THE SWEET SPOT
My journal on my expedition to Bandlandia and my adventures there. I plan to stay forever (been to Onederland many times, but I never stayed long). Join me!
My journal on my expedition to Bandlandia and my adventures there. I plan to stay forever (been to Onederland many times, but I never stayed long). Join me!
12/16/09 Heartburn Relief?
Posted 12-16-2009 at 10:24 AM by Band_Groupie
Well, it’s been over 8 weeks since I started my regime (Nexium, Papaya Enzymes, Antacids, and changing eating habits) for the Acid Reflux I was having (read HERE). I’ll tell you that about a week or so after starting this I almost called the doc for a small unfill. The burning was getting much better and I still wasn’t having any nighttime or tightness issues (that indicate an unfill), but the ‘globus sensation’- lump in your throat (sometimes people get only this and not the burning) was driving me nuts. Then it suddenly got better.
At my yearly Physical last week we decided that I should try coming off the Nexium since my symptoms are better. I’ve still got a tiny bit of burning, but only when I drink wine or eat something really spicy (so I avoid that). Remember that I told you that Nexium has a healing rate of 90% at 9 weeks, if caught early. It’s been almost 9 weeks now.
Another reminder that I told you that a study that just came out this year said that suddenly stopping Nexium can cause an overproduction of acid…even in people that did NOT have heartburn to begin with (but the study offered no solutions for this). I asked my PCP about ‘tapering off’ and she said it wasn’t necessary. Well, smart me, I just thought she hadn’t seen that recent study and I know better.
Last night I started my ‘taper off’. I had the bright idea to cut that little purple pill (it’s not a pill, it’s a capsule) in half…but how to do that?!! Well, inventive me, I came up with a bright idea! I took a match to a knife to get it hot and my plan was that the capsule would cut in half and seal each side back together because of the heat. Well, like many of my bright ideas, it didn’t work. As my DH pointed out, the capsule isn’t a plastic, so instead of melting together the heat made the edges ‘shrink back’ and the contents to start dumping out.
Not one to give up easily (and still set on the fact that I didn‘t want the acid ‘bounce back‘), I decided just to eat one of the halves that was now open with the tiny beads of medicine spilling out. Unfortunately we went shopping yesterday evening and I’d forgotten to take this before dinner (which is when I’ve been taking it). It was now about 9:30pm and I took it right before heading to bed…tasted awful, but I washed it down. I’m laying in bed and all the sudden that awful, awful taste was back!!! The only thing I had handy was some water and cough drops on my bedside stand and this needed an immediate fix!!! I tried the water, which offered short-term relief, but it came back the minute I laid back down…water…big mistake at bedtime…and I knew that from my research on heartburn…even drinking water before bed makes the acid (or awful taste in this case) come back up into the pouch. Let’s just say I was sitting up the next hour sucking on cough drops.
Tonight…another bright idea…I’ll try taking my ½ capsule with some food at dinner. We'll see how that works and as soon as I'm off the Nexium completely, and the acid begins production again, I'll know if the heartburn is truly better. Stay tuned…
At my yearly Physical last week we decided that I should try coming off the Nexium since my symptoms are better. I’ve still got a tiny bit of burning, but only when I drink wine or eat something really spicy (so I avoid that). Remember that I told you that Nexium has a healing rate of 90% at 9 weeks, if caught early. It’s been almost 9 weeks now.
Another reminder that I told you that a study that just came out this year said that suddenly stopping Nexium can cause an overproduction of acid…even in people that did NOT have heartburn to begin with (but the study offered no solutions for this). I asked my PCP about ‘tapering off’ and she said it wasn’t necessary. Well, smart me, I just thought she hadn’t seen that recent study and I know better.
Last night I started my ‘taper off’. I had the bright idea to cut that little purple pill (it’s not a pill, it’s a capsule) in half…but how to do that?!! Well, inventive me, I came up with a bright idea! I took a match to a knife to get it hot and my plan was that the capsule would cut in half and seal each side back together because of the heat. Well, like many of my bright ideas, it didn’t work. As my DH pointed out, the capsule isn’t a plastic, so instead of melting together the heat made the edges ‘shrink back’ and the contents to start dumping out.
Not one to give up easily (and still set on the fact that I didn‘t want the acid ‘bounce back‘), I decided just to eat one of the halves that was now open with the tiny beads of medicine spilling out. Unfortunately we went shopping yesterday evening and I’d forgotten to take this before dinner (which is when I’ve been taking it). It was now about 9:30pm and I took it right before heading to bed…tasted awful, but I washed it down. I’m laying in bed and all the sudden that awful, awful taste was back!!! The only thing I had handy was some water and cough drops on my bedside stand and this needed an immediate fix!!! I tried the water, which offered short-term relief, but it came back the minute I laid back down…water…big mistake at bedtime…and I knew that from my research on heartburn…even drinking water before bed makes the acid (or awful taste in this case) come back up into the pouch. Let’s just say I was sitting up the next hour sucking on cough drops.
Tonight…another bright idea…I’ll try taking my ½ capsule with some food at dinner. We'll see how that works and as soon as I'm off the Nexium completely, and the acid begins production again, I'll know if the heartburn is truly better. Stay tuned…
Total Comments 10
Comments
-
Girl...I love your posts! So colorful and honest!
[url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/weight-loss/wsdgl8C/]
Posted 12-16-2009 at 11:10 AM by LauraKey
-
I hope it works - this half pill idea. I can't wait to read what happens next...Posted 12-16-2009 at 11:30 AM by ldswims -
Thanks, I hope it works...they really need a pill cutter for capsules! -BGPosted 12-16-2009 at 01:55 PM by Band_Groupie - Good Luck I really hope it works for you.... I have a question for you Im newbie so i would like to know what the papaya enzymes that you talk about are? And wr do you buy them? Thanks.Posted 12-16-2009 at 05:18 PM by ellaal01
-
Instead of l/2 pill, how about 1 pill every other day for a while. That's what I had planned on doing when I taper off.Posted 12-16-2009 at 07:59 PM by grizzlyrider - Good idea pd! DH is convinced he has a new method that will work with his wire cutters (I think that's what they're called) tonight, so I'll let him give it a try. I'm pretty sure he'll fail miserably LOL, but I'll let my handyman go for it.
ella- Papaya enzymes are a chewable pill (I bought mine at WalMart, but lots of stores have them). They are an enzyme that helps to break down proteins (like the acid in your stomach does). There are also pineapple and kiwi ones (and some work better for some than others). Most people with the LB who take them do so when they get 'stuck' (food stuck in stoma). I'm pretty sure they don't work that fast, but some get 'stuck' for hours, so they can help (and even if I'm only stuck a short time...I don't care if it's a placebo even; they make me feel better). When I was researching heartburn many articles said that people were helped with the same enzymes so I'm giving it a try. -BGPosted 12-17-2009 at 07:43 AM by Band_Groupie -
Nexium is encapsulated to make it a sustained release medication so it's effect should last the 24 hours until you take another one. If you cut or open it...you are getting all the med at once or half the med (if you are taking half a capsule) at once which is meant to be slowly released over 12 hours...probably better to just taper off with something else that is not sustained release like some over the counter Zantac or equivalent...something that requires more frequent dosing. Pepcid or even Tums or the mixture of same ...keep at the bedside. I do however admire your inventive spirit on the pill cutting!Posted 12-17-2009 at 12:28 PM by xavier - Thanks GF...that would explain why no one invented a capsule cutter (DH method failed too). I've got Pepcid and Tums so I'll try that. -BGPosted 12-18-2009 at 08:17 AM by Band_Groupie
- Oh my god, this heartburn is killing me! I feel like I want the band OUTPosted 01-04-2010 at 10:20 PM by Ritamelvin
- Rita- Before it gets worse, call your doc as a small (even tiny) amount of unfill has made a huge difference for many. I've still got a little bit of burning, but not bad. The Tums are controlling it now, so I know it's better than it was. If you're having any problems during the night or it feels like your band is tighter, this can be serious. Best wishes! -BGPosted 01-05-2010 at 09:06 AM by Band_Groupie
