Use Acid Blockers With Caution

[Sangye]

Many of us take acid-blockers (aka proton-pump inhibitors, PPI's) because of pred. With pred doses over 10mg it's absolutely necessary to take them, since pred is damaging to the stomach lining. Below 10mg, it's very individual.

However, if one is not taking pred you should use caution when taking PPI's. Unless you're taking a drug that causes excess acid, PPI's create a host of problems. I received this info from a JHU newsletter today about chronic use of PPI's. This pertains directly to us, as osteoporosis is already a risk for us. Holistic docs have been saying this since PPI's came on the market.

Johns Hopkins: Digestive Disorders on risk of osteoporosis from proton pump inhibitors

[marta]

Hey Sangye,

I'm going to visit my doc on Wednesday and had acid blockers as one of my questions. I'm on 12.5mg since yesterday - woo hooo- but now after reading this I'm wondering if I should even bother. I've not been on them since I started treatment, but I imagine if everything goes smoothly, I'll be on 10mg within two weeks. I haven't had any stomach problems, but things could be getting 'done' on the inside without me knowing I suppose. I had some stomach pain in the last couple/few days very sporatic and kinda lower than the actual stomach, but who knows, things come and go with this gig, so unless they're there for longer I've decided I won't worry and stress about it. Otherwise I'd be worried all the time.

What are your thoughts oh wise one? I fully say that with respect (I know how it's easy to misinterpret stuff when you're not face to face) I was thinking about this last night as I was having some gut pain, and poof, I wake up and there you are writing about it.

[Jack]

To a greater extent I use the drugs that I need regardless of potential side effects since I can read horror stories about pretty much everything I take. That is not to say that I don't go out of my way to keep informed about these effects and try to minimise my intake of all drugs. Perhaps this is part of my "live for today" philosophy and perhaps I am now suffering for it. However, there is a lot to be said for quality of life today traded against the possibility of problems in the future.

Odd that the article should recommend the use of bisphosphonate drugs with all we know about their side effects!

[elephant]

I take nexium three times a week, because I know this drug has many side effects. I have to take it, every time I stop taking it I get GI symptoms back. Thanks for the information Sangye.

[freakyschizogirl]

Sangye to the rescue again...You saved me with this one!!

Although my docs did give me the look of a hypocondriac...and that i was just making a fuss. I am 25 and not about to wreck my stomach fighting wegs in my nose. Whats the point in putting the wegs into remission and then have stomach problems?

[JanW]

That's very interesting Sangye. I was using protonix daily and for years as part of treating the 'asthma' I turned out not to have (doc thought I had GERD also, and the drug is frequently prescribed to asthmatics, as I understand it). Of course now I have severe osteoperosis, and I probably only used pred half a dozen times in the last six or seven years.

[Sangye]

Hey Sangye,

I'm going to visit my doc on Wednesday and had acid blockers as one of my questions. I'm on 12.5mg since yesterday - woo hooo- but now after reading this I'm wondering if I should even bother. I've not been on them since I started treatment, but I imagine if everything goes smoothly, I'll be on 10mg within two weeks. I haven't had any stomach problems, but things could be getting 'done' on the inside without me knowing I suppose. I had some stomach pain in the last couple/few days very sporatic and kinda lower than the actual stomach, but who knows, things come and go with this gig, so unless they're there for longer I've decided I won't worry and stress about it. Otherwise I'd be worried all the time.

What are your thoughts oh wise one? I fully say that with respect (I know how it's easy to misinterpret stuff when you're not face to face) I was thinking about this last night as I was having some gut pain, and poof, I wake up and there you are writing about it.

Are you having any other symptoms like heartburn or indigestion? Burping up acid? Any cough or sore throat that's not due to Wegs or a cold? If not, you probably don't have a problem. To my knowledge, pred doesn't do silent damage like NSAIDs do. You should ask your doc to confirm that. S/he may say GERD can be asymptomatic, but that's not true.

You're wise not to worry about every symptom that pops up. Many come and go. I wish I were better at that!

[Sangye]

That's very interesting Sangye. I was using protonix daily and for years as part of treating the 'asthma' I turned out not to have (doc thought I had GERD also, and the drug is frequently prescribed to asthmatics, as I understand it). Of course now I have severe osteoperosis, and I probably only used pred half a dozen times in the last six or seven years.

Wow, another piece of that puzzle solved. I'm sorry the info was too late to stop the damage, but at least you can avoid more.

[jola57]

You can't win them all, for us sufferers not taking Nexium and the like is not an option. I tried a few times and by the end of next day paid up in spades, heartburn from hell.

[Sangye]

If you aren't on pred (or another acid-producing drug) there are natural remedies for heartburn that actually correct the underlying cause. I'll post them along with an explanation of why acid-blockers are the exact wrong thing to do for someone in that situation. It might take a few days to get to it-- got some stuff that needs my attention.