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How to stop Prevacid?
I've been calling my doctor for about a month how to get off this medicine but she's ignoring my calls. Now she's on vacation. Is it okay to just stop taking this medicine?
My Sister-in-Law asked the GI she works for and he said it's okay. I just wanted to see if anyone else had just -stopped- taking it.
6 Answers
- oldtimekid2Lv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
"Okay" is a very relative term. It's not something you need to wean off of, so it won't cause withdrawal, but I would recommend talking to another doctor if that doctor isn't getting back to you.
Personally, I would look for an alternative to it if you have too much stomach acid because the acid blockers like that cause more problems when they are taken long-term. Namely, if your stomach doesn't have enough acid, it can't digest your food as well, so you won't get as much of the nutrients as your body may need. I know there are a number of people that tend to have bone problems after taking acid blockers over the course of years.
There are natural alternatives available (herbs and nutrients as well as avoiding certain foods) that can help to prevent stomach acid from flaring up as well, so you could look into those if stopping your Prevacid brings your heartburn back. I know DGL (Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice) is very popular and beneficial for healing ulcers, so you could start out with that if you still need the help, but there are others as well. Good luck!
Source(s): Health/nutrition classes and personal research in my role as a Product Specialist for a vitamin company - 1 decade ago
Prevacid is an acid reducer and helps heal erosions ulcers..etc. You can stop and nothing bad will happen but if you have only been taking it a month I would def. stay on it! A month is not nearly enough time to heal erosions or ulcers. You should give it at least 6 weeks minimum. If you take it as acid reducer, stay on it. You stop and the acid will come back within days. Take everyday for this medicine to do its' job correctly.
- Anonymous7 years ago
Below is a look at the main types of side effects by body system that arise from taking Prevacid.
Gastrointestinal symptoms: Gastrointestinal side effects when using Prevacid include diarrhea, abdominal pain and nausea which are the most common. On the other hand, constipation and vomiting are reported less often while there have been several cases of microscopic colitis and pancreatitis being reported. In the event that you develop chronic watery diarrhea, it is advisable to discontinue taking Prevacid immediately and you should recover within a couple of days.
Nervous System symptoms: Nervous system side effects include headaches, dizziness and pain, as well as certain incidences of speech disorder in patients taking Prevacid. However, these have been seen to go away soon after the patient discontinues their medication.
Other side effects include an increase in blood potassium levels, presence of crystal urine, increased blood urea as well as positive fecal occult blood. The most common side effects that may occur due to taking Prevacid include: constipation, diarrhea, nausea, headache, swelling, pain, stomach pain and redness at the injection point. If any of these symptoms persists or becomes bothersome, it is advisable to consult your docto
- Anonymous5 years ago
my Baby Girl was a 34 Weeker and She was on 15 milligrams of Prevacid until She died, the pooping is normal, usually a reaction to the dosage adjustment, nex time I wouldn't adjust it without the doc's okay, the spitting is probably normal as well, my Daughter had it for a couple of weeks when they adjusted Her dosage. mention it to the doc just in case though.