Hi all
Has anyone been able to stop taking PPIs? Presumably swapping dispersible aspirin and swapping for gastro protected version.
Over 2 yrs post HA I am lucky enough to be slowly reducing the pile of daily meds,. For those of you new to this world, follow the docs advice, make lifestyle changes, lose weight if you need to, cut out stress, it really does make a huge difference.
I have never taken any PPI (and was never offered one). I also take normal dispersible aspirin 75mg. Some people are able to tolerate it without a PPI.
Interesting thank you
If you can do without a PPI to 'settle the stomach' as prescribed by health professionals when taking certain other medication then that is surely is a good thing. Unfortunately it seems to me that the PPI is prescribed first without trialling whether it is needed, rather than the other way round. But the problem with coming off PPIs is that the body apparently initially makes more acid in the absence of a PPI and so the effect of eliminating the PPI is masked. So if anyone wants to trial coming off the PPI it should be under the guidance of the health professional, perhaps by progressively reducing the dose. As for aspirin I take coated since I have had bad experiences with NSAIDs in the past, and never bothered with dispersible. But if you can tolerate dispersible then no need to change. As for me I am on a PPI for life for reflux disease, and am thankful they control it.
Much as I have had issues with reflux in the past, I have established that it was caused by lactose intolerance so going dairy free has stopped it. I am sure like many others you are told in hospital to just start taking this cocktail and you will be on them for the rest of your life. My consultant is happy for me to reduce doses and eventually stop all beta blockers etc
The main cause of reflux disease is a weak sphincter at the inlet to the stomach leading from the oesophagus, sometimes known as the LES, which allows acidic contents to back flow into the oesophagus. In most people who have it it is progressive as the body ages, as was the case for my onset. If it is not treated it can have serious consequences in the form of cell change within the oesophagus, initially Barretts disease (I have this) then oesophageal cancer. The next most common cause is a hiatus hernia. If anyone suffers long term ' indigestion' they should get it checked out for reasons above, and certainly not ignore it. Whilst there are 'lifestyle' ways of reducing the effect such as diet (irritants, muscle relaxing foods, gas forming foods) and posture, that helps but is not the solution. However in your case if your reflux was linked to lactose and you have been able to stop the PPI then that is really good, I only wish I could stop my PPI, but unfortunately I can't.
Interesting point about "PPI is prescribed first without trialling whether it is needed, rather than the other way round". My surgeon said that I didn't need one, my GP insisted that I did and issued a prescription, which I didn't at first submit to the chemist. Two months after my TAVI, I was still experiencing bloating and violent wind, so I got the tablets and within a couple of days both discomforts had gone. I confess to now taking the Omeprazole every other day.
you did your own trial, well done
there are so many long term health issues that have a big impact on daily life, sorry to hear you have these problems, you never know, with improvements in modern medicine a cure may be round the corner x
I came off them after 1 year as soon as I stopped ticagrelor. Don't think I ever needed it really and am concerned about it's effect on kidneys even after just a year. Hospital didn't prescribe it but gp seems quite keen on it but eventually I just said no. Too much bad press for my liking. Took full dose and half dose alternately for a couple of weeks, then half dose for a week, then half dose alternate days for a couple of weeks then stopped. No problems. Still taking dispersible aspirin but on top of a big breakfast. Use the coated ones if I need to take while I'm travelling and not easy to dissolve.
Thats good to know
I stopped my PPI. I wasn’t on it for protection from aspirin but was on it due to severe reflux which was causing major irritation. This was picked up when I had a gastroscopy. I’d also had a couple of bouts of gastritis.
Anyhoo - it was causing issues with low Vit B12 so I went cold turkey. I had a few bad bouts of heart burn in the first few weeks and took the PPI as a PIP and was fine.
I had started to take magensium during the time I was on the PPI and have continued to take it. I believe it helps a great deal with my reflux. My doctor also wants my magnesium levels at the high end of the range for my heart so it’s a win win. I now only take the PPI as a PIP and haven’t needed it for several months.
Stopping blood thinners early?
Clopidogrel with Atorvastatin 
Stopping bisoprolol
