I am taking Dexilant, formerly Kapidex

I have had Gerd for so many years I lost track, but do remember going into the Dr. because it felt like I was on fire inside. This was back in 1996. Upper GI and colonoscopy said gastritis and Duodenitis. I was negative for H. Pylori. Dr. said Gerd. It is under control as long as I take the meds. If I skip one dose, I know it by evening time. My question is, Does anyone ever make a full recovery, because I don't see an end in sight to taking this medicine. It is the only medication I take, but I don't like being dependant on drugs. Seriously. Is there a cure? I've been taking this for several months. Before that, I used to take a giant bottle of Rolaids every week, which was not effective.

[bigfatgrannyof5]

also, this goes from my upper abdomen to my throat.

[bsmsl]

Have you made the dietary and life style changes recommended for GERD patients?  Those do make a big difference in symptoms.

Also, have you tried pro-biotics?  While everyone is different, I would rather run out of my Dexilant or Ranitidine than my pro-biotic.  

Feel better.

[selmaS]

Hi...I was going to ask the same thing as bsmsl...we do have a list of foods to avoid and lifestyle modification tips u may want to take a look at....
http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/list?cid=236

Avoid certain foods and lifestyle activities like smoking.....can be helpful in aiding meds calm this all down.

So, if u change ur diet to avoid ur triggers...u may begin to see improvement.

Did ur dr say what the root cause of ur GERD is?...ie- hiatal hernia?

"selma"

[bigfatgrannyof5]

I went back to smoking in March after a whole year of being quit. We are both getting a script for Chantix when we get caught up on our bills. It's not fair! Other people get to eat what they want and don't get GERD. Why some and not others? I don't eat much hot, spicy food. I will look at the list, but it's probably foods that I love so much I could just wallow in them. Hehehe. I had my gallbladder removed a few months back. They had to do an abdominal ct scan. That's when they found my enormous gallstone. It never showed hiatal hernia on the ct scan. I had asked my Dr. if that were a possiblity because it felt as if my stomach had flipped when I stretched one day and it paralyzed me with pain for quite some time and left me afraid to ever yawn or stretch too hard again He didn't think so.

[bsmsl]

lol...  I feel your pain.  It is so hard for me to eliminate caffeine and chocolate.  UGH!!!  If I have them, I try to keep it in the morning.

I finally did get a wedge pillow and struggled for three weeks learning to sleep on the thing.  It seems to be helping my symptoms.  You don't have to get a pillow though.  Another option would be to put six inch blocks under the feet at only at the head end of your bed.  That is actually better for your back, but my husband would feel like he is falling out of bed all the time.  I would never hear the end of his complaining about it, so I got the pillow.

Feel better.

I hope the life style and diet changes help you.

[bigfatgrannyof5]

Thanks. I will just continue on with the meds. There is no way I can give up hardly any of those foods. Maybe the raw onions, but I don't know.

[bsmsl]

I totally understand.

You could also talk to your dr about layering ranitidine or adjusting the time of day that you take your Dexilant.  Ranitidine is an H2 blocker similar to Pepcid only much better, while Dexilant is a proton pump inhibitor.  I am on both of them, and still take Rolaids occassionally.  :(  

You really do need to get your reflux under control as it can lead to esophageal cancer.  So please do try the other life style changes and talk to your dr about other options as well.  

Feel better.

[bigfatgrannyof5]

I'm a big, fat fatty. It doesn't bother me. I'm a granny. I feel much more comfortable this way. I used to eat to live, then I started living to eat, and now, I am sort of middle ground. I will try to do better.

[selmaS]

Hi,,,there have been many that claim the 3 pillows will not work and that u really should raise the head of the bed. Also, the wedge pillow has not had favorable reviews either...so I would love to hear more on how the wedge works for u bsml.


FYI- weight fluctuations up or down can affect GERD.

"selma"

[bigfatgrannyof5]

Thanks, girls. I sleep on a big king sized waterbed, so raising anything is impossible. We have slept on waterbeds since we first met. I know, crazy, right? I use 2 pillows and a body pillow and,  as long as I take my meds in the morning, I sleep fine. It's only when I forget, that I experience difficulty. Also, I sleep with a sugar free cherry coughdrop in my mouth for that stupid bronchitis type COPD.

[bsmsl]

lol... I appreciate your candor.  You are a gem.  

selma - The pillow is working well for me now that I have learned to sleep on it.  That took about two weeks plus a little bit.  I am a side sleeper and tall.  My back would hurt horribly if I slept on my side ont he thing.  I have learned that if I sleep with my hips on the lower edge (my shoulder reach the top edge) and place a normal pillow vertically behind the wedge and then use a bone pillow (one of those dog bone shaped travel pillows) for my head, I sleep quite well usually.  I also sleep with a body pillow which has to be between my knees and hugged.  If I happen to get on my back, the body pillow must be under my knees and one arm.  The wedge is too narrow for both of my arms to fit on.  Ok - yes sleeping on the thing is VERY akward!!! but I have adjusted.

[bigfatgrannyof5]

You are a gem, as well.

[selmaS]

LMAO..thanks for that descriptive and I know what u mean, but I am too short for that to work for me...lol...but I am glad u got the hang of it and it helps u.

"selma"