1. < Digestive Health

Stopped pantoprazole After chronic stomach pain… Now Gerd is back

Posted by carolinlv @carolinlv, Jul 15 7:38pm

I was taking pantoprazole for over three years for Gerd and all the uncomfortable symptoms associated with it. The pantoprazole was a dream, until it wasn’t. I had lower stomach pain that would not go away. I still had no symptoms of Gerd, but my doctor was thinking possibly the pantoprazole had changed in formula. Evidently, the non-active ingredients in a med can be changed randomly. He had multiple patients complain of stomach pain and we were all taking pantoprazole. He didn’t think it wise to take me off an antacid completely so he changed me to omeprazole and the same thing happened. Guess that wasn’t my problem. We finally decided I had been on it so long, maybe I didn’t need it any longer, so I stopped taking it. That was four months ago. I’ve needed an occasional dose of Mylanta or Tums, but that was it. Well, this week I have started to have some Gerd symptoms again. I’ve woken up a few times in the middle of the night with nausea and a headache. I’ve had difficulty sleeping, which is not all that odd for me, but waking up at 2:30 and unable to go back to sleep at all. Now I’ve got the stomach discomfort again. Has anyone stopped taking a PPI because it was making you as sick as the illness you were treating? I have read Gerd returning is common, but these symptoms are slightly different. I don’t have heartburn. I have all this other middle of the night stuff instead. I’m afraid to start a PPI again, especially after reading so much about them when I stopped. I have read you can take them for 6 to 8 weeks 3-4 times a year to heal esophageal problems. Has anyone ever done this type of short term treatment? I can handle a lot, but I have to have at least five hours of sleep. Right now, I’m lucky to get that. Just in case anyone has this thought, I had an endoscopy in February of this year, so I don’t think it’s anything serious unless it’s something that came on quickly. I was prescribed medication to heal a very small ulcer that was found, which was also meant to heal the minor Gerd symptoms noticed. Any thoughts out there?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Digestive Health Support Group.

cgper | @cgper | Jul 16 10:44am

I’ve suffered for many years from it. On and off all kind of medication and some diet until I got better and then all over again.
I think I am finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. My acupuncturist insisted and still insists on diet changes. The bottom line is that I used to sleep almost sitting and she told me not to do that because some kind of explanation from the TCM that I didn’t understand at the beginning. I now follow her instructions almost to the letter. Getting rid of almost 95% of processed foods, eating organic the rainbow color, drinking room temperature water, herbs, and of course acupuncture has helped me tremendously. I no longer need all the restrictions and special drinks. I eat organic as much as possible, I avoid anything related to milk, even lactose free. I don’t use any kind of artificial sweeteners, I just use maple syrup occasionally. If eat cheese, I eat just the equivalent to one slice. The bottom line, we’re what we eat.

REPLY
1 reply
carolinlv | @carolinlv | Jul 16 12:46pm

I already do the same. I haven’t had any processed food of any type for longer than I can remember. No meat, just fish. Brown rice, fruit, and veggies as well as no sugar or carbonated drinks of any type. No alcohol.. No butter or fats of any type. no dairy at all. There are some plant-based cheeses out there that are not terrible, but I’d rather not eat cheese altogether than do those. I eat plant-based and gut health bread, so I have not given up gluten entirely. I had another helpful suggestion that I might want to take two weeks off and see if that’s my problem. I think I’m going to try that. There’s got to be some reason for a healthy diet to still produce heartburn. Thanks for taking the time to read my ridiculously long post. I appreciate any help you can offer so if you have any other thoughts, I would love to hear them. Take care of yourself!

REPLY
1 reply
cgper | @cgper | Jul 17 8:25am
In reply to @carolinlv "I already do the same. I haven’t had any processed food of any type for longer..." + (show)
@carolinlv

I already do the same. I haven’t had any processed food of any type for longer than I can remember. No meat, just fish. Brown rice, fruit, and veggies as well as no sugar or carbonated drinks of any type. No alcohol.. No butter or fats of any type. no dairy at all. There are some plant-based cheeses out there that are not terrible, but I’d rather not eat cheese altogether than do those. I eat plant-based and gut health bread, so I have not given up gluten entirely. I had another helpful suggestion that I might want to take two weeks off and see if that’s my problem. I think I’m going to try that. There’s got to be some reason for a healthy diet to still produce heartburn. Thanks for taking the time to read my ridiculously long post. I appreciate any help you can offer so if you have any other thoughts, I would love to hear them. Take care of yourself!

Jump to this post

I eat a healthy diet too. I eat some gluten too. What I have noticed though is that after eating something with tomato sauce and spicy food I have some heartburn. So, if I eat something that might aggravate my GI issues, I have a cup of war water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. I think it helps me.

REPLY
riflemanz64 | @riflemanz64 | Jul 18 9:21am

Don’t drink apple cider vinegar with an ulcer, why would you drink acid .

REPLY
1 reply
baguette | @baguette | Jul 18 11:20am
In reply to @cgper "I’ve suffered for many years from it. On and off all kind of medication and some..." + (show)
@cgper

I’ve suffered for many years from it. On and off all kind of medication and some diet until I got better and then all over again.
I think I am finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. My acupuncturist insisted and still insists on diet changes. The bottom line is that I used to sleep almost sitting and she told me not to do that because some kind of explanation from the TCM that I didn’t understand at the beginning. I now follow her instructions almost to the letter. Getting rid of almost 95% of processed foods, eating organic the rainbow color, drinking room temperature water, herbs, and of course acupuncture has helped me tremendously. I no longer need all the restrictions and special drinks. I eat organic as much as possible, I avoid anything related to milk, even lactose free. I don’t use any kind of artificial sweeteners, I just use maple syrup occasionally. If eat cheese, I eat just the equivalent to one slice. The bottom line, we’re what we eat.

Jump to this post

If you ever do understand why TCM proponents say don't sleep sitting up please post again with the explanation. Many people with GERD sleep nearly sitting up. It seems to help, but if it's doing the opposite I'd like to know. Thanks!

REPLY
1 reply
cgper | @cgper | Jul 18 12:19pm
In reply to @baguette "If you ever do understand why TCM proponents say don't sleep sitting up please post again..." + (show)
@baguette

If you ever do understand why TCM proponents say don't sleep sitting up please post again with the explanation. Many people with GERD sleep nearly sitting up. It seems to help, but if it's doing the opposite I'd like to know. Thanks!

Jump to this post

I'm not an acupuncture doctor, I just follow her instructions, but I think it has something to do with the flow of I don't know what. But even if you research in the internet you can get some tips as sleeping on your left side and things like that. The bottom line is that I've been suffering from all kind of gastric issues, but the last three years I had crisis over crisis. I was even hospitalized. Nobody since 2014 resolved my problems. My acupuncture doctor helps me a lot to feel well. She advises me about diet modification, herbs, supplements, and just simple things like having a cup of warm water with apple cider vinegar after eating something that I feel I'm not digesting well. I don't do everything as I'm told, I research first. I'm just given you information that had helped me.

REPLY
carolinlv | @carolinlv | Jul 18 12:30pm
In reply to @riflemanz64 "Don’t drink apple cider vinegar with an ulcer, why would you drink acid ." + (show)
@riflemanz64

Don’t drink apple cider vinegar with an ulcer, why would you drink acid .

Jump to this post

Yep, apple cider vinegar is a definite “no” for me! I don’t eat anything acidic. I miss citrus fruits and Italian food the most, but I don’t miss the heartburn and stomach problems they give me!

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.