Kicking the Omeprazole / Nexium / PPI Habit

So, lately I've been wondering if it would have been better to not stop my nexium/omeprazole (started on Nexium) medication.  I went on a hunt to see what other people found to work best.  In reading, I found that simply stopping the PPI or H2 blockers because this may cause a sudden and nasty rebound effect.  It seems that gradually stopping may work best.  Take a look at the following schedule that was suggested for stopping Omeprazole:

1.

Week 1: Alternate 20mg of Prilosec (Omeprazole) with 100mg Prilosec
Week 2: 10mg Prilosec
Week 3: Alternate 10mg of Prilosec with 80mg Pepsid (Famotidine)
Week 4: 80mg Pepcid
Week 5: Alternate 80mg Pepsid with 40Mg Pepsid
Week 6: 40mg Pepcid

2.

Week 1 : alternate 10 mg Prilosec with 20 mg Pepcid
Week 2 : alternate 20 mg Pepcid with 10 mg Pepcid
Week 3 : same as week 3
Week 4 : 10 mg Pepcid
Week 5:  Use Apple Cider vinegar, DGL Licorice & ginger.

3.

Week 1: 40mg Omeprazole
Week 2: 20mg Omeprazole
Week 2: Alternate 20mg of Prilosec (Omeprazole) with 10mg Prilosec
Week 3: Alternate 10mg Prilosec, 40mg Pepsid
Week 4: Alternate 40mg Pepcid (Famotidine), 20mg Pepcid
Week 5: 20mg Pepsid, 10mg Pepcid
Week 6: 20mg Pepsid, 10mg Pepcid
Week 7: 10mg Pepsid
Week 8: 10mg Peps, Off (take DGL Licorice, apple cider vinegar at night, ginger)

4.

Take your Omeprazole/Nexium/Etc. capsule and begin to remove 1, then  2, then 3,  then 4, etc., of the capsule's content every day, until you're down to none.  This takes some effort, but has been known to work.

My GERD Cause: Water Addiction

Believe it or not, I think my virtual addiction to water may have contributed to me having GERD.

Let me go back, so about 6 years ago I gave up soda and fruit juices.  Like most of you, I read and heard on the radio and TV about how soda is so bad for you, along with every type of drink that has tons of sugar.  So, me, being a pseudo health conscious person, gave up soda.  Yeap, just like that.  Cold turkey.

I went from a about a liter of soda a day to about a gallon of water a day.  I think I got addicted to the drinking motion.  The best thing is that water is quite accessible, and free!

I think my problem started with my obsession with drinking at least a glass of water at night.  I'd just chug down a whole glass then get to bed.  It's only now, with all my GERD research, that I realize that putting water in your stomach is the same as putting food in your stomach.  Water, like the rest of your food, has to be digested.  Also, like I've written in other posts, water dilutes stomach acids.  This means that I was filling up my stomach with liquid that needed to be digested, while at the same time diluting the stomach acid that was meant to digest it.

By filling my belly with water I was forcing my stomach to digest at night (when digestion slows), while my body was lying down (no gravity to help), and diluting the stomach acid that was meant to do the digestion.

Mornings without GERD

I love mornings.

It is only in the mornings when I feel 100% normal, almost every day since my GERD struggle begun. I generally feel light, like perhaps I'm ok.  Better yet, perhaps today will be a symptom free day.  I feel so good!

So why are my mornings better?

I've looked online and can only guess that it's because of my behavior at night.

1. I stop eating 3-4 hours (preferably 4+ hours) before I go to sleep.  I don't get into bed unless I feel my stomach is already empty.

2.  No more snacking after dinner.  At most, I drink water. I know this is hard but every time I put something in my mouth, I wonder how it will affect my GERD.

3. I have changed my diet, I'm now on a paleo diet.

4. I stop drinking glass fulls of water before going to sleep.

5. I try to sleep on my back, this helps to eliminate pressure on your esophagus.

6. I raised the head of my bed 5 inches from the ground.  This makes my bed look quite funny but it does help; it's also better than buying tons of pillows.

Take a look at other recommendations people have for minimizing night GERD.

How to Control GERD

I found this wonderful list on some of the things to do to avoid GERD.  These may not solve your GERD, but they will help to minimize symptoms.

12 Food and Drink Tips for Nighttime Heartburn Relief

1. Prevent heartburn by limiting acidic foods, such as grapefruit, oranges, tomatoes, or vinegar.
2. Spicy foods giving you heartburn? Cut back on pepper or chilies.
3. Don't lie down for two to three hours after you eat. When you are sitting up, gravity helps drain food and stomach acid into your stomach.
4. Enjoy lean meats and nonfatty foods. Greasy foods (like French fries and cheeseburgers) can trigger heartburn.
5. Want to avoid GERD symptom triggers? You may want to cut back on chocolate, mint, citrus, tomatoes, pepper, vinegar, catsup, and mustard.
6. Avoid drinks that can trigger reflux, such as alcohol, drinks with caffeine, and carbonated drinks.
7. Size matters: Eat smaller meals and you may avoid triggering GERD symptoms.
8. Enjoy an after-work drink? You may want to turn to teetotaling: Alcohol can relax the esophageal sphincter, worsening GERD.
9. Crazy about colas? It may be time to cut back. Colas can be related to reflux and to GERD symptoms.
10. Keep heartburn at bay: Don't eat too quickly! Try putting your fork down between bites.
11. Avoid snacking at bedtime. Eating close to bedtime can trigger heartburn symptoms.
12. Reduce your nighttime heartburn risk: Eat meals two to three hours before sleep.

16 Lifestyle Tips for Nighttime Heartburn Relief

1. Steer clear of tight clothes. Tight belts, waistbands, and pantyhose can press on your stomach, triggering heartburn.
2. Strive for a less stressful life. Stress may increase stomach acids, boosting heartburn symptoms.
3. Heavy? Try losing weight. The pressure of excess weight increases the chance stomach acid will backup into the esophagus.
4. Popping antacids more than once a week? You may have GERD, not heartburn, and need more aggressive treatment.
5. Try chewing gum at night. This can boost the production of saliva, which neutralizes stomach acid.
6. Not all "trigger" foods cause GERD symptoms in everyone. Keep track of your symptoms to find your personal triggers.
7. Pregnant? You may experience heartburn or GERD. Talk to your doctor about finding relief.
8. Heartburn worse after exercise? Drink plenty of water. It helps with hydration and digestion.
9. Untreated GERD can radically increase your risk of esophageal cancer. But reflux can be managed. Talk with your doctor.
10. Try keeping a diary or heartburn log to keep track of activities that might trigger incidents.
11. A full tummy can mean a night full of heartburn pain. Wait at least 2-3 hours after you eat before going to bed.
12. Wait for your workout. Don't want to trigger heartburn? Wait at least two hours after a meal before exercising.
13. Nicotine can cause your esophageal sphincter to relax. If you smoke, kick the habit.
14. Some medicines can worsen reflux. Talk with your doctor about alternatives.
15. Use blocks or bricks under the bedpost to raise the head of your bed 6 inches so you can sleep with head and chest elevated. You can also try a wedge pillow.
16. Bend with your knees. Bending over at the waist tends to increase reflux symptoms.