Anyone have success stopping Nexium or similar PPI drug?

I have been on aciphex 20mg for about 8 yrs now. Cant stop... oh well

Absolutely. I was on Zantac for a long time and it stopped on a ketogenic or low carb diet. I haven't had heartburn in a very long time.

Absolutely anyone that has nighttime heartburn should have a sleep study done. Cpap's and dental appliances have completely eliminated heartburn for many people.

My reflux stopped on paleo. Not sure if it was the carbs or sugar, but even the PPI wouldn't stop it. Only make it tolerable.

Yes, I started doing 2 days on, 1 day off, then 1 day on 1 day off, etc. etc...

Don't try to stop cold turkey!

I've taken Nexium for some time and have the same concerns. Unfortunately, I've had esophageal ulcers, structures, etc. and have to really weigh the pros/cons. As I eat healthier I've noticed my heartburn has reduced but I still get flare ups. Once I lose a little more weight I'm considering weening myself off the Nexium (with my gastro's help). He suggested possibly using the lower dosage over the counter Nexium to gradually lower the dosage if I reach that point because of the rebound acid.

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I've been on Nexium 40 mg for many years. I had tried alternative acid reflux meds but none worked until I was put on Nexium. Since it worked wonders I stayed on it.

Now there's articles linking proton pump inhibitors to all sorts of bad long term effects. I attempted numerous times quitting cold turkey but the rebound of acid reflux was basically debilitating despite being on zantac or other H2 blocker type drugs and I had to go back on it.

I plan to go see my doc again to discuss alternatives and how to try to get off Nexium. But I was curious to hear about any success stories of anyone getting off Nexium and defeating rebound reflux symptoms.

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I don't know how many years you have been on PPI's, I was at over 18 years of which the last 4 I was on 40 mg of Protonix. I started having knee pain and had never had a knee injury or other and had read new studies indicating long term PPI use could cause joint issues, and decided to quit taking the drugs. OTOH, my dad is 83 and has been on PPI or other for more than 45 years and is in good health. YMMV, but I think it makes sense to try and wean yourself off Nexium and see how it goes.

You have to step down the dosage, you can't go directly from 40 mg to Zantac or Pepcid type formulation. Try alternating 40 and 20 mg Nexium for 10 - 14 days, then 20 to 10 for the same time frame, then 10 mg Nexium and Pepcid (Pepcid AM/PM), then just Pepcid. It helps a lot if you know trigger foods/beverages that set off GERD and avoid them during that period. The acid pumps start raging as soon as someone attempts to quit cold turkey or swap a strong PPI drug out and just use antacids or Pepcid/Zantac, you will almost be guaranteed to fail taking that path.

When I was going through the cessation I could drink maybe 6 oz of really hoppy beer, like West Coast style IPA, and it would feel like a blow torch had erupted in my stomach, so that was off the menu. It can be done, you just have to stick with the step down method and deal with some initial discomfort. I have been off PPIs for a year, sometimes I still have to take a Pepcid or antacid prior to eating something really spicy, but after the first 2 months or so it wasn't that bad.

Some info is out there on deglycerinized licorice and other things that supposedly can help reduce GERD during the weaning process but it did nothing for me. The recent medical literature on PPIs also indicate the lack of acid in one's stomach can reduce nutrient absorption and causes users to become deficient in multiple forms of vitamin absorption. It makes a lot of sense to try to get off the drugs. Good luck, it may not be easy early on but it will get better.

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I did ask my general surgeon who I see yearly and he does want me to quit taking protonix, but without repeat hernia surgery he knows I can't. My regular GP doesn't see a problem with PPIs long term and neither does another specialist I see. So idk who is right and I do know I can't quit taking the PPi. If I do I am pretty sure I wouldn't be able to eat. At all.

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You have a significant health challenge, that is apparent. Perhaps doing your own fact checking (you may have done this already) and bringing it to your Drs may or may not impact the decision to stay on PPI meds. Have you read the full insert that comes with the drugs, including side effects of long term use, etc? Has your Dr indicated you need to supplement your diet to offset what the drugs inhibit your body from absorbing, explicitly magnesium, calcium, B12 and other? Many times Drs aren't experts on drugs being prescribed, I don't think there is any way they can be with everything else they are required to do practicing medicine. A link to general magnesium deficiency in the population, taking PPI worsens this, and could be linked to hip, wrist, and spinal fractures:

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Your hip pain may be alleviated by stretching and strengthening, maybe not. I looked up the drug insert for one PPI I took for many years and increased incidence of fractures of the hip, spine, wrists, etc were noted.

This work from the Cleveland Clinic indicates uncertainty regarding whether PPI are a causal contributor to fractures, on page 3:
LINK

If it were me, I would consider having a bone density scan of the hips and spine if you have not. If it indicates you are in a normal range it can serve as a baseline for the future in case things change.

My dad's Dr suggested he quit PPIs last year, which he did after all those years, and was the final impetus for why I quit. The potential for malabsorption of nutrients over a life time of use and questions regarding effects on the cardiovascular system during aging made it an easy decision for me, the knee pain cessation was an added bonus. I find GERD triggers to be odd in how a tiny amount of something can really set off a near instantaneous reaction. Dad smokes a lot of cigars and doesn't really care about health consequences due to his age, I don't smoke. If I take 2 puffs of a cigar hanging out with him GERD immediately kicks in, if he drinks about 5 sips of a certain beer that has extremely low IBUs/hops, his GERD kicks in.