Note: this is the fourth article in a series about heartburn and GERD. If you haven’t done so already, you’ll want to read Part I, Part II and Part III before reading this article.
Believe it or not, stomach acid isn’t there just to punish you for eating Indian food. Acid is in the stomach because it’s supposed to be there. It is found in all vertebrates. And while it isn’t necessary for life, it is certainly required for health.
Meanwhile, millions of people around the world are taking acid suppressing drugs that not only fail to address the underlying causes of heartburn and GERD, but put them at risk of serious (and even life-threatening) conditions.
There are four primary consequences of acid stopping drugs:
- Increased bacterial overgrowth
- Impaired nutrient absorption
- Decreased resistance to infection
- Increased risk of cancer and other diseases
I had originally intended to cover all four of these issues in this article, but as I started to write I realized it would be far too long. So I will cover increased bacterial overgrowth and impaired nutrient absorption in this article, and decreased resistance to infection and increased risk of cancer and other diseases in the next article.
Free eBook
Learn More about Heartburn and GERD
You don't have to suffer from heartburn and GERD. Download this free eBook to find how to get rid of it forever.
"*" indicates required fields
I hate spam, too. Your email is safe with me. By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy.
A Stomach Full of Germs
We’re not going to spend much time on this here since the connection between low stomach acid and bacterial overgrowth was the focus of Part II and Part III.
To review, low stomach acid causes bacterial overgrowth in the stomach and other parts of the intestine. Bacterial overgrowth causes maldigestion of carbohydrates, which in turn produces gas. This gas increases the pressure in the stomach, causing the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to malfunction. The malfunction of the LES allows acid from the stomach to enter the esophagus, thus producing the symptoms of heartburn and GERD.
Bacterial overgrowth has a number of other undesirable effects, including reducing nutrient absorption, increasing inflammation, and raising the risk of stomach cancer. Studies have confirmed that proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) can profoundly alter the gastrointestinal bacterial population by suppressing stomach acid. Researchers in Italy detected small bowel bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) in 50% of patients using PPIs, compared to only 6% of healthy control subjects. The prevalence of SIBO increased after one year of treatment with PPIs.
Well-Fed but Undernourished
Stomach acid is a prerequisite to healthy digestion. The breakdown and absorption of nutrients occurs at an optimum rate only within a narrow range of acidity in the stomach. If there isn’t enough acid, the normal chemical reactions required to absorb nutrients is impaired. Over time this can lead to diseases such as anemia, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, depression, and more.
Macronutrients
When food is eaten, the secretion of stomach acid (HCL) triggers the production of pepsin. Pepsin is the enzyme required to digest protein. If HCL levels are depressed, so are pepsin levels. As a result, proteins don’t get broken down into their component amino acids and peptides. This can lead to a deficiency of essential amino acids, which in turn may lead to chronic depression, anxiety and insomnia.
At the same time, proteins that escape digestion by pepsin may end up in the bloodstream. Since this is not supposed to happen, the body reacts to these proteins as if they were foreign invaders, causing allergic and autoimmune responses. I’ll discuss this more below.
Micronutrients
We can eat the most nutritious diet imaginable, packed with vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients, but if we aren’t absorbing those nutrients we won’t benefit from them.
As acid declines and the pH of the stomach increases, absorption of nutrients becomes impaired. Decades of research have confirmed that low stomach acid – whether it occurs on its own or as a result of using antacid drugs – reduces absorption of several key nutrients such as iron, B12, folate, calcium and zinc.
Iron
Iron deficiency causes chronic anemia, which means that the body’s tissues are literally starving for oxygen.
In one study, 35 of 40 people (80 percent) with chronic iron-deficiency anemia were found to have below normal acid secretion. Iron-deficiency anemia is a well-known consequence of surgical procedures that remove the regions of the stomach where acid is produced.
Researchers have found that inhibition of acid secretion by Tagamet, a popular acid stopping drug, resulted in a significant reduction of iron. At the same time, studies have shown that adding acid has improved iron absorption in patients with achlorydia (no stomach acid production).
B12
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is needed for normal nerve activity and brain function. B12 enters the body bound to animal-derived proteins. In order for use to absorb it, the vitamin molecules must first be separated from these proteins with the help of – you guessed it – stomach acid.
If stomach acid is low, B12 can’t be separated from its carrier proteins and thus won’t be absorbed. In one study of 359 people aged 69-79 years with serious atrophic gastritis, a disease characterized by low stomach acid, more than 50 percent had low vitamin B12 levels.
A number of studies have examined the negative effect of PPI therapy on B12 absorption. In a study on healthy subjects treated with 20 mg and 40 mg of Prilosec per day for two weeks, B12 absorption was reduced by 72% and 88% respectively.
Better supplementation. Fewer supplements.
Close the nutrient gap to feel and perform your best.
A daily stack of supplements designed to meet your most critical needs.
Folate
Among other things, folate (folic acid) is vital for keeping the cardiovascular system healthy and for preventing certain birth defects. Low stomach acid levels can interfere with folate absorption by raising the pH in the small intestine. At the same time, when folate is given to achlorydric patients (with no stomach acid) along with an HCL supplement, absorption of the vitamin increases by 54 percent.
Both Tagamet and Zantac reduced folate absorption in another study, though the reduction in the Zantac group was not statistically significant. The overall reduction of folate absorption was sixteen percent. This modest reduction is probably not enough to harm a healthy person consuming adequate levels of folate, but it may cause problems in those with folate deficiency (relatively common) or other health problems.
Calcium
The importance of stomach acid in the absorption of calcium has been known since the 1960s, when one group of researchers noted that some ulcer patients were barely absorbing any calcium at all (just 2 percent). When they investigated they found that these subjects had a high gastric pH (6.5) and very little stomach acid. However, when the researchers gave them HCL supplements, lowering the pH to 1, calcium absorption rose five-fold.
Zinc
Zinc takes part in several metabolic processes related to keeping cell membranes stable, forming new bone, immune defense, night vision, and tissue growth. In one controlled trial, Tagamet treatment reduced zinc absorption by about 50 percent. Another study found that Pepcid, which raises intragastric pH to over 5, had the same effect.
Although there is little systemic research on the absorption of other nutrients, there is good reason to believe that low acid levels may also effect levels of vitamin A, vitamin E, thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), and niacin (vitamin B3). Theoretically, the absorption of any nutrient that is bound to protein will be inhibited (PDF).
In Part B of this article I will explain how acid stopping drugs decrease our resistance to infection and increase our risk of stomach cancer and other diseases.
This is a very interesting set of articles. My question is about quitting the Nexium (or other PPI). I have been on Nexium for four years and want to quit. My last attempt ended with nausea and acid reflux. I tried to quit cold turkey. How do you recommend weaning ourselves off of PPI’s? Perhaps a podcast on this? Thanks for all your help!
Hi Ed,
If I may answer, this is how I did it. I stopped eating sugar, grains, legumes, vegetable oils. At the same time I started eating fresh and cooked whole vegs/meats/fruits/high quality fats. I also stopped all soft drinks.
I started staggering my dose to every other day, then every third day for about a week. I noticed at that point that I didn’t need the drug so much so after one week I stopped altogether.
I did experience some major heartburn, but intermittent fasting helped alleviate it. Slowly, after several months I had less and less heartburn. Now I hardly ever have it, and if I do it’s very minor. I’ve been off Prevacid since last November.
It was an adjustment for sure, but I kept at it. Now I do not need it at all. You may have an easier time than I did.
Hi, Chris,
I got really sick last September and have seen some progress but still remain undiagnosed and symptomatic. One doctor has diagnosed me with Meniere’s. I had been on Lipitor 20 mg for about 8 years straight and had been on Omeprazole 20 mg for about 2 years straight for acid reflux, doctor’s orders. However my reflex was getting worse so I was switched to Dexilant at 60 mg for about 6 months and then Nexium at 80 mg for about 2 months. After getting extremely sick, since doctor’s could not figure out what was wrong with me, I quit both drugs. I developed severe difficulty breathing, post nasal drip, tinnitus, dizziness, anxiety, extreme fatigue, head and ear pressure, tingling in my hands and feet, and blurred vision. I read after stopping these two drugs that taking both of them together can increase their effect. Doctor never told me that, probably never knew. Anyway, I have been off them for awhile. I was found to be vitamin d deficient. I was wondering how long it takes to be off PPIs before the nutrient absorption goes back to normal and if there’s anything I can do to help it along the way, especially for us people who have been on them for years. Anyway advise you can give would be much appreciated. I sure would like to get better, assuming these drugs have anything to do with my problems..
Those symptoms you describe, “…severe difficulty breathing, post nasal drip, tinnitus, dizziness, anxiety, extreme fatigue, head and ear pressure, tingling in my hands and feet, and blurred vision…. ” are ALL described in Chris’s article on B12 deficiency…..which can be caused by prolonged use of ant-acids. check out his article on B12!
i am taking one cap of omeprazole almost everday-this keeps me off burping-
is this harmful in the long run?
Depends who you ask.
For me, I was prescribed omeprazole for about 2 months, and I think it was actually inhibiting my recovery. Not only did I see very little change in my digestive issues, it added anxiety (even to the point of panic attack), as well as a number of other symptoms such as bloating, weird stool color and shape (which causes an anxious mind to speculate about more serious issues).
I started taking Zinc L-Carnosine, reduced my dosage of omeprazole, then eventually stopped altogether. It might have been an enormous coincidence, but I saw drastic improvements after doing that. Still not 100%, but way better than when I was on the Rx.
Some of the more documented affects of long term PPI’s is acid rebound. PPI’s work by permanently disabling the proton pumps in your stomach that produce acid. It takes a couple days to replace those in your gut by your body. But basically what happens is, after you stop taking after long term usage, your body over compensates and you end up with a really bad acid problem until your body re-configures itself to realize your pumps aren’t being disabled daily anymore.
Many recommend weening off of them slowly. Some have reported that alternating days of PPI and H2 blockers helps before stopping them altogether.
The problem is if you aspirate in the middle of the night you could get aspiration pneumonia which could be dangerous for people who are elderly, someone with a weak immune system. I think that it might be necessary for some people to take some type of antacid or Proton Pump Inhibitors. A PPI turns off the acid pump in the body but an antacid just helps with the problem. That’s what a physician told me.
Darlene,
It IS necessary to take a PPI as long as you don’t change your diet.
As for me, I haven’t had ONE episode of aspiration since eliminating gluten and dairy. Not one. I’ve been off Prevacid for 6 months now.
Don’t believe everything doctors tell you, especially about drugs. IMHO, they are clueless, especially with regard to the big picture. They seem to believe what the drug reps tell them.
here here!
I can back up what Ginny has said with my own experiences.
I’m not feeling 100%, but changes in diet, such as eliminating grains, sugar, and the other things she’s mentioned have made me go from feeling like I don’t want to face the world to being at least 90% feeling normal, and feeling marginally better every day.
The biggest issue I have is patience. 🙂 But I suppose if you abuse your digestive tract with a poor diet for a long time, it shouldn’t be a surprise that it might take awhile to heal it back to normal.
Hope this helps those of you who want to stop taking your PPI’s:
I’ve now been off Prevacid 30mg/day since late November last year, so almost 5 months now.
At first I had rebound hyper acidity and I was pretty miserable. Then I learned about intermittent fasting and began skipping the next meal if the last one gave me heartburn. Usually breakfast made my stomach burn for hours. Fasting helped a great deal!
Over time the heartburn lessened more and more. Nowadays, I rarely have heartburn! Nor does food sit in my stomach for hours on end like it did on the PPI. I find that avoiding grains/gluten and added sugars has helped the most. Plus adding fermented foods has really helped too.
Besides the diet, quitting Prevacid was the best thing I’ve ever done. If you don’t have any contraindicated condition like Barrett’s esophagus or Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, then give it a chance. Don’t give up after a few weeks. If you are like me, it WILL get better as time goes on. Keep tweaking your diet as you go, and you will get relief!
I recently stopped taking Prilosec which I had been on for about 5 years. I had a blood test done last month which indicated that I was low in B12 but my iron was good. I have, for the past three weeks, started eating fermented food and taking water with Bragg’s ACV twice a day. I’m also supplementing with sublingual B12 drops (methyl) once a day. I’m trying to rebuild my friendly bacteria in my gut and hoping this improves my 3 conditions, mild arthritis in my knees, patches of psoriasis, and of course, heartburn! Already, my psoriasis is clearing up which I’ve had for the past 3 years and I no longer get cramps in my calf muscles at night! Do you think I’m doing all the right things? Oh, and my knees are feeling remarkably better! 🙂
Dr John Bergman wrote a book on how to REVERSE arthritis. You can also look at one of his videos on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uUgsGsPviY
I like Dr Bergman a lot: he explains very well what is the CAUSE and how to cure. BTW: it happens often that when one physical problem is cured by removing the CAUSE, there are side effects: other problems go away “magically”.
I have been on omaprazole for about 2 years. Quit cold turkey last week and I have not had heartburn but pain and crampinging in my lower abdomen. Is this normal or just another problem and not related?
I’m not a doctor, but that doesn’t necessarily sound related to me … my dad was actually put on acid reflux drugs for years after complaining of lower back pain (which is ridiculous of his doctor). Later it turned out to be gallbladder problems and completely unrelated to acid production. I will say, though, when I went off my Prevacid cold turkey, I somehow developed a gluten allergy – which can trigger abdominal pain. Perhaps you could try an elimination diet to see if any foods are triggering it?
Been taking PPI in the morning 40mg and a blocker at night 40mg for over a month now. A week ago I started feeling sore in my upper back. Still feels sore and doesn’t respond to aspirin or alieve. Could the soreness be related to the meds?
Ed: I had the same thing and it was on my right side just below my shoulder blade. I am off the PPI’s and the pain is gone. You have got to get away from the antacids as much as possible. I am convinced that diet and the proper enzymes are the answer. Do some research on this site and other’s and come up with your own answers. Good luck
Thanks Harold. I’m going to try to get off the PPI. I think the worst of course. Afraid my digestive issues have turned into cancer and moved to my lungs. Everything on the web related to upper and mid back soreness points to lung cancer. It’s been stressing me out. Hoping and praying getting off the PPI solves the issue.
Ed: Worry dosent get you anywhere. Get those lungs checked out and take control of your life. Getting off the PPI’s is going to help with your digestion, but you will need to get on to some enzymes or probiotics to keep you off the antacids. I am not a doctor and still have issues myself, but after 25yrs of western medicine’s answer to my problems I have chosen a different direction. Good luck. You may want to take a look at a book called the makers diet. It is good stuff.
Thanks again!! I’ll definitely take your advice.
I have ulcers and take ppi for 2 yrs. I tried everthing to get off the meds but nothing I tried stop the pain like the pip. Diet, b12, multiple bits nothing. What can I do other than the ppi?
It sounds like all of us who are dealing with Gerds or barretts have the same issue’s and no answers. We are put on PPI’s or some form of antacids to reduce acid reflux and protect our esophagus. Then we end up with all the gastrointestinal side effects(gas,bloat,diarrhea,abdominal pain,nausea, and the list goes on. If that wasn’t bad enough. It dosent cure anything. So now you ask what is the answer. I wish I knew. I am trying to get off all the meds, and going L-natural with digestive aids and vitamins. My Barretts has gotten worse with all the drugs and my quality of life has diminished considerably, so I have nothing to loose. Yes I have the seed of fear that was planted by my gastro guy about cancer, and trust me I don’t want it, but I feel like a dog who has spent 25 years chasing its tail. If you have a better suggestion let me know. thanks
i havent had a chance to read through all of the comments yet, because at the moment i am in pain, and in that “desperate” mode to find out whats wrong with me. i have been taking omeprazole and ranitidine daily for quite some time now for my acid reflux, and it was helping for quite some time. i was able to pretty much eat whatever i wanted. but recently i had the flu, and i had the symptoms for a very long time, but when the flu was starting to die down, i got heartburn and indigestion, bloating, worse than ever! i thought it was just a simple episode but its been going on for 1 1/2 months now. its really messing with my quality of life, and others are starting to notice it too now. anyways, do you think i should stop taking omeprazole and just take the ranitidine? perhaps im taking too much and thats causing bacteria to build up in my stomach? i need something to help the acid reflux part, but i need the bloating and constant nausea to go away. i really only feel better when i eat, but only for a little while then it hurts again. I have a dr. appointment next week, but im looking for any advice to help ease my mind till then. thank you!
if i were you i would try to wean myself off of the drugs and find other ways to deal with the symptoms. those drugs only mask the symptoms and do not treat the underlying problem. doctors just want to make money. they dont care about you. try probiotics to build the good bacteria in your stomach again. it might take some time. id also do what kris suggested in his last article for his suggested treatment. wish you the best of luck. alot of us are in the same boat
thanks for the input. I believe that Chris has the answer, and it is my intent to try his products and methods. FYI be careful of individual who are selling erbs etc , and I’m not referring to Chris. I got a hold of a chiropractor who put me on a regiment of enzimes and I though I was going to die. Good luck.
why were you going to die? were the enzymes the chiro gave you bad for you?
The enzymes where for digestion. He gave me 4 different kinds and instructed me to take approximately 15 of the tablets a day. I think he overdosed me. It was bad. I am going to try Chris’s suggestion’s soon.
I’m so sorry – your symptoms sound horrible! But as someone who followed Chris’s protocol to the letter after 10 years of prescription PPIs, I am a completely different (healthy!!) person almost a year later, and it’s 100% worth the discomfort. It WILL get better as your stomach heals itself. I was nauseous for two solid weeks, could hardly eat, my stomach was paralyzed and unable to digest anything. But I am completely better now and have never once missed my prescriptions. Not to mention I can absorb essential vitamins/minerals now. The PPIs were slowly but surely killing me. Now I can’t necessarily eat whatever I want … sadly, gluten is a thing of the past. I was probably always allergic (if you read Chris’s articles, gluten can be a major acid reflux trigger!) but my body was so damaged that the PPIs masked the problem.
I’m no doctor, so this isn’t medical advice, but this is what worked for ME while I went cold-turkey from PPIs. For nausea, suck on hard peppermint candies constantly. They really work. Try ginger tea. Or go straight to the source and rub some peppermint essential oil or a blend like DoTerra’s DigestZen right on your midsection. For internal healing, take the licorice supplements like Chris suggested. For bloating, drink aloe vera juice or take some charcoal tablets. Gaia’s herbal gas/bloating tea could also help. And if you do anything, be sure to take HCl pills with Pepsin before/during meals. My stomach was so damaged it couldn’t do anything – I would vomit up meals from days prior because I literally filled my stomach to the brim – zero digestion was happening. The HCl aids digestion while the stomach learns to function again. Probiotics and enzymes can help, but start slowly – my stomach didn’t handle them well at first and gave me more nausea on top of everything.
Whatever you do, though, realize that continuing to take the medication is only delaying serious health consequences down the road. Cancer from going OFF the medicine is just a scare-tactic by doctors eager to keep people sick and drugged up. As long as you eat pure organic whole foods, take care of yourself, and give your body the tools it needs to heal itself, your body can do the rest. Best of luck.
Rachel, Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to write that comment. I know it wasnt for me but IT TRULY BENEFITED ME A LOT. Thank you so much. I hope youre open to answering questions I may have for you.
Since I was only on PPI’s for 3-6 months (cant recall lol) I dont think its that bad and Im angry I was put on them because my situation wasnt that bad to begin with. If anything, i think it made my nausea worse. Its good to know that the “cancer” thing is just a scare tactic because I was starting to get really worried about that. Anyway, when you say organic foods, what are you specifically referring to? I mean, do you still eat bread, cereal, sugar, etc?
Right now, I have started taking probiotics, started the HCL with Pepsin (only 1-2 pills is what I can handle right now) when I eat a meal high in protein. I used to be vitamin d deficient, my level was super low, i think the PPIs prevented my body from properly absorbing nutrients. But since Ive been off them my level is now in the normal range, THANK GOD!!! Right now I am a little low in Potassium though. I dont know what more I can do to get it up…I eat a banana every morning.
So I guess my question for you is, what kinds of foods do you eat? Just fruits and veggies? What do you avoid? And lastly, did you consume fermented foods like Kefir as Chris suggested? I cant have those since most of them have dairy in them. Yup, I suddenly became lactose intolerant…
You and Chris are lifesavers.
I’m so glad to hear that was helpful! Sometimes I worry I’m rambling or sharing TMI 🙂
I was pretty angry, too. Thank goodness you were only on PPIs for a few months! Even the commercials say, “never take this medication for more than 14 days, or else”. You’re right though, while on PPIs your body doesn’t absorb nutrients much at all. Scary.
For me, healing myself meant going far past just the PPIs. It took me a looooong time to find all the hidden health dangers. Anything I once assumed was “safe” I thoroughly researched. Sadly, none of it was even close to safe. And foods that are commonly demonized are actually essential to health, like eggs and real butter! I do eat lots of organic fruits/vegetables, plus the occasional fermented kombucha (I’m allergic to dairy, so no kefir for me either :). I limit my sugar intake and drink water almost exclusively. I buy hormone-free, organic, free-range meats. I eat good fats like fish oils, coconut oil, avocados, butter. I’m now off gluten, which was really the only time I still needed the HCl so I’m basically off that as well.
But I also avoid GMOs, processed foods, and toxic chemicals like my life depends on it (which it does). I eat as “clean” as I can possibly can. That also includes anything that touches my skin, such as cleaning products and personal care products like makeup or shampoo. Even air fresheners have scary neurotoxic ingredients! http://www.EWG.org is an invaluable resource for looking up product safety. I also never take any drugs if I can help it, except natural supplements and vitamins made from whole-foods. I cook all my own food, and only use the stovetop or oven for heat. At the risk of sounding conspirital, this country is in the business of keeping people sick for profit. Look at any other country and they’ve rigorously banned countless substances that Americans, on the other hand, are encouraged to eat or slather on our skin. “FDA approved!” But I digress.
I fully admit my lifestyle is expensive and might sound extreme. It is. But I’d much prefer to “pay the farmer now than pay the doctor later”. And I feel so much healthier than I ever have, so it’s worth it! So anyway. I hope this mega-long post provides some help 🙂
Rachel,
I like the most current idea that wheat itself, or some not yet identified protein in it, is the problem, not necessarily gluten, except in the case of celiac sprue. Even if the wheat is organic and non-GMO, it still has anti-nutrients that make digestion more difficult, causing gas which causes the LES to open, allowing reflux. Where doctors MISdiagnose (which leads to wrong treatment and new health problems requiring yet more drugs) is in considering stomach acid the bad guy. It’s not. As the article says the stomach must have enough acid to kill bacteria, for one, before it causes problems in the small intestines. I find that drinking about 2 ounces of very dry red wine daily helps my digestion as well as salads with vinegar base.
I find it embarrassing to be part of “health” care (I’m a nurse) that perpetuates sickness and disease with the very drugs/treatments given to help! Let the buyer beware. It’s good to question the medical status quo when they not only don’t provide the right answers, they actually harm us while supposedly trying to help us. I’m grateful for the knowledge I’ve gained here, namely, our diet is to blame; but now that we’ve made changes, we’ve found out our new diet is much tastier than the old one, not to mention the old problems are disappearing. Seek and ye shall find.
I hope that doctors and nurses will pay attention to the new paradigm and get on board soon!
Ginny,
Thank you for your comment! I’m sure you have a very interesting perspective on all this, coming from the medical field. Especially since the natural movement has been rapidly gaining momentum recently as more and more people realize the dangers in mass-medicating! Obviously this site was life-changing for me, but even other dietary changes I’ve made have healed SO many underlying health issues. I’m glad to hear you’re experiencing the same!
I actually had to stop eating gluten because I became violently allergic/intolerant soon after stopping my PPI medication. This remained a mystery to me up until last week, when I learned that Candida overgrowth (which my stomach conditions were perfect for) can sometimes manifest itself as a gluten intolerance. I’ll spare you the glorious details, but it appears my body can’t tell the difference between Candida and gluten, as their makeups are similar, and the ensuing immune response led to the allergy. So there’s a chance if I go on the painfully restrictive Candida-killing diet, I might be able to eat gluten again. We’ll see!
You know what’s interesting about that..
I don’t have a gluten allergy. I’ve went to an allergist and got tested for that. All negative.
I definitely have a sensitivity though. Especially when I ate off the shelf bread or non-GF products.
But there was these few times I went to a pizza place that imported all of it’s semolina flour from Italy for their crust. Clearly this had gluten in it, but it never once produced the same discomfort and gross issues that GMO-based gluten products have for me.
Could be a coincidence…. But it’s a pretty profound one.
Dan,
Unlike you, I’ve never been tested in a lab, but I’ve definitely done my own testing by eliminating then reintroducing certain foods. I know I am sensitive to grains in general even rice if I eat too much, also to milk, “vegetable” oils, and especially to sugar. Sugar is by far the worst offender which causes acid reflux. On the other hand, I can eat high fat low carb just before bed and not suffer acid reflux, yet if I have any sugar or milk, I will wake up choking on stomach acid. This information is invaluable. No doctor can tell you this. So glad you also have discovered this too!
I have suffered with barretts esophagus for 25 years. I have been on some form of antacid for 20 of those years. I had surgery to repair my hiatal hernia and restrict acid reflux. The surgery was a temporary fix. In the last several months my body is starting to reject the antacids. I suffer from severe gas, bloating and bowel problems, along with stomach pain. I have mild dysplasia and have been told by my doctors that my only course of treatment is reduction of acid. I am sick most of the time and can never get a good nights rest. I want to try another course of treatment but have the seed of fear that was planted in me by my doctors, that is I abandon the antacids I will most likely get cancer. I am 70 years old and aside from the barretts in good health. I am open to any suggestion. HELP
Harold, read all of Chris’s posts and his followers comments. It will help you. Start small and build, you will be successful with this I know I am a civert and most definitely on the mend because of Chris’s advice!
My 5 month old son was just discharged from a brief hospital stay with GI doctor stating he has Esophageal Candidiasis caused by Zantac. He also had Lymphoid Nodular Hyperplasia and Neutropenia. It seems there is something causing these things and I am spending many sleepless nights trying to figure it out myself. Could it be the Zantac? He is exclusively breastfed at this time and I have suspected food intolerances in the past. I am continuing a strict elimination diet but he still seems to be in much pain after eating (1-2 hours), has blood in stools and rashes on body (at times). Any advice is so appreicated!
I wouldn’t be surprised to see a class-action suit against these companies who make PPI’s and the doctors who prescribe them. At the very least, MD’s are being derelict in their duty to their patients by prescribing them, except in certain rare cases. When will they learn? How many times do we have to see the “wonder drugs” of yester-year now being advertised by the law firm of {insert favorite law office here} before WE learn not to trust our doctors implicitly? Let the buyer beware. We all need to do our homework before ingesting ANYTHING. I’m not saying all drugs are bad, but there are some really bad drugs that should have been pulled off the market ages ago. PPI’s are just one example.
I agree with you completely. At the very least, doctors need to stop prescribing them like candy and actually READ the usage restrictions!! Even the advertisements and commercials say in the fine print, “not to be used for more than __ days” … which is usually around the two week timeframe. I was taking these things, under my doctor’s implicit instruction, for TEN YEARS. Thankfully I’m done now and slowly healing (no thanks to any doctor except Chris Kresser), but who knows the long-term damage that was done.
There are a lot of uninformed doctors out there. PPIs are only effective if used properly. I had to figure this out on my own via internet research.
Every doc I spoke with basically said take it whenever. But timing is critical with PPIs. You should take them in the morning, and 30-45 minutes before you eat. That is the sweet spot of activation vs. the proton pump activation triggered by eating.
H2 blockers like ranitidine are less powerful and should be taken at night.
When I was on both of those, none of the doctors (3 of them, all from different clinics) knew anything about the timing. Said I could take all of them at the same time.
Don’t get me started on how they dismissed the side effects. I’m pretty sure my uphill battle with all of this has been made steeper because I went with their advice of dealing with the side effects for awhile. Their solution for dealing with the anxiety was to suggest a drug for that rather than attacking any underlying causes (which I’m pretty sure was magnesium deficiency made worse by.. Wait for it.. PPIs and their magnesium leeching tendencies.)
Chris, I just wanted to say THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS. It all makes sense to me. I’ve been putting pieces of the puzzle together in my head but you just confirmed it and gave me a more detailed description of what is going on.
I feel that most doctors I see about any health issue, avoid the root cause of my problems and symptoms. It’s getting really really annoying, because what are doctors for.
NOW I KNOW THAT SOMEONE CARES ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY LOOK INTO THE MATTER AND I’M SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE COME ACROSS YOUR ARTICLES.
Thank you so much, again. We’re all in this together, and we will be cured in the correct way.
Why have you never mentioned Genetically modified organisms in our food and the increase in stomach and gastrointestinal diseases since they were introduced into our food system back in 1994-1996? Many of these problems, and I have read all these comments and articles, have been relieved by getting off of GMOs and off of meats that might have eaten GMOs and sometimes with your other suggestions. It appears that 50% of children at this point have acide reflux. This isn’t normal and it’s coming from our food and from the pesticide driven agriculture we currently have in this country. The medical profession knows nothing about nutrition so it would be understandable that they can’t solve this problem with their drugs. Many people with GERDS, Celiac , etc. have been cured just by eating the right foods and certainly eliminating GMOs. Good Luck.
I have IBS and a wheat intolerance and have recently stopped taking Omeprazole after being on it for approx 6 years. I am just about coping with the IBS by taking Colofac (rantazine had no effect), but have been feeling very low with cold symptoms for around 6 months continuously. I assume my immune system is low and I’m lacking nutrients due to the long term use of Omeprazole. So, my question is, if I take multi vitamins, how long should it be before I start feeling myself again?
Neil Meiskey
JANUARY 21, 2014 AT 8:00 PM
I have been diagnosed with Barret’s esophagus a few years ago. 10-12 years ago I had such bad GERD that my esophagus scared almost closed to the point I choked a lot when I ate. Incidentally I never felt heartburn at all until AFTER my esophagus was stretched. After I was “stretched”, I was put on Prilosec with the assumption I would have to be stretched every few years. I was about 52 at that time. Later I was switched to Nexium to “heal” the erosion and scarring. I never did have to get the second stretch done. I am now 64 and still on Nexium and really want to be off it. About 6 months ago I went basically Paleo, not perfect but 80-90%. Generally I feel better and lost a few pounds (I am very active and weight gain is a small problem, not a major one for me). When I mention to my specialists I want to go off the Nexium they suggest not due to the Barrets being a pre-cancerous condition. I REALLY want to stop taking Nexium but am a bit scared due to the Barrets. What say you folks and Chris, am I still a viable candidate to get off this stuff? If so how can I go about it? Thanks.
Neil
Reply
Neil Meiskey
JANUARY 21, 2014 AT 8:02 PM
Forgot to mention I do no dairy, have been lactose intolerant since my earl 20′s.
Neil
Neil: If you get an answer from Chris that give’s you a natural direction or path, let me know thanks. I am in the same boat.
Hi!
I had endoscopy twice. The first showed small ulcer and mild gastritis. Then I’d been taking Omeprazole for 4 months. Then I had second endoscopy that showed no ulcer but still ongoing mild gastritis and a small hernia. So I was again prescribed with high dose PPI’s for another 12 weeks slowly reducing the dose towards the end of period.
I had the same symptoms as you described in your article. Especially gas production that bothers me a lot. And later on pain again has started developing in my stomach on the left side. It’s been almost 12 weeks and I take lower dose now but how can I be sure it that helps if I don’t feel very well? Should I stop taking them? Should | ask my GP for another endoscopy?
I am only 24 years old. Please advise 🙁
im taking preaciid through a feeding tube.
I have c a d but never had any acid reflex problems
im on clopedogrel dilitiazem simvastim and baby asprin
I asked my doctor why im on preacid she said this what the doctor in the hospital put me on
this has beem over a year ago
do you know of any reason im could still be on any antacid thank you
I’ve been reading all these comments with interest.
Three times this year I was doubled over in pain after eating particularly fatty foods and drinking a lot of lager – turns out that it was air stuck inside me that didn’t want to come out. It was agony for about 45 minutes each time, and then I’d be free!
After seeing the doctors in February, and being tested negative for gallstones (apart from a teeny one), I was given Omeprazole, which I never took. I was fine all Summer, and then at the end of October, I had another painful experience – went to the doctors and was told to take my Omeprazole.
I did this for 7 days, and felt extremely unwell, so stopped. I carried on with my normal unhealthy diet, and began to burp lots, more than I ever have. This carried on until I got a pain in my chest. I was checked at A&E for heart problems, and sent away with Gaviscon which cooled it down.
The GP then suggested I take the full course of Omeprazole, but I took it for 3 days and felt terrible. It stopped my headaches when eating, but I was full of air! It also made me really over-excited and I was very very happy. Then I started feeling really unwell. So I stopped after 3 days and researched what the medicine’s side effects were.
The GP gave me another style PPI, but I don’t want to take them. I’ve been off Omeprazole now for three days, and the huge headaches I got have come back when eating, even an apple or a yoghurt.
Now I understand it was most likely acid rebound reflux – for a problem that I didn’t have in the first place!!
I’m trying to just eat healthy fruit and veg, supplemented by lots of ginger tea, gallons of water and Gaviscon if it really feels like its burning. I also took my first DGL tablet this morning, and haven’t been burping apart from straight after meals. I can also now go to the toilet regularly!
Do you think the headaches will ever stop? I imagine they are just caused by a massive amount of acid being released when I start eating, but they can be really painful, go on for a long time and be so intense I feel light headed.