Stopped PPI's a Week Ago - Advice for Moving Forward Please

[southofthedowns]

Hi all

I have been on PPI's for circa thirty years. They did a fantastic job - so much so that if my GP had suggested stopping I would have resisted strongly, they seemed the perfect drug for me.

I have had some heart issues with an ablation about 18 months ago which didn't go well - another story, it's on here somewhere.

Since heart procedure I have been diagnosed with: Osteopenia, iron deficiency anemia and now B12 deficiency. I have the great good fortune to have a wonderful GP and be under an exceptional doctor at the local 'lipid clinic' who spots these things. I have quarterly blood tests for lipids and I have been able to persuade my GP to add a broad range of other tests to be done at the same time. The driver for all this testing is generally feeling tired and generally rough much of the time.

So from a layman,s perspective I think I have a malabsorption problem - probably due to PPI's. So I stopped. I know from previous experience that I would have awful acid rebound so I have Pep Tac everywhere plus Rennies and I am taking an H2 blocker (Nizatidine 300mg) in the morning. It has been rough but that is my choice as I don't have the patience to taper off, I will just muscle through. It is getting easier, today is day 8 of no PPI. My oesophagus is sore but I am going sailing so what the hell.

I have asked GP for Nizatidine 150mg to start tapering off the H2 blocker next week.

I have a hiatus hernia and my oesophagus is aperistaltic. Is there a recognised regime for dealing with reflux long term without drugs that lower stomach acid? I have made lots of lifestyle adaptations already which help but I am sure many others have trod this path and I don't want to re-invent the wheel.

Regards

[doris22]

Hi I have had oesophagus problems for as long as I can remember. Always had a chesty cough when I was a young girl which is now recognised as the the reflux cough. Those were the days when crusty white bread was king and full fat milk was poured Into you because it was deemed good for you! Later in life they thought my cough was a lung disease and this went on for years and I was permanently it seemed on antibiotics. After a really bad time and CT scans were now available I had one for the first time. The results were my lungs were fine! Anyway long story short it was down to food intolerance. I tried PPI's but although it helped with the acid I was still coughing especially after eating I had noted. So I was prescribed an H2 blocker. It completely changed my life as ,as well as stopping the the acid they have an antihistamine effect so were good for food intolerance. Of course I had to then work out what food to avoid. After I did that I was able to cut down on the H2's. I was on Zantac but they were discontinued and I now take Nizatidine like you. I would advise to get fully better before you cut down the dose. H2s are much kinder to the body than PPIs. I have flare ups sometimes if I eat the wrong things for too long and have to do a stint on Nizatidine. If I know I'm going to maybe indulge I take a capsule in advance. I have also found Gavisgon (Advance )really helps with a sore oesophagus. All the best. Sue