Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD or heartburn)
How to Use Melatonin to Ease Reflux
Millions of Americans experience heartburn, either occasionally or on a regular basis. Most people are aware of OTC medicines to treat this uncomfortable condition. However, some would prefer an alter…
Doctors Deny That PPIs Can Cause Kidney Damage
It can take years or even decades to discover serious drug side effects. Think of it as a long-running drug experiment. Proton pump inhibitors like esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid) and o…
PPIs and Kidney Damage | Nephrologist Spanks GI …
Many specialists live in silos. By that we mean they hang out with other experts just like themselves. They reinforce each other’s understanding of the world. These specialists may not spend a lot o…
Do You Swallow a Spoonful of Mustard for Heartbu…
Do you suffer from heartburn? Many people do, judging from the popularity of acid-suppressing drugs such as esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid) or omeprazole (Prilosec). Antacids like Maalo…
Old-Fashioned Italian Antacids Ease Reflux
Before there were acid-suppressing drugs there were antacids. For decades, people relied on products such as Alka-Seltzer, Bromo-Seltzer, Amphojel, Di-Gel, Maalox, Mylanta, Rolaids and Tums, to name j…
Getting Off Omeprazole Can Be Challenging!
Most people assume that over-the-counter heartburn medicines are completely safe. Why else would the FDA allow them to be sold without a prescription? The trouble is that proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)…
Can You Get Off a PPI Without Suffering Heartbur…
Have you ever tried to get off a PPI like esomeprazole (Nexium) or lansoprazole (Prevacid)? If so, you might have experienced rebound heartburn. People who encounter this problem–and many do–may f…
Show 1316: Protecting Your Digestive Tract
This week on our nationally syndicated public radio show, we invite gastroenterologist Nicholas Shaheen into our studio to answer your questions about protecting your digestive tract. He is a national…
Show 1179: What Should You Do About Digestive Di…
Have you ever had horrible heartburn or a really bad bellyache? Most of us have experienced digestive distress at one time or another. When do you need to seek medical attention for your problem? What…
Can You Use D-Limonene to Overcome Heartburn?
Have you suffered from heartburn? Many people report that they feel a characteristic burning sensation under the sternum sometimes. Others experience this problem more frequently. You can manage occas…
What Are Downsides to New Secret Weapon for Hear…
If you frequently suffer from indigestion or "acid stomach," you might wish for a new secret weapon for heartburn. One reader was excited to discover a "new" drug, not realizing that it is far from ne…
Are Drug Companies Making a Killing on Convenien…
Americans love convenience. That’s why we use drive-through windows at banks, fast food restaurants and even pharmacies. We’re even willing to pay a little more for fast food. People who want to s…
Apple Cider Vinegar Is a Weird Remedy for Heartb…
Do you have a favorite remedy for heartburn? Some people rely on drugstore antacids such as Tums or Maalox. Others take medication such as cimetidine (Tagamet) or omeprazole (Prilosec). But plenty of …
What Are the Risks of PPIs for Children?
Doctors love proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Acid suppressing drugs like esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid), omeprazole (Prilosec) and pantoprazole (Protonix) are widely to prescribed to ad…
European Drug Regulators Recalling Zantac (Ranit…
We issued a Special Health Alert on September 14, 2019, about the heartburn medicine ranitidine (Zantac). We were among the first to alert people that a nitrosamine called NDMA was found in both OTC a…
Viagra (Sildenafil) Triggers Both Erections and …
Viagra is a household word. It is now available generically as sildenafil. This drug has revolutionized the treatment of erectile dysfunction. It works by relaxing smooth muscle in the penis. The resu…
How Do You Feed Your Microbiota?
Scientists know that the community of microbes that lives in your digestive tract is unique to you (your microbiota). They hypothesize that if you want to stay healthy, you have to keep the community …
The Dangers of Diclofenac and Other NSAID Pain R…
Doctors love NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). That’s largely because they don’t have a lot of other tools in the toolkit when it comes to treating pain and inflammation. Opioids have…
PPI Side Effects Continue to Scare Us To Death
Have you ever met people who have a hard time admitting they might have made a mistake? Such individuals defend their decisions and actions no matter what the consequences. It feels to us as if the Fo…
Are New Drugs Rushed to Market Without Adequate …
Everyone, it seems, wants new drugs faster. Obviously, the pharmaceutical industry wants the FDA to approve its new drugs faster. The sooner a company gets a green light to market a new medication the…
What Do You Do When Your Specialists Disagree?
Let's face it. We used to be at the mercy of our doctors. If a specialist said "jump," they expected us to inquire "how high?" If a medication was prescribed, we were expected to take it. The fewer qu…
Turmeric in Milk Prevents Stomach Upset
Have you considered taking turmeric for its anti-inflammatory properties? Perhaps you've considered it as a way to ease psoriasis instead. Researchers have suggested that turmeric or its principal com…
Do Zolpidem (Ambien) Side Effects Include Horrib…
Zolpidem remains a very popular prescription sleeping aid. When it was only available as the brand name drug Ambien, millions took it to get a "good night's sleep." These days zolpidem (Ambien) side e…
Can PPI Heartburn Drugs Harm Kidneys Without Ear…
Millions of people take prescription-strength acid-suppressing medications daily. Millions more take over-the-counter versions. A new study suggests that such PPI heartburn drugs may trigger serious k…
Does Ranitidine Have the Same Risks as a PPI?
Americans must suffer from an awful lot of heartburn, because drugs to treat this painful condition have been best-sellers for a number of decades. The current favorites are proton pump inhibitors (PP…
How to Prevent Heartburn with Green Tea
Many Americans take a lot of medications. Wouldn't it be wonderful to find ways to manage some common health problems with simple non-drug approaches? One reader found a way to prevent heartburn with …
How to Improve Digestive Health with a Poop Tran…
How do you feel about poop? Most people prefer not to talk about it. That's why we have so many euphemisms: number two, stool, feces, manure, crap or BM for bowel movement. No wonder you probably neve…
When Is It Best to Take Nexium?
If you are a conscientious patient, you pay attention to the instructions you may be provided on how to take your medication. Should it be taken with food or on an empty stomach? At equally spaced int…
Why is the FODMAP Diet Gaining Converts?
No doubt you have heard of a lot of diets over the years from Atkins and Zone to Ornish and South Beach. We'll bet you have never heard of the FODMAP diet. It just might be your ticket to digestive d…
How to Stop Prilosec by Taking Papaya
Popular heartburn medicines called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) can be great for alleviating symptoms. If a person decides it is time to stop taking one of these PPIs, however, the withdrawal can t…
Is Your Heartburn Pill Putting You at Risk of De…
The news on proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) used to treat ulcers and serious gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has not been good lately. Researchers have reported long-term side effects such as a…
Heartburn Medicines Boost Risk of Heart Attacks …
Here we go again...another serious complication linked to acid-suppressing drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). This time the adverse reaction appears to be an increased risk of heart attacks…
Probiotics in Active-Culture Yogurt Worked to Ov…
Q. I have had severe heartburn problems for 15 years. I have tried Nexium, Prilosec and many other over-the-counter medicines. I knew that coffee triggered my heartburn, but I could not give it up. Af…
Acid-Suppressing Medicine Can Deplete the Body o…
Q. My doctor prescribed Prilosec for heartburn and I took it for about a year. After discontinuing the Prilosec I was feeling very tired. The blood work that was done showed I had very low magnesium l…
Drugs for GERD Can Deplete the Body of Crucial V…
Some of the most common pills in the pharmacy might deplete the body of a crucial nutrient. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are powerful acid suppressors and are prescribed for stomach ulcers and seve…
Clopidogrel (Plavix) Side Effects and Interactio…
It is estimated that more than half a million stents are placed in coronary arteries every year. Some experts say it's closer to 850,000. We won't get into the question of whether there are too many…
Patients Have Options for GERD Treatment
People who suffer severe gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD are sometimes encouraged to have antireflux surgery. The other common option is long-term medication with a powerful acid-suppressing d…
Getting Off Drugs for GERD Requires Strategy
Q. I have GERD and I have been on Nexium for several years. Before Nexium I took Tagamet, Zantac, and Prilosec, in that order. I have tried to get off of this medicine several times, and I have been u…