PPI FREE!!!!
As of Feb 28, 2018 after much research and struggle I am finally omeprazole free. YAY!!! Now to try to heal this sad tummy of mine. At least I'm mostly symptom free. Although if I eat really bad I KNOW about it right away. Which is ok, because it helps me eat better.
Here's an article about PPI and the dangers of extended use.
Now don't go hurrying to make this decision for yourself, I made this decision with my doctor's and pharmacist's help and guidance and over very long time with lots of reading and consideration and preparation. It started 2 years ago when I read a friend's post about how he was making this decision to go of his PPI. I wanted to know why, because I was happily living heartburn free. Then I read some studies, and realized, yikes this is not helping my magnesium deficiancy, which in turn is not helping my fibro, and it can cause increase in osteoporosis, not good for someone overweight already who doesn't need bone issues. Plus, increase in other stomach issues and increased risk of dementia.
I was on a daily dose of 20 mg of omeprazole. Occasionally using 40 mg on bad days. Especially when I was over 300 lbs a few years ago. I got that down to a strict 20 mg as I lost weight. Then I lost my job at CVS in 2015. Started working at Walgreens shortly thereafter. Which has been a HUGE blessing in that the stress level came down, but with it came longer shifts and a store with many junk eating options to buy and I don't always make the wisest choices when junk food is in front of me.
I've mostly cut out soda. I have maybe 1 per week. But I still enjoy fizzy water and tea. Or lemon water.
So in mid/late 2017 I started trying to cut my dose of omeprazole down a few pellets from inside the capsule per week. Finally I was down to 10 mg per day!!
Then the unthinkable happened. Mike (my father-in-law) became desperately ill. He'd been sick since mid-July with something respiratory. He was treated for pneumonia in September. He yo-yo'd with that thru November. Late November he was in the ER twice, finally landing in ICU. He was treated for many types of pneumonia, and then tested for Valley Fever and histoplasmosis. None of the above, finally they found out he had a rare type of pneumonia made worse by an underlying immune system problem previously unknown. He ended up hospitalized, vented twice and by December 25th he was gone. Less than 24 hours later we lost Pete (a very dear family friend, who I also viewed as a father figure) to cancer. I never even got to visit him.
I only include the above to show how horribly stressed I was. Between working 40+ hours a week during "snow-bird/Flu season, and trying to be at the hospital as much as possible, I was exhausted and not eating regularly etc. Life was terrible. I back slid to needing the occasional 20 mg. one day was a 40 mg day. It was bad.
January 2018 we had Dad and Pete's funerals. The worst since Papa died 15 years ago. It brought back so much of the pain of losing him too. I'm literally crying typing this. It was awful. The only relief is in my Bible based belief that we will see them again here on Earth in a future Paradise. It's the only thing that helps that pain.
View a video about this promise here:
So finally near the end of January I started my trip again. Down to 5 mg a day. Then in Feb. despite having friends here from Ohio all month I was alternating day's between Pepcid 40 mg and omeprazole 5 mg!!! The day our friends left to go back to Ohio I did another Pepcid instead of omeprazole! And the next day and the next, and the next! Its working! I'm still having a bit of back lash but it's only been 11 days. I'm supplementing with herbs, aloe and Apple Cider Vinegar.
So my next post I'll try to outline all of that and how I plan to continue this process.
In the meantime I'm off to work and I hope everyone has a great day!!
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