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You Can Break Free From Dependence On Acid Reflux Medications

I want to share a concern regarding GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) medicines. It is also important to point out that I am not a medical doctor and speak only from long time experience with a medication labeled as a proton pump inhibitor.

My surfaced in 2008. I say that it began then but it goes back to the 1970s when I initially experienced my first bouts with severe acid reflux. But it was in 2008 when the problem developed into a cancer scare.

On the evening after eating some greasy barbecued ribs I began to have severe pain in my abdomen. This was the second time that I had experienced such agonizing pain so I was very sure that this was another gall bladder attack.

My wife rushed me to the ER where they proceeded to run tests that confirmed my gall bladder was indeed the culprit. Since the attack came on a Saturday there was not a doctor available to perform the operation until Monday. By mid-week I was back home and the following week I was well enough to return to work.

Not long after, I received a letter from the hospital noting that in one of my x-rays they were concerned about an unexplained spot at the base of my esophagus. Another round of tests resulted in a consultation with a gastrointestinal specialist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Kirkland Clinic.

In the 4 months that followed I was exposed to just about every possible test. Each test came back with the same result that cancer was present. However, the there was yet reason for hope because each of 3 biopsies came back negative. Eventually my doctor told me that he had been working with cancer patients for many years and he was now persuaded that I was not one of them.

It was at that point that he wrote a prescription for proton pump inhibitor and told me go on home.

The medicine, known by the brand name Nexium, is a "tried everything else" drug and is prescribed for severe acid reflux. This type of drug diminishes the production of stomach acid and stops reflux. It is slow to start and takes a few days to produce the desired result but it is very effective in putting an end to reflux.

It didn't cross my mind when I received the prescription for the drug that I was getting myself into a lifetime dependency situation. Whenever I missed taking the drug for a few days my heartburn and acid reflux attacks came back with a vengeance.

Late in 2010 I decided to quit my job and elevate my home business to a full-time enterprise. It was a dream that I had been pursuing for a long time but I put it off due to concerns over insurance benefits.

Not yet in a position to purchase insurance I decided to go without it for awhile. I had lost 40 pounds and was feeling good about my chances of going it without insurance. My most pressing concern was continuing to pay for my one and only prescription, the infamous purple pill.

The time for my monthly refill finally arrived. Off to the drugstore I went as I had before. My co-pay had been $35 but this time the prescription bill was a shocking $200+. I hesitated for a moment, considered how we needed to pinch pennies, and opted out of the purchase. If there was a time to break my dependency on heartburn medications this was it.

The first couple of days weren’t bad but on the 3rd day I began to experience “withdrawal.” My stomach hurt, my head ached, and there was a growing pressure behind my breastbone that made it difficult to breathe normally. I recall lying awake one night wondering if I would survive until morning.

I was careful not to eat anything that would trigger a reflux attack. To aid in digestion I increased the raw fruits and vegetables in my diet. Also important was not eating 3 hours prior to bedtime.

The battle lasted three weeks and finally the symptoms disappeared. No more heartburn, no more pain, and no more drugs.

I have heard that prolonged use of proton pump inhibitors can cause cancer. If that is true I am uncertain. But one thing I do know is that you can become dependent on these pharmaceuticals and other similar GERD medications. To break free requires an enormous effort.

I don’t regret taking the drug because it helped me at a time in my life when I really needed it. But, like we learned when we were kids, it is best to “just say no” to drugs.

When you become dependent on prescription drugs you relinquish control of your life. To win the battle against severe heartburn and reflux you can take back control of your life by adopting a healthy lifestyle with plenty of exercise and good nutrition.

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