# anyone successfully quit PPIs?



## 20637

Hello everyone!I was diagnosed with GERD about 8 months ago and have been on Prilosec OTC then Protonix until about three weeks ago, when I decided I'd take a risk and go off my medication and try to control my acid reflux with diet. So far, it has worked well when I eat my "safe" foods, but when I stray, I can really tell it. I may regret this, but luckily I so far I have had no damage from the acid reflux, according to my gastro doctor. I do occasionally take Zantac and Tagamet HB 200 (which works better than Zantac), but overall, I do believe I feel "better" all over by not taking the Protonix. I have noticed a decrease in some weird chest pains that I was having since I have stopped the Protonix-- but that could be coincidence (?) My main reason for stopping the Protonix was the cost, since my insurance won't cover it. But also, at this stage in my life (I'm 51), I was taking lots of prescription medications (felt like a "junkie") and just wanted to stop all but my blood pressure med and hormone replacement therapy. I am curious to know if anyone else out there has successfully stopped their PPI regimen and cured their GERD with diet. Thank you for reading this and for any comments/feedback/opinions you can give me.Take care!


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## 13931

bluewillow said:


> Hello everyone!I was diagnosed with GERD about 8 months ago and have been on Prilosec OTC then Protonix until about three weeks ago, when I decided I'd take a risk and go off my medication and try to control my acid reflux with diet. So far, it has worked well when I eat my "safe" foods, but when I stray, I can really tell it. I may regret this, but luckily I so far I have had no damage from the acid reflux, according to my gastro doctor. I do occasionally take Zantac and Tagamet HB 200 (which works better than Zantac), but overall, I do believe I feel "better" all over by not taking the Protonix. I have noticed a decrease in some weird chest pains that I was having since I have stopped the Protonix-- but that could be coincidence (?) My main reason for stopping the Protonix was the cost, since my insurance won't cover it. But also, at this stage in my life (I'm 51), I was taking lots of prescription medications (felt like a "junkie") and just wanted to stop all but my blood pressure med and hormone replacement therapy. I am curious to know if anyone else out there has successfully stopped their PPI regimen and cured their GERD with diet. Thank you for reading this and for any comments/feedback/opinions you can give me.Take care!


I used to take ppi's daily. Without them I had pretty severe heartburn. I have not taken one in several years, since i switched to a low carb diet, mostly meat, fish and veggies, no sugar and no grains no artificial anything. I also make my own yogurt that I ferment for 24 hours which I eat daily and I eat homemade chicken broth every day. Thrown in a handful or 2 of almonds and a few berries and that's my diet. I still have some ibs problems that I am working on but the awful heartburn is gone. I can even drink coffee without any problem.Jean


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## 20637

JFR said:


> I used to take ppi's daily. Without them I had pretty severe heartburn. I have not taken one in several years, since i switched to a low carb diet, mostly meat, fish and veggies, no sugar and no grains no artificial anything. I also make my own yogurt that I ferment for 24 hours which I eat daily and I eat homemade chicken broth every day. Thrown in a handful or 2 of almonds and a few berries and that's my diet. I still have some ibs problems that I am working on but the awful heartburn is gone. I can even drink coffee without any problem.Jean


Hi Jean and thanks so much for your reply! I'm so glad to hear of your success and you've given me lots of encouragement that this will work for me. Your diet sounds very nutritious and delicious! I have already discovered that the less refined carbs that I eat, the better I feel all the way around. My husband is on a gluten-free diet so a low carb way of eating would not be hard for me to follow. I no longer eat chocolate or drink caffeine, but I did break down and have a Fresca soda the other day at work, and oh I sure paid for it later between the acid and the bloating! Again, thanks and best regards!Mary Jo


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## madge

Hi, Jean (and hi also to Mary Jo)...I'm trying to wean myself off Nexium because of the cost. None of the other PPIs worked unless I wanted to put up with aggravated irritable bowel problems, constipation and gas. I've switched from Nexium 40 mg a day to Nexium 20 mg a day. So far, so good. Once in awhile I take some Tums or some Mylanta at night if I really need it. My goal is to get off the Nexium completely and substitute something else that doesn't reduce stomach acid so much. (I'm concerned about how PPIs keep your body from absorbing calcium and B vitamins.) I did try ranitidine (generic Zantac) awhile back but got a stomach ache from it. May try Pepcid for awhile, alternating with 20 mg Nexium. Or something else. It makes me furious that 40 mg of Nexium per day and 20 mg of Nexium per day cost the same...around $140 a month. That's awful. Wish Prilosec, Protonix, etc., and worked better for me. But even then I'd be trying to reduce the dose now anyway. Just don't like having to think about the calcium and B vitamin thing. Who needs that kind of problem? I also found that taking extra calcium supplements made my chest ache...very strange. So, I don't take it anymore.Not sure I could follow your diet, Jean. It would be very hard to give up all sugar, baked potatoes, pasta, my daily banana (high carb, but so good for constipation), and bread. I don't eat a lot of those but I do eat some. Also eat a lot of veggies, chicken, and fish. I do eat a cookie every day, or else a small amount (about 1/3 cup) of frozen yogurt. Not sure I could cut back on sugar much more than that. Good for you, though! You're a stronger woman than I am, and I admire that!Good to hear from you too, Mary Jo!Madge


bluewillow said:


> Hi Jean and thanks so much for your reply! I'm so glad to hear of your success and you've given me lots of encouragement that this will work for me. Your diet sounds very nutritious and delicious! I have already discovered that the less refined carbs that I eat, the better I feel all the way around. My husband is on a gluten-free diet so a low carb way of eating would not be hard for me to follow. I no longer eat chocolate or drink caffeine, but I did break down and have a Fresca soda the other day at work, and oh I sure paid for it later between the acid and the bloating! Again, thanks and best regards!Mary Jo


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## 16331

Madge, you sound like me. I love my ginger cookie every day, with yogurt, and bananas and oatmeal in the am. I'm terrible. I also tried taking a multi vitamin with my ppi, and had numerous problems, so I'm not taking vitamins at all now, which concerns me. But, I would love to get off my ppi, it has and does cause a lot of problems. It's just so hard for this old gal to change her ways.


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## 13931

cvoor said:


> Madge, you sound like me. I love my ginger cookie every day, with yogurt, and bananas and oatmeal in the am. I'm terrible. I also tried taking a multi vitamin with my ppi, and had numerous problems, so I'm not taking vitamins at all now, which concerns me. But, I would love to get off my ppi, it has and does cause a lot of problems. It's just so hard for this old gal to change her ways.


I found changing the way I ate much like quitting smoking. It was hard at first but got easier over time. It sure helps that by eating low carb my ibs symptoms and gerd are both greatly reduced. I dislike feeling sick more than I enjoy any one food or group of foods. I have also worked on my attitude, trying to concentrate not on what I am deprived of but thinking about the way I eat as a gift I give myself.For many years this would have all felt impossible for me, but now I truly do enjoy the way I eat. I like knowing that ever thing I put in my body is nutritious, none of those wasted calories. I would like it even better if my ibs was entirely gone. I still have some problems with ibs-A along with some gas and bloating, but still it is much better and I haven't given up tweaking my diet to try to get things even better. Right now I have decided to eliminate the yogurt and almonds for a while and see if it helps. My digestive tract is not the hobby I would have chosen for myself but it seems to be what I was given.I wish better health for all of you. We each have to find our own way on this journey, learning and finding strength from each other.jean


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## 16331

Madge, I found info on the Med**ape site, if taking a ppi, get your calcium from dairy products, more absorbed, than the calcium supplements.


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## 16331

I make my smoothies, to get my vitamins and minerals as well. I eat a lot of veggies, fruits, salads, and chicken.


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## 20637

Hi again Jean and Hi there Madge and Cvoor!! I've really enjoyed reading your replies to my post, and you've all given me some good ideas on what to eat. I have already sworn off chocolate and caffeine, and so far I've been 9 months without either, and it's not been too hard since, like Jean says, it's not worth the misery that the brief "enjoyment" that food might bring. I have been eating a bit more sugar though, and I can certainly tell a difference in my energy level-- I've definitely been droopier with the carbs in my system. The one thing I am having a hard time doing without is tomatoes and tomato-based products. I absolutely love tomatoes on my sandwich, especially in the summer, and Italian and Mexican foods are my favorites, and I miss them quite a bit! But, doing without them (and without the gooey cheese) has enabled me to lose about 40 pounds pretty effortlessly! Protonix was working really well but the cost is just not feasible. Isn't it pathetic that we have to suffer, here in the USA, because of the price of readily available and helpful medicine?Believe it or not, I have found that little ol' Tagamet HB 200 helps me tremendously, and much more effective than Zantac for me! And much cheaper than a lot of meds out there. Let's hope the PPI's do go down in cost sometime in the near future. Madge, I'm like you, I am concerned about the B vitamin depletion risks, but I didn't realize the risk of the calcium depletion though-- thanks for sharing that! And Cvoor, don't be beating yourself up for that ginger cookie-- enjoy it if it works for you! To all of you-- take care and best wishes!Mary Jo


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## madge

Hi, all...The cookie that I eat every evening for dessert is one that seems to digest okay. I use canola oil rather than trans fat, whole wheat pastry flour, lots of oatmeal, and a small amount of butterscotch chips and/or chopped pecans. Makes 48 to 50 cookies. There is some brown sugar in it, but the cookies don't seem to bother me at all. The consistency is more like a granola bar than a soft, gooey cookie. I got the recipe off the web. Better than nothing. Graham crackers aren't too bad either.The pasta and breads I eat are mostly whole grain. I'm especially fond of rice pasta. I eat a fair amount of low fat cottage cheese and low-fat frozen yogurt each day too. My doctor says I'm getting quite a bit of calcium just from my diet, and not to take extra calcium supplements. I also lost quite a bit of weight, since I eat more veggies now and eat frequent, small meals. That weight loss has meant I was able to stop taking my blood pressure and cholesterol medications. The doctor was really pleased about that. Unfortunately, I still need a PPI. I, too, miss tomatoes, Mary Jo. I also miss potato salad, coleslaw, fried fish, and hamburgers with onions, pickles, mustard and catsup. And I guess I'll never be able to eat a bratwurst again. A friend told me that a slice of fresh tomato now and then is okay, but that cooked tomatoes are high in acid. I may try a small slice of tomato sometime, just to see what happens. (Does anyone know whether the yellow tomatoes really are less acid?) I seem to be able to eat an occasional small bit of dark chocolate, but don't seem to do well when I try soda, coffee, or tea (other than fennel or chamomile herbal teas).Sure is nice to converse with you again, bluewillow and cvoor!Madge


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## 16331

Hi everyone, Madge and Bluewillow, it sounds like your doing everything right, and have a good game plan. I can eat regular tomatoes on my salad, doeesn't bother me. I stay far away from the soda's, and also eat lots of yogurt in my smoothies. Great to hear your doing better.


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## madge

cvoor, I tried a raw tomato slice on a sandwich today and it didn't bother me. I guess I can have a slice now and then, just not any cooked tomatoes. They really bother me.Madgename='cvoor' date='Jun 14 2007, 04:43 PM' post='674978']Hi everyone, Madge and Bluewillow, it sounds like your doing everything right, and have a good game plan. I can eat regular tomatoes on my salad, doeesn't bother me. I stay far away from the soda's, and also eat lots of yogurt in my smoothies. Great to hear your doing better.[/quote]


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## handmaidjah

bluewillow said:


> Hello everyone!I was diagnosed with GERD about 8 months ago and have been on Prilosec OTC then Protonix until about three weeks ago, when I decided I'd take a risk and go off my medication and try to control my acid reflux with diet. So far, it has worked well when I eat my "safe" foods, but when I stray, I can really tell it. I may regret this, but luckily I so far I have had no damage from the acid reflux, according to my gastro doctor. I do occasionally take Zantac and Tagamet HB 200 (which works better than Zantac), but overall, I do believe I feel "better" all over by not taking the Protonix. I have noticed a decrease in some weird chest pains that I was having since I have stopped the Protonix-- but that could be coincidence (?) My main reason for stopping the Protonix was the cost, since my insurance won't cover it. But also, at this stage in my life (I'm 51), I was taking lots of prescription medications (felt like a "junkie") and just wanted to stop all but my blood pressure med and hormone replacement therapy. I am curious to know if anyone else out there has successfully stopped their PPI regimen and cured their GERD with diet. Thank you for reading this and for any comments/feedback/opinions you can give me.Take care!


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## handmaidjah

Greetings BlueWillow-I am 54 and counting,I have succesfully gained control of GERD, menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis, you name it, without drugs for one simple reason. .. I am now uninsured and unemployed! Fortunately I have been in alternative health/lifestyle education for 25 years.As for the reflux, GERD/heartburn, etc. no matter how much you weigh, lose an inch or so around your middle with high fiber/soluble, smooth type (psyllium) and moderate exercise-brisk walking does so much in 20-not even 30- minutes a day! Body mass, blood sugar, bone density, all sorts of good stuff. It may take you a month or so.EASIER to DO-take 1/2 tsp. baking soda twice daily to alkalinize your body-lotz of veggies greens also improve your pH-As for carbs. baked goods, etc. it's the white sugar, flour anything bleached keep out of your diet as much as possible-high insulin levels exacerbate GERD no matter what conventional MD's tell you. Eat good tasty whole flour baked goods, crackers.As for all of the PPI's that have been precribed willy nilly to people, we are now seeing big spikes in osteoporosis from their overuse.(as well as everyone staying COMPLETELY out of the sun-no Vitamin D synthesis-this is critical for bone and digestive health. 15 minutes 2-3 X a week is plenty unless you live in Canada (winter months)-you can still get sufficient D if you spend time in the early AM outdoors-non peak hours...)Lotz of good stuff out there if you're willing to forgo conventional prescription quick fixes. (MD's have a single semester of pharmacology and NEVER HAVE TO ATTEND ANOTHER CLASS as long as they are in practice. (that's scary in my opinion.)Anne Gabriel Natural Health Educator


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## madge

Hi, bluewillow!I hope you'll be able to stay off the Protonix. I'm in a similar fix. Nexium is very expensive. For the last month I've taken the 20 mg capsule of Nexium each morning instead of the 40 mg. I did fine on the higher dose of Nexium and I'm doing fairly well now on the lower dose. I don't have a recurrence of the lump-in-the-throat thing, or chest pain, but I am beginning to notice that I have a sourish taste more often, increased gas and mild stomach cramps after eating (which feels like mild gas pains). Maybe four days a week, I take a spoonful of Mylanta after supper to get rid of the sourish taste or a Gas-x to reduce the gas. I try to eat safe foods most of the time, but once in awhile I'll have a small dessert, or creamy salad dressing, or something else that seems to bother me some. I'm really careful never to have soda, tomatoes, mint, etc.I had hoped to go off Nexium completely, and just try something else less strong at times, but now I'm kind of afraid to. I want so much to get off PPIs. I've been on them 9 months. They keep us from absorbing the calcium and B vitamins we need. Even Zantac and other H2 blockers reduce stomach acid enough so that a person doesn't absorb calcium and B vitamins like he or she should. I'd like to just use something like Zantac, Mylanta, or Tums as needed. I just don't know what to do next. I don't want that old inflammation back. I don't think a person can use something like Protonix or Nexium on an as-needed basis. I think you have to take it every day. (?)Do you still get the sourish taste or gas at times? I have it almost every day now. Maybe I should just figure I'm always going to have some of that no matter what. Feeling kind of discouraged here. And if I eat a trigger food, I always pay the price. If I ask my doctor, he'll just tell me to take Nexium forever. (The other PPIs didn't work for me.) Sigh...Madge


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## madge

Handmaidjah,I like some of your ideas. They make sense. Do you take the baking soda in water? (If so, how much water?)Are you able to eat oatmeal, baked potatoes, and other carbs, or do you eliminate most of them as Jean has done? What about low-fat dairy? Do you still avoid the usual trigger foods for reflux? (chocolate, mint, tomato products, fried foods, soda, etc.? Thanks for any additional input you can give us.


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## 13931

madge said:


> Handmaidjah,I like some of your ideas. They make sense. Do you take the baking soda in water? (If so, how much water?)Are you able to eat oatmeal, baked potatoes, and other carbs, or do you eliminate most of them as Jean has done? What about low-fat dairy? Do you still avoid the usual trigger foods for reflux? (chocolate, mint, tomato products, fried foods, soda, etc.? Thanks for any additional input you can give us.


Madge - Here are some books that have helped me figure out how to eat to virtually eliminate reflux:Breaking the Vicious Cycle by Elaine Gottschall (this has been talked about on this board)Life Without Bread by Allen and LutzNeanderthin by Ray AudetteProtein Power By Michael and Mary EadesI know it sounds like an extreme way to eat but I have gotten very used to it and it isn't hard any more. It's really nice to not have to deal with constant reflux or taking pills whose long term effects are not well researched (in my opinion)I know different people react differently to things but I am so glad that I decided to try eating this way. I too thought I would have to take ppi's for life.Jean


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## gottogo

I stopped all my meds a few weeks ago. Here is my story. I have had GERD for over 20 years now. Just the past few years has it really gotten bad. The GI docs prescribed Nexium for me. It helped alot. Only problem was it caused diarreha. So the doc gave me Prevacid. No side effects. It helped and was great to take. That was last year. I had another flare up and asked my doc if I could get a prescription for prevacid. He said sure. Well my stupid Ass insurance co would not cover me on prevacid. So I asked my doc if they had any samples. They said yes and I could pick them up. Well I started taking them about June 6. After the first few I took I felt fine. Then I started in with the diarreha again. After about a week putting up with this I decided to stop taking the prevacid altogether. I then had to take immodium to stop the D. I had to take 2 of them. Then I became constipated. The immodium not only stopped the D it also stopped everything else. So I have started to look on the internet about holistic ways to help with this gerd. Each day I eat an apple which has been helping the Gerd. Someone on that website I visited suggested a few items to try for 3 weeks. It goes something like this. Drink 1 teaspoon apple cidar vinager in 7 oz water with 1/4 teaspoon. Drink this 3 times a day on an empty stomach. I have not tried it yet, but am planning on trying this in a few weeks. Something about apples and vinager helping GERD. A few people on that site really said it helps.


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## overitnow

gottogo said:


> I stopped all my meds a few weeks ago. Here is my story. I have had GERD for over 20 years now. Just the past few years has it really gotten bad. The GI docs prescribed Nexium for me. It helped alot. Only problem was it caused diarreha. So the doc gave me Prevacid. No side effects. It helped and was great to take. That was last year. I had another flare up and asked my doc if I could get a prescription for prevacid. He said sure. Well my stupid Ass insurance co would not cover me on prevacid. So I asked my doc if they had any samples. They said yes and I could pick them up. Well I started taking them about June 6. After the first few I took I felt fine. Then I started in with the diarreha again. After about a week putting up with this I decided to stop taking the prevacid altogether. I then had to take immodium to stop the D. I had to take 2 of them. Then I became constipated. The immodium not only stopped the D it also stopped everything else. So I have started to look on the internet about holistic ways to help with this gerd. Each day I eat an apple which has been helping the Gerd. Someone on that website I visited suggested a few items to try for 3 weeks. It goes something like this. Drink 1 teaspoon apple cidar vinager in 7 oz water with 1/4 teaspoon. Drink this 3 times a day on an empty stomach. I have not tried it yet, but am planning on trying this in a few weeks. Something about apples and vinager helping GERD. A few people on that site really said it helps.


Look for Bragg's Apple Cider. Apparantly it conains a substance, "mother," that is essential and is not found in most cider vinegars.Mark


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## madge

I know that vinegar can help those with too little stomach acid, but does it work for too much acid? (Vinegar is acetic acid, isn't it? Am curious to see if it helps or makes the situation worse. I've been afraid to try it myself.


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## overitnow

Madge, use the search function for "braggs." I think you will be surprised by what you read.Mark


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## Jacquir

HiThese posts have made very interesting reading... I would like to know if the vinegar method works, but then again. I can't eat apples as they make my Gerd worse. Would be so nice to be able to wake up without pain. I finished my course of tablets two days ago and have been in agony since. I am trying all the methods out of don't eat this don't eat that, but notice that so many people can eat some things while others can't.I have started to keep a food diary, but I do know after all these years what causes pain etc. Noticing the books that were put up and reading the post, one person said a low carb diet, yet one of the books is a carb diet? Am I missing something..??Well look forward to hearing more and hopefully some more ideas!tc


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## willie

Interesting thread. I started out with a mild GERD problem, lots of belching and such...fairly typical IBS stuff...I was controlling it fairly well with ginger capsules for a while. I mentioned all this to my GI doc and she prescribed Prevacid for me. It worked great!! Problem is, it worked so well that I got used to being able to eat virtually anything without any problems. I got to reading about it and found that you generally only take PPIs for short term...Ive been on Prevacid for almost a year now. Well, I took myself off of Prevacid a few weeks back...and after two days began having pronounced diarrhea and heartburn. So I went back on Prevacid and all was well again. I figured maybe that was just a fluke and would try it again...so last week I stopped taking it again. Same thing happened except heartburn is worse. I take Zantac as needed and that helps but still things are not well like they were....Im wondering how long I would have to be off of Prevacid before things would settle down and at least be like they were before I started taking it? Or....am I doomed to taking this stuff for thre rest of my life in order to feel normal....bummer. willie


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## willie

As an addenda....Ive been off of Prevacid for a week today, and have only had two OTC 150mg Zantac during that same time....so maybe there is hope afterall...







Hanging in....mild heartburn and some abdominal burning sensation from time to time, but not too bad. willie


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