Meds for Gastric Reflux - awful side effects? (gall bladder, x-ray, pain)

[cmacf1]

My doctor thinks I have gastric reflux and she has put me on Protonix, a Proton Pump Inhibitor. I took the first one Friday night. Yesterday, I felt ok. Took the second one last night. Today, all day, I've had an extremely upset stomach including upper GI pain, horrible gas, awful cramping and extreme diarrhea all day long. I cannot eat anything without my entire digestive system going into spasms. This might be a great way to lose weight, but I am just miserable. Is this normal? Does it take awhile to get used to these kinds of drugs?

I'm not convinced GERD is what I have. I've had chest pains early in the morning about once or twice a week for the past 6 months. The pain is below and a little to the left of my breast bone. It hurts most when I'm lying down and when I sit up, the pain lessens. Lie back down and it comes back. Sometimes I just can't sleep. And it ONLY happens at night. I haven't had any diarrhea associated with this until now. And this morning at 5 AM, I was woken up again with the chest pain. I know it's not heart related because I was totally checked out cardiologically to rule out heart problems.

Anybody have any advice on the Protonix? Or whether the symptoms I described above are normal for GERD? Friends of mine have said they think it's gall bladder. My doctor said nothing like that.

[carp killer]

Originally Posted by cmacf1

My doctor thinks I have gastric reflux and she has put me on Protonix, a Proton Pump Inhibitor. I took the first one Friday night. Yesterday, I felt ok. Took the second one last night. Today, all day, I've had an extremely upset stomach including upper GI pain, horrible gas, awful cramping and extreme diarrhea all day long. I cannot eat anything without my entire digestive system going into spasms. This might be a great way to lose weight, but I am just miserable. Is this normal? Does it take awhile to get used to these kinds of drugs?

I'm not convinced GERD is what I have. I've had chest pains early in the morning about once or twice a week for the past 6 months. The pain is below and a little to the left of my breast bone. It hurts most when I'm lying down and when I sit up, the pain lessens. Lie back down and it comes back. Sometimes I just can't sleep. And it ONLY happens at night. I haven't had any diarrhea associated with this until now. And this morning at 5 AM, I was woken up again with the chest pain. I know it's not heart related because I was totally checked out cardiologically to rule out heart problems.

Anybody have any advice on the Protonix? Or whether the symptoms I described above are normal for GERD? Friends of mine have said they think it's gall bladder. My doctor said nothing like that.

Sounds like acid reflux like I have. When I was diagnosed with acid reflux, I was going in to the doctor because I was having pain when I swallowed. She stuck that thing up my nose to look at my esophagus. She said I was a mess. She put me on Protonix. It sucked. I got diarrea but it did stop the acid reflux. But I hate doctors and all the medications and chemicals they feel they must give their patients. I look for natural ways to cure problems. So I did the lifestyle cure. I quit all chocolate, soda pop, eating 3 hr's before sleep, over eating, salsa, donuts. I try and avoid drinking to much beer, it relaxes the muscle that closes off the stomach and the acid goes up. I sleep with my head elevated above my waist. If your over weight, that causes acid reflux, so lose the pounds. It you are having a bout of reflux, a natural way to stop it instead of Rolaids is Apple Cider vineger with "mother". I didn't believe it but it does work. Take a table spoon in a glass of water then do it again 30 minutes later. You really need to control the acid reflux because the stomach acid change the cells in the esophagus when it burns them. They become precancerous cells over time. Not good. The natural way takes more effort and the doctors really don't have time to explain it, simpler to just write a prescription and get you out the door. Good luck

Carp

[kaykay]

I have also been diagnosed with GERD. I never even felt I had any burning with it, just feeling of a "lump" often in my throat. After a referral to an ENT and an x-ray confirmed that I did NOT actually have a lump in the esoophagus, I was put on high dose of Nexium which has cleared it up. I'm trying to taper off the Nexium but when I do, the problem with "lump" feeling tends to reoccur. From what I understand, as carpkiller said above, it would help to lose weight...which I'm trying to do for many reasons that just one of them. And yes, they gave me the standard other advice mentioned, don't go to bed within 3 hours of eating, raise the head of your bed about 3 inches (I didn't do this.) My family doctor, not the ENT, also suggested taking Mylanta before bedtime. (I didn't do that either.)

In short, I understand that reflux probs can "present" with many different symptoms such as a "lump feeling" like I had or chest pain like you described. If you feel uneasy about diagnosis, you should probably pursue it further. It's your body, after all. Sometimes we know what we're feeling, but again reflux does present "odd" sometimes. Probably the fact of it worsening upon laying down may be one factor influencing your physician to think it's reflux. If you can't take Protonix, there are other drugs she/you could try and if they relieve it, you would pretty much know that it was indeed the reflux.

(Never used Protonix, but my husband did briefly after a surgery. He has no probs with it the short time he was on it, but everyone's different. He had to get off of it cuz our insurance didn't want to pay for it.)

[southward bound]

I used protonix for quite some time and liked it. It worked well, without any side-effects. I had to leave that and go to Prevacid due to insurance, but now I don't take the Prevacid except on rare occasions - maybe once a month, if that. One doctor said that even if you don't have any heartburn, you could still be damaging the esophagus, so one should take their meds all the time. I've been thoroughly checked out and everything is fine, so I like to limit the meds as much as possible.

[Phoenix lady]

I would try to get at the root cause of why you have reflux--diet, weight, stress? Maybe investigate possibilities. The meds just deal with the effects to keep symptoms at bay, but they don't get at why your body is not digesting properly.

[crazyma]

I agree with Carp, all what I would say. PLus apple cider vinegar has helped me immensely.( I have had a round of bad stress related reflux recently) I didn't want to go the prescription drug route. Try the vinegar route...believe it or not, but as I understand, its seems that acid reflux is actually not enough acid 'to do the job', not too much acid.You will be able to tell pretty quick if the vinegar starts helping, as it helps get stomach acids back in sync.

......and kaykay gave good advice about pursuing it futher.... If you are uncomfortable with your treatment you are entitled to a 2nd opinion and should get you one.

[Rathagos]

I have acid reflux... from chronic heartburn to a burning in the back of my throat. I was put on Aciphex at first... but they got expensive all of a sudden and my doctor (I'm retired military) said the base pharmacy doesn't carry it anymore because of the cost and switched me to Nexium. I haven't had problem with either one or side effects.

So, like others have said.. aside from following up with a doctor (which you should always do when you have uncomfortable side effects), you might want to look into switching medications.. it could be as simple as that.

[Laura707]

I agree with Phoenix lady. Find the cause of the problem rather than take a pill that only brings on more problems that require more medications, tests and doctor visits.

That is what I tell my doctors now when I go with a problem. I want to fix the problem, not treat the symptoms of the problem!

[AONE]

For those that want relief from the heartburn. You might try liquid Coral Calcium. It is available in health food stores. I had really bad heartburn and I used this and now its gone. I found sugar tends to set mine off. but the Coral calcium took care of it I used a brand that came in several flavors, blueberry, and orange were 2. The bottle costs about $10 see if it doesnt take care of it.

[freeindeed]

Hi, yes it sounds like reflux. There is a simple solution. You can simply change the water that you are drinking and get instant relieve. A good friend of mine had the same problem and she now has no symptoms and doesn't have to take any medicine. No side effects.....just relief. Contact me and I will direct you on how to get some for FREE.