# Constipation



## Burnt out (Oct 24, 2002)

I have had unrelenting heartburn - no pain- for the past six months and have been treated with Aciphix and Tagamet, Nexium and Prevacid all of which have caused severe constipation. As my endoscopy was normal my gastroenterologist will not prescribe antibiotics. I eat a simple diet of low acidic fruit and vegetables supplemented with dried prunes, figs and Metamucil. Does anyone have other suggestions to eliminate constipation. Also my brother had acid reflux for two weeks and visited his doctor who did an H Pylori test there and then and prescribed antibiotics which cleared him in a matter of days.


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## sabriel (May 27, 2002)

Hi Burnt out,Sorry to hear that you have been having such a hard time of things lately. Anway being a fellow GERD'er and also having a Hiatus Hernia, I can relate to your problem.I take Somac (aka Protonix, Pantaloc) tablets. I have been on them for about 3 and a half years and have never had constipation problems with them. Maybe you just need to try a few more different tablets to get one that works for you. Everyone is different after all and what works for me may not for you.Also re the H Pylori. If you feel you may have it (or even if you don't) insist that you be tested for it. There are several different ways of doing it from a breath test to a blood test to an endoscopic collection of a small amount of tissue for testing.The breath test or blood test are the simplest, but most doctors will disagree about the accuracy of them. The tissue test from an endoscopy is the most reliable I think (did the doc you had actually do that?). I have had an endoscopy too and did not have H Pylori but still have reflux.However, if they do find H Pylori and give you antibiotics to kill it off, that probably won't stop the acid reflux. H Pylori is only considered responisble for gastric ulcers not reflux which is quite a different condition. Antibiotics have no effect on reflux either, and can also cause either constipation or diarrhea.Reflux is where acid from the stomach washes back up into the throat. Usually due to a weakness in the LES (Lower eosophogeal sphincter muscle) at the top of the stomach.There are other things you can do besides medication to help with reflux. Namely eliminating certain things from the diet, like acidy, spicy and fatty foods.Here are some links to website articles with more infor about reflux (GERD) that may be helpful for you to read too. http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?Article=3351 http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?Article=3353 http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?Article=3352 http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?Article=3426 Hope you feel better soon. Also for info on what can help with constipation, try the constipation BB. You can get there from the main IBS BB page.There is also some info on my site about what may help. Addy is in my Signature file.


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## hunter3000 (Apr 30, 2002)

hi,ive been on pantoloc for the last 3 months and it has been a miracle drug for me with my GERD, no constipation either. it the first time in many years ive gone more than a few hours without feeling like i drank battery acid.havent even had a tiny burning feeling since i started taking pantoloc. my doc tested me for H Pylori,found it and gave me antibiotics,only bad point was i couldnt take anything for my GERD the whole time i was taking the antibiotics,got that old burning feeling back for a week or so. good luck burnt out.


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## silver (Dec 21, 1999)

Darren, this is really strange that you couldnt take your acid reducer with the antibiotics for the H.pylorie treatment. It actually consist of a triple therapy. You take 2 antibiotics plus an acid reducer like pantoloc, losec, etc. So why you couldnt take yours is a mystery. Maybe your doc didnt make himself clear about the treatment.Also, like Sabriel said, treating h.pylori has no affect whatsover on acid reflux. Its two separate things.


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## hunter3000 (Apr 30, 2002)

i was actually on losec at the time,he said it would interfere with the meds for the hpylori,beats me why,maybe he was just mistaken,oh well it was only a few days..


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## hunter3000 (Apr 30, 2002)

i didnt mean to imply the hplylori and gerd were one thing,my doc found my hplylori,gerd,hiatal hernia, while tring to find out why i am having severe pain on my right side under my ribs..


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