Is anyone experiencing increased GERDS/Acid Reflux?

Not with evenity although I've only been on it for a week. I have had a id reflux in the past however and I started dri king ho.emafe kefir and fermented veggies.

I'd like to invite @californiakaren and @bern06 to this discussion as well as they have both discussed acid reflux questions with different osteoporosis medications as well and may be able to share their experiences and how they have tried to manage symptoms.

@rhondat23 - It sounds like acid reflux was an issue before you started Evenity but you were able to keep it at bay with over the counter medications. How long were you using omeprazole (prilosec) prior to stopping? There are studies that show long-term use can also trigger rebound heartburn/acid reflux that is temporarily worse than when you started, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6862638/. Are there any foods that make it worse still, or are you experiencing your symptoms no matter what you try to eat?

Thank you for responding. I have been on Prilosec since about 2012 and Famotidine since 2020. I was not aware of trigger rebound but that does describe my situation. Right now, just about any foods make it worse. I have scheduled an appointment with a Nutritionist. Hopefully they will be able to help with both my acid reflux and osteoporosis. I will also review the link you provided. Thank you again!!

Thank you. I have used kefir in the past but did not stay with it because of the taste. I may need to add this back to my diet and just deal with the unpleasant taste.

I have been able to control my acid reflux by eating a few almonds when it starts. Not sure why it works but it reduces the acid almost immediately. I usually have about 6-10 depending on how bad it is.

I had my 10th Evenity shots in January. I've been experiencing increased acid reflux since the 10th shot but was experiencing reflux off and on since beginning my injections last April (2023). My physician said it shouldn't be a side effect. She suggested Evenity because I was concerned about reflux even before I began. Since it is a relatively new drug I'm guessing that this side effect is real- reflux seems to be a side effect of many osteoporosis medications. If anyone has any research link to share I'd appreciate reading it.

Sorry to hear you are going through this. I take two PIPs to control acid reflux. I changed my diet and did try to go off of both PIPs while I have been receiving my Evenity injections and that was a horrible mistake on my part. My acid reflux was so awful, and it took several months to get it back under control. I have had bad acid reflux since 2012, so I do have a long history of being on medication for it. Once I am done with my Evenity injections for about six months I am going to attempt to reduce my PIP medication. I do not have any articles to share but I will share if I come across anything. However, I did add a morning smoothie to my diet that really helps. I blend together: frozen strawberries/cherries, coconut milk, Vitamin Way protein powder (plant based), and a probiotic and fiber supplement I get through Amway. I look forward every morning to my drink because it calms my entire digestive track down and I can eat normal the rest of the day. Good luck I know how awful it is.

Rhonda, your case is interesting to me, as it's similar to my own with regard to Fosamax (alendronate). I took alendronate for three months and developed terrible GERD from it. I never had GERD before that; now I deal with it just about every day. Two things I want to share that may help you with yours. 1. An anti-inflammatory diet dramatically improved my GERD. I went on the diet as a pre-surgery measure, and was very pleased to realize that my GERD had settled down, even though I continued to drink my morning coffee. 2. There are a few foods you can eat that may help with your GERD: cantaloupe, bananas and oatmeal. Cantaloupe is alkaline, which can help neutralize your stomach acid. Bananas can coat your throat to help protect it (I only eat 1/2 at a time, to avoid too much sugar), and oatmeal is amazing - good for all that ails you! In this case, it can absorb the acid from your stomach, at least reducing the amount that will insult your esophagus.

On a separate and very exciting topic, I read just this week that zinc has been shown to be very effective at treating GERD within seconds and for up to 3 hours. The article I looked at on the Yale Medicine site said that it could be as effective as PPIs when taken after a meal. On further investigation, I found that it is the combination of zinc and l-carnosine that is recommended as a way to heal the gut mucosa. I would recommend that you do your own research on this possible way to treat your GERD. Do be careful not to take too much zinc (or too much of any mineral), as it can cause problems of its own, and never take it on an empty stomach, or you will find yourself uncomfortably queasy.

I am about to start Evenity myself. I really, truly hope it doesn't make my GERD worse as prednisone did (which I had to take for a dental procedure - it caused a weeks-long flare).

wilkenl,
I have suffered from gerd for years, so I knew that I would never be able to tolerate Fosamax. I am currently on Protonix which is bad for bones, but I had no choice but to go back on it. I will try to phase myself off of it and onto something OTC.
I have had 9 months of Evenity without any problems. I don’t think the Evenity affects my gerd. I think stress and poor diet affect it.
I have had attacks of gerd that sent me to ER. In the early days of gerd, I thought I was having a heart attack. I had gerd attacks that made me think an actual heart attack would be preferable. This is all to say that Fosamax is 100% off the table for me. Evenity has been okay, so I have stopped worrying about it and now devote time and energy to worrying about Reclast which is my next frontier.
Thank you for the tip about zinc!

I have begun experiencing reflux after nine months on Evenity. I had a significant problem with GERD first diagnosed 15 years ago, eventually being told I had Barrett’s esophagus. I was on PPIs and H2 blockers as well as ranitidine and other acid reducers for many years. After trying a variety of dietary changes without success, I underwent a laparoscopic Nissen fundiplication in 2017. It completely resolved the reflux and I was off all acid reducing medications since the operation.

I was diagnosed with osteoporosis several years ago after a compression fracture of thoracic vertebrae. I have no doubt the acid reducers contributed to this condition.

Eleven months ago I started Evenity shots. I initially suffered a variety of joint pain—shoulders, elbows and knees, as well as tiredness and brain fog, for at least a week after the shots. With time, those conditions gradually diminished until I had no reaction whatsoever.

However in the past two to three months I have begun developing dysbiosis and reflux. The reflux gradually started with a minor irritation of my vocal cords and is now a full blown case similar to the worst I had had previously. Last week I underwent an endoscopy. The lab results have not been returned yet, but a non-bleeding ulcer and irritation of the lining of the lower stomach were discovered. However, the Nissen wrap at the LES looked perfect, according to the doctor performing the procedure. Some weeks before I tested negative for H. pylori.

The immediate suggestion was for me to begin taking a daily PPI. I’m obviously concerned about this, especially since a DEXA bone scan showed a dramatic improvement in my spine—going from a -3.9 Z-score one year ago to -3 and both femoral necks rated now as osteopenia. I certainly do not wish to begin a protocol that may have weakened my bones initially. That decision will be made after I see my gastroenterologist after lab results are returned.