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Q. Your column helped me finally get off Prevacid. All my previous attempts failed until I learned to eat almonds to stop the indigestion. Now that I have eliminated the drug I am hopeful my risk of bone fracture will disappear. Are there other ways to stop indigestion?
A. The connection between acid-suppressing drugs and broken bones remains controversial. Some studies suggest that there is a modest increase in the risk of fracture (Archives of Internal Medicine, May 10, 2010) while others do not (Osteoporosis International, online June 29, 2010).
As you learned, it can be difficult to stop powerful acid-suppressing drugs such as Aciphex, Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec or Protonix. Rebound acidity can be extremely distressing for weeks or months.
There are other approaches for heartburn including ginger, papaya or a low-carb diet. We are sending you our newest book, Favorite Foods From The People's Pharmacy, with natural ways to treat many common conditions, including heartburn. It is available online at www.peoplespharmacy.com.
Another reader offered a different success story:
"For years I tried to get off Prilosec, but each time after only a day or two, my acid reflux returned badly. My doctor couldn't advise anything better, so I kept taking it.
"Then online research suggested apple cider vinegar. I started taking an ounce in water. It's been 70 days so far without Prilosec, and I've had no acid reflux. (I need an occasional Tums, but not many.) As a side effect, it is helping me lose weight."
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I have been on all the reflux meds. protonix, acifex, nexiem, now Zegrid. I had an egd in May and the dr. said I could get off the Zegrid within 30 days... I have not tried it yet, but want to desperately. I read today about the almonds. What is the dosage? Why does it work? Should I wean myself off Zegrid gradually or cold turkey? Please please respond I am at my wits end about this.
Thanks,
M. Valadez
PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: WE SUGGEST GRADUALLY DECREASING THE DOSE RATHER THAN GOING COLD TURKEY. WHAT WE HEAR OF THE ALMONDS IS THAT THE DOSE IS A SMALL HANDFUL, PERHAPS HALF A DOZEN. DGL LICORICE MAY ALSO HELP.
I used the Apple Cider and it worked for me.
I use yellow mustard and it works for me too. (When I don't have mustard I drink vinegar with water.) Now I am going to start taking almonds with me in my car just in case I need it - it is easier to carry on trips- I am diabetic and the medicine makes me have indigestion.
How does the Apple Cider work? I mean, how do you do it?
My friend quit Omeprazol (generic Prilosec) cold turkey because of interaction with
Plavix (thanks to the info from People's Pharmacy). It was disastrous, terrible burning pain and vomiting after almost every larger meal.
Persimmon punch helped some and lots of crackers, which is no good. Turns out the Plavix gave him an ulcer, stomach and esophagus. He also has a hiatal hernia (byproduct of rheumatoid arthritis of 50yrs).
He now takes 1 omeprazol every 2 days and is ok. I would say to ease off slowly but check with you doc. I think the almond recipe is about 5. Almonds have a lot of arginine, it says, if you get canker sores or lip blisters, it's because the ratio of arginine and lysine out of balance. Lysine helps me in that case.
How much, how often?
I have been on Prilosec for a while now and would like to know more about the vinegar solution. What can you tell me?
You need to buy Apple Cider Vinegar at the store, then I put 1/2 oz into a 8 oz cup of water. I take a drink before I eat and at the first sign of acid burn. It seems to keep it from flaring up. Also if my stomach is full I jump from the second stair to the floor, it seems to pull my stomach down a sometimes takes away the reflux feeling right away. Hope some of these things work for you..
I am in the same boat as M. Valadez. My reflux was caused by Actonel and my doctors' failure to connect my complaints of discomfort with the drug. So now I am taking Nexium once daily and am not happy about it. Is the best course of action starting with a handful of almonds every day for a few weeks, followed by a gradual reduction in the Rx? Reading about this in your column last Sunday was the first hint that maybe the pain and the drug can go away. Thank you!
PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: THE ALMONDS ARE TO BE TAKEN AFTER EACH MEAL. GOOD LUCK!
Neither taking vinegar nor mustard helped me at all. I gradually weaned myself off Protonix. Very slowly, stepping down once a month or less, starting at skipping 1 pill a week. What else has helped me is eating less, especially at dinner time, but in general, stopping as soon as I might be full. If I don't I'll pay.
And as discussed in other articles this week, I've been focusing on a lower carb diet, paying a lot of attention to added sugar. And not worrying about fats. As a vegetarian, my dietary fats are all vegetable, except for occasional butter on bread, but I eat very few pieces of bread (
I have gastritis and was prescribed a proton pump inhibitor which I took for 5 days and couldn't stand it. had all the side effects, headache, dizzy, nausea, cramps etc.
Then the dr suggested zantax 300mg. seemed ok to start but by the 6th day similar type side effects. I am now going off it and trying to change diet to see if that helps.
Major cause may have been lots of daily diet cokes - some with caffeine some without.
any suggestions?
The use of almonds for heart burn is interesting. The question is are the almonds raw or can they be roasted?
PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: WE DON'T KNOW. PERHAPS SOMEONE WHO HAS TRIED IT WILL TELL US IF IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
I have been eating, raw Almonds for years, I have gerd, I have not found that they help or make it worse.
I have acid reflux only I have a swelling sensation or a lump in my throat, no heart burn or any other symptoms. I was taking Protonix for a year an it worked great. Then it came back and there isn't anything I do that seems to help. I have been scoped with the camera and the doctor did see a fatty tissue tumor and I was told to come back in two years to be checked again. Any suggestions????
I also eat almonds almost every day as a mid morning snack but they haven't really helped my stomach. I haven't tried them "after each meal" though. I have been taking pepcid for years off and on for stomach problems, in the last year having to add omeprazole or prevacid when things get worse. My doc recently gave me aciphex samples which made it worse and I was waking up at night in pain.
I tried the apple cider vinegar out of desperation for the last 3 days, just in mid-day when I felt "good". YUCK. The first day I thought I would cry the pain in my stomach was so bad. The past 2 days it just tasted awful but it still makes my stomach burn. I'm willing to keep trying but I'd really like to hear more from the person who is 70 days med free and how they did it.
Doesn't sound like the vinegar is for you if it burns that much. There are HCL pills (look it up on line) that add acid and may work better. Or maybe you already have enough acid.
I have noticed that for me if I start the PPI now Nexium that the things I have tried and worked like Apple Cider Vinegar, HCL, H2's no long are effective. This has made for many acid pumping hours of pain. I have found that the only way to keep the acid down while waiting until the PPI kicks in is to keep my stomach as empty as possible. And limit the carbs,no bread. I have tried most of the things found on the internet checking different forums and nothing seems to last.
The persimmon tea seemed to help at first but I started the PPI and that stopped to. I have a EGD setup for Tuesday maybe they will find something else down there. There is a new procedure called TIF that I am looking into, seems to be the only new repair option at this time.
RW.
aren't some of the things you are doing for too much acid and some for not enough acid? contradicting each other. Which way do you need to go, do you know?
Does anyone know why bread is bad? I can't say I eat carbs and bam, I have reflux. I just have random reflux/ and rather constant nausea whenever. I haven't researched it yet (got a million other things on my plate (ha!) right now, maybe time this weekend). That seems like a "comfort" food for me. Maybe I'm doing more harm than good.
I do eat a good mix of protein, fruits and veggies (ok, I try to get my 5 day.....) and just mix carbs in with other foods - sandwich, cheese and crackers, I try to do little mini meals all day though a real meal with the family at night. I'm not overweight so that's not an issue at this point. My wonderful and smart/thoughtful PCP says the GI guy is next if we can't figure it out on our own.
Hi Joan
I posted what I have been doing for 2 months, I tried the adding acid and using antacids and I would give it time to see the results. The thing that is working the last two days is going on a liquid diet using Ensure. I have had my first trouble free night in a long time.
I discovered this "Bile Reflux", if you take antacids and you still have reflux problems Google this. I now makes sense to me what has been happening. Bile Reflux with all my searching for Acid Reflux never came up.
I'm a believer in taking a few almonds for indigestion. Four days ago, I started in with severe abdominal pains and the runs. It hasn't stopped and the doctor isn't sure what it is - possibly a virus or something I got from a food handler. Do you think almonds would be of any benefit? Or what else? Signed, desperate to be able to leave the house.
I am so scared to take The Braggs raw apple cider vinegar alone with out the PRILOSEC ?? I have been on this med for years and can't seem to get off them the pain is so intense I will try and do the vinegar alone? ughhh... and see I have Granduloma Annulare and trying to find out why? they say its from the inhibitors in the meds that could cause this so keep you all posted wish me luck!
I found that eating an orange will stop heartburn, no matter how fierce, in a minute. It is a great way to get off Priolsec. Sounds strange but it works. Try It.