Common heartburn drugs linked with kidney disease

originally posted by: paytaplay
This is horrible news for me, five years plus 20mg omep per day . The problem that I have , if discovered in 2014, why now is it news ?

What really tweaks me, is what now? Alternatives or is kidney failure ok. I have two of them

Kidney failure is NOT okay. It's lethal. The only options to kidney failure are dialysis or transplant. If you've been on them that long, surely the prescribing doctor has been checking your kidney functioning. ASK. If not, a simple blood test will do. Have one and find out. If the numbers are high, you will have to find alternatives to these drugs.

BUT I see it's only occurring in a small percentage, but still, your kidneys are nothing to play around with. They are one of your vital organs.

a reply to: SeaWorthy

Great post, very interesting!
I think PPIs are overprescribed and in the UK you can buy some over the counter when they should only be used at the lowest effective dose for the shortest period. Some people do need them, for example those with long term reflux which can cause cancer of the oesophagus or those who have to take an aspirin daily (as this can cause ulcers etc).

However, from your own link, the study has not shown yet a cause and effect relationship as they need further tests because NSAID use was not accounted for. NSAIDs are anti-inflammatories commonly use (Ibuprofen in the UK) and they have been tied to cronick kidney disease (patients in the groups tested had other health problems such as obesity, hypertension etc. Patients with health problems usually take lots of painkillers, including NSAIDs).

I think this study is good to show people that all meds come with side effects, there's no escaping that and I believe they should talk to their doctor to see if they can avoid them or if it's really necessary they take them. But I wouldn't panic as the study is not conclusive yet.

Thanks for posting!

a reply to: Raxoxane

Turlington elixir all I can find is antique medicine bottles what it is? it can be kept (in milk) in a cupboard?

a reply to: Agartha
I am going to look for the actual studies. Money is involved big money i hope they don't just stop telling people and keep prescribing 28% is a lot of people and any possibility increase for kidney failure is too much!

Like so many drugs over prescribed and that has been shown to be caused by paying MD's to prescribe certain drugs. people are lucky today if they had a Dr that actually cares about their patients.

"According to U.S. data, 90 percent of the prescriptions for PPI are not related to FDA-approved indications," he said. "We are using this medication right and left, and it may be counterproductive for many patients."

The study in this pages link is gone.

They're sold under the names Prilosec, Nexium and Prevacid, to name a few. And this new study claims those who take them are more likely than people on other heartburn medications to develop chronic kidney disease or kidney failure over a five-year period.

www.aol.com...

There are a few studies mentioned
Arora's study involved more than 24,000 patients who developed chronic kidney disease between 2001 and 2008.

In the second study, researchers were led by Dr. Benjamin Lazarus from Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in Australia, and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. They followed more than 10,000 adults with normal kidney function from 1996 to 2011.

They found that PPI users were up to 50 percent more likely to develop chronic kidney disease than non-PPI users, even after adjusting for differences between the two groups.

The same team also replicated this link in a larger second study that followed 240,000 patients from 1997 to 2014, the researchers said.

Findings from the studies are scheduled to be presented next week at the American Society of Nephrology's annual meeting in San Diego.
www.webmd.com...

This is another study
This one is interesting
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov...
archinte.jamanetwork.com...
I saw one that followed VA patients mentioned somewhere also.

a reply to: Misterlondon

I've experienced some bad chronic pains for nearly 7 months now my right upper abdomen. Always had heartburn but this didn't feel like it. Had tons and tons of tests and no one can tell me what is wrong. Finally dr suggested recently it could be my acid reflux but now I'm scared to take the stuff he gave me. Was over the counter but still..this sucks haha

Just saw this too

Other side effects from taking PPIs include an increased risk of pneumonia, double the risk of infection from C. difficile and a small risk of osteoporosis, earlier studies have shown.

www.cnn.com...

a reply to: SeaWorthy


Turlington:
clicks.co.za...

condensed milk:
en.wikipedia.org...

anartistintheworld.blogspot.co.za...

It's an old South African thing,i assumed Lennon's tinctures was available in America-i googled and found this site but it's a SA site-maybe you could ask your local drug store to order some,they may know of a way to get hold of some?

originally posted by: OpenMindedPhilosopher
a reply to: Misterlondon

I've experienced some bad chronic pains for nearly 7 months now my right upper abdomen. Always had heartburn but this didn't feel like it. Had tons and tons of tests and no one can tell me what is wrong. Finally dr suggested recently it could be my acid reflux but now I'm scared to take the stuff he gave me. Was over the counter but still..this sucks haha

I had a similar pain it seems to be bouts of pancreas problem. Mine went away when I started taking a capsule of pancreas support from the health food store and a Omega capsule per day.

There have been a lot of good suggestions in this thread, eating a fermented food everyday for instance. In the end I guess we all just have to make decisions, I try to avoid all medications and when i need some I look for natural remedies proven for hundreds of years to have no known side effects.

Clearly it is a long list of possibilities but check and see if the med he gave you is the type in the studies of the other which is safer.
www.mayoclinic.org...

I certainly hope you get better soon.

originally posted by: Raxoxane
a reply to: SeaWorthy


Turlington:
clicks.co.za...

condensed milk:
en.wikipedia.org...

anartistintheworld.blogspot.co.za...

It's an old South African thing,i assumed Lennon's tinctures was available in America-i googled and found this site but it's a SA site-maybe you could ask your local drug store to order some,they may know of a way to get hold of some?

Thank you if anyone would know it is the health food store they seem to know everything. Seems this stuff has been around for a long while.

originally posted by: OpenMindedPhilosopher
a reply to: Misterlondon

I've experienced some bad chronic pains for nearly 7 months now my right upper abdomen. Always had heartburn but this didn't feel like it. Had tons and tons of tests and no one can tell me what is wrong. Finally dr suggested recently it could be my acid reflux but now I'm scared to take the stuff he gave me. Was over the counter but still..this sucks haha

Sometimes heartburn and chest pain can be related to bone and spine alignment. Any car accidents, falls, do you practice judo or bjj?

I know this from experience. I use to get weird chest pains where I felt like I couldn't burp from judo and the chiropractor or sports massage therapist could get them to go away.

I also has axid reflux issues probably from weight cutting for wrestling and judo in college. My gut bacteria was all messed up. Could have been the result of both. I have loose joints so my ribs get out of alignment easily.

I've ba reply to: Cobaltic1978ive been taking Omeprazole for years wouldn't fancy doing my chemo without it. I've started using baking soda too now, which is quite effective but not quite the same. Still I've got more to worry about than my kidneys at the moment
But Omeprazole is being used by a lot of people these days

I've been on many different PPI's over the past 19 years.

Started with an ulcer, which lead to laser treatment, major horse-pill antibiotic's for a few months. Multiple endoscopy's and the many versions of the Purple Pill.

Omemprazole was affecting my body's ability to absorb iron, so i had to get back to Nexium (non-generic) and take iron suppliments for months until my iron was normalized.

I heard from my insurance co that nexium costs about $750 for 30 pills. Before the Obamacare BS, my script co-pay's were $10, as Obamacare kicked in, my co-pays increased to $20, then $25, then $50. Right now it's at $121 (a pct of the cost).

I hate Obamacare and I can't stand that I am paying through the teeth for a family insurance plan and then again for the prescriptions that I need, not to mention the dr. co-pays increase as well.

Anyway, my Dr also said that I will be on PPI's forever and that I must have my blood work checked ever 3-6 months. Of course, he wants it every 3 months as he only gives enough refills for the 3 months. Then I have to visit (pay him) just to get another round of refills. The blood work done by the lab costs me $127. 100% a scam.

I tried not taking Nexium for a day and my body knows if I forgot to take the pill.

Nexium allows me to eat taco bell (I know not real food) without issue.

No Nexium and I get AR just thinking about dinner.

-E2

a reply to: EyesII

Did they have you ever try anything else, or did you try anything else before Nexium?

a reply to: SeaWorthy

Yes it's a very old South African range,i think more than a 100 years ago when they first started making it,may be longer even. Many South Africans still use it,it's one of those SA traditions. The tinctures all taste hellish,except the peppermint drops,which is not bad. Some are put in water,some are administered on a drop of sugar,and then the Turlington, used with the condensed milk for ulcers.Turlington is also used for coughs and chest ailments or as a styptic for small cuts,like shaving cuts.I hope your health shop can get hold of it for you. I wouldn't have minded sending you a bottle,it is not expensive,but the postage would be extremely expensive,that's the problem.

originally posted by: luthier
My gut bacteria was all messed up.

Bingo!!!!!

I took prilosec for years, off and on.
The doctors always told me it was GERD...and I figured it was just something i had to live with.
The last year or so, the prilosec worked less and less effectively, and finally made my symptoms worse.

Ended up in the ER last July....and thanks to a great ER doctor, I ended up getting checked by my alternative doctor for gut flora.
Turns out I am gluten intolerant and my gut flora was a mess.
Quitting all gluten, getting my gut bugs back in synch.....no longer a need for those nasty pills.

originally posted by: DontTreadOnMe

originally posted by: luthier
My gut bacteria was all messed up.

Bingo!!!!!

I took prilosec for years, off and on.
The doctors always told me it was GERD...and I figured it was just something i had to live with.
The last year or so, the prilosec worked less and less effectively, and finally made my symptoms worse.

Ended up in the ER last July....and thanks to a great ER doctor, I ended up getting checked by my alternative doctor for gut flora.
Turns out I am gluten intolerant and my gut flora was a mess.
Quitting all gluten, getting my gut bugs back in synch.....no longer a need for those nasty pills.

Thats awesome.

I've done a ton of research on this. PPIs also increase your risk for esophageal cancer, the very thing your gastro-doc is claiming to try to stop. It elevates your gastrin which is your stomach calling for more acid. That's why quitting the stuff will give you a hellish acid rebound attack.

Here is what works for me. First bed elevation is a must, second carb and sugar reduction in case there is a SIBO link (look up SIBO yourself). Third try antacids that use alginic acid, e.g. the UK version of gaviscon (not the American version which is useless and dangerous.) Finally use D-limonene and a little aloe vera juice.

You can also get OTC versions of alginic acid tablets from your online health food store.

For acute stuff I also recommend Between dental gum which has bicarbonate in it. It helps with LPR. Rather than sodium bicarbonate buy some tri-salts, which use magnesium and potassium instead.

Glad to have helped.

I was recently at the ER because I thought I had a chicken bone caught in my throat.Turns out I didn't, after xrays came back all clear.

Long story short they gave me a script for pantoprazole and sulcrafate(?)they said I had acid reflux?I don't have serious heart burn problems.All the ER doc did was look at my throat for a second.

I took it for one day,then I noticed my stool had undigested food in it.I stopped taking it right then and started reading up on PPIs.I read that they lower your stomach acid.I'm 47 and think my stomach acid was low to begin with so those meds made it lower.

I am going to see a stomach specialist and get myself checked out.

Great thread.Great info.

For people on these drugs, maybe they should switch to Tagament HB -- it's not a proton pump inhibitor:

Tagamet has now been largely replaced by the proton pump inhibitors for treating peptic ulcers, but is now available as an over-the-counter medicine for heartburn in many countries.

Sounds like it's safer. It's an anti-histamine:

Cimetidine (INN) is a histamine H2 receptor antagonist that inhibits stomach acid production. It is largely used in the treatment of heartburn and peptic ulcers.

Wikipedia

The thing is, no matter what...when you tinker with your body chemistry in one place -- you probably throw something else out of balance.

We ought to be trying to find out WHY people's stomachs are producing to much acid, and fixing that. Instead of just treating a symptom, we ought to find out what is out of whack with people causing their stomachs to be so angry with the acid.

If it was me, I'd look into Indian Ayurvedic medicine too:

Pomegranate juice and pomegranate chutney also help balance the acid in the stomach. It tastes sour, but it is actually both astringent and bitter, which help balance Pitta.

Fresh aloe vera gel straight from the leaf is balancing. Avoid the store-bought juice, as citric acid is used as a preservative and it is too acidic if you suffer from acid indigestion.

Baked fennel seeds are also recommended to help settle the stomach and balance digestion. Eat ¼ teaspoon of baked fennel seeds 3 times a day between meals.

Organic Rose Water or mint lassi is good to drink with a meal, as they are cooling and sweet to the taste. Favor astringent, bitter, and sweet tastes in your diet. Split mung dahl, green leafy vegetables, grains, watermelon, honeydew melon, lettuce, mangos, and spices such as fenugreek seeds, coriander, cardamom, and mint should be included in your daily diet.

Source

I've taken Triphala (Ayurvedic formula) and it worked wonders for me. It basically balanced all my digestion/bowel problems and made me feel "normal" for the first time in a while.

originally posted by: Cobaltic1978
I take omeprazole and no, this is not good news.

Time to stop taking them. Trouble is I only have to think about a certain food and I get heartburn.

Water and white bland food for me from here on in.

Yeah!!!!

The trigger for Me is soda's and chocolate which means I still enjoy eating. I used to have heart burn all day and every day until I quit smoking and cut down on soda and sweets. I also cook the majority of My food which helps a lot.