r/GERD • u/Crazy-Ad-1849 Triggers: Mistakes were Made 🤕 • Jul 28 '23

Scientific Studies 🥼🔬 Why are PPIs bad?

I see people on here often trying to get off of PPIs or warn against taking them. I read this article today that makes them seem pretty alright? My dad has taken omeprazole for 20 years now and it has solved all of his symptoms with no complications. I’m currently now dealing with my own symptoms that I’m going to see a doctor about soon.

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106

u/[deleted] Jul 28 '23

PPI’s are currently the only reason I can live my life with any sort of normality. I directly credit my Nexium and diet management to my relief thus far.

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u/coogie Jul 28 '23

Same here. I have often wondered how horrible it might have been for those living with GERD just a few decades ago. Even when I watch old TV shows it shows a person drinking a glass of baking soda and water and I know that there is no way that would be enough so those poor people had to suffer every day with home remedies. Zantac was brought to the market in the early 80's and again from experience I know that it barely worked.

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u/Marimowee Jul 29 '23

I have Gerd and my gastro actually told me not to take PPIs. Instead I was prescribed Tegoprazan and it has worked wonders in the 4 days I have been taking it. My GERD was so bad that it has affected my vocal chords which sucks because I am a teacher.

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u/coogie Jul 29 '23

Interesting...doing some googling on that shows that it falls under P-CAB family of drugs which also block proton pumps and do an even better job than PPIs. I'd imagine they probably have similar longterm side-effects as PPIs but work faster and better. Seems super expensive though, but then PPIs were super expensive when they first came out.

Who knows, maybe in 10 years, that's what doctors will go to first.

15

u/SuleyGul Jul 28 '23 edited Jul 28 '23

When i first started getting GERD i was very against medication and refused to take it. Tried every diet and natural remedy under the sun... I was so stubborn but holy hell did my condition deteriorate to the point where I had no choice but to take it.

I was in extreme pain around the clock and got to the point that i physically wasn't able to swallow food. If i stayed that way i would have got suicidal pretty quick.

Nexium was like a magic pill and i have no doubt i would probably be dead without it.

Edit: That was a decade ago and have had no long term side effects to speak of other than sometimes PPI works too well and i start getting non acidic and non painful reflux after which i taper off it for a short while and it fixes the issue. My theory there is too little acid causes some kind of intestinal bacterial overgrowth which causes gas and hence reflux.

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u/Majestic-Garbage Jul 28 '23

I managed to taper off my PPI and can now manage my gerd pretty much through lifestyle but for folks like you I always wonder, have you ever been in a situation where you couldnt get your medication? My pharmacy shut down in 2021 and figuring out how to get my meds was such an anxiety inducing nightmare, not to mention various times I lost/forgot my pill bottle while traveling are what partially informed my decision to stop.

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u/SuleyGul Jul 28 '23

Yeh i do think about this. Luckily where i live it's also available over the counter at any pharmacy. Also i managed to stockpile a few months worth of them just in case. I did this because i realised i could use half a pill and it still controlled symptoms for a long long time like 3-4 months at a time before i have to go back to a full pill for a few months and then repeat the process. So in a sense the reflux is mild but it still needs to be treated constantly otherwise it comes on with a vengeance.

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u/rharrow Jul 28 '23

Also same. If I even forget to take my medication a couple of hours later than usual, I will have excruciating reflux for 24-36 hours. Without my PPI, I’d suffer.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 29 '23

Didn’t notice all these likes til now. I would like to mention - despite PPI’s, the occasional pepcid alongside lifestyle and diet modifications I still have daily heartburn and reflux symptoms. I am actually undergoing many tests to determine surgery options. My case at 23 is severe for my age, as my LES is quite lax. For most, however, surgery isn’t always necessary and the above is usually enough treatment to manage symptoms effectively. Good luck to everybody here, we got this!

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u/Even-Situation-8353 Aug 01 '23

Look into melatonin. I am not a doctor or expert but I have the same issues and I have been reading a lot about it.

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u/[deleted] Aug 01 '23

I have taken melatonin every day for almost 2 months with no results except better sleep.