Anxiety over taking a PPI

sablegirl, Bless you.

Help me understand. Are you anxious about taking a ppi OR does the ppi in itself make you feel anxious?

I have been on Protonix for years and I have tried to come off a few times and the reflux gets worse. Because I have a hiatal hernia that makes it harder to come off a ppi. I have tried them all and Protonix is the only one that works. I also take Pepcid AC at night for backup reflux (yuk!). Pepcid AC is not a ppi, so I hope that will ease your mind about takin Pepcid.

I know there is a lot out there about ppis and bone issues/and it preventing your body from absorbing medications & supplements. I personally feel better when I am on it. I have tried all the natural stuff and it simply doesn't work.

Have you ever tried Gaviscon, 2 tablets, cherry flavored, over the counter? You can take this when you are on a ppi and it works great before a meal if you have breakthrough reflux.

Bless you and I am praying for you right now. Hugs & Blessings....

The ppi itself scares me. And I guess I had good reason to be scared. After posting I decided to take a small dose of 10mg to see how I would react. NOT GOOD. At first it helped and the tight band around my stomach started to dissipate. That lasted for 4 hours. Then I started getting severe stomach cramps and pain in my upper left back. Very scary when it feels like your heart is being affected. My body is super sensitive these days as almost anything causes a bad reaction but this was extreme. I’m just going to stick to the Pepcid. I’ve already modified my diet. No gluten, no dairy, no sugar. Only able to tolerate sweet potatoes, oatmeal, chicken and toast. Very bland but at least it’s food. Thanks for replying covidstinks. I’m sorry that you are going through this too. Thank you for the prayers. Prayers are powerful. From your lips to God’s ears 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

@sablegirl From what I have read, there seems to be an increased risk for some patients for depression and anxiety.

From the National Institute of Health: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10807343/)%20%5B20%5D.
From Harvard Health: https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/9-ways-to-relieve-acid-reflux-without-medication

What are your thoughts on trying what Harvard Health has to say?
Ginger

Thank you for the links Ginger. I know FOR SURE that it causes depression. I get anxiety and depression from the H2 but it's manageable because it doesn't cut all the acid to my stomach. I promise you I already do everything that Harvard Health listed. My stomach just needs more time to heal I guess. I was doing pepcid for 2 weeks and thought I was good so I weaned off but it was too soon. Now I will stay on it much longer and wean off much slower. There is no way I will touch a ppi again.

@sablegirl As we patients know all too well, what works nicely for someone may not be the best thing for us. Frustrating, isn't it?! It just proves how different we all are.

I hope thing will continue on for you, and the slow taper off will work out well for you!
Ginger

I had already done some research of my own & learned that a PPI should not be taken for more than 8 consecutive weeks, whereas my Rx was refillable for 2 years! I was already in the malnutrition stage so I stopped the PPI cold turkey, which is when I learned about the Rebound effect. I went back on the PPI to get that under control, then started a new, longer *taper* and went back to Pepcid AC for acid control. I also drink a glass of water with 1 tsp of baking soda before bedtime and that's been amazingly effective.

I have recently been diagnosed with esophagitis and gastritis. Even before my EGD the Dr asked me to start Omeprazole. For whatever reason I hesitated. Then my symptoms increased. I went to an urgent care with chest pain. Bc I have a right bundle branch block, I was sent to ER. I have a huge fear of it being my heart due to a family history & yes, I have anxiety. So I went to the ER 3 times over a weekend. Each time blood enzymes confirmed it was not my heart. On the last visit I was given Pepcid in my iv and it was determined that I might have a GI issue. So, back to the Omeprazole. I caved and decided to try the PPI. I was told by the pharmacy it is not fast acting. Another reason I had put it off is I take a statin and was concerned how it might interact. I called the pharmacy various times to determine how to take it. The Dr had also wanted me on Metamucil, which I tried but did not tolerate well. Plus being very regular, felt I did not need. Within an hour of taking the Omeprazole I felt immediate relief after a bm that produced a very heavy acidic looking stool. I remember thinking, okay this is not as bad as I feared. The next day I was feeling a little spacey. I decided to go for a walk to shake it off and clear my head. I had the feeling I might not be able to walk? It was probably not a good idea to have driven to the park. Then I noticed that evening I felt wired and could not fall asleep. My symptoms were strong enough that I began reaching out to my Drs office via a patient portal. Day 3 I had a sudden increase in blood pressure and again, mentally felt manic. It was determined I should switch to Pantoprazole, to see if my body reacted differently. I also spoke to my pharmacy during this period and was told this was not typical side effects for the drug. The worst thing that happened (cannot remember if I was still taking it/or if it was the day I stopped) was when I had a moment where my daughter had texted me & I briefly, looking at her name on my phone screen, had no idea who she was. I felt just a brief moment of confusion that passed. All of this happened on 3/4 days of the omeprazole; I never took the second drug. And all of this was prior to my procedure. Now post-EGD with the official dx I am waiting for my f/u visit with the Dr and his office is telling me to take the Pantoprazole. I want to get a better understanding from the Dr how serious my condition is and based on my supposedly rare side effects, would it be possible not to take the PPI, but instead approach it with diet and lifestyle changes. I know anxiety is playing a huge part in my illness.