What Is Prilosec?

This drug is a type of proton pump inhibitor — a medication formulated to stop the enzyme that controls the production of stomach acid. Since GERD is caused by stomach acid over production, Prilosec is one of the best-suited medications to resolve this problem.

How Prilosec Works

When Prilosec enters the body it goes directly to the stomach walls to work on reducing stomach acid. The enzyme that causes excess amounts of stomach acid to form is largely blocked. This allows the body to start the healing process: GERD patients often suffer from painful heartburn and esophagus, and when these organs are no longer being assaulted by a constant influx of stomach acid, they can begin to heal.

Prilosec Dosage

Doctors normally prescribe between 20 and 40 mg of Prilosec, in the form of delayed release capsules, for GERD patients on a daily basis. Patients will generally begin to see results in one to two months, with significant healing taking place by the end of that time. Some patients will need to continue a reduced dosage long-term, depending upon the severity of the GERD.

Taking Prilosec

Prilosec should always be taken exactly as a doctor has prescribed it. The medication should be taken with a glass of water on an empty stomach. Patients should avoid eating for at least 30 minutes to allow the medication time to work.

Typical doses for adult patients with GERD are 20 or 40 milligrams of the medication once each day for one to two months. Taken an hour prior to a meal, the capsules are swallowed whole unless the there is difficulty swallowing. In this case, the medication can be mixed with soft food. Inside the Nexium capsule are tiny pellets of the medication, and these should not be crushed or chewed if mixed with food. Nexium is also approved for children as young as one year old who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Long-term use or taking higher than recommended doses has been found to increase the risk for bone fractures. Nexium is recommended as a short-term solution, allowing enough time for patients with severe heartburn to let the esophagus heal. Patients in Bradenton, Florida, and elsewhere generally tolerate this medication well with only mild side effects typically reported. Diarrhea, nausea and vomiting are the most frequently experienced side effects, with headaches, rashes and dizziness also reported. Less frequent side effects include muscle pain and cramps, nervousness or anxiety, and irregularities in heartbeat. Some patients have also experienced increased water retention.

Be sure to tell your doctor what medications you are taking, as Nexium interacts with some drugs. Also let your healthcare provider know if you are pregnant or nursing.

Indications

Aciphex is used to treat a number of acid-caused conditions such as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome, and stomach and duodenal ulcers. In conjunction with antibiotics, Aciphex is also used to treat infections of the stomach caused by Helicobacter pylori bacteria. Similar to other PPIs, Aciphex blocks the enzyme in the stomach’s wall that produces and secretes acid. As a result, stomach acid is decreased, allowing for ulcers in the esophagus and stomach to heal. Other symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD, such as heartburn as also lessened.

Side Effects

Similar to other PPIs, Aciphex has a few side effects, but is generally well-tolerated. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, headaches and rash are the most common side effects. Nervousness, abnormal heartbeat, dizziness, weakness, muscle pain, abnormal heartbeat, water retention and leg cramps are seen rarely. Long-term usage (one year or longer) and high doses may increase the risk of hip, spine, and wrist osteoporosis-related fractures. Therefore, your Bradenton, Florida doctor will prescribe the lowest dose and shortest duration needed to treat your condition.

Dosing

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your Bradenton physician to treat Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) or other acid-causing conditions. Aciphex is generally takes orally once per day, with or without food. You should swallow Aciphex whole; don’t split, chew or crush this medication. Take Aciphex at the same time each day.

• Reduce or eliminate caffeine and alcohol consumption. These are both known to aggravate both heartburn and GERD.
• Avoid your trigger foods. If you have identified foods that make your GERD worse, eliminating these foods from your diet will help relieve your symptoms.
• Wear clothing that is loose and comfortable. Tight clothing can constrict your abdomen and force digestive juices into your esophagus.
• Eat no fewer than three hours before sleeping. If you lie down too soon after eating, you risk letting acid leak into your esophagus. Make sure you are standing or seated for a three hour period after you eat.
• Lose weight. Excess weight makes GERD symptoms worse because of the pressure that it puts on your abdomen. Many doctors say that this is the single best way to reduce GERD symptoms.
• Reduce stress. While stress does not seem to make GERD worse, it makes any problem with your health feel more severe. Yoga, meditation and creative visualization are all good ways to cut down stress levels.
• Quit smoking. Smoke is another known irritant that can make GERD worse by increasing acid reflux and reducing your body’s production of saliva.
• Find out if you are taking medications that can aggravate GERD. Birth control pills, certain asthma medications and blood pressure medications can aggravate GERD. Talk to your doctor about switching medications if you currently take one that can make GERD worse.

The esophagus moves food through a method called peristalsis. Just as the ocean waves moves seaweed to the Florida shore, peristaltic muscles contract and relax employing a wave-like motion to move food in the esophagus down to the stomach. When the smooth muscles that perform the process weaken, food can get caught in the esophagus and cause problems such as heartburn and chest pain.

Esophageal monometry is a simple test that uses a tube inserted through the nose and down along the posterior wall of the esophagus and then into the stomach. The small one quarter inch tube will then measure the rate of contractions performed by the smooth muscles in the esophagus and deliver the results in graph form on a print out or computer monitor.

While the tube is inserted the patient will be asked to swallow sips of water while lying on their left side. Swallowing the water will begin peristalsis which can then be analyzed by the machine. After about 30 or 40 minutes the tube is then withdrawn and a gastroenterologist or other physician specializing in stomach and intestinal disorders and gastroesophageal reflux disease will analyze the results.

Preparing for esophageal manometry is very simple. It is important to inform the physician if you suffer from heart disorders, are currently pregnant or are taking any medications that may inhibit or interfere with the examination. Some medications that interfere with esophageal manometry are H2 blockers, antacids, nitrates, proton pump inhibitors, beta blockers and caffeine. The physician can inform you of what medications you can and cannot take prior to the test. You may also want to inquire about what you are allowed to eat prior to the test and how long you should fast before the exam.

Following the exam patients can resume their normal diet, medications and regular activities. The test may irritate the throat. Sore throat lozenges or gargling with salt water can help relieve the discomfort. If any other abnormal symptoms occur after the exam, patients should contact their physician or go to an urgent care facility or emergency room.

An upper endoscopy is performed for a number of reasons including looking for signs of acid reflux, inflammation of the esophagus, ulcers, hiatal hernia, Barrett’s esophagus and cancer. An upper endoscopy is also done to find the cause of infections, bloating, difficulty swallowing, unexplained weight loss and abdominal pain.

Preparing for the test

You Bradenton, Florida doctor will tell you to stop taking aspirin products and iron supplements for seven to 14 days before your scheduled upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. You’ll also be instructed to stop taking antacids or sucralfate during the day of the exam. Your doctor may also tell you to avoid NSAIDs, or anti-inflammatory drugs, for a few days before your exam. Your stomach should be empty for the exam, so you shouldn’t eat for six to eight hours before your test. Because you will be sedated for the test, arrange for someone to take you home afterwards.

An upper endoscopy is generally done on an outpatient basis in a clinic, hospital or even your doctor’s office. Your throat will be numbed with an anesthetic spray to help to relax your gag reflux. This is to make it easier to insert the viewing instrument. Because you will be sedated, you most likely won’t remember the actual test. You’ll lie on your left side as your doctor inserts the endoscope through your mouth and into your esophagus. You’ll be asked to swallow to help the tube move down your esophagus, but you won’t have any problems breathing. A camera is attached at the end of the endoscope to take pictures of your esophagus, stomach and small intestine.

After the Test

The test generally only takes about 30 to 45 minutes. You’ll be in recovery for about one to two hours following the test, while your sedation is wearing off. For 12 hours after the test, you’ll have to restrain from driving. Likewise, avoid alcohol for at least 12 hours after the test.

Your doctor may inform you of your results after your upper endoscopy, but depending on your findings, it may take a few days to obtain your results.

Certain types of protein (meats) are more likely to trigger heartburn. These include marbled sirloin, ground meat, chicken wings (buffalo style) and chicken nuggets. Your beloved sweets, such as chocolate, donuts, cookies and brownies can cause acid reflux as can snacks, such as potato chips. Whether creamy or oily, salad dressings can cause acid to splash up out of the stomach. Fried and fatty foods are another common culprit in many people.

When it comes to beverages, many favorites are known to cause symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). These include liquor and wine as well as coffee and tea. Many juices, including orange, tomato, grapefruit, cranberry and lemon, also can cause your chest to feel that burning sensation. Vegetables are supposed to be good for you, but mashed potatoes, raw onions and potato salad can leave you with that fire in your chest. Now, dairy products cannot be left out of this equation because ice cream, sour cream, regular cottage cheese and milk shakes can bring on the heartburn. Lastly, grains coupled with sauces such as spaghetti with marinara sauce and macaroni and cheese may be a factor in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

These types of foods can lessen the functioning of the lower esophagus sphincter muscle, which keeps your stomach contents in place. If any of the above foods or beverages are triggers for your heartburn, avoid them if possible. Eating smaller meals may also help to decrease your acid reflux symptoms. Always speak to your Bradenton, Florida physician.

Some easy adjustments to your diet such as refraining from consuming acidic foods such as citrus fruits and juices as well as tomatoes and spicy foods is a good start. These types of foods tend to increase the production of stomach acid that lead to nighttime heartburn symptoms. Other foods to stay away from are greasy, fried foods, chocolate, alcohol and carbonated drinks.

Episodes of nighttime heartburn can be reduced by eating smaller portions as well as eating slower. This allows your brain to register that full feeling, leaving you eating less.

Adjusting the foods you eat is just a beginning to reducing nighttime heartburn. Stress can cause the stomach to increase production of stomach acids. Gain control of the details in your daily routine that cause excess stress. Eating meals several hours before going to sleep also allows digestion to begin, so that when you do go to sleep, the digestion process can be completed.

Planning the exercise in your day is another way to control nighttime heartburn pain. Exercising two to three hours after eating can reduce the occurrence of heartburn. After exercising as well as throughout the day, consume plenty of water. Water is the fuel that allows our bodies to function optimally. Water will assist to hydration and digestion.

Smoking can relax or weaken the flap between the stomach and the esophagus, also called the esophageal sphincter. Reducing your smoking or eliminating it completely can make the sphincter stronger and keep the acids that reflux into the esophagus causing the burning feeling in your chest at a minimum. Chewing gum will not only help avoid the cigarettes to an extent, but it also increases the production of saliva which can neutralize stomach acid.

Finally, take a look at your wardrobe. Tight fitting clothing can restrict and put pressure on your abdomen causing heartburn symptoms. Following these tips may help relieve the symptoms of nighttime heartburn. If you find you need to take antacids regularly, your gastroesophageal reflux disease may need more appropriate attention that can be addressed by a medical professional.

The procedure consists of inserting a tube through your nose and into your throat, and lowering it all the way through your esophagus to your stomach. Although patients are not sedated during the test, your doctor may give you a topical anesthetic to make it more comfortable. You’ll be in a seated position when the tube is inserted, then you will lie down during the test. Each time you swallow, a sensor will record the movements in your esophagus. The test usually takes about half an hour or so.

The day of your esophageal manometry, you’ll need to refrain from eating for 8 hours before your test. There are also certain medications that can alter the results of esophageal manometry, such as antacids, proton pump inhibitors like Nexium or Prilosec, and H2 blockers like Pepcid. Since many GERD and heartburn sufferers take at least one of these, you will need to ask your doctor if you should stop taking the before your test.

After the test, your throat may feel slightly sore. Try gargling with salt water to ease any irritation. If you are in severe pain, be sure to call your doctor. You should be able to get back to eating normally immediately after the test.

Some of the types of medication that most commonly cause problems are antidepressants, medications for high blood pressure (including calcium channel blockers, nitrates and beta-blockers), medications to combat nausea (anticholinergics) and pain medications such as narcotics. In addition, some asthma medications such as theophylline as well as sedatives and hormones can cause problems. All of these medications are quite common and have the ability to damage the esophagus and stomach, which can lead to an increase in acid reflux.

Because your stomach and esophagus are exposed to many potentially damaging substances, you have the mucosa, a protective layer of cells that lines the esophagus and stomach. This lining in the esophagus and stomach is quite durable, but can be compromised by a number of medications. When the mucosa cannot repair itself quickly enough, your acid production can increase and you can begin to experience heartburn or GERD.

In addition, some antibiotics such as Zithromax and Biaxin can cause irritation of the stomach. Bisphosphonates, a medication for osteoporosis, also can irritate both the esophagus and stomach linings and lead to increased acid production. Some pain relievers such as Aleve, Advil and Motrin can cause irritation as well as ulcers in the duodenum, stomach or esophagus. All of these medications can increase GERD and heartburn due to their tendency to increase acid and irritate the protective lining of the stomach and esophagus.