Acid reflux drugs and migraines?

I developed a really nasty case of GERD or "acid reflux" a couple of weeks ago. REALLY bad. After trying to control it with antacids, I tried over-the-counter (OTC) Pepcid AC acid blocker, which helped some but not enough. I went to my doctor who recommended adding OTC Prilosec, an extended release drug you take once a day, a different class of drug. Worked like a charm. In three days it was like I had never had acid reflux.

BUT...

Within 16 hours of taking the first dose I was getting massive, non-stop migraines. Actually worst than my normal migraines, as I would first get very anxious and have almost a panic attack, have difficulty swallowing and similar stuff, and then get the migraine. The first episode woke me out of a sound sleep at 2AM because I was choking and kept me up most of the night, something my migraines almost never do.

It took me a while to realize the connection, but I stayed on it, hoping this side effect would get less ( the GERD was actually WORST than my migraines, I was highly motivated). I also thought it might have something to do with not taking any NSAIDs, due to the GERD. So I tried some Advil without much joy.

I went off the Prilosec after the 4th day, just couldn't miss another day's work due to migraines. The migraines got less intense within 12 hours, although it is now day two since I went off and I just had a mild migraine. But I think that is because I missed three days of my preventative - I forgot to take it in the horrible mess of the migraines.

And so far, just using Pepcid alone seems to be keeping the GERD away. Knock wood.

Prilosec says it will interfere with magnesium absorption, which WILL give people headaches. But I don't think that could do it in just one day.

But has anybody else had this happen? It seems like any drug I take will give me migraines!

"The capsule shells have the following inactive ingredients: gelatin-NF, FD&C Blue #1, FD&C Red #40, D&C Red #28, titanium dioxide, synthetic black iron oxide, isopropanol, butyl alcohol, FD&C Blue #2, D&C Red #7 Calcium Lake, and, in addition, the 10 mg and 40 mg capsule shells also contain D&C Yellow #10."

It's the artificial colorings. ANY color with a # in front of it gives me terrible, painful migraines which even my triptans can't control.

No - the generic prilosec I was taking was a white caplet, no capsule.

In any case, I now think it is the Pepcid AC Complete I am also taking. I quite taking the prilosec and three days later I was still getting the migraines. Three nights ago I woke up at 2AM in complete pain, head to toe on my right side and very nauseous. I was in such pain even my pillow hurt! Really extreme.

I quite taking the Pepcid and have been migraine free for two days. I looked it up and the H2 antihistamine has headache as the most common side effect.

I don't know how H2 antihistamines compare to regular H1 antihistamines people take for allergies, but I can't tolerate those. They give me headaches and make me feel ill. So maybe I just don't tolerate any sort of antihistamine.

I'm going to try to take both drugs in lower doses as I do have to treat the GERD.

Do any of the common remedies such as drinking your water with lemon juice in it (squeezing a few slices of lemon in your water), drinking "Ginger Ale," or Aloe Vera juice help? The lemon juice in water turns alkaline in your stomach. The lemon slices in water and the Aloe Vera takes a week or so to work.

I know your case in more serious, but, it may be worth a shot.

Martin

Trust me, I've tried all these things and more.

Ginger helps a tiny bit, lemon juice is deadly, even diluted, etc. Aloe juice is problematic, as some versions are quite carcinogenic if they contain any of the outer leaf. That used to be used as a laxative and was actually banned due to the risk, but the drinks have a loophole. You have to be careful. Didn't work anyway.


My doctor warned about the long-term risks of GERD, especially cancer of the esophagus, and strongly recommends more serious action,

Losing weight may also help in my case.

I thought, I would mention the products, just in case. I use the Aloe Vera and the lemon slices with water for my stomach problems, they seem to work for me.

My 98 year old mother uses all three for her stomach problems. And when her old cat, "Annie," was alive, Mom and Annie would drink aloe vera juice freshly made from whole plants. Annie passed away at 17-19 years old.

Have you seen the TV program "Food Hospital," it is on the Cook Channel? The program is out of the UK. They prescribe different foods to eat or to avoid, for various medical problems. They tell an individual not to give up on their medications, when they are on a prescribed diet. They also run a bunch of medical tests for each patient. The episodes are on the internet and they describe the various aliments they have treated.

From the TV program, I learned that fresh tomatoes are OK for my stomach, but once they are cooked or in a sauce, they are deadly for my GERD. Too bad, I make a good catfish stew in which I used to add tomato sauce. I am also on a Gluten free diet due to my stomach problems. But, my main culprit is diet cokes and sugared ice teas.

It seems many of us struggle with stomach problems. And I wonder what in our diet is adding to our medical problems.

Martin

If you cannot take this PPI (protein pump inhibitor), there are some others in this group of medicines, so if M is still a problem, go back to the Dr who prescribed it and ask for another PPI. I also had to change mine, if for dofferent reason, but neither gave me any additional M.

About the Food Hospital programme; I have watched it from the start here in UK, but frankly, like many such popular programmes we need to proceed with caution. Some of it sounds quite useful, but quite a few things suggested in this program would give me a M, so I would not dream of trying them.

We are affected by so many s/e from trying and living with variety of medicines, and many of us have multiple health issues, apart from M, so we need to be especially careful when trying anything, even if it is something "natural" like food, or herbs.

I know that for many of us, lemons, and lemon juice for example, are powerful M triggers.
A tiny slice of lemon in a drink of water is guranteed to give me 3 days of M!
We need to proceed with great caution whenever trying any new solution, no matter how "natural".

I did not mean to imply that because a product is natural, it is ok. Me, I look at main line meds as "refined chemicals," and natural products as "Unrefined
Chemicals." Depending on an individual, either can be bad for you.

Martin

GERD isn't due to stomach problems or too much stomach acid, it's due to the esophagus muscles not sealing tight enough, letting stomach acid wash up into your wind pipe and burning it. It is typically caused by muscle problems or spasms in your windpipe.

Some foods aggravate the spasms such as chocolate and caffeine. Citrus and tomatoes also seem to hurt.

One approach is to reduce stomach acids to low levels with PPIs and so on. They don't fix the problem but reduce the burns.

They are working on drugs that reduce the spasms. Interestingly, cannabis is one of the substances being investigated for this.

Avoiding things that put pressure on your stomach - tight clothing, being overweight, overeating, all help. And sleeping with your body elevated a bit to let gravity help keep the acid down.

But I need more than that right now. I think it is the acid reducer, pepcid AC that was giving me the headaches, not the prilosec ppi. So I am very trepidatiously going to try it again

Not sure if this is true for anyone else, but oats give me acid reflux really bad. Sure caffeine, alcohol, soda, and chocolate can all give me slight occasional acid reflux, but I seriously can not eat much oatmeal at all or anything with oats in it. Also hot chocolate is pretty bad. Just suggesting in case you are eating these things and there might be a connection.