PPI's {Prilosec,Nexium etc} can mimic Benzo type withdrawal symptoms.

[[jo...]]

Thanks Kristina

I stupidly dropped by 25% for a week with some discomfort at the end of the week then dropped by another 25% but only lasted a few days before returning to 20mg per day. It only took a day or so to feel better.

You would have thought I would know better having spent 11 months tapering from benzos.

I did the drop by opening the capsules and counting the beads of medicine inside, I think I will do this again but drop by max 5% per week and see how it goes.

 

2trusting

 

2trusting, I'm going to do a very slow taper of my Nexium by counting the granules, too. I've already begun averaging the number of granules in five capsules (the FDA allows a variance since the dosage is based on weight) to get an idea of how many to plan in the taper. I found an app to help with the counting but it still requires very intense concentration Even with the app, I'm struggling with horrible WD from Klonopin right now so my concentration is awful. How'd you do it?

[[jo...]]

Anyone, please advise!

 

I believe that my Nexium is making me very sick. I know some of you have written about it and I think it's true for me because every day, what I have thought was a continuous cycling through of all my sxs has only become worse and worse. I'm ready to just stop it because the counting of granules is just too big a job for me right now with my trembling hands, DR, dizziness, high BP, etc. I bought a pack of Nexium 20mg, thinking I might drop down to those for awhile, but I need to get off it altogether. Can I just switch over to Pepcid AC instead?

 

If any of you have experience with switching to another med. instead of just stopping, please let me know if this is a good plan. I never had confirmed GERD--I think it was anxiety from my clonazepam tolerance and they just put me on one Nexium 40mg a day--forever.

 

So, is it okay to just switch, or not? Please advise because I want to start this tomorrow morning and get my good life back again!

[[jo...]]

Hello, anyone??? Please reply

 

I stopped yesterday, March 16, and I'm armed with Gaviscon (took one today), Prelief (none yet), and Pepcid AC (took one yesterday). I don't have any rebound heartburn sxs yet, but I know that I'm far from out of the woods. If you have ANY advice for me, PLEASE share because I have too much to lose sleep over already without messing myself up even more over the Nexium.

[[XA...]]

Wow thank you so much for starting this group... I started taking 20mg of Omeprazole twice a day On March 6th in addition to the 40 mg twice a day of famotidine I had already been taking for GERD. This was my doctor's prescription after I presented with pretty severe gastritis / ulcer type pains in my stomach and small intestine issues as well... I had already been taking pretty high doses of ibuprofen for tendonitis for a number of years, And right before the stomach pains began I had upped the ibuprofen dose temporarily due to a bad flare up-was medicating a bit with alcohol and also under a lot of stress. I realize now looking back that when the pains began I had also been on Xanax for about a week. Hmmm

 

After 2 weeks of the PPI twice a day (and quitting all ibuprofen/alcohol) my symptoms were improving so I dropped to 20 mg once a day for one week and Seemed to be doing okay. However I had already become hip to how nasty these drugs can be and decided to try a supplement called mastic after reading many success stories using it to get off of ppis. Bad idea. Somehow the mastic seemed to cancel the acid drugs all together and I had a horrible acid rebound that lasted several days Despite still taking the PPI and famotidine.

 

So I went back up to two 20 mg tabs of Omeprazole a day (plus the famotidine)- The acid rebound abated and slowly my stomach started healing as it was before. I am still not completely symptom-free but 5 days ago decided I wanted to start weaning off the PPI And dropped my second dose of the day to 10 mg instead of 20. So far so good but after reading @Kristina538 Success story with a much slower taper I’m wondering if I should be concerned dropping so quick.

 

Gauging my symptoms has also become of course complicated by the fact that I tried tapering Xanax too quickly (see signature) And we all know by now the gastrointestinal pain / problems can be a withdrawal symptom. Scheduled to have an endoscopy in about a month to rule anything else out.

 

Sure is tricky ain't it? :/

 

(p.s. I'm using a voice to text app so I apologize for the random capitalizations lol)

[[Kr...]]

Using Omeprazole for under 3 months apparently wont give you the wd sxs ur unless you need to take it permanently you shouldn’t be on it longer than 3 months and you shouldn’t need to taper as slow (may be able to just stop).  Any problems with stopping would be likely that the same condition that you started them for, was still a problem.  I hope that helps and that you’re able to come off easily and quickly with no problems xxx

[[XA...]]

Kristina538 - thanks for your input; I'm still going to taper but much quicker than you did, and I hope you're right and that the short time frame means I'll get off of it without problems. I appreciate the support!

[[So...]]

Hello:

 

This thread is so helpful for people who are on these type of drugs. I know these drugs can be a lifesaver for many, but hell for others. Unfortunately, I belong to the latter group, and I am in need of some advice and encouragement with my omeprazole experience.

 

Last week I decided to finally go to a GI PA because for a couple of months I had  developed stomach pain, indigestion, bloating, burning, constipation, acid reflux. I attributed this to the fact that I had abuse taking NSAIDS and other supplements for the withdrawal headaches I was suffering. Fortunately, the headaches subsided and was able to stop all those supplements, but was left with the GI discomfort. So I went to the doc, and she prescribed 20mg omeprazole up to 40mg if no improvement. I started taking the 20mg last week and the sxs subsided a bit, but I was not being very careful on my diet; so I was not feeling much improvement. Two days ago I bumped it to 40mg and felt a lot of relief; but last night it gave me the worse insomnia like if I were in acute again.

 

I asked the doc if this drugs could make my insomnia worse and she said no. I should have known better than to trust a doc again. She also said that one can stop it at anytime; that there is no such thing as acid rebound. I have read too many posts to learn that this is not true for many. So I am freaking out that I may have aggravated my insomnia. Has anyone experience this with this type of drugs?

 

Now I am not sure what to do? Should i go back to the 20mg or stop or switch? I am doing a very strickt anti-inflammatory diet and it is helping a lot. I understand DGL might help, but which is a good brand? The label on some brands are full of processed sugars like manitol, xilitol, etc and this can also make gastritis worse. Has anyone tried slippery elm tea or any other alternative supplements like Gastrex from Standard Process. I think my CNS is still very sensitive and now I have set me back. I have been sleeping so much better until I bumped it to 40mg. I know some people have it a lot worse than me, and I don't mean to sound like a complainer. I just need support and thank you for letting me vent out my fears.