Hoping someone can give honest advice-Long term Prilosec use for acid reflux?
I have been using Prilosec for the last 5 years after being diagnosed with GERD. Seemed to work great for a long time, now I still have acid reflux and I’m worried about the long term use of this stuff.
My Dr. says its fine to use. At the same time, I’m living everyday with chronic fatigue,daily headaches that turn to migraines,feeling miserable,aching everywhere- on top of that now sinus tachycardia and heart problems. Then I’m told well I have Fibromyalgia.
Ok, Randomly today I happen to run into 2 older ladies that flat out said, don’t use that Prilosec as I was in the CVS isle buying more.
One said she almost died from long term use of prilosec and for years had anemia and her iron was depleted. I’m scared now and would like to know if I can stop Prilosec suddenly and completely without withdrawl symptoms? The box says do not stop treatment.
That is for a 14 day dose. I’ve been taking it for years and now I’m worried.
Could using this for years have made my fatigue worse and feeling terrible and the migraines and heart trouble?
Could this have hurt my stomach or damaged anything.
I don’t want to depend on a drug to control acid and the GERD all day.
Filed under: Gerd Treatments
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Your concerns about Prilosec (and all acid-inhibiting drugs) is right on point. In addition, your diversity of symptoms suggest that acid reflux is NOT the cause of your problems, but a product of the underlying condition that is probably causing all or most of your symptoms.
First, Prilosec causes malabsorption of various nutrients (e.g. Vitamin B12, iron, Zinc, etc.) Deficiency of any or all of these can lead to anemia.
Second, Prilosec causes Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), which can cause a variety of problems, including more acid reflux!
Finally, as you are recognizing, Prilosec does NOT treat the CAUSE of your reflux. It is a symptom masking drug only.
Fatigue, headaches, fibromyalgia, etc. can be long-term consequences of nutrient deficiencies and/or SIBO.
Additionally, some other underlying condition that caused your reflux in the first place may be present. The most likely is Celiac Disease (CD) – an autoimmune disease that damages the small intestine and leads to malabsorption of nutrients (if you have CD, you could have a "double-whammy" of malabsorption caused by the disease and the Prilosec!). CD is caused by an allergic reaction to the proteins in wheat, rye and barley called glutens/gliadins. The only treatment is nutritional – avoidance of all sources of glutens/gliadins in your diet (which is why most medical doctors routinely ignore this COMMON condition).
It might be wise to have a thorough evaluation by a nutritionally trained health care professional.
Best wishes and good luck.
That is crazy, I have acid reflux and was out of Prilosec and drank a glass of chocolate milk and it went away. Crazy i know. But it worked. My wife works in a nursing home and the residents have to go through hell to get tums or anything like that and she gave a woman the chocolate milk and gone. So, unfortunatley I cant help you out too much. But I dont by the Prilosec anymore. Also its still a chemical your putting in your body. Good luck hope things work out.
did you read the side effects on the package..
there was a recent study saying liong term use of the products can actually make gerd worse…