PPIs are no longer considered safe for daily use. Hamas touched on that earlier.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about it, but you really should not be using them for more than two weeks at a time unless you have a specific medical indication for them. Escalate your therapy appropriately. Manage your diet, alcohol, and smoking, start with Tums, escalate to H2RAs like famotidine, ranitidine, and others, and only after they've failed should you start using PPIs.

I'm on Omeprazole and my doc does a blood draw every 6 months as he's concerned about it damaging my kidneys.

He doesn't seem to have any other concerns, is there anything else I should be looking for?

I've read that it can effect bone strength later in life.

Check your PMs.

Do you do everything in your power to modify your behavior and your diet and it's still a problem?

I tell all my patients with acid reflux to do everything they can to change this themselves, before medication is recommended.

Shit, I've been taking Prilosec OTC for years. Nothing else works. Even eating the most bland of diets gives me acid reflux something awful.

I was on Omeprazole for the better part of 8 years, it sucked being on that train, I felt like I was a slave to the drug. I googled and read the horror stories of people that tried to quit. I did quit cold turkey, but at the same time I started with daily metamucil drink(mix from the powder). When I took the mucil, the acid reflux was gone, it would come back if I skipped a day. My theory is that the metamucil fiber takes the nasty stuff that hangs out in the stomach and passes it through quickly, kind of like a police officer saying 'nothing to see here, move along.' Now I only take it occasionally. Feel so much better not being dependent on the drug!

Some people will need them regardless. You may be one of those. However, they are overused, and shouldn't just be prophylactic therapy for everyone.

the problem is that once you are on them, you need them!

Not true. I managed to get off them after 3 years of use. Been off them for the last three years. Don't know why it has come back on me. Only major change is going back to working nights. Not by choice and no quitting isn't an option.

I quit my GERD medication 5 months ago as I keep losing weight. After 70 pounds gone, I have no reflux anymore or heartburn. My hiatal hernia still makes funny popping noises when I walk after drinking a lot of fluid but no pain.

As I posted. Mine wasn't a problem until these last couple months. My doc was worthless in helping me 5 years ago because he would refer me to the internet regarding my diet. Would you care to spell it out of better than telling me to research it myself?

Definitely. I have some good handouts at work that I will try to remember to scan so I can send you them.

Can I ask if you are overweight and have recently gained weight?

These can all lower your lower esophageal sphincter tone: Fatty foods, soda, onions, peppermint, chocolate, garlic, and booze,

Citrus, coffee, spicy foods, and tobacco will irritate the mucosa of your stomach.

Avoid using aspirin and ibuprofen, if possible. Don't wear tight-fitting clothes, and lose weight to lessen the pressure on your abdomen. Don't eat w/in 3 hours of bed, and lessen the size of your meals.

There are also a number of medications that can lessen the tone of your lower esophageal sphincter, which will promote reflux.