PPI's irritate IBS causing diarrhea and cramps

I have had GERD for about 10 years.  It started with severe chest pains, and I thought I was having a heart attack.  I went through heart testing - Thallium dye test.   Heart was fine.  I was finally diagnosed with GERD after having the heart tests.   My doctor put me on Cimetidine twice a day, and it worked fine for 4 years with few side effects.  Then if failed, and I suffered severe heartburn night and day.  I then went to a GI doctor who did an endoscope, and put me on Protonix.  It gave me severe diarrhea, and cramps all day long.  I took it for 2 months.  Switched to Zantac which did not control my GERD.  Switched to Nexium which caused cramps and diarrhea also but not as severe cramps as protonix.  For the last three years I've been on Prilosec, which causes extreme diarrhea and stomach pain, (pains not as severe as Nexium and Protonix).  I tried Prevacid as soon as it became OTC and had no side effects for 4 weeks.  Then suddenly I had severe colitis for 8 weeks.  Now I just want to get off PPIs because they are interfering with my life so badly I feel trapped inside my own home.  My fear is being out, and unable to get to the bathroom in time.  Because sometimes I barely make it to the bathroom at home.   I know these drugs irritate my IBS, because I did get off all of them for 2 weeks, before a surgery, and I had no diarrhea, no cramping, but could hardly eat, due to severe heartburn.  Could anyone reccomend another drug other than Tagament or Zantac that is not a PPI.  This is ruining my life and making my blood pressure shoot off the map when I go to the doctor because I fear the uncontrollable diarrhea will hit during an examination.  Please - someone, if you know or have this experience and side effects with PPIs - what do you do?  How do you handle it?  Any advice appreciated.  I don't think the doctors know what to do.

[Ratnakar Kini, MD]

Hi,
Though PPI can cause diarrhea, the symptoms you have could be due to IBS also.
You can take famotidine if you dont want to take zantac, tagamet or PPI.
For relief from cramps and diarrhea, you can take probiotics, antisapasmodics and antidepressants.