONCLUSION

SIBO is a form of gastrointestinal dysbiosis characterized by an overgrowth and imbalance of bacteria residing in the proximal GI tract. In addition to producing uncomfortable symptoms such as abdominal pain, gas, bloating, belching, flatulence, and diarrhea, SIBO can compromise nutrient absorption and lead to serious systemic complications. The mainstay of conventional treatment for SIBO is antibiotic therapy, but this approach does not correct the underlying microfloral imbalances in SIBO so recurrence of both bacterial overgrowth and accompanying symptoms is common. Probiotics and prebiotics are viable alternatives, or adjuncts, to conventional treatment of SIBO. These nutraceutical agents go beyond simple bacterial eradication by helping restore a healthful intestinal microbiota and improving the overall function of the gastrointestinal tract. Both probiotics and prebiotics have been shown in human trials to bring about significant clinical improvements in persons suffering from SIBO. Moreover, when used in conjunction with antibiotics, probiotics and prebiotics appear to produce better clinical outcomes than those seen with antibiotic therapy alone.

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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I was given omeprazole because Prozac was giving me bad gerd, I had to constantly watch what I ate. My B12 went down and I was very ill, depressed, anxious and everything, but I learned that omeprazole depletes b12 in the body so I stopped and my energy levels have started to return.

If it wasn't for Prozac I'd never have had omeprazole in the first place ????

2001 - Prozac 20mg for a week weeks   2001- Venelaxafine 37.5 mg  2006 - Ciptralex 10mg I think   2008 - Mirtazipine (not sure of dose, was the lowest though).  2008 - Citalopram (standard dose)  2009 - Prozac 20mg until 29 Feb 2016  2016 - Setraline 25mg for 3 days (from March 3rd until March 5th).  2016 - 11th March Reinstated 5mg prozac. 26th May 2016 down to 4.5mg Prozac. 26June 2016 down to 4mg prozac. Back up to 5mg on 3rd July 2016.

Supplements - B- Complex, Flaxseed oil, L-lysine 1000mg, Iron 20mg. Spirulina 500mg. Quest Synergist Magnesium 150mg, Salmon oil 1000mg twice a day, Evening Primrose oil 500mg. 

Cipralex 10mg 17th July 2016.

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You can add iron and other nutrients to the list of things depleted by ppi drugs... I read it not sure if I posted the link or not. 

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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  • 2 months later...

Okay, I have read this topic so many times and have done much additional research and it is indeed the stomach acid blocker making me sick. My stomach is fine until I take the prevacid. After I take it i get nausea and can't eat hardly at all. I think I confused Shep when I started to reduce it in May. I was actually managing a 10 percent drop per week. But someone suggested that I hold and start the benzo taper. So I tapered 8 percent, way too much. That's when I started having all the symptoms. I should have just kept reducing the prevacid. That's what I am going to do. I am not sure what percentage to start with. Can anyone help out? It's really making me so sick.

I am not a medical professional. My comments and posts are based on personal experiences. Please consult appropriate medical professionals for advice. 

I was started on psych drugs back in the late 80's. You name it. I probably was on it. Tapered off final cocktail 2013-2019. For Hashimotos and high blood pressure I take Levothyroxine. Liothyronine. Spironolactone. Hydrochlorothiazide. Losartan. B12 hydroxy. Fish oil w/D3. Bee pollen. Magnesium Glycinate.

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A 10% drop per week seems appropriately conservative, since you've been having so many problems reducing the Prevacid.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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A 10% drop per week seems appropriately conservative, since you've been having so many problems reducing the Prevacid.

So be it. A ten percent drop it is. See how it goes. Thanks Alto.

I am not a medical professional. My comments and posts are based on personal experiences. Please consult appropriate medical professionals for advice. 

I was started on psych drugs back in the late 80's. You name it. I probably was on it. Tapered off final cocktail 2013-2019. For Hashimotos and high blood pressure I take Levothyroxine. Liothyronine. Spironolactone. Hydrochlorothiazide. Losartan. B12 hydroxy. Fish oil w/D3. Bee pollen. Magnesium Glycinate.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I had decades of "indigestion", gastritis, acidity, reflux over the period 1946-ish - 1985.  Eventually by the 1970s, some days I thought I could live on only boiled fish (yuk) and warm milk.

 

I was on a very irregular and punishing shift pattern for 12 years 1964-76, and that did not help.  The bloating and abdominal pain at 0400 hours on night shifts was torture.

 

 

Zantac & Cisapride did not work at all.  Antacids made me puke, too.  I got a kidney stone from the latter, I believe.  A doctor trialling Cisapride remarked that I had a "very sluggish digestion".  This conclusion was based on readings taken every few minutes as an in-patient after consuming a weighed meal of mashed potato and baked beanz!

 

 

In 1985 after years of antacids, anxiety and several gastroscope examinations - ("nothing serious there - just a bit inflamed" ) - I was given an operation called Nissen's fundoplication.  We "readjust the plumbing around your gullet sphincter", I was told.

 

 

That op and the newly launched PPI Omeprazole/Losec were miraculously effective, and I was heartburn-free and could eat and drink almost anything from 1985!  Quality of life GI-wise was very good after all those years of misery through the decades when I was in my prime (I am now 71.)

 

 

Whatever you think of meds and the pharma industry, and you will see others on here mention it, too, PPIs like Omeprazole have been spectacularly successful in treating those upper GI problems for millions. 

 

 

Slight snag, though, is they never monitored many of us, and now we have been on them too long.  Fact - You actually need acid to absorb certain important vitamins like some of the Bs and magnesium.  I believe a lack of these has made my depression resistant to treatment now despite taking 225mg Venlafaxine XR for a couple of years.  Again, complacency from the medical/pharmas thinking they could let us all be on PPIs for ever, with no problem.

 

 

Apparently millions of my vintage in the US, UK and elsewhere, are on PPIs and some like myself may have been taking them for decades.  Recently, I have managed to cut my 10mg dose to about 3mg.  I did notice things went more awry when I cut to nearly nothing, though.  However, I found it easy to tune it back up to a more effective, but still small, dose.

 

 

Hope you guys on here with reflux symptoms get a reprieve - acid stomach and the need to vomit is miserable.  Heck, I even remember getting heartburn in the late 1940s with the "austerity Brit's" supper of bread and jam and a mug of strong tea!  I just got to think that everybody must feel bad after eating certain stuff.

 

 

PPIs are not head drugs, but with the help of your doc. you have to make the choice if you should take them.  If you do, I suggest you work together to make sure you do not stay on a high or prolonged dose into "old age".

 

Sorry, it's a bit long, but I felt I needed to get this off my chest since I see several others suffering this awful prolonged - but rarely deadly - agony throughout much of their lives.  Going hand in hand with anxiety, insomnia and symptoms from the depression armoury, is so spoiling an enjoyment of life that others cannot imagine.

 

Luv & Best wishes all.

Born 1945. 

1999 - First Effexor/Venlafaxine

2016 Withdrawal research. Effexor.  13Jul - 212.5mg;  6Aug - 200.0mg;  24Aug - 187.5mg;  13Sep - 175.0mg;  3Oct - 162.5mg;  26Oct - 150mg 

2017  9Jan - 150.00mg;  23Mar - 137.50mg;  24Apr - 125.00mg;  31May - 112.50mg holding;  3Sep - 100.00mg;  20Sep - 93.75mg;  20Oct - 87.5mg;  12Nov - 81.25mg;  13 Dec - 75.00mg

2018  18Jan - 69.1mg; 16Feb - 62.5mg; 16March - 57.5mg (-8%); 22Apr - 56.3mg(-2%); CRASHED - Updose 29May - 62.5mg; Updose - 1Jul - 75.0mg. Updose - 2Aug - 87.5mg. Updose - 27Aug - 100.0mg. Updose - 11Oct 112.5mg. Updose - 6Nov 125.00mg

2019 Updoses 19 Jan - 150.0mg. 1April - 162.5mg. 24 April - Feeling better - doing tasks, getting outside.  7 May - usual depression questionnaire gives "probably no depression" result.

Supps/Vits  Omega 3;  Chelated Magnesium;  Prebiotics/Probiotics, Vit D3. 

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I have successfully reduced 30 mgs prevacid by reducing 25 percent per week. I am at 15 mgs. No acid rebound at all. I have made many changes to heal my gut and also trying to find an enlightened thyroid doctor in san Francisco bay area besides Chris Kresser or any out of pocket doctors. I know, nearly impossible. But I am hoping the team at cpmc institute for health and healing can get this monster hashimotos under control. It's been the root cause all my life. I know this now that I can think and do research.

I am not a medical professional. My comments and posts are based on personal experiences. Please consult appropriate medical professionals for advice. 

I was started on psych drugs back in the late 80's. You name it. I probably was on it. Tapered off final cocktail 2013-2019. For Hashimotos and high blood pressure I take Levothyroxine. Liothyronine. Spironolactone. Hydrochlorothiazide. Losartan. B12 hydroxy. Fish oil w/D3. Bee pollen. Magnesium Glycinate.

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Congratulations, Marsha! You've come a long, long way. Good to hear you're trying the CPMC integrative medicine clinic.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Congratulations, Marsha! You've come a long, long way. Good to hear you're trying the CPMC integrative medicine clinic.

I am off the prevacid with only some minor acid stomach symptoms which are now resolving. I am using raw fermented sauerkraut as a probiotic. So another drug bites the dust

I am not a medical professional. My comments and posts are based on personal experiences. Please consult appropriate medical professionals for advice. 

I was started on psych drugs back in the late 80's. You name it. I probably was on it. Tapered off final cocktail 2013-2019. For Hashimotos and high blood pressure I take Levothyroxine. Liothyronine. Spironolactone. Hydrochlorothiazide. Losartan. B12 hydroxy. Fish oil w/D3. Bee pollen. Magnesium Glycinate.

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Hurray!

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

It's an older article than this topic (2013) but sheds light on yet another set of problems the PPI's might be setting us up for:

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/melaniehaiken/2013/07/12/common-acid-reflux-drugs-could-raise-risk-of-heart-disease-new-research-suggests/#6556e79b5326

 

 

An extremely popular class of drugs taken by millions of people with acid reflux, heartburn, and GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), may raise the risk of heart disease and heart attack, according to a new study published in the current issue of Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association .

Research by John P. Cooke, clinical professor and chair of the department of cardiovascular sciences at Houston Methodist Hospital, found that stomach acid-suppressing proton pump inhibitors (brand names Prilosec, Nexium, Prevacid) may cause blood vessels to constrict, reducing blood flow.

Studying both mouse and human tissue cultures, the researchers found that PPIs led to an approximately 25 percent increase in a chemical messenger called ADMA (asymmetric dimethylarginine), considered a cardiovascular risk factor.

 

ADMA suppresses blood vessels’ ability to produce nitric oxide, a relaxant that protects artery walls. Nitric oxide is so important to cardiovascular health that its discovery was honored with a Nobel Prize in 1998.

In the study, PPIs reduced the ability of mouse blood vessels to relax by an average of more than 30 percent. “We also found the same effect in human blood vessels,” says Cooke. “This is very important because blood vessels need to be able to contract and open up to control blood flow.”

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • Moderator

I've been taking acid blockers for 20 years  :o ! I was given them because meds  affected my stomach badly. To start I only took them when I needed to but eventually all meds affect my stomach and have taken it daily for years. This is food for thought!

How did you taper off omeprazole? I have tried and it's killing me like it did you...

PREVIOUS medications and discontinuations: Have been on medications since 1996. 

 Valium, Gabapentin, Lamictal, Prilosec and Zantac from 2000 to 2015 with a fast taper by a psychiatrist.

 Liquid Lexapro Nov, 2016 to 31-March, 2019 Lexapro free!!! (total Lexapro taper was 4 years-started with pill form)

---CURRENT MEDICATIONS:Supplements:Milk Thistle, Metamucil, Magnesium Citrate, Vitamin D3, Levothyroxine 25mcg, Vitamin C, Krill oil.

Xanax 1mg 3x day June, 2000 to 19-September, 2020 Went from .150 grams (average weight of 1 Xanax) 3x day to .003 grams 3x day. April 1, 2021 went back on 1mg a day. Started tapering May 19, 2023. July 28, 2023-approximately .87mg. Dr. fast tapered me at the end and realized he messed up. Prescribe it again and I am doing "slower than a turtle" taper.

19-September, 2020 Xanax free!!! (total Xanax taper was 15-1/2 months-1-June, 2019-19-September, 2020)

I am not a medical professional.

The suggestions I make are based on personal experience.

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  • 1 month later...

Well this study scares me.


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4297217/

 

edited to add:

Link goes to a study entitled:

Effect of Proton Pump Inhibitors on the Serum Concentrations of the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors Citalopram, Escitalopram, and Sertraline

 

The paper was published in Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, 2015 Feb; 37(1): 90–97. Published online 2015 Jan 14.

Edited by scallywag

Was on 30mg (Lexapro) for 7-8yrs20mg for 3 months (This was my choice my Doc wanted me to drop much faster)15 mg 2week10mg 2 weeks 5 mg 1 week0 since August 24th . PPI Dexlant  30 mg taper has begun. Cutting 20% currently.  using zantac as needed.  Benzo is currently 0.10mg 

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I'm finally off but my stomach is nauseous, and feels like it's on fire.

 

I'm not going near them ever again.

 

I just need to figure out how to get rid of the nausea now. Any suggestions?

 

Take care,

Frogie xx

PREVIOUS medications and discontinuations: Have been on medications since 1996. 

 Valium, Gabapentin, Lamictal, Prilosec and Zantac from 2000 to 2015 with a fast taper by a psychiatrist.

 Liquid Lexapro Nov, 2016 to 31-March, 2019 Lexapro free!!! (total Lexapro taper was 4 years-started with pill form)

---CURRENT MEDICATIONS:Supplements:Milk Thistle, Metamucil, Magnesium Citrate, Vitamin D3, Levothyroxine 25mcg, Vitamin C, Krill oil.

Xanax 1mg 3x day June, 2000 to 19-September, 2020 Went from .150 grams (average weight of 1 Xanax) 3x day to .003 grams 3x day. April 1, 2021 went back on 1mg a day. Started tapering May 19, 2023. July 28, 2023-approximately .87mg. Dr. fast tapered me at the end and realized he messed up. Prescribe it again and I am doing "slower than a turtle" taper.

19-September, 2020 Xanax free!!! (total Xanax taper was 15-1/2 months-1-June, 2019-19-September, 2020)

I am not a medical professional.

The suggestions I make are based on personal experience.

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