# Painkillers to take if I have GERD



## madge

Hi,I've tapered to 20 Mg of Nexium every other day, and do okay with it as long as I'm careful about what I eat. But I have degenerative changes in my back (from getting older), and a few days ago I somehow hurt it. I shouldn't take much Tylenol, because I have a few mild liver problems that I don't want to worsen. Are any of you who have GERD able to take Advil, aspirin, or another anti-inflammatory sometimes without having reflux get worse?I took a 20 mg Nexium this morning. When the cold packs weren't helping my back enough, I tried two coated baby aspirins (81 mg. each) with my lunch today. So far, no reflux. But can I do this on a regular basis? And the aspirins weren't really enough to knock out the pain completely. I'm really kind of miserable. I wish I could take ibuprofen, but am afraid I might get reflux back and have to go back to daily Nexium. I've worked really hard to taper back to the 20 mg a day, every other day. Those of you with chronic pain...any advice?


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## madge

madge said:


> Hi,I've tapered to 20 Mg of Nexium every other day, and do okay with it as long as I'm careful about what I eat. But I have degenerative changes in my back (from getting older), and a few days ago I somehow hurt it. I shouldn't take much Tylenol, because I have a few mild liver problems that I don't want to worsen. Are any of you who have GERD able to take Advil, aspirin, or another anti-inflammatory sometimes without having reflux get worse?I took a 20 mg Nexium this morning. When the cold packs weren't helping my back enough, I tried two coated baby aspirins (81 mg. each) with my lunch today. So far, no reflux. But can I do this on a regular basis? And the aspirins weren't really enough to knock out the pain completely. I'm really kind of miserable. I wish I could take ibuprofen, but am afraid I might get reflux back and have to go back to daily Nexium. I've worked really hard to taper back to the 20 mg a day, every other day. Those of you with chronic pain...any advice?


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## madge

I'm bumping this question up because I'm really dealing with a lot of back pain here. With GERD I'd like to have some kind of a painkiller that didn't make the reflux worse. Tylenol isn't good for my liver either. And I really shouldn't up my dose of Nexium again. Is there anyone here who has found something for back pain or arthritis that works without making heartburn worse? This isn't fun.


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## Cherrie

Hi Madge, sorry you've been dealing with both problems. While I do not have arthritis, I heard that there are those medicated pads for external use that can be applied to where it hurts directly instead of taking meds orally. It may worth it to ask the dr. or pharmacist if they can recommend one.The other day, my husband who has joint pain discovered something called "Jako Kokotsu Medicated Plaster" in our local CVS. He said it works great. Maybe that's something that might help?Hope you feel better soon!


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## madge

Cherrie said:


> Hi Madge, sorry you've been dealing with both problems. While I do not have arthritis, I heard that there are those medicated pads for external use that can be applied to where it hurts directly instead of taking meds orally. It may worth it to ask the dr. or pharmacist if they can recommend one.The other day, my husband who has joint pain discovered something called "Jako Kokotsu Medicated Plaster" in our local CVS. He said it works great. Maybe that's something that might help?Hope you feel better soon!


Thanks for answering, Cherrie. I'll check into the medicate plaster and the patch idea. Will be seeing my doctor later this week. Some days my back and leg pain is really uncomfortable. Surgery probably won't ever be an option because I'm so severely allergic to just about every antibiotic out there. (As in closing my throat or else I go into shock). Between that, reflux, and ibs, some days can be rather tough. Haven't corresponded with you for awhile here. Nice to hear from you again.Madge


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## Cherrie

Hi Madge, thanks! It's great to reconnect with you again, too! How's the dr. appointment? Hope you've found some more options.Do keep us posted!Hugs,Cherrie


madge said:


> Thanks for answering, Cherrie. I'll check into the medicate plaster and the patch idea. Will be seeing my doctor later this week. Some days my back and leg pain is really uncomfortable. Surgery probably won't ever be an option because I'm so severely allergic to just about every antibiotic out there. (As in closing my throat or else I go into shock). Between that, reflux, and ibs, some days can be rather tough. Haven't corresponded with you for awhile here. Nice to hear from you again.Madge


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## madge

Cherrie said:


> Hi Madge, thanks! It's great to reconnect with you again, too! How's the dr. appointment? Hope you've found some more options.Do keep us posted!Hugs,Cherrie


Hi, Cherrie...The doctor said I can take up to 4 Tylenol tablets a day if I need it for long-term use and up to 6 a day if it's just occasionally. Not much, but more than I was taking. Hope you're doing well.


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## Kathleen M.

Can you tolerate fish oil supplements or glucosamine/chondroitin. I wouldn't expect either to be enough to take all the pain, but even if the anti-inflammatory in the fish oil or the joint help some people get from glucosamine help a little bit that can make it so you do better on lower doses of the pain meds.Tylenol is usually easiest on the gut and it is pretty safe it you stay under the max dose and don't drink alcohol which changes how the drug is metabolized in the liver.There are also some foods believed to increase inflammation and foods that should help limit inflammation so some dietary changes may help as well. Here is the info on that: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/2187558/List-of-Inflammatory-Foods-to-Avoid Has both what to avoid and what to eat more of.http://nutritiondata.self.com/ will give you an inflammation ranking for each food in the database. Seems like you have to set up a log in now the self people have it, I think you used to be able to just look things up.


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## madge

Kathleen M. said:


> Can you tolerate fish oil supplements or glucosamine/chondroitin. I wouldn't expect either to be enough to take all the pain, but even if the anti-inflammatory in the fish oil or the joint help some people get from glucosamine help a little bit that can make it so you do better on lower doses of the pain meds.Tylenol is usually easiest on the gut and it is pretty safe it you stay under the max dose and don't drink alcohol which changes how the drug is metabolized in the liver.There are also some foods believed to increase inflammation and foods that should help limit inflammation so some dietary changes may help as well. Here is the info on that: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/2187558/List-of-Inflammatory-Foods-to-Avoid Has both what to avoid and what to eat more of.http://nutritiondata.self.com/ will give you an inflammation ranking for each food in the database. Seems like you have to set up a log in now the self people have it, I think you used to be able to just look things up.


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## madge

Hi Kathleen!I don't have good luck with fish oil (oil seems to bother my GERD, as I belch it up a lot), but will try glucosamine. And thanks for the information on foods that are inflammatory. I'll check those out as soon as I finish this reply. I really appreciate your help on this.


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## Cherrie

Hi Madge, Sorry the dr. didn't give other advice besides the Tylenol.The list of anti-inflammatory food is so useful! (Thanks Kathleen!)If you're taking PPI's every day, then it may be a good idea to avoid avocado, though -- it's easily contaminated with a bad virus that messes up the stomach (I was a victum myself) because if one takes PPI's then one doesn't have as much stomach acid to render it harmless. Hope you feel better soon! *HUGS*


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## madge

Cherrie said:


> Hi Madge, Sorry the dr. didn't give other advice besides the Tylenol.The list of anti-inflammatory food is so useful! (Thanks Kathleen!)If you're taking PPI's every day, then it may be a good idea to avoid avocado, though -- it's easily contaminated with a bad virus that messes up the stomach (I was a victum myself) because if one takes PPI's then one doesn't have as much stomach acid to render it harmless. Hope you feel better soon! *HUGS*


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## madge

Cherrie, thanks. (I keep getting kicked off this side and into a google page, so I have to answer fast.


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## madge

Cherrie,I had campylobacter (serious food poisoning) twice because of being on PPIs (from restaurant food). So now I take 20 mg of Nexium only every other day. I couldn't have an antibiotic to get over the food poisoning either, because of my allergy to Cipro. It was nasty. Lost a lot of weight. Not enough stomach acid can be a bad thing.Kathleen, great list of anti-inflammatory foods.


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