Pop a script and break your hip

[mike_d]

I always thought heartburn and GRD were best controlled with a LC diet, now more research bears this out:Taking such popular heartburn drugs as Nexium, Prevacid or Prilosec for a year or more can raise the risk of a broken hip markedly in people over 50, a large study in Britain found.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/12/26/burn.bones.ap/index.html
The researchers speculated that when the drugs reduce acid in the stomach, they also make it more difficult for the body to absorb bone-building calcium. That can lead to weaker bones and fractures.

Also, Buchman said it is not known whether the acid-fighting drugs prevent esophageal cancer. He said the risk of esophageal cancer has been exaggerated in the marketing of these drugs.
"I think the risk has been overplayed and scared the community," Buchman said.

[LC FP]

Proton pump inhibitors 6 months ago were implicated in increasing the rates of community acquired pneumonia, leading to excess deaths. 3 months ago, they were implicated in increasing the rates of C. diff colitis, a huge problem of antibiotic resistant bacteria invading the lining of the colon, leading to excess deaths. Now they're implicated in hip fractures, leading to excess deaths.

The demented media apparently forgot about the other 2 stories.

PPIs are prescribed like candy to adults and kids in this country, and prilosec is OTC.

But Nexium generates $4.6 billion in profits per year, so I doubt any real studies will be undertaken to prove that it's dangerous. Another example of your FDA at work.

[nawchem]

LC hasn't helped my gerd at all. I think its getting worse, sometimes when I'm drinking or eating my throat closes up and I can't breath. I'm hoping I can get the surgery that tightens the valve on the stomach since all the chemical treatments cause other issues, most of them haven't worked on me.

webmd- I think this is what happens to me
Laryngospasm is a brief spasm of the vocal cords. It can be frightening because it temporarily interrupts speech and breathing. Often the cause can't be determined. But it can be associated with severe gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Laryngospasm is unrelated to bronchospasm, which occurs in asthma.

A laryngospasm happens suddenly and usually lasts 30 to 60 seconds. During this time, you may experience great difficulty breathing through the upper airways in your voice box (larynx). Your vocal cords eventually relax without causing serious problems. Unfortunately, there's no effective medication to relax the vocal cords more quickly.

[ProfGumby]

This interests me greatly.

I too wonder why the other revelations were not mentioned...oh wait, no I don't. It was either as was already stated here, orthe person doing the story did not have a clue what they were even reporting onor didn't check to see if other implications were made.

The use of PPI's concerns me greatly as I was on Zantac and then Aciphex for a period of 5 or 6 years. The first bad thing I learned was the use of PPI's caused decreased absorbtion of nutrients. Then I learned the rest, then I quit taking them much to my doctors disagreement.

Anyway, the addition of fermented foods, vinegared(pickled) foods, yogurt and it's cousin kefir have helped my Gerd greatly. So has the addition of mostly raw veggies, raw cheeses and suppliments. (Included are biotin, vitamin D, Vitamin C, probiotics, digestive enzymes, L Glutamine, calcium and magnesium. This is over and above the multi vitamin and omega 3 oils I take.)

The most annyoing thing I have comer across in all this, and the greatest injustice is the popular opinion that one has acid reflux due to too much stomach acid, when it is being reported now that most have too little stomach acid!

Wanna see if you have too little acid? If your tummy is refluxing, eat a pickle. If your symptoms lessen, albeit temporarily, you most likely suffer from too little stomach acid.

Other factors that can help one with reflux, do not eat less than 3 hours before going to bed or lying down. Lie on your back or left side, elevate the bed 5 or 6 inches or so at the headboard. Drink no more than 8 oz of room temp water with meals. Take small bites. Eat slowly! Don't over eat!! And consider 5 or 6 small feedings rather than 3 squares a day. Vastly reduce or eliminate soda pop, junk food and heavily processed foods from your diet.

You may also find tomato based sauces and condiments and a few other things removed from your diet will help too.

Lastly, there are some folks with definate medical conditions that require surgery or other drastic (medication) options. But generally this is being shown to not be the case. I have found, and manyothers too, that simply providing the right diet regimen and supplimentation will allow you body to actually aid your recovery or even heal itself.

For consideration -
· Posted by: jjj34 (e mail removed) on Sat, Nov 19, 05 at 10:52
As an RN and someone with considerable experience in the field of allopathic and what is called "functional" medical research, I also have much personal experience with the apple cider vinegar and reflux.. I thought you might be interested to hear my story... I suffered for a LONG time with reflux, irritable bowel, and chronic vaginal infections - we're talking years! We couldn't find a reason or a cure - and trust me, I had motility tests, scope tests (endo and colon) - all the bloodwork in the world.. I tried everything alternative and conventional, believe me! Well, the time that I was on the Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid, or Protonix (yes I tried them all) was when all the conditions and symptoms were at their worst, including the reflux! I was more prone to infections of ALL kinds, (vaginal, colds, flus, chronic tonsillitis), the irritable bowel became unbearable, and the reflux just progressively got worse by the day, especially when we upped the dosage of whatever PPI I was taking. Well, that is when I came in contact with a doctor of "functional medicine" who is involved with cutting edge research at Albany Medical Center in NY. There is a new test out by Great Smokies Lab, called Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis, which, to avoid a long explanation, showed that I suffered from a specific type of intestinal dysbiosis of the SMALL intestine - a bacterial infection of the small intestine, the root of which lies in metabolic imbalance of some type. One of the main causes of this particular type of dysbiosis is LACK of stomach acid and weak digestion (or what is called poor intestinal motility). The effects of this also can be everything I was suffering from - greater susceptibility to infection, chronic vaginitis, etc. So I stopped the PPI (and trust me when I tell you, that was horrible, when you stop a proton pump inhibitor like nexium, the reflux will get worse for awhile, called "rebound reflux") and I was treated for the dysbiosis for about a month, after which the reflux persisted and the other problems I had kept trying to come back (although they were better). I tried the apple cider vinegar (on the advise of my physician) and it worked. No more reflux, no more irritable bowel, and I don't even take it anymore!! - Now to clarify, apple cider vinegar is NOT FOR EVERYONE!! There are certain people who DO suffer from reflux as a result of TOO MUCH stomach acid! In this case, yes, adding more acid is like putting kerosene on a fire! But there ARE people who suffer from reflux due to a LACK of stomach acid, and these people are actually just as common, if not more so, than the other type, and these people benefit remarkably well from the vinegar or hydrochloric acid/enzyme supplementation. But they are coming out with new tests every day that are allowing us to measure digestive and metabolic function and prove that this condition does exist! -There is also proof that in certain individuals, certain acids turn alkaline in their digestive systems and alkalines turn acid, but in others it is the opposite. So that is another consideration when treating reflux. However, these tests and conditions are not yet accepted by the average family physician or most of the "mainstream" medical society - you really have to get to a doctor who either practices functional medicine and/or is involved with a research group, major university, etc., so that they have knowledge of new tests and treatments (allopathic and alternatively speaking) and are fairly open-minded. - A doctor who practices functional medicine, for those of you who are interested, is a REGULAR, allopathic MD or sometimes DO (not a weird homeopathic, herbal, chinese, alternative doc, etc). They treat conditions just like any other physician would EXCEPT that they utilize metabolic tests (as well as other regular tests we're all familiar with) to find out exactly how an individual's specific body works, to find any weaknesses, and then be able to treat an illness after taking into account how that person's metabolism is affecting their condition. They recognize that, say, three people can have a condition like acid reflux and it can be treated three different ways because of the function and weaknesses of each individual. One person may need to suppress stomach acid, another may need to increase it. These tests are new, cutting edge, and highly useful in diagnosis and treatment, and hopefully they will make their way into the average family physician's regime before too long. - A couple of links that might be interesting regarding functional medicine and these tests - one is www.functionalmedicine.org, which is the institute of functional medicine, the other is www.gsdl.com where you can click on "tests" and learn about the new metabolic profiling they're doing. None of this has a lot of specific information on treatment of acid reflux, but it may give you some insight into the research they're doing on digestive disorders and and prove that they're starting to realize the diagnosis and treatment of them is very individual. -also another interesting point to think about is that we are pretty much the ONLY country that prescribes a lot of the drugs that we do as first-line treatments for many conditions - other countries (Canada, Europe, particularly Germany, prescribe many alternative and even homeopathic treatments FIRST in their mainstream medical practices - I believe the vinegar or a similar supplement is used in Germany for reflux, although I haven't looked into it extensively so I'm not making that statement with certainty) and these countries typically have a higher overall success rate than we do at treating many different illnesses. Well, hope this either helped or was at least somewhat interesting.. :)

[edie]

Wow that was an interesting read!! ;-)

[jwc]

LC hasn't helped my gerd at all. I think its getting worse, sometimes when I'm drinking or eating my throat closes up and I can't breath. I'm hoping I can get the surgery that tightens the valve on the stomach since all the chemical treatments cause other issues, most of them haven't worked on me.


Same here--3 years of LC has not helped at all but Nexium gives me a normal vs. miserable existence. I'll keep taking it until they come up with something better or feel I need to resort to the surgery. GERD also has some strong connections in causing asthma and both are prevalent in my family. In my family, neither weight nor diet seems to have a dramatic effect on lessoning GERD. My father has been skinny his entire life-and has had terrible GERD long before they even gave it a name. He finally had the surgery but still must take heavy doses of Prevacid to control both the GERD and GERD induced asthma.

I've tried all the other supposed dietary changes that would cure the problem. Done all the bed elevating etc.

The idea that simply a LC diet is is the cure for GERD in EVERYONE keeps popping up on this forum. It is not. I don't doubt there are side effects to these medications, as there are with most. However, for me the benefit far outweighs the risk at this point.

Interesting reading about the tests Prof Gumby. I would guess that my family and I probably fall in the too much acid category based on past history.

[LC FP]

OK, here's another gripe about drug companies:

Nexium replaced Prilosec as Astra-Zeneca's big acid-blocker drug some years back. Prilosec sold for billions for many years, but when it's patent ran out A-Z "developed" it's next big blockbuster drug Nexium which has sold for billions ever since.

It's claimed to work "better" than prilosec at blocking acid, and has some great TV commercials to prove that...

How much R+D costs do you think Nexium ran up for A-Z?

Probably about $59.95. Prilosec is omeprazole, and Nexium is esomeprazole. It's the S-isomer of omeprazole, which is the mixture of R- and S-isomers of the same molecule.

So they didn't develop anything. In effect they just extended the patent of Prilosec for another 20 years (at 4.6 billion per year in sales- second only to Lipitor!).

This is not a new trick. The antidepressant Lexapro is the S-isomer of it's predecessor Celexa, both performing well for Forest Pharmaceuticals, by the way.

What is really funny about the Nexium/Prilosec story can be found in your PDR (physician's desk reference) if you have one. The chemical "structural" formula of the active ingredient molecule of each drug is given at the beginning of each product description. The structures of Nex/Pri at first don't look very similar, until you realize that one is printed upside down. It's as if A-Z is embarrassed about the identical-ness of the drugs.

I wonder if Lipitor has R- and S- isomers?

Don't get me wrong. Some people with GERD need PPIs or H2 blockers to control their symptoms. But most of the people I've started on LC no longer need them.

[Lisa N]

The idea that simply a LC diet is is the cure for GERD in EVERYONE keeps popping up on this forum. It is not.

I have to agree. While low carbing is helpful in clearing up a lot of problems, including GERD in some, it's not a universal cure-all. What a lot of people fail to understand, it seems, is that there are multiple causes for something like GERD, not all of them related to diet. For example, low carbing worked fantastic for my DH in getting rid of his frequent heartbun (GERD) but did absolutely nothing for my youngest dd who has had reflux since she was born(can we say projectile spit-up?). While my DHs symptoms were probably diet related, my daughter's were a mechanical problem of having a weak esophogeal sphincter. I'd rather see her take the Prilosec and have a somewhat normal existance (we have a hard enough time keeping weight on her as it is!) than see her slowly becoming a walking skeleton because even water causes her pain and she's afraid to eat.

[nawchem]

Probably about $59.95. Prilosec is omeprazole, and Nexium is esomeprazole. It's the S-isomer of omeprazole, which is the mixture of R- and S-isomers of the same molecule.


They probably just saved the isomer from the purification, knowing their patent was going to end some day. I always thought with isomers one was inactive. I was applying for a job at a subsidiary of Novartis that makes generics. They brag on their website most companies take 20 years to develop a drug, and they can copy it in a year and a half.

Thanks for all the tips ProfGumby. You reminded of a quite a few things I had done in the past and forgotten that they did help some.

[jwc]

I'd rather see her take the Prilosec and have a somewhat normal existance (we have a hard enough time keeping weight on her as it is!) than see her slowly becoming a walking skeleton because even water causes her pain and she's afraid to eat.

I understand completely. While I've never been accused of looking skeletal, :D I have done some recent intermittent fasting and on the days I eat absolutely nothing, I assumed I ought to be able to skip the Nexium. WRONG....

When I was pregnant with my son, I spent the entire last 6 months sleeping sitting upright in a chair-could not lie down at all without major problems. Now my son who is 11 years old was just diagnosed with the same thing. He spends the first hour after waking up doing lots of coughing and just trying to clear the crud out of his throat-and now also has the asthma problems as well. I am concerned about the calcium blocking possibilities in a child so it is quite a difficult decision deciding how to treat it. He is very thin like your daughter.

[dina1957]

LC hasn't helped my gerd at all. I think its getting worse..
Ditto for me, with the exception that I did not have it before starting LC. I tried PPI for month (Prevacid) and had nausea, stomach pain and headache, so I stopped. Now, I just watch what i eat (mosly high fat and fried food), and take 1/2 tsp of baking soda with mineral water when I have ocational hurtburn. I think it is more about LES weakness, and certain food and exercise can do this, as well as getting older and having hormones out of whack. Small meals, no citrus fruit, NO COFFEE (even decaf), no greesy and fried food, and other small changes help. Also, being regular in bathroom depratment is very important, backed up pulmbing puts pressure on LES too.;)

[Nancy LC]

Dr. Scot Lewey has an interesting take on this matter: http://thefooddoc.blogspot.com/2006/12/ostoporosis-risk-increased-by-celiac.html
At least one study has documented that less than half of doctors are aware that osteoporosis is a manifestation of celiac disease. Heartburn is a common symptom also not commonly recognized by doctors as a manifestation of celiac disease. Gluten ingestion can impair gastric emptying resulting in more gastro-esophageal reflux. Initiation of gluten-free diet has been shown to diminish reflux symptoms and result in healing of esophagitis.

Several patients I have evaluated for reflux symptoms, particularly when these symptoms were poorly controlled or the patient was considering surgery rather than take daily medications, were found to have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. In my experience, reflux symptoms frequently dramatically improve on a gluten free diet.

[nawchem]

I did the great smokies stool test but my digestion tested excellent. It was quite amusing fed-exing 3 days of stool samples. My biggest problem is that I'm large breasted and wear these really tight support bras. Sometimes just taking off my bra solves the problem. I really feel uncomfortable letting the horses out of the barn in some places. So my dr recommended breast reduction surgery. I never have the problem at night, its mostly when I'm exercising, tying my shoes, doing housework. I've just taken tums. Maybe I should try something else.

My friend had the endoscopic band tightening she said it totally solved the problem and she lost weight because your stomach is slightly smaller from the surgery. To me thats a 2fer.

[theoldlady]

You may also find tomato based sauces and condiments and a few other things removed from your diet will help too.Only people with Type B blood need eliminate tomatoes (Eat Right 4 Your Type by Peter D'Adamo).

[Nancy LC]

I did the great smokies stool test but my digestion tested excellent. It was quite amusing fed-exing 3 days of stool samples.
I had quite an adventure getting a stool sample to Enterolab. :D You've got to freeze it so I was a little freaked out by having IT in my freezer. Sure I wrapped it well and it was sanitary.

But then I realized I'd have to take it to work with me and drop it off at a DHL drop box after work. So I wrapped IT up even better and put it in the freezer at work. I was freaking out that someone would open it up. I felt relief twice on delivering that err...sample :p