I've been on omeprazole since March and my doctor wants to start getting me off of it in July since long term use can lead to very weak bones and I'm only 20 years old. It helps for the most part, as long as I stay very strictly to my acid reflux diet, but I really want to find something natural that works for when I can no longer take the omeprazole.
I've been doing some reading on Aleo Vera juice and I'm curious if anyone knows much about it. Does it have bad long term effects too? I heard some rumor of people with O type blood being susceptible to an allergy? I haven't been able to find any information on this, so I'm not sure if it's fact or a rumor. It's definitely something I'm willing to try though (I'll try pretty much anything at this point). I just figure that if I can get off the omeprazole and feel pretty good then I'd love to do that.
In my opinion, there is no cure for acid reflux and probably no medication and/or remedies that work as well as PPI's for many people.
These are the natural remedies I have tried that seem to help, but I have not conducted a controlled study to know for sure:
1) A diet that minimizes triggers and stays low on carbs. Therefore, I seem to eat lean meats, veggies, salads and certain fruits such as pears and peaches. Lots of refined carbs, bread, oatmeal, and dairy trigger reflux symptoms for me.
2) I take an H2 blocker twice a day. As far as I know H2 blockers do not interfere with nutrient absorption as much as PPI's do because they are not as effective as PPI's in producing acid suppression.
3) Aloe juice is soothing to the GI tract. I drink aloe juice here and there and probably have two to three small cupfulls through the day.
4) I also use DGL, which is a form of licorice from which a substance that raises blood pressure has been removed to avoid that side effect. DGL comes in tablets and can be purchased at the healthfood store.
5) I take melatonin at night (5 mg) because it helps me sleep and because there have been a few very limited studies that suggest melatonin has a protective effect on the stomach and may help with reflux.
6) Apple cider vinegar. Some people claim it helps if you take two tablespoons morning and night diluted in water. I have used it on and off and I am not sure whether or not it helps. I don't think it hurts any, though, and maybe worth a try. I put mine in a cup of warm water with a little bit of honey and it is not that bad.
7) Coffee, dairy, green peppers, and most wheat products are triggers for me. I can have steak, bacon, eggs, etc. and they don't bother me. I stay away from things that are very spicy or acidic. Interestingly, I can drink lemmonade without any ill effects or heartburn.
Aloe vera juice is certainly worth a try, though I am not sure that alone will control true symptoms of reflux.
A word of warning, get off your PPI's very slowly due to acid rebound, which is something you should probably read about before you wean off the PPI.
I am glad to hear your doctor is expressing concerns about long term PPI use.
Yes, whatever you do, do NOT cold turkey on that med. I was on the same medication for only two weeks and when I stopped the rebound hit hard and I'm still enduring pain after 4-5 weeks. I believe it's probably better to gradually reduce your dosage and bring in some H2 blockers as a buffer, if needed, so that your body can adjust and learn how to produce acid on its own. Read around on these boards - everyone seems to have different methods and rates of success with various foods and suppliments.
Yeah, I'm not stoping my medication without the consent of my doctor. We're going to slowly get me off it starting in the middle of July. I actually ran out of it for a week about a month ago, and the rebound was awful. I have made sure that I will never run out again... I feel your pain. I'm still feeling the effects of stoping suddenly as well. It really sucks because I was doing extremely well before that.
Rebound is very, very real. Taper off very, very gradually. Otherwise, you go on a merry go round cycle. You stop, the acid comes back with a vengeance, you start the PPI again, and can never quite get off. Rebound can last several months.
I hope your physician knows about this and starts to get you off the PPI's very gradually, i.e., every other day, every three days, every four days and so on. You will probably have to supplement with H2 blockers and antiacids for a while.
It is possible to weane oneself off these medications. It just takes time, patience and an arsenal of remedies. Or at least that was my experience.
I spoke with a wholistic M.D. this morning who immediately suggested Aloe Vera juice for same. I am a doubter of the allergy-related O blood type however, and I am O+ - I plan to try it myself, when I can find it - J
Hi all..
I have posted on this once before...
please try PROPOLIS...it is completely natural you can get it at any farmers market,,best to get it there then you know it is only propolis...it comes from bees,,has been proven for gastritis and other stomach complaints..do some research..i did...my friend has ulcers and he stopped taking prevacid that he was on cold turkey,,started takin 2 propolis in the morning along with a royal jelly capsule and can eat and drink whatever he wants...did not have rebound reflux or anything..it was amazing..he said it truly saved him...here in canada there are only a few true places that make it without any other non organic junk in it...it comes from bees and is there protection against disease and bacteria...just google it you will be amazed.
i hope this helps..not trying to push it on anyone..but its all natural and it does work...
I have also tried DGL its not bad..there is also an acid reflux tea that you can get at the health food store..i find that it works pretty good...as i have been cutting myself down from prevacid twice a day to once a day and next week only going to take it every other day...
Manuka honey is supposed to be really good too,,,comes from new zealand and has stomach healing properties as well.
Good luck
Hope you feel better.
Spunky
Hello, I've been through the rebound and it was the most horrible part of my life. Thank God I am now doing much better, I stopped the PPI (protonix) 7 months ago. The rebound caused me a horrible depression. Since the last week of February I've been taking natural remedies that a Naturopath gave me. I take liquid flora, calcium-magnesium, Slippery elm tea (when I need it), and a tablet that has slippery elm-marshmellow root-licorice root, and ocassionaly I drink organic apple juice with organic aloe vera juice. I've also been eating raw (veggies and fruits), eating healthier, avoiding fried foods, I've been juicing, etc. But this is just part of it, I've also been praying and my faith has definitely made everything better and I read healing scriptures everyday which has given me hope and I know that my body is healing everyday more and more.
Acid reflux can be cured. I used to think that there was no cure but if you do change your diet and are positive, you can get cured. It takes time, but you'll get there. The first months of acid rebound are horrible (sometimes I still get bad days but I used to have 7 bad days in a week, then 6..... like that, now 1 or 2 if I feel stressed or if I eat unhealthy). Sometimes I have 0 bad days. I hope that you feel better soon. BTW: that's great that your doctor is helping you get off the PPI's, with my doctors it was the opposite and we even argued but still I didn't go back to those bad meds (for me they were bad, although I know that for other people they are good).
