Dr. Mercola December 31 2000 2,063 views
Many patients currently taking proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), the newest and most expensive drugs for the treatment of heartburn and related symptoms, are dissatisfied with the results, a new study reports.
Researchers performed an online study of 4,200 patients using PPIs such as Prilosec and Prevacid and found the following results:
The study was commissioned by a group of drug manufacturers and conducted by Acuity and Harris Interactive.
PPIs are heavily promoted by pharmaceutical companies to physicians and, more recently, to consumers through advertising. Each brand attracts a somewhat different type of consumer, reflecting again thecombined impact of :
Study conducted by Acuity HealthGroup
I did not realize until this yesterday when I reviewed the January 8 issue of Business Week, that Priolsec is the top selling prescription drug in the world. It earns Astra Zeneca (the drug's maker) 6 billion dollars per year.
The drug, and others like it, clearly are effective at what they do or there is no way in the world these companies could convince people to buy them. BUT they do NOT solve the problem. In fact, they actually worsen it.
Then, when you are using the wrong solution for the problem, you are bound to have problems. Drugs are rarely, if ever, indictated for the common ulcer and associated stomach problems. The proton pump inhibitors like Prevacid and Prilosec and the H2 blocker agents like Tagament, Pepcid, and Zantac are some of the worst drugs that you could possible take.
Why? They significantly reduce the amount of acid you have and with that your ability to properly digest food. Reduction of acid in the stomach also diminishes your primary defense mechanism for food borne infections and will increase your risk of food poisoning. What are the options? Normally following the diet and drinking about one gallon of pure water per day along with high doses of a good quality probiotic (benefical bacteria) is enough to restore normal stomach function in the vast majority of patients.
Occasionally, those with a hiatal hernia will require additional structural adjustments and the one I currently find that works the best is NST.
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I've had heartburn for a long time. I stopped drinking soda years ago. But recently I started drinking soda again because I missed cream soda. And now I can't seem to get enough cream soda. I have at least two sodas a day but can have up to 4 sodas on some days. I noticed after drinking the cream soda, I have no more heartburn symptoms. I have taken those calcium chewables and also Maalox with the bismuth ingredient and neither of those helped my heartburn at all. The only thing that seemed to work for a short period only was Prilosec OTC. I had to start taking it again after a couple of weeks but it says on the package that I could not take it until 90 days have passed. So I waited and it did not work the second treatment. Only the soda works. What can I take to relieve my heartburn without having to drink all that sugar? Please help.
God bless.