Lansoprazerole

[AbbyTabby]

Thanks everyone for your helpful replies. Is everyone prescribed Lansoprazerole or similar after a PV ablation?

[BobD Volunteer]

No . Some doctors presribe it short term in case the oesophagus is inflamed during the procedure. I never had it with any of mine and resist the very idea of ppis other than extremely short term (max two weeks ).

[Hammerboy in reply to BobD]

Hi Bob , I'm very interested in your comments regarding PPI's .I've been on Lanzoprazole for 20 years after regular reflux issues and stomach inflammation.

Recently I've been doing lots of research and reading about the link between GERD and onset AF .There's a lots of learned opinion that's there's a definite correlation between the two diseases .

PPI's are the standard medication for reflux but I've become increasingly concerned about the long term effects , ie increase risk of stomach cancer , reduction of magnesium levels and long term build up of bacteria in the small intestine

I have the luxury of a review with my GP next week to discuss my ongoing symptoms of reflux , chest pains , throat irritation, nausea after a bowel movement and very recently regular missing HB's

These symptoms have become more frequent and uncomfortable and I'm pretty sure he will recommend increasing the dose of Lansoprazole to control the stomach acid .

Literally as I'm typing this , I've just drank a cup of mild tea with a biscuit and had to stop as my heart slowed and missed a few beats and I felt very odd Indeed .

It's back to normal now and I'm feeling fine but

If my GERD , If that's what it is , can only be controlled by PPI's but that brings other risks into play and simply having it increases the onset of AF I'm in a vicious circle.

I understand you aren't a medical expert but your personal thoughts on PPI's would be helpful

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Hammerboy]

I read a paper many years ago about PPIs which basically said this.

The lower sphincter in the stomach needs an acid environment to open and pass food down into the gut. Remove that acid and food stays far longer in there, backing up and making reflux more likely.

Long before my AF was diagnosed, my GP wrongly diagnosed my fluttering as stomach problems and prescribed a ppi. The problems became far worse till I stopped taking them and within a week or two I was normal again. Since then I have never taken them for more than a couple of weeks at most.

I beleive that ppis are self perpetuating and everybody I have ever met who is on them long term has got steadily worse. My sister in law (ppis 20 years +) recently had to have a hiatus hernia repair and it was the wife of a friend some 20 years ago who had found out why this was happening and explained the rationale to me. There is ample research to support this view if you search but of course it doesn't suite drug companies so not main stream.

I do not deny that there is often a link between AF and digestive problems via the vagus nerve but suggest that it may sometimes well be working the opposite way.

[Hammerboy in reply to BobD]

That's very interesting Bob and as you say the bias towards the easy prescription by GP's to solve possibly a short term issue with no follow up for longer term side effects seems common .I've attempted to add a link of a report I've recently read that talks about the correlation between GERD and AF.

Let me know if you can open it and if you have the time to read it I'd be interested if you came to the same conclusions as me

Many thnks

drive.google.com/file/d/1U5...

[CDreamer]

Most seem to have it prescribed but not all take it, I declined.

[Ppiman]

After an ablation, I gather a PPI drug promotes healing of the oesophagus if it has been affected adversely by the heat from the catheter. Some people's food pipe apparently pushes naturally right up against their atrium and in a few, that atrial wall is very thin indeed.

As for the dangers of PPIs long term, I've been assured that the risks are very small and that the benefits are great. Acid freely sloshing around the base of the gullet can, I was told, eventually lead to long term dangers. My GP and, indeed, a lucky recent visit to a teaching-hospital GI specialist, both assured me that the drug is doing an important and useful job and not to worry about it.

Steve

[Hammerboy in reply to Ppiman]

Many thanks for that reply , it will be interesting to hear my GP's view on it .He doesn't have much of one on AF so generally refers me to chat with my EP instead

[Ducky2003]

I took it 6 weeks post ablation with no issues. I think there was a bit of oesophageal irritation so I was happy to take something that helped with that.