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.

Alkaline Water Healing Properties for GERD

Unlike conventional drinking water, pH 8.8 alkaline water instantly denatures pepsin, rendering it permanently inactive. In addition, it has good acid-buffering capacity. Thus, the consumption of alkaline water may have therapeutic benefits for patients with reflux disease.
Other Warnings
Do not consume alkaline water with any medicines, supplements, or other additives. The alkaline water is reactive, and can form potentially dangerous by-products when mixed with a drug or other chemical compounds.
You should store ionised water in sealed glass bottles rather than plastic bottles, because it is reactive and can react with some plastics. It also reacts with the air and loses its ionisation if it is left exposed (of course, the alkaline minerals remain).


Others say that alkaline water helps:
http://www.alkalinediseasecure.com/acid-reflux/

From what I've read, it seems that alkaline water may help but only where you in fact have High Stomach Acid GERD.  Where you have Low Stomach Acid GERD, it appears that alkaline water may make the problem worse.

So, if you've determined that you have High Stomach Acid GERD, which you can do by doing the HCL test, then you may want to try alkaline water.  When you do, make sure you pay attention to how you feel and how your body reacts to the alkaline water.

Garlic Helps with GERD

You may have read in many places how garlic should be avoided if you have GERD.  However, I've read tons of blogs where people have said the opposite.  I found this article that may help to explain why garlic may or may not help:

Eat Garlic & Parsley: This is one of the biggest myths you will see on line, not to eat garlic. Garlic is one of the great plant healers. The garlic must be crushed or chopped up to release the components. Don't buy garlic that is shipped in from over seas. All garlic that comes into America from over seas has to be irradiated before entering the country. This kills the healing properties. Only buy local grown garlic. Parsley is another great healer. It is not only for garnish. Get fresh parsley, mince it up with the garlic and add it all fish, chicken or meat dishes. Add parsley minced (stems too) to all types of salads, soups and stews. Add a handful into the juicer when juicing other vegetables to pack a healthy punch.

 So, I ran to the store and bought myself some locally grown garlic.  I can't say it's cured me, but it definitely has not hurt.


Also, take a look at more information:

How Garlic Works

• Garlic contains the enzyme allinase and alliin, an amino acid. When a garlic clove is attacked by bacteria or crushed, the enzyme reacts with the amino acid to produce allicin. The new compound is known to fight off bacterial infections, such as those which cause acid reflux symptoms.

Using Garlic

• In order for allicin to be produced, a garlic clove must be damaged, either through biting, chewing or crushing. To relieve acid reflux, you should chew garlic thoroughly before swallowing, or blend a clove with fruits or vegetables in a juicer and consume immediately.

Prevention/Solution

• Whether garlic will be good or bad for acid reflux relief depends on how it is consumed. Despite the known health benefits, in some instances, garlic remains listed as a food to avoid to prevent acid reflux, as are other foods used to create spicy, highly seasoned dishes. These types of foods aggravate the condition rather than help it.

I think the reason why garlic is still listed is because we're all so use to just buying garlic from the super market.  According to articles, this garlic has lost all its original healing properties because import regulations require that the garlic be irradiated (exposed to radiation).

GERD Remedy: Apple Cider Vinegar

I think if you do a search of the internet you'll find that Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is considered almost a universal cure.  I tried it myself and it did provide some relief, but just not enough.  Nevertheless, there's plenty of people that swear by ACV and how it both helps and removes their symptoms.  Just note, that, currently, there's no studies to support if ACV does or doesn't help with acid reflux.  

Some people say that ACV helps to tighten the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES).  The LES is the valve separating the stomach and the esophagus that when weak is said to be the reason why stomach acids flow back up towards your throat.  Some people say ACV encourages the production of acid in your stomach, and so helps if you have low stomach acid.  Others still say that ACV helps in the digestion of fats.

What Kind of ACV

People recommend Bragg's raw unpasteurized apple cider vinegar because it retains the natural enzymes that are lost during pasteurization. You can try finding other brands, but Bragg's seems to be the most popular.  Just make sure it's organic and raw unpasteurized.

How to Drink It

1. Try two tablespoons with a glass of water.  If you hate the taste then mix in a tiny bit of honey.

2. Another GERD remedy I found:
Heaping teaspoon of bee pollen granules. (Let them soak in 8 to 10oz of Purified or Alkaline Water for 15minutes
1/4 teaspoon pure cinnamon (I use Saigon)
1 tablespoon Bragg's Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother
Mix them together after the bee pollen granules have soaked, and drink it down. Don't sip, gulp.  

Possible Side Effects

1. Teeth Enamel Damage - Make sure to dilute the vinegar.
2.  Apple cider vinegar is suspected to negatively interact with:

• Diuretics
• Laxatives
• Heart disease medication
• Diabetes drugs

3. DO NOT TAKE IF YOU SUSPECT AN ULCER.  ACV can seriously aggravate your ulcer.  Check with your doctor before taking ACV to make sure you're not making your condition worse.

Real GERD Cause

High Stomach Acid GERD

HSA

This is what is treated with the proton pump inhibitors.  This also explains why PPIs may not work with everyone, because


Low Stomach Acid GERD

LSA

HCL supplements



I recommend asking your doctor to test your stomach acid levels before accepting any type of medical treatment.

GERD Remedy: Raw Potato Juice - My Current Treatment

So after my HCL supplementation did not work, I was at a loss.  I needed something that would work.  Since I reacted so badly to the HCL supplements, I decided that it cannot be low stomach acid but perhaps the opposite.

I heard from a family friend a while ago that the juice from raw potato can help.  I had tried it a while ago but we messed up the recipe and I got worse so I put that away.  However, he recently reminded me of this remedy so I went researching on the internet again.  I found several articles about potato juice being used as a natural home remedy for GERD and ulcers.  The starchy part of the potato is no good, but the juice itself - fresh juice - is very good for GERD because it acts like an alkaline.

I was already supplementing with DGL Licorice - to help rebuild the mucous lining of my stomach.  I'm also taking Similase to help replenish the enzymes in my stomach.  But this was not enough, so I thought I'd try the potato juice:

Raw potato juice

This is another natural remedy that can help on you acid reflux.
Get two medium sized potatoes, wash clean and leave the skin intact. Remove the buds and cut into pieces. Make sure that you remove all those sprouting and greenish parts, as these are poisonous if consumed. Then use a juicer to extract about 200cc of juices. Set it one side and allow to stand for three minutes, filter the residue and only take the liquid on top.
If you do not like the taste of raw potato juice, add in an apple will make it taste better. 

Do not consume the white sediments at the bottom as the starch will only worsen your condition. You can consume this for twice a day and remember that it must be consume with an empty stomach, for example, you can take it in between your meals. 

Since the sedimentation of starch is still edible, you can keep it and use it to thicken food.

I generally just drink the juice, making sure to keep away from the starch part.  I've consumed the starch part and I almost ended up in the hospital.

Progress:

I'm at the end of day 3 and so far my GERD symptoms have almost disappeared completely.  I'm still not at 100% but I'm definitely better.  I've stopped losing weight and overall feel like maybe this will be it.  I'm hoping.

I'll keep you updated on my potato juice progress.

GERD Causing Foods to Avoid

Tangy Citrus Fruits

Oranges, grapefruits and orange juice are classic heartburn foods

Tomatoes

They're highly acidic and are likely to trigger your GERD.

Garlic

Onions

Spicy foods

Peppermint

Cheese

Nuts

Avocados

Greasy redmeat (rib eye)

Alcohol

Caffeine

Chocolate

Carbonated Beverages

Fried/Fatty foods

Vinegar 

Excluding apple cider vinegar which has been known to help some GERD sufferers

High sugar foods (including fruits) 

Almonds Keep the GERD Away

So I realized today that I can eat almonds without ever getting any GERD.  I was surprised today that I was able to just eat a handful of almonds (never too much, because we know over eating is no good). I thought "I'm cured," because I didn't feel any GERD.  So, of course, I went looking for the reason.

Eat Raw Almonds: There is a lot of powerful good things packed into these little tear-shaped nuts that are very beneficial to people that suffer from acid reflux. They are packed full of protein and amino acids. Grind them up into almond milk for another healthy food to replace junk food in the acid reflux diet. Almonds will help your heartburn and acid reflux.

However, some say that almonds is actually a trigger for GERD.  It's definitely not the case for me, but you try it and see:

PropertiesThe USDA reports that almonds have more than 200 calories and nearly 18 g fat per 1/4 cup. Nutritionally, almonds can still serve as part of a healthy diet because most of their fat content is unsaturated and they contain none of the cholesterol that meat- and dairy-based fats have. However, in terms of GERD, the source of fat does not matter; almonds still run the risk of causing the LES muscle to relax or weaken. Prevention and AlternativesIf you have GERD, you may already know that almonds are a trigger food for you, or you may never have experienced symptoms related to almonds. Just because almonds have properties that can encourage reflux does not mean they're a trigger for everyone, so it's not necessary to eliminate them from your diet entirely until you judge your own reaction to them. However, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center does suggest avoiding all nuts if you have chronic GERD and instead, choosing fats such as vegetable-based oils and plain cream cheese. You may also find that traditional GERD remedies, such as wearing loose clothing and maintaining a healthy weight, can offer relief.

Because it seems this topic is still up in the air, I suggest you try eating a bit of almonds and see how you feel.  Like anything, don't eat too much and try to have a varied diet.

Foods to Eat to Prevent GERD

I personally eat these foods, they generally do not aggravate my GERD.

Oatmeal
Drop that doughnut, unless you want heartburn for breakfast. If you have GERD, high-fat food is usually a recipe for pain. Instead choose oatmeal. It's a low-fat, high-fiber meal that can soothe your stomach. Top it off with sliced bananas, which are thought to fight stomach acid naturally.

Ginger
Fresh ginger acts as an anti-inflammatory and is an age-old remedy for stomach problems of all kinds. You can get your daily dose—2 to 4 grams (more than that can actually cause heartburn)—by steeping ginger in hot water to make tea, chewing a piece of ginger, or using ginger generously when you cook.

Pasta (hold the red sauce)
Tomatoes and heavy sauces are a no-no for people with GERD—which rules out a lot of classic Italian dishes (unfortunately). For those with a craving for pasta, the National Heartburn Alliance recommends thin, broth-like sauces. And using a whole-wheat pasta will boost your fiber intake.

I personally like to make a garlic sauce.  Make sure you use locally grown garlic to make sure the import process has not killed off the health benefits of your garlic.

Beans
Certain fatty meats, such as ground beef, are thought to trigger heartburn. Beans are an excellent source of protein and fiber and a great alternative to meat. If you have GERD, they should be a regular feature in your diet.

Almonds
Raw almonds are wonderful if you're looking for a mid-day snack.  It's loaded with protein and vitamins, and you can be quite satisfied by just eating a handful.

I found a chart that's pretty handy, to which I both added and put some notes for you.  I definitely don't subscribe to eating all these foods, particularly the cookies.  But take a look:

Safe Foods for the Acid Reflux Diet

Food Group	Foods With Little Potential to Cause Heartburn
Fruit	• Apple, fresh • Apple, dried • Apple juice • Banana • Melons • Strawberries Try to limit high calorie fruits.
Vegetables	• Baked potato • Broccoli • Cabbage • Carrots • Green beans • Peas • Romaine or iceberg lettuce • Eggplant • Celery • Sweet bell peppers • Lentils • Watercress Some websites warn against eating vegetables rich in starch, such as potato, sweet potato, carrots, brussel sprouts, tomatos and turnips.
Meat	• Ground beef, extra-lean • Steak, London Broil • Chicken breast, skinless • Turkey meat • Egg whites • Egg substitute • Fish, no added fat • Shrimp, crab meat I've read that pork may not be good for GERD.
Dairy	• Cheese, feta or goat • Cream cheese, fat-free • Sour cream, fat-free • Soy cheese, low-fat Just make sure you're not lactose intolerant or that lactose in some way may be the cause of your GERD.  Cut all lactose out then introduce it again to see if this may be the cause.
Grains	• Bread, mult-grain or white • Cereal, bran or oatmeal • Corn bread • Graham crakers • Pretzels • Rice, brown or white • Rice cakes Just keep in mind that your GERD may be cause because of some Gluten intolerance, so try to cut glutens out then introduce them to see how you feel.
Beverages	• Mineral water • Alkaline water I've read some articles on the benefits of alkaline water, so this may be worth a try.
Fats / Oils	• Salad dressing, low-fat • Olive oil • Coconut oil Try to limit the use of oils as much as possible because, as you probably know, grease can aggravate GERD.
Sweets / Desserts	• Cookie, fat-free • Jelly beans • Red licorice • Potato chips, baked I've been staying far away from all kinds of deserts period, but you can give these a try and note how you feel.

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.

My GERD Cause: Eating Too Little, Eating Too Much

My hate of food goes back to when I was young, being told I wasn't skinny enough.  So I started starving myself.  Unfortunately, my love of food would call me back and I would eat and eat a lot.  I'm not sure if I was a binge eater per se, particularly during my college years.  I was quite thin and eating was just something you did between all the other stuff going on.  This all changed when I came back home and started to work.

Once you're working, going out to eat becomes a big part of socializing.  You eat, you drink, and sometimes you eat some more to sober up before you pass out.  However, as I got older and exercised less, while still going out then I started to put in more pounds.  This is when I discovered lemonade cleanses (which most people I knew used as a diet really).  At some point I lost 20lbs doing that cleanse, just to be told by my doctor that I was much too weak because I had lost so much muscle mass.  I also suspect that doing those lemonade cleanse (ie. starvation diets) led to other health complications, which I wont go into right now.

At some point I just couldn't do the lemonade cleanses, so I started doing crazy calorie diets, trying to stop myself at 1,000 a day; though 1200 was the very minimum they recommended for me.  This is when my binging really started.  I would devoutly keep my diet but once I was off the diet then I just lost all control and would buy like $20 worth of candy, ice cream, and cookies.  I wasn't a big chip person, all sugar for me.  You'd laugh now but I was quite good at eating right during the day, organic, local, all that bs that at night I completely forgot.  Also, I'd control myself all day, whether by choice or because I was busy, then just eat as much as I wanted at night, which was always too much.  Then I'd crash.  I think going to bed with my stomach twice the size of what it should be was an every day thing.  I blamed it on my scheduled: work was at fault for me working late hours so of course I have to eat late then go to bed full.

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.