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Side effects with omeprazole/Prilosec use
i am an 18-year user of daily OTC Prilosec. It does a perfect job of controlling my GERD but I am constantly battling side effects of nutritional deficiencies in iron, B-12, magnesium, etc. For example, my hair is extremely thin and loss of energy is a constant problem. I am looking for specific help in knowing which supplements to take for this and in what doses and formats and on what schedule. All the nutritionists I've found locally are not well-versed in Prilosec use. Is there a medical provider out there who specializes in this? And would they be willing to work with me long distance?
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I have horrible and painful GERD daily. Started in December after I had a cholecystectomy. On PPI now but still painful, now affecting voice with sore throat. Anyone experienced this? I do not want to take the PPI’s.
I am not overweight, do not drink and do not eat fried food, head of bed elevated too, still pain and it is unrelenting.
Anyone tried herbs? Acupuncture?
Ideas?
I am sorry you are having his problem, sounds much like what I am going through but mine won’t go away and I started on Omenrazole a PPI which hasn’t completely relieved it.
Now having voice evolvement with sore throat.
Have you tried the cider vinegar?
I tried acupuncture and it did nothing for me. I think that if you have terrible GERD then it's not enough to try herbs or cider vinegar and the like. Apparently, bile reflux is common after cholecystectomy. See details and treatment possibilities here: https://www.drmalladi.com/acid-reflux-after-gallbladder-removal/
Maybe you also have a hiatal hernia that is keeping the LES open. (I don't know if you've written more details ab out your situation previously, so apologize that I didn't see it.)
You should go to a gastroenterologist and see what they suggest. Maybe they'll do an endoscopy to see the situation. (With the sedation they give, it's a relatively easy procedure.)
Another thing, if it's bile reflux, which is common after cholecystectomy, then the treatment is different than for acid reflux. See a gastroenterologist and see: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bile-reflux/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20370121
PPI may not be the right treatment, but if you do need it don't be wary of taking it
HI,
Sorry about your pain.
Call the surgeon's office and (try to) insist on a follow-up appointment. Maybe put it in writing on his patient portal messages. Definitely see a doctor. I suggest starting with your primary care doctor. Sounds like you are doing everything that you should, and it clearly started post-op, so it seems like a surgical foul-up, which they will deny probably. Stick to your guns (your evidence).
My grandmom's remedy: very slowly drink a tall glass of warm water.
Best of luck to you!
Thanks for your advice, I will try the warm water. I am seeing the surgeon next week and fully aware that his defense well we to deny any relationship between the symptoms.
Thank for your response and info sharing.
Thanks for your response. Had a screening upper GI with colonoscopy August 2022, all was normal, had one last week, said all looked okay but waiting for biopsy results.,,no hiatal hernia, no problems until I had the surgery, none at all. Coleystectomy was for a suspicious polyp found in gallbladder ultrasound. Now I am miserable. Cannot sleep at night due to pain, eating causes pain. Pain has become a constant companion. I am desperate so going to try acupuncture.
Thank you for your post. I too am an RN and have just started on this hellish journey. Started omeprazole a few day ago but terrified of it and coming off it. Right now it is not working for me. I am going to stay tuned to your posts and follow your journey. I started acupuncture 2 days ago, there is some literature supporting GERD treatment success. Not sure how to strengthen my gut microbe with this but am taking probiotics.
This may or may not help you in any way, but about 6yrs ago +/- there was an article released that said when PPI's first came out, they were not intended to be used on a long term basis, but because of how helpful they were to GERD sufferers, and apparently few side effects, doctors kept their patients on them indefinitely. I like many others was in that group. But then it was written that there actually were some definitely unwanted side effects. PPI's send a signal from your brain to your gut to "cut the acid", And I guess after years of this, its hard to go back to normal. I decided on my own to stop my PPI. ( I am a retired RN) I was so ill that I could not even eat, and lost 20#. My GI doc convinced me to get back on it , which I did. You have to weigh the pros and cons. Thing were going well, and then out of nowhere-LPR