Anne, 73, was first diagnosed with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) 10 years ago. She had first begun as general symptoms of heartburn, but when antacids were not effective, she sought medical attention for her condition. Several different drugs were tried; in the end, she was given Prilosec (omeprazole) twice a day, which was effective in keeping GERD symptoms at bay. She had been taking Prilosec ever since.
GERD is a condition where the muscle between the stomach and the esophagus weakens allowing stomach contents to enter the esophagus. Symptoms are usually burning, pain, and a feeling of pressure in the chest. The person may also have a cough if the contents reach the trachea. Sometimes the symptoms are so severe that the person thinks they are having a heart attack. The two main medical treatments are H2 inhibitors and proton pump inhibitors. Both are designed to keep the acidity in the stomach low, thus stopping the burning sensation. The person still has reflux of stomach contents, but does not have the symptom of the reflux.
A new medical procedure is to reinforce the esophagus at the point where it enters the stomach; the procedure is called a fundoplication. Another is called LINX, where a band is placed around the esophagus to prevent stomach contents from entering the esophagus. Since this is a new procedure, little is known at the time of this writing.
The cause of GERD is unknown medically, but several dietary and lifestyle factors have been implicated: obesity, smoking, alcohol use, a high-fat diet, and consumption of carbonated beverages. If a person has a hiatal hernia, it can also cause or worsen GERD. Most medications can also cause or worsen GERD.
In my practice, I have seen other factors that contribute to GERD: food allergies or sensitivities, the inability to digest certain foods, a person’s emotions and state of mind (especially if the person suppresses emotions or thoughts so as not to face them, in essence “swallowing” the feelings).
In Anne’s case, she was taking 9 different medications plus supplements; most of the medications she had been taking for at least 20 years. The ones Anne took that were known to cause GERD were prednisone, a statin for cholesterol, and Lasix (a diuretic). She was not sure if she was allergic to any foods and she refused to discuss her mental/emotional state with anyone. She was over 100 pounds overweight and she didn’t watch what she ate (stating “that’s what all drugs are for”). In essence, she had many “risk factors” for GERD.
The Prilosec controlled Anne’s symptoms, but at a cost.
About a year ago, Anne was diagnosed with stage 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD) when a routine blood test showed elevated levels of creatinine and calcium. She had no other symptoms of kidney problems except occasional low back pain that may or may not be related to the kidney disorder. Her doctor started her on metformin since high glucose levels (diabetes) are common with CKD. She was already taking medication for other conditions that are often caused by CKD (high blood pressure and fluid retention).
The cause, according to the nephrologist, was Prilosec, a drug that she felt she couldn’t stop taking without the GERD symptoms returning. So she kept taking the drug knowing that she was going to make her kidneys worse. She sought attention with me “to get off the Prilosec.”
Prilosec (omeprazole) is a proton pump inhibitor, which means it inhibits a certain enzyme on the surface of the stomach lining to block acid production. It’s more technical than that, but in general, this is what it does. One of the BIG caveats about drugs in this class is that they should not be used for more than 2 weeks, with a 4-month break between cycles, due to the high risk of kidney damage.
Anne had been taking it twice a day every day for 10 years without a break.
Even though Anne had many health problems, she just wanted to come off Prilosec during her care with me. After examination and history, I realized that she may not have been digesting certain foods. A test of her gallbladder showed that she was only 40% functioning, meaning that some of the digestive enzymes were not being produced or were not being produced in sufficient quantity to digest food.
I was also wondering if I was getting enough nutrients to make digestive enzymes. One of the medications he was taking was a cholesterol-lowering statin. He took this once a day, the standard dose. But at the time she took the drug, she also took all of her supplements. Unfortunately, with statins, they block the absorption of virtually ALL nutrients when taken, including those from food, which is the main reason statins are taken only once a day; deficiencies in a short period of time.
Without adequate nutrient intake, the enzymes to break down food will be depleted and food will not break down. The two key signs that food isn’t breaking down are GERD (because food stays in the stomach too long) or gas (either in the form of burping or gas). Anne had both.
I started Anne with Papaya Chews, to take with every meal. Papaya is a natural food that contains digestive enzymes. Pineapple would have helped, too, but Anne didn’t like pineapple. I also recommended that she take her supplements in the morning and her statins at night to ensure she gets the maximum benefit from the supplements.
At this time I chose not to give a homeopathic remedy. Homeopathy would work to correct the most life-threatening condition, the health challenge that affected the life force the most. Because Anne was taking many different medications for conditions affecting her heart, lungs, and kidneys, it was difficult to know which condition was most damaging to her life and health. Also, she had a pacemaker, so she had to be careful with that.
The plan was for him to take Papaya Chews for a few days and then try to take Prilosec just once a day. She was to call in a week with an update or if she couldn’t get down to 1 Prilosec tablet daily due to GERD symptoms.
He called 2 weeks later and said he could only take 1 Prilosec a day with no GERD symptoms. So we discussed taking her off Prilosec completely as her doctor suggested.
For her 1-month follow-up, she was able to go 3 days without Prilosec before her GERD symptoms returned, but she now noticed an increase in her blood pressure. She sought medical attention and discovered that her kidneys were getting worse, causing her to have increased blood pressure and shortness of breath (due to increased fluid retention). She was given additional medication to control her blood pressure and water from her. Her doctor told her to stop Prilosec immediately as her kidney function was getting worse; but she Anne said she wouldn’t do it as long as she had GERD symptoms.
Anne called a month later and said she could completely get off Prilosec by taking Papaya Chews. She no longer had any GERD symptoms.
I never heard from Anne again after that. The sole purpose of her care with me was to get out of Prilosec; that was fulfilled. I wish her the best and hope that her kidneys were able to heal once the medication was stopped, or at least did not get worse.
I urge everyone to always research any medical medications (and natural supplements) they are taking to ensure they are prescribed correctly and not taken longer than necessary or directed. Doctors see many patients each day and have many medications to remember; mistakes are common. Each person has to control their own care and the instructions of the doctors to minimize these errors. When I was a teenager, when I was first diagnosed with asthma, my doctor often prescribed antibiotics that weren’t supposed to be given with my asthma medications; if I hadn’t done my own research, I could have gotten seriously ill.
Everyone needs to know more about their medications than what color they are. Research them thoroughly. If in doubt, ask your pharmacist or prescribing doctor. If you also take natural supplements, discuss possible drug-supplement interactions with someone who is knowledgeable about both natural supplements and medications.
Your health is important. You are important. Be conscious.