I’ve been taking H2 blockers for about a month now. Last week, I noticed a buzzing in my ears. Come to find out, the buzzing is a side effect of the H2s. So is the horrible constipation and diarrhea. Great.
So I spoke to the pharmacist at Kroger. She was in her 20s, so I don’t think she grasped the depth of the issues with side effects, but she confirmed what I already knew: it’s either H2 or PPI. Or both. That’s it. She said since my side effects were rather intense with the H2, I should probably go back to the PPI. Fuck. She said that cutting the H2 to once a day should alleviate the buzzing in my ears and hopefully the diarrhea/constipation, too.
So what I’m going to try is PPI in the morning and H2 at night. Just to keep the PPI dose to a minimum. I’ve no other option.
I am VERY conservative when it comes to Rx (or OTC that was Rx) drugs. I just don’t like them and if I have to take them, I do extensive research. Unfortunately for me, it means I know too much. My mother has serious osteoporosis, which is why I’m worried about that side effect of PPIs in particular – and don’t want to take them.
BUT it doesn’t matter, I have to get the reflux handled. I have to get to feeling better. I wish I was the type of person who could just take whatever drug is handed to me without question, like most folks, and not worry. But I am not that type of person. I don’t trust Drs or drug companies to have my best interests at heart.
Today, I start PPIs again. I’m not happy about it, but I MUST get my life back. I did this surgery to lose weight and feel better, not sacrifice my life to it. If there was another option, I’d take it. Alas, there is not. I just hope better drugs will be developed in the future – ones that don’t block calcium or have other nasty side effects.