kevkev100
06-18-2008, 06:37 PM
me 6 years
Sponsor
TEdds83
06-19-2008, 02:35 AM
Can I ask what a PPI is?? I am still wondering. Thanks!
mardebjs
06-21-2008, 10:46 PM
ppi is a class of drugs proton pump inhibitors like Prilosec,Nexium,Prevacid etc
Ish
06-21-2008, 10:56 PM
I have been on PPIs since January 2007.
MountainReader
06-22-2008, 12:47 AM
6 1/2 years for me. Prilosec, Protonix for 4 years, Prevacid 2x/day for 2 years, just started on Nexium a couple weeks ago.
FLFLOWERGIRL
06-22-2008, 01:15 AM
I have been on them for 8 yrs, 40 mg Nexium. I now have malabsorption of iron the GI doc says, due to long term use of these drugs. Last year I had no iron left in my body and my blood dropped 1 1/2 points away from needing a blood transfusion. It has taken 1 1/2 yrs to replete my iron stores because of the slow iron absorption rate. Just thought I would FYI you guys on this. I remain on PPI'S, they do help a little. FLFLOWERGIRL:)
flowergirl2day
06-22-2008, 02:19 AM
flowergirl, :)
I am wondering how the low iron manifests itself. Are there any skin abnormalities - such as discolored areas? Bruises where there shouldn't be any? Or am I confusing this with anemia?
I take 40mg Nexium - have been doing it for about 11 months or so. I am concerned about its long-term effects. How did you find out about your low iron levels? Are there any other side effects from long-term use of the PPIs? What prompted your doctor to test for low iron levels, and what were your symptoms?
Many thanks,
flowergirl
I am wondering how the low iron manifests itself. Are there any skin abnormalities - such as discolored areas? Bruises where there shouldn't be any? Or am I confusing this with anemia?
I take 40mg Nexium - have been doing it for about 11 months or so. I am concerned about its long-term effects. How did you find out about your low iron levels? Are there any other side effects from long-term use of the PPIs? What prompted your doctor to test for low iron levels, and what were your symptoms?
Many thanks,
flowergirl
FLFLOWERGIRL
06-22-2008, 12:28 PM
flowergirl, :)
I am wondering how the low iron manifests itself. Are there any skin abnormalities - such as discolored areas? Bruises where there shouldn't be any? Or am I confusing this with anemia?
I take 40mg Nexium - have been doing it for about 11 months or so. I am concerned about its long-term effects. How did you find out about your low iron levels? Are there any other side effects from long-term use of the PPIs? What prompted your doctor to test for low iron levels, and what were your symptoms?
Many thanks,
flowergirl
flowergirl2day--Bruising can also be assiciated with anemia so you are correct in your thinking. 11 months is not a long time but the problem is, you cannot really stop taking them if they are needed. I have no answer to this either.
I developed PICA--a craving for non-food substances. My craving was for ice chips, sounds funny if you have never heard of this. I had to have it like a really bad addiction. Blood tests revealed that I was anemic, a hemaglobin of 8.5 now I am now 14.4 and a Ferritin of 2 now I am at 41 and should be 50-70-100 for optimal health but cannot seem to get there. I don't know first hand about any other S/E's other than what I have read and you already know that information I'm sure.
So, no iron lead the doctor to believe (as all doctor's say at first) if you are female it is due to heavy periods. This was after I had and Endo and Colonoscopy to R/O any internal bleeding, no problems there. I did have heavy cycles (but didn't think it was really the problem because I have been like that all of my life and NEVER anemic), I had surgery for it to be corrected because they told me I had too to stop the blood loss. Well, I never felt better for over a year and that is when it was finally obvious to the GI doc that it was related to the PPI's and it was malabsorption of iron. This also doesn't happen overnight, it takes years and years to happen. This is why I became really low in iron and never knew anything was happening to me (other then eating ice:(), because my body made the necessary adjustments and it goes undetected for too long. They never told me about this as being a possible S/E. I have to take supplements for the rest of my life or stop the PPI. My doctor said that he doesn't recommend the surgery because it does not last but a couple years at a time. He said there was one more drug that has lots of bad S/E's, I don't want to even think about that. FLFLOWERGIRL:)
I am wondering how the low iron manifests itself. Are there any skin abnormalities - such as discolored areas? Bruises where there shouldn't be any? Or am I confusing this with anemia?
I take 40mg Nexium - have been doing it for about 11 months or so. I am concerned about its long-term effects. How did you find out about your low iron levels? Are there any other side effects from long-term use of the PPIs? What prompted your doctor to test for low iron levels, and what were your symptoms?
Many thanks,
flowergirl
flowergirl2day--Bruising can also be assiciated with anemia so you are correct in your thinking. 11 months is not a long time but the problem is, you cannot really stop taking them if they are needed. I have no answer to this either.
I developed PICA--a craving for non-food substances. My craving was for ice chips, sounds funny if you have never heard of this. I had to have it like a really bad addiction. Blood tests revealed that I was anemic, a hemaglobin of 8.5 now I am now 14.4 and a Ferritin of 2 now I am at 41 and should be 50-70-100 for optimal health but cannot seem to get there. I don't know first hand about any other S/E's other than what I have read and you already know that information I'm sure.
So, no iron lead the doctor to believe (as all doctor's say at first) if you are female it is due to heavy periods. This was after I had and Endo and Colonoscopy to R/O any internal bleeding, no problems there. I did have heavy cycles (but didn't think it was really the problem because I have been like that all of my life and NEVER anemic), I had surgery for it to be corrected because they told me I had too to stop the blood loss. Well, I never felt better for over a year and that is when it was finally obvious to the GI doc that it was related to the PPI's and it was malabsorption of iron. This also doesn't happen overnight, it takes years and years to happen. This is why I became really low in iron and never knew anything was happening to me (other then eating ice:(), because my body made the necessary adjustments and it goes undetected for too long. They never told me about this as being a possible S/E. I have to take supplements for the rest of my life or stop the PPI. My doctor said that he doesn't recommend the surgery because it does not last but a couple years at a time. He said there was one more drug that has lots of bad S/E's, I don't want to even think about that. FLFLOWERGIRL:)
TEdds83
06-22-2008, 12:40 PM
Thanks for mentioning there are things that can happen with long term usage. I didn't know that enemia could develope. Is there anything else I should know about aside effects?? Right now I seem to need one most of the time. I have no idea if this will be lifelong or not. Seems this problem developes with age. After I hit 40 everything seems to be falling apart. lol
mardebjs
06-22-2008, 01:32 PM
took prevacid for 2 months in 2006 stopped then was fine until
May 2007 took rx for omerprazole 20mg for 4 months stopped for a few months took nexium for short time and then another rx for omerprazole but by another generic rx company for a few months. Stopped went on carafate not a ppi for 6 weeks. Just started Generic kroger brand omerprazole 20 mg 2 days ago.
May 2007 took rx for omerprazole 20mg for 4 months stopped for a few months took nexium for short time and then another rx for omerprazole but by another generic rx company for a few months. Stopped went on carafate not a ppi for 6 weeks. Just started Generic kroger brand omerprazole 20 mg 2 days ago.
flowergirl2day
06-23-2008, 12:06 AM
Thank you for your reply, flowergirl. :)
I don't see anything wrong with craving ice chips. Though they are not food, they are made of water. Water is a substance we cannot live without. Sometimes disorders of fluid volume occur, resulting either in an excess or a deficiency of fluid. Is it possible your system just needed extra fluids during the periods of iron insufficiency? I wish I knew more about these issues.
In any case, taking Nexium for life does not appeal to me. I stopped it for several days as an experiment. The first couple of days without Nexium were OK. The third one was not. I feel better with the Nexium than without it. :(
flowergirl
I don't see anything wrong with craving ice chips. Though they are not food, they are made of water. Water is a substance we cannot live without. Sometimes disorders of fluid volume occur, resulting either in an excess or a deficiency of fluid. Is it possible your system just needed extra fluids during the periods of iron insufficiency? I wish I knew more about these issues.
In any case, taking Nexium for life does not appeal to me. I stopped it for several days as an experiment. The first couple of days without Nexium were OK. The third one was not. I feel better with the Nexium than without it. :(
flowergirl
FLFLOWERGIRL
06-23-2008, 01:07 AM
Flowergirl--It has nothing to do with fluids. It is a strange thing and I really don't know how to explain it. My Hematologist said it's something to do with ~caveman times~ but I do not remember. Some people eat clay, paper, startch and things like that. After taking iron supplement about 2 weeks it went away. Doc said you get nothing from the ice, not like you would think.
I do not want to take PPI's either. I didn't realize that it had been 8 yrs taking PPI's until the doctors asked me. It goes by really quickly. I feel like there are no options but what will be next? It's terrible that one disease causes another problem to happen. FLFLOWERGIRL:)
I do not want to take PPI's either. I didn't realize that it had been 8 yrs taking PPI's until the doctors asked me. It goes by really quickly. I feel like there are no options but what will be next? It's terrible that one disease causes another problem to happen. FLFLOWERGIRL:)
Vanessa74
06-23-2008, 12:49 PM
Hi FLFLowergirl,
When I was a child (I am 34) my mom used to eat ice like it was going out of STYLE. She carried it with her everywhere she went and crunched it down.
This was before the time of bottled water - and all the ice cubes came from our tap water - we had a well. Anyway - turns out she had an iron defiency and our well water had LOTS of iron (go figure).... I have heard that long term PPI use can cause an iron defiency. Maybe you could get your's checked?
Best of luck to you....
Vanessa
When I was a child (I am 34) my mom used to eat ice like it was going out of STYLE. She carried it with her everywhere she went and crunched it down.
This was before the time of bottled water - and all the ice cubes came from our tap water - we had a well. Anyway - turns out she had an iron defiency and our well water had LOTS of iron (go figure).... I have heard that long term PPI use can cause an iron defiency. Maybe you could get your's checked?
Best of luck to you....
Vanessa
scott1360
06-23-2008, 03:07 PM
6 years of PPIs for me(Im only 25!). Just had a blood test and all my levels are fine but that is always a concern I have. I think I will be on PPIs for life so just need to monitor any possible deficiencies.
Also, Nature Made, makes a line of RX essentials with extra minerals/vitamins based on several prescription drugs (there is one for acid reflux medicine). Anyone know if this is actually beneficial? I want to ask my doc.
Also, Nature Made, makes a line of RX essentials with extra minerals/vitamins based on several prescription drugs (there is one for acid reflux medicine). Anyone know if this is actually beneficial? I want to ask my doc.
FLFLOWERGIRL
06-23-2008, 05:20 PM
Vanessa--Thanks. Did you mean have my iron checked? I have had it checked and that was the problem I ran out of it. Thanks again. FLFLOWERGIRL:)
FLFLOWERGIRL
06-23-2008, 05:22 PM
Scott--Men tend to do better (but keep an eye on your ferritin) because they do not have added monthly blood loss. Lucky you! FLFLOWERGIRL:)