Stomach acid/reflux drugs may cause depression & my experience

[Jorg]

Hello everyone, I hope you feel fine. First of all, if you take any of this kind of stomach drugs you may want to ask your doctor.

I started to take over-the-counter drugs for treating reflux/heartburn/stomach acid/GERD around 2 months ago. I have read some papers but never took them serious.

Since like 2 or 3 weeks ago I have been feeling sad, for an specific reason related to an ex, but I felt something was not right, I didn't recover from that sadness as fast as I used to and I didn't feel really normal. Today I remember those articles and as any other drug, stomach relief drugs can cause secondary effects, some recent studies relate them with increase in depression, it is nothing official nor 100% proved, but apparently there are more test coming on the subject.

I just wanted to share my experience with you if you use those kind of drugs and start to feel not completeley you. Remember to check with your doctor

Here are some sources:
Stomach acid drugs may cause depression
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nati...25811e-fc9e-11e8-ad40-cdfd0e0dd65a_story.html

https://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=21153&name=NEXIUM&SideEffect=depression

Drugs to battle heartburn linked to depression

 

[mw2530]

This is a timely thread. I recently was prescribed Prilosec. I had to have a procedure done recently b/c my esophagus had a section that had narrowed. They determined that it was caused by acid reflux. In addition, they took a biopsy and claimed that I was having some sort of allergic reaction to food that I was eating. No idea which ones. Apparently, not all that uncommon of an issue. I don't recall experiencing acid reflux very often, but prior to the procedure I had difficulty swallowing food at times and I actually had this problem for several years. The swallowing issue was due to the narrowing.

I have not started taking the drug, but I am concerned about side effects. Have you experienced side effects from the over the counter drugs you have taken?

 

[Jorg]

I can only speak for myself here, you may want to check with your doctor and therapist. But for me, I just didn't feel like recovering from sadness as fast as I did in the past. I am disgnosed with OCD and I should appoint many of my compulsive toughts didn't go away as easy as before, even when I have been depressed music has always cheered me up but this weekk it just didn't "click" as always.

I tried to search on internet about the articles I remembered, with the conviction of only using scientific and reliable sources like JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), some medical sites, but always trying to look for scientific based papers.

Proton Pump Inhibitors and Risk of Dementia
PPI Long Term Use: Risk of Neurological Adverse Events?

I remember some other effects related to long term use of this kind of medications like risk of dementia on elderly people. But again, ask your doctor and therapist about side effects.

I mean, in reality, every medication has side effects, from aspirines to treat headache to other more complex. I remember some years ago I took a pill for depression (I don´t remember which) and months later a study showed that some people who took it presented higher risk of even worse depression or suicidal toughts.

 

[Suzanne]

I take omeprozol, because if I do not, I will be consuming a LOT of gaviscon. I take 20 mls and eat 4 hrs before going to bed and so far, have not suffered from gastic reflux. My last bound was frightening, to say the least and I cried out to my God, Jehovah, and He calmed my heart down.

I used to be able to drink a glass of milk to calm my burnt throat, but since having my gallbladder removed, that is an overload of fat and it is disasterous and now drink almond milk. Sorry, veered off the subject.

I do not suffer side effects, so far and take a low dose, because in fact, we have LOW STOMACH acids and our stomach NEEDS acid to break down foods.

 

[renaeden]

Wow, esomeprazole (Nexium) is one the medications specified in your middle link, Jorg.

My doctor recommended that instead of taking Nexium every day, to take it every second day if there were no symptoms. I used to get reflux so bad that I thought I was going to breathe fire. It's very hard to do anything when feeling like that. So every second morning before breakfast I take Nexium and I'm ok.

 

[Suzanne]

Wow, esomeprazole (Nexium) is one the medications specified in your middle link, Jorg.

My doctor recommended that instead of taking Nexium every day, to take it every second day if there were no symptoms. I used to get reflux so bad that I thought I was going to breathe fire. It's very hard to do anything when feeling like that. So every second morning before breakfast I take Nexium and I'm ok.

I regulary woke with acid in my mouth, to the extent, that I had a burnt tongue for about 3 years and had to have 3 teeth removed and nearly lost my voice and have a cough.

But, thankfully, after I found out why, I have had very few bad episodes and now, I have to eat at about 6 in the evening, so that my food has time to settle and take only one gavison in the early hour's of the morning, for a bit of heartburn.

 

[Bolletje]

Depression is a known, but very rare side effect of omeprazole and esomeprazole. It makes up less than 0.1% of the registered side effects of the PPI here in the Netherlands. Of course, the actual incidence of depression as a side effect could be a lot higher than the registered amount of cases, simply because I think a lot of people don’t think taking PPI’s can cause depressive symptoms. If they don’t report it as a possible side effect it won’t be recorded, obviously