So Antacids are bad?

[Oneinfiniteloop]

First let me say, thank you to this group. I thought I was alone with condition, a bit of a freak. My wife thought I was barking mad. Now, because of this group, I am far more informed. I can help my doctor treat me. Before it seemed as though they were throwing darts at a board to come up with the next treatment. And knowing that there are others who share what I am going through; I do not feel so alone. Thank You

I have seen a couple of mentions here and there and yes I searched. I did not find a discussion about why antacids are bad where RLS comes into play. I have chronic heartburn, going in for a scope on 18 Apr. So I often chew antacids to help quiet my roiling stomach.

[Madlegs1]

Antacids usually contain magnesium which interacts with a number of medicines. That maybe a factor.

I haven't looked at what else is in Antacids but there may be issues with those.

At any time, one shouldn't be using antacids longterm, anyway.

Cheers.

[Kaarina Administrator in reply to Madlegs1]

I agree Madlegs, I have learned that taking omeprazole/lansoprazole for any length of time can cause osteopenia/osteoporosis. Nothing to do with RLS but nevertheless, perhaps worth keeping at the back of one's mind. I believe it is wise to up calcium and Vit D to help prevent this happening.

[42myown7 in reply to Kaarina]

I am also on long term omeprazole and mentioned to my GP that I had

heard that it can cause osteoporosis. I have severe osteoporosis and so far

have fractured one elbow and wrist and 4 vertebrae in my spine. My GP

agreed that it could but nevertheless it was the lesser of two evils, and not

everybody falls over and breaks something. I would certainly find it difficult

to manage without antacids of some kind, especially as I have stomach

ulcers.

[Hidden]

I have seen why on another group about the antacids. I do remember it being said, that its best to take them either 2 hrs before your meds or 2 hrs after, so they dont interfere with your meds. I think its as the antacid works on breaking down the acid it can be breaking down your med.

[Pippins2]

I take Gaviscon on a pretty regular basis and it doesn't affect my RLS x

[Mopsy1950]

Hi oneinfinite loop ,I had trouble with chronic heartburn about 8 yrs ago I thought I was having a heart attack it got that bad was sent in for a scope and found I had hiatus hernia and have been on omeprazal 1 a day ever since and I'm fine most of the time, now and again it plays up so heres hoping you might be the same

[Oneinfiniteloop in reply to Mopsy1950]

I too have been on omeperozole. I was on it for 2 years. Then docs said I was on it for too long, so they took me off. Very sad day for me. It worked a treat. Now I am back to many nights with bad stomach and acid in my throat. I will discuss hiatus hernia with my GI. Thanks Mopsy.

[Hidden]

I read an article about Losec - not in relation to RLS - which paints a very damning picture of it causing absorption problems, etc. and since RLS can be linked in with mineral deficiencies its not hard to imagine this could effect us RLS wise.

[Oneinfiniteloop in reply to Hidden]

I get what you are saying Raffs, I was told by my GP not to take any antacids within 2 hrs of taking Omeperazole (Losec) like what Elisse was saying. So if it affects the absorption of my stomach meds, what else might it be affecting the absorption of. I was just reading on here about how we RLS sufferers are brain deprived of iron and magnesium, the antacids are probably blocking or at the very least inhibiting the absorption of those vital minerals. Gosh, there is just so much to learn.

[Hidden in reply to Oneinfiniteloop]

I too have a hiatal hernia and I have heartburn therefrom which is mostly under control now. When it wasn't under control I would pop papaya enzymes (called "Original Papaya Enzymes) the way you did antacids. Better still is a product by Lane Labs called Zinc Carnosine. But any zinc product should help with heartburn immediately upon chewing, much like an antacid.

A hiatal hernia (which supposedly I was born with) is a weakness in the muscles that separate the stomach from the esophagus/chest cavity. I noticed that if my belly gets too big I become symptomatic. I have gone for a decade with terrible heartburn and then a decade with none at all. Then it dawned on me that the quiet periods were when I was thinner.

I am now thinner and the heartburn is 95% better. Less belly fat means your stomach can rest comfortably in place and is less likely to be pushed up into your esophagus.

Not eating for four hours before bed helps somewhat with regurgitation. Good luck. And yes, ferrous bisglycinate taken on an empty stomach about an hour before bed might very well provide you with a good night's rest. Has to be repeated each night that you have RLS. Though some people use ferrous bisglycinate for it's immediate ability to eradicate RLS symptoms others take it to raise their iron stores in general in order to help the RLS and others will go for iron infusions to get their stores up. Researchers have found that in a lot of cases the higher one's iron stores the less RLS symptoms.

[Madlegs1]

Just a quick comment on reflux problems.

Google "GERD"

and get educated.

👿

[Mopsy1950]

Will check my Dr next time , but I know if I've forgotten to take it I suffer real bad ,just had a quick read of herd madlegs interesting bit about laringitis never connected that before

[NoMoRLS]

I have barrets esophagus and take pepcid a.c. each morning or otherwise I'm chomping on Tums all day. It doesn't matter what I do with my diet. There are trigger foods i try to avoid and then sometimes all day long no matter what.Had heartburn since I was 6.

[Hidden in reply to NoMoRLS]

I'm not telling you to stop the Pepcid, especially in light of the Barrets, but that is one of the antacids (a H2 antagonist) that is well known to make RLS worse than it has to be.

[NoMoRLS in reply to Hidden]

Oh my. Had no idea. Well if that isn't a catch 22 hahaha. Sheesh. If it isn't one thing it's another. Will forge on. I will try reducing the pepcid. I know it's not good for you...burning reflux is awful too. Had to stop all the Tums. And diet didn't correct this either. Lawdy lawdy. ☺✌

[NoMoRLS]

I will try the zinc