Hi All,
I continue to do well, the nausea is still gone, I am able to exercise and eat a variety of foods. I'm wondering if I should try to reduce my Dexilant. Although I 'm sure it helped heal any erosion and gastritis I was having, we all know the long term effects of PPIs are problematic. I am taking a 60 mg capsule every morning.
The good thing about Dexilant is that you can open the capsule and put the med in applesauce or some food that you can swallow all at once. So I have the option of reducing the med by putting a portion of contents in food and ingesting it.
the other thing I considered was to take it every other day and just see how it goes. This is certainly more convenient than opening it everyday..... but I could do either.
Any suggestions on what you think would be the most effective way to reduce the Dexilant? I am reluctant to get off of it completely right now. I've discontinued it 2 times and both times I had to get back on it. Both times it helped reduce the intense nausea that was plaguing me, so it has been helpful.
thanks for your help,
Carol
How to titrate a PPI
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How to titrate a PPI
“.... people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
Hi Carol,
I don't have any advice, but in making a decision, consider that the half-life of all PPIs ranges from a half hour to 2 hours, but the effect of a single dose on acid secretion typically lasts up to 2 or 3 days because the drug accumulates in the parietal cells and the action of proton pump inhibition is irreversible. The effect may not be at full potency on the second or third days, but there should certainly be some effect.
Tex
I don't have any advice, but in making a decision, consider that the half-life of all PPIs ranges from a half hour to 2 hours, but the effect of a single dose on acid secretion typically lasts up to 2 or 3 days because the drug accumulates in the parietal cells and the action of proton pump inhibition is irreversible. The effect may not be at full potency on the second or third days, but there should certainly be some effect.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Thanks Tex. I didn't know that the effect goes on for 2-3 days, but it makes sense. When I started Dexilant my GI doctor told me it would take 3-4 days before I would feel any effect (and that was my experience too).
I'll have to give this more thought although it sounds like going every other day may not drop the effectiveness drastically. It might be worth a try.
Carol
I'll have to give this more thought although it sounds like going every other day may not drop the effectiveness drastically. It might be worth a try.
Carol
“.... people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
Hi Carol,
This was the source of that quote http://ent.about.com/od/livingwithentdi ... xilant.htm
Especially -- If you were taking this medication due to any erosion of the esophagus (ie: Barrets esophagus) due to gastric regurgitation (ie:GERD), it would be my tendancy to believe that you should only come off of this drug with full knowledge and advise from your physician.
I understand your feeling of wanting to eliminate this medication if/when possible. I was on one of the other PPI's for well over a year. When I started to wean down I took it very slowly by taking one tablet every other day for about 2 weeks, then every 3rd day for another couple of weeks, and then every 4th day for a short time. I had NO difficulty that way. Although I was anxious to dc this medication, patience is the best policy.
Good Luck,
Gayle
How is Dexilant (dexlansoprazole) Taken:
Depending on whether or not you have damage to the esophagus caused by gastric acid reflux, Dexilant is taken as a 30 or 60 milligram pill once a day. You should follow the instructions given by your physician and/or pharmacist. Capsules should never be cut in half, chewed, or crushed.
This was the source of that quote http://ent.about.com/od/livingwithentdi ... xilant.htm
Especially -- If you were taking this medication due to any erosion of the esophagus (ie: Barrets esophagus) due to gastric regurgitation (ie:GERD), it would be my tendancy to believe that you should only come off of this drug with full knowledge and advise from your physician.
I understand your feeling of wanting to eliminate this medication if/when possible. I was on one of the other PPI's for well over a year. When I started to wean down I took it very slowly by taking one tablet every other day for about 2 weeks, then every 3rd day for another couple of weeks, and then every 4th day for a short time. I had NO difficulty that way. Although I was anxious to dc this medication, patience is the best policy.
Good Luck,
Gayle
thanks Gayle,
when I had my endoscope done a year ago, it did show erosion-- no Barretts-- I just figured it was a combination of excess acid due to coffee drinking, an occasional diet Coke, and inflammation and upset of the onset of LC. Since then my GI has spoken to me about 'silent reflux' and I think she may be on to something there. I do feel a lot of healing has occurred. I see my GI in early September so I supposed that's a discussion we could have.
I am concerned about the acid reduction interfering with my ability to kill any virus or bacteria I may ingest. I did have some kind of intestinal bug this week- a 24 hour thing that is going around one of my schools. Other staff had it too. I work in 2 elementary schools, which could also be known as germ factories, since there are roughly 600 Preschool thru 5th grade students between the 2 schools. I take tons of precautions like all staff but still you can't avoid everything.
It also occurred to me that since I just got on Dexilant in early June, it may be too soon for me to make this move. I'm doing well and certainly don't want to screw anything up either.
thanks for your post.
Carol
when I had my endoscope done a year ago, it did show erosion-- no Barretts-- I just figured it was a combination of excess acid due to coffee drinking, an occasional diet Coke, and inflammation and upset of the onset of LC. Since then my GI has spoken to me about 'silent reflux' and I think she may be on to something there. I do feel a lot of healing has occurred. I see my GI in early September so I supposed that's a discussion we could have.
I am concerned about the acid reduction interfering with my ability to kill any virus or bacteria I may ingest. I did have some kind of intestinal bug this week- a 24 hour thing that is going around one of my schools. Other staff had it too. I work in 2 elementary schools, which could also be known as germ factories, since there are roughly 600 Preschool thru 5th grade students between the 2 schools. I take tons of precautions like all staff but still you can't avoid everything.
It also occurred to me that since I just got on Dexilant in early June, it may be too soon for me to make this move. I'm doing well and certainly don't want to screw anything up either.
thanks for your post.
Carol
“.... people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
I am concerned about the acid reduction interfering with my ability to kill any virus or bacteria I may ingest. ... I work in 2 elementary schools, which could also be known as germ factories,
Yes, AKA "petri dishes". 
In my last job we dealt with a lot of sick children. It's tough to try to avoid all their bugs!! 
It seems we are often rather cavalier about using these drugs. When needed they are great, but must remember that, that acid is there in the stomach for a reason(s). So getting off of them when you are able, and it is advisable, is desirable too. The problem often is that a lot of people get on drugs and then they never think of, or ever want to, eliminate them.
IMHO, If you are having no problems and you only have less than a month to go now before seeing your Doc. this seems to me like a good question to add to the ever accumulating list of questions that you take along when you go to see her.
Cheers,
Gayle
Carol,
I have acute esophagitis and gastritis. I tried to come off nexium, and did it for a couple of months, but the pain got so bad I nagged my doc to do an endoscopy to rule out Barrett's.
Well, I don't have Barrett's, thank goodness, but the esophagitis was bad. The doc told me that a leaky esophagus is as bad if not worse than a leaky gut. He told me to take nexium 2x a day, and prescribed theophylline, a drug designed to relax smooth muscle and commonly used for asthma.
I haven't taken it.
After about a month of 2x a day I managed to titrate down to 1x a day. It was OK for a while, but then the pain came back. It's not just heartburn, it's pain when I swallow and as the food goes down. So now I am trying to take them at the first glimmer of pain, as necessary. I know I should take them as prescribed to keep the pain under control, but honestly, I don't want to, and also I frankly forget when I am not it pain.
Nexium is one of the few drugs I haven't managed to cut out or decrease significantly.
I hope you manage to get rid of your meds! Holding thumbs for you!
I have acute esophagitis and gastritis. I tried to come off nexium, and did it for a couple of months, but the pain got so bad I nagged my doc to do an endoscopy to rule out Barrett's.
Well, I don't have Barrett's, thank goodness, but the esophagitis was bad. The doc told me that a leaky esophagus is as bad if not worse than a leaky gut. He told me to take nexium 2x a day, and prescribed theophylline, a drug designed to relax smooth muscle and commonly used for asthma.
I haven't taken it.
After about a month of 2x a day I managed to titrate down to 1x a day. It was OK for a while, but then the pain came back. It's not just heartburn, it's pain when I swallow and as the food goes down. So now I am trying to take them at the first glimmer of pain, as necessary. I know I should take them as prescribed to keep the pain under control, but honestly, I don't want to, and also I frankly forget when I am not it pain.
Nexium is one of the few drugs I haven't managed to cut out or decrease significantly.
I hope you manage to get rid of your meds! Holding thumbs for you!