Still have effects from the MEDS

I was on the Hep C therapy, for a little over three months. The side effects were so bad (me personaly) that the doctor took me off them, I did come down to non detectable virus load.  I have been off the MEDS, in 2 days, I will be off them for 4 weeks. I was told that it was 4 weeks to be off them and two weeks to get back to were I was before the MEDS. The effects are getting a little better, but they are still strong. I have had an ulcer, for a long time about 25 years, in 2002 I was put on Omepazole 20mg. I had not had any ulcer problems since, I was able to eat and drink anything I wanted without any effect. About two months into the Hep C therapy, my stomach started hurting, when that happened I would get hot flashes, I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, a strong burning and taste coming up from my stomach, and pins and needles in my face and arms. I am going for a stomach scope consultation in 6 days. In the meantime I was put on a stronger stomach MED (Pantoprazole 40mg), that still doesn't do much for my stomach or the taste and gas coming up from my stomach. My question is for anyone: Is there anyone that has had the same type of symptoms, or know of anything that I can take to get my stomach to stop the taste in my mouth. I have tried vinager/honey drink, milk, and not eating things that can bother my stomach. Anyone, have any other idea's? I haven't been able to taste food right or eat anything in a long time, I hope the scope will tell what is wrong.

[orphanedhawk]

I'd try things like ginger or mint tea. Camomile might be good as well.
Avoid acid things, like vinegar.
How about those ginger chews, they might help.

Good luck.

[Dee1956]

Hi it takes a while to get back to normal after finishing the treatment.  Which one were you on?
Many people here taking the Incivek triple or the Victrellis triple had the same experience.  I am not sure if the Peg/Riba gave people a bad taste in their mouth.  I did not have that problem the first time.  With Incivek I did.
Others have reported getting some relief from sour candy drops or lemon drops.  As OH said ginger is good.
It will get better as time goes on.  I had problems as well.  I hope that you remain UND.  I would guess (not being a doctor but a fellow patient) that it will take about 8 weeks or so for your body to recover.
Best wishes
Dee

[working dog]

i had bad sides...was taken off tx at 19 weeks...i'll have my post tx 24 week blood work tomorrow...we will see....my symptoms post tx were bad till 6 weeks post and then one day i woke up feeling much better...from then i keep getting better..its taking time but moving in the right direction...i'm really pretty good now...i would give it time...maybe a year to fully recover...i drink ginger ale ..1 almost every day....i will say theres some stuff thats feeling better then before tx now...my muscles are getting stronger..its been 10 years since i felt that!...good luck...billy

[vai1953]

Thank you all for you hope and comments. It gives me something to look foreward to. Things just look dark before the strom, and I feel like I've been walking into the strom for a long time now. I will try the ginger ale and some tea. I was on another site for the problem with my mouth and most of everyone on there said that Vinger and Honey in water would work. I tried that and it worked well the first time and then after that it didn't work as well. Thanks again for all of your help.

[HectorSF]

"anything that I can take to get my stomach to stop the taste in my mouth."
You have  gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). That is what the medicines you have taken are for. You need to stop the cause of your GERD for the symptoms to stop. Your doctor is doing the right thing by preforming an endoscopy to assess the nature of your GERD.

If the current treatment doesn't work go back to your gastro and tell him it doesn't work. There are many drugs that treat GERD. You have to find the one that works for you. There are many different types of drugs that have different ways of working so you should be able to find one that works. Unless you need more extensive treatment such as surgery.

I have also used Omepazole in the past but that stopped working for me now and I am on Pantopazolze SOD. This medicine is stronger that Omepazole  and is can be taken continually unlike the 2 weeks for  Omepazole. It took about a week for it to work for me.
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001311/

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition in which the stomach contents (food or liquid) leak backwards from the stomach into the esophagus (the tube from the mouth to the stomach). This action can irritate the esophagus, causing heartburn and other symptoms.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

When you eat, food passes from the throat to the stomach through the esophagus (also called the food pipe or swallowing tube). Once food is in the stomach, a ring of muscle fibers prevents food from moving backward into the esophagus. These muscle fibers are called the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES.

If this sphincter muscle doesn't close well, food, liquid, and stomach acid can leak back into the esophagus. This is called reflux or gastroesophageal reflux. Reflux may cause symptoms, or it can even damage the esophagus.

More common symptoms are:

"Feeling that food is stuck behind the breastbone
Heartburn or a burning pain in the chest (under the breastbone)
Increased by bending, stooping, lying down, or eating
More likely or worse at night
Relieved by antacids
Nausea after eating
Less common symptoms are:
Bringing food back up (regurgitation)
Cough or wheezing
Difficulty swallowing
Hiccups
Hoarseness or change in voice
Sore throat

If your symptoms are severe or they come back after you have been treated, one or more tests may help diagnose reflux or any complications:

Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is often used to find the cause and examine the esophagus (swallowing tube) for damage. The doctor inserts a thin tube with a camera on the end through your mouth. The tube is then passed into your esophagus, stomach, and small intestine.

Treatment

Lifestyle Changes

If you smoke, stop.
Avoid foods and beverages that worsen symptoms.
Lose weight if needed.
Eat small, frequent meals.
Wear loose-fitting clothes.
Avoid lying down for 3 hours after a meal.
Raise the head of your bed 6 to 8 inches by securing wood blocks under the bedposts. Just using extra pillows will not help.

Avoid drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn). Take acetaminophen (Tylenol) to relieve pain. Take your medicines with plenty of water. When your doctor gives you a new medicine, remember to ask whether it will make your heartburn worse.

You may use over-the-counter antacids after meals and at bedtime, although they do not last very long. Common side effects of antacids include diarrhea or constipation.

Other over-the-counter and prescription drugs can treat GERD. They work more slowly than antacids but give you longer relief. Your pharmacist, doctor, or nurse can tell you how to take these drugs.

Medications
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gerd/#3

Your health care provider may recommend over-the-counter antacids or medications that stop acid production or help the muscles that empty your stomach. You can buy many of these medications without a prescription. However, see your health care provider before starting or adding a medication.

Antacids, such as Alka-Seltzer, Maalox, Mylanta, Rolaids, and Riopan, are usually the first drugs recommended to relieve heartburn and other mild GERD symptoms. Many brands on the market use different combinations of three basic salts— magnesium, calcium, and aluminum—with hydroxide or bicarbonate ions to neutralize the acid in your stomach. Antacids, however, can have side effects. Magnesium salt can lead to diarrhea, and aluminum salt may cause constipation. Aluminum and magnesium salts are often combined in a single product to balance these effects.
Calcium carbonate antacids, such as Tums, Titralac, and Alka-2, can also be a supplemental source of calcium. They can cause constipation as well.

Foaming agents, such as Gaviscon, work by covering your stomach contents with foam to prevent reflux.

H2 blockers, such as cimetidine (Tagamet HB), famotidine (Pepcid AC), nizatidine (Axid AR), and ranitidine (Zantac 75), decrease acid production. They are available in prescription strength and over-thecounter strength. These drugs provide short-term relief and are effective for about half of those who have GERD symptoms.

Proton pump inhibitors include omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid), lansoprazole (Prevacid), pantoprazole (Protonix), rabeprazole (Aciphex), and esomeprazole (Nexium), which are available by prescription. Prilosec is also available in over-thecounter strength. Proton pump inhibitors are more effective than H2 blockers and can relieve symptoms and heal the esophageal lining in almost everyone who has GERD.

Prokinetics help strengthen the LES and make the stomach empty faster. This group includes bethanechol (Urecholine) and metoclopramide (Reglan). Metoclopramide also improves muscle action in the digestive tract. Prokinetics have frequent side effects that limit their usefulness— fatigue, sleepiness, depression, anxiety, and problems with physical movement.

Because drugs work in different ways, combinations of medications may help control symptoms. People who get heartburn after eating may take both antacids and H2 blockers. The antacids work first to neutralize the acid in the stomach, and then the H2 blockers act on acid production. By the time the antacid stops working, the H2 blocker will have stopped acid production. Your health care provider is the best source of information about how to use medications for GERD."

Hector

[vai1953]

Thank You Hector, it had a lot of answers. Do you think that it could be fixed? I was find before I took the HepC MEDS. The MEDS I took for my stomach always worked and I had no problem with any reflux, I was able to eat whatever I want with no effect to my stomach. I have been off the Hep C MEDS for 4 weeks as of 5-10-2012, I was told 4 to six weeks for them to get out of the system. I read that it could be a lot longer with some people, looks like I could be one of those people. :-(