Acid Reflux

Yes I have gotten a sore throat from reflux,

Omeprazole is only supposed to be given for weeks but it seems everyone I know is on it permanently. Your body responds by making more acid, I was told, so it can be hard to get off. You can replace it with Pepcid or Zantac then taper off. If you ever want to get off.

Bless your heart!! I use pantoprazole ( script from DR and works very well.. also supplement with a Pepcid once in a while.. tho not suppose to)..I'm also interested in your comment about that Vargus nerve.. I never heard about it until my GI referred me to a neurologist for that for ongoing extreme nausea.. I heard a guy on TV say "you have 2 brains...your brain and you gut and they are connected to that Vargus nerve..so I'm having an appt. in Dev to get an MRI of my head.. prayers for you!!

Windyshores,
I have been on Protonix for years. When I told the gastroenterologist that I wanted yo get off of it, he reduced it from 40mg to 20mg, but was negative about completely getting off.
I am in the throes of a pretty intense GERD attack now.
I think I might finally have to go on the FODMAP diet to see if I can figure out diet
triggers better. I’m a 39 year vegetarian and already have a pretty clean diet.
And, sore throat from GERD - yes!

@susanfalcon52 this is what the site says about Protonix:
"Pantoprazole is usually given for up to 8 weeks at a time while your esophagus heals." Omeprazole is 14 days!

I don't know why doctors keep patients on these drugs for so long. Maybe a dietician could help (sounds like you might have one). I succeeded in getting off a PPI by slowly-very slowly- replacing with Zantac (at the time) and yes, enduring some rebound even with that.

I don't eat after 5, avoid certain foods, and take Pepcid every once in awhile. I am having a flare right now and have taken it for 5 days but for years I barely took it.

I sympathize with the intensity of your GERD. Cutting in half is what MD's often suggest but that is a pretty dramatic change and I did it more slowly. You could do 1/2 for two days a week then increase. A pharmacist or dietician might offer advice: I am only recounting my experience.

Windyshores,
I have been on Protonix for years. When I told the gastroenterologist that I wanted yo get off of it, he reduced it from 40mg to 20mg, but was negative about completely getting off.
I am in the throes of a pretty intense GERD attack now.
I think I might finally have to go on the FODMAP diet to see if I can figure out diet
triggers better. I’m a 39 year vegetarian and already have a pretty clean diet.
And, sore throat from GERD - yes!

I cannot decrease the two tablets a day my Gastroenterologist has me on. I tried to but acid reflux caused my severe vagus nerve pain so I have to stay on the Omeprazole. Some days I have so much problems that I also have to use Pepcid or Tums.

@pinkhydrangea what exactly does vagus nerve pain feel like? I have never heard of it. I have episodes of afib that may be related to the vagus nerve. Curious what you are describing.

Have you tried switching one night of Omeprazole to Pepcid? It sounds like you are stuck. The body responds to PPI's by making more acid which requires more meds and makes it impossible to stop.

Have you ever had the dentist hit a nerve when working on a tooth? It feels like that but pain is worse and I will have continued pain for up to 5 minutes. My Gastroenterologist says for me when I have acid reflux that my esophagus is vibrating so hard that it causes pain on my vagus nerve. This is a rare side effect of acid reflux but that is problem I have if this happens.