People’s Pharmacy: Did Prilosec cause serious kidney damage?
Q. I took prescription Prilosec for 25 years for reflux. Out of the blue, with no other risk factors, I was diagnosed four years ago with Stage 3 kidney disease. Kidney biopsy results were that the cause was “unknown.”
I had tried and tried to get off of Prilosec by using DGL and other natural supplements to no avail. With help from a physician who treats autonomic (vagus nerve) dysfunction, I managed to wean slowly off the Prilosec, substituting famotidine. I also lost some weight, which helped. I don’t have to take anything for reflux now.
With immunosuppressant drugs for the kidney disease, I have been in remission for three years. So far, things are stable.
Oddly, my nephrologist rolled his eyes when I told him I thought my kidney disease had been caused by Prilosec. I had read studies on the link, and I still believe it caused my problem.
A. The manufacturer responsible for Prilosec, AstraZeneca, does not admit that the drug can harm the kidneys. On the other hand, the company recently agreed to settle over 10,000 lawsuits for $425 million. The plaintiffs were people who suffered kidney injuries while taking Prilosec and the similar acid-suppressing medicine Nexium.
A recent analysis of a dozen studies with nearly 2.5 million participants found that proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as esomeprazole or omeprazole increase the risk of acute kidney injury by about 75% (Journal of Clinical Medicine, March 24, 2023). We are disappointed that your nephrologist does not seem to be paying attention to this danger.
Anyone who would like to learn how to deal with heartburn without relying heavily on PPIs may find our “eGuide to Overcoming Digestive Disorders” helpful. This online resource can be found under the Health eGuides tab at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.
Q. My husband collapsed, unconscious, due to severe internal bleeding. He had been taking two full-strength aspirin on the advice of his doctor.
I knew that aspirin could be hard on the stomach. To try to protect him, I bought enteric-coated aspirin instead.
That just took the damage lower in the digestive tract. Had he been taking uncoated aspirin, he might have felt pain and distress before the ulcer got so big and he lost so much blood. Once they found the ulcer, they cauterized it and gave him two pints of blood.
I will never let him use enteric aspirin again. He felt absolutely no pain with an ulcer beyond the stomach. It’s a wonderful drug but, like all drugs, carries some risk.
A. Doctors often recommend aspirin to prevent blood clots that can cause heart attacks or strokes. Because the risk of ulcers is well recognized, cardiologists may suggest enteric-coated aspirin.
A study of more than 10,000 people with atherosclerosis recently compared the safety and effectiveness of enteric-coated and uncoated aspirin tablets (JAMA Cardiology, Oct. 4, 2023). There was no difference between the two forms of aspirin. They were equally effective and equally risky when it came to bleeding episodes.
Q. The dentist recommended xylitol for my dry mouth. Wow, diarrhea city!
A. Xylitol is a sugar substitute that is frequently found in dry mouth products and sugarless gum. It can cause diarrhea.
Another reader reported that Biotene Gel was helpful for the dry mouth caused by a CPAP machine. She suffered no adverse effects. Biotene contains both sorbitol and xylitol. This suggests some people are less susceptible to GI complaints.
In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803, or email them via their website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them.”