Re: Re: info on prilosec (OT)

[Guest guest]

Hi Chris;

Since you are across the puddle I do not think that you have heard about

some research done here in Canada.They havejust realesed info on blood

pressure medications.the trial was with 42,000 people mostly in Canada but

some were from the Virgin Islands Puerto Rico and the U.S..All were over age

55.The darndeds thing is that good old diuretic that cost pennies a day were

more effetive than calcium channel blockers or ace inhibitors.What's

more,patients taking an ace inhibitor were more likely to suffer heart

failure,be admitted to hospital with angina,or undergoheart bypass surgery

than those on water pills.Compared with a diuretic,patients on a calcium

chanel blocker were 38% more likely to develop heart failure.A drug called an

alpha-blocker was also part of the trial but was halted two years ago after

early results showed people taking it were twice as likely to develop heart

failure as those on the diuretic.Experts say the implications are

enormous;about one in four canadian adults develop hypertention and the

numbers are rising as the population ages.Canadian pharmacists dispense 48.9

million pills last year.Ace inhibitors and calcium chanel blockers accounted

for 49% of those prescriptions.Diuretics made up 18%

The researchers admit that there is a place for ace inhibitors and chanel

blockers but over all the cheaper drug is better for most people.here in

Canada the calcium chanel blocker use in the testing cost 1.90 a day before

dispensing fees compared to the diuretic that cost one to 3 cents.

Needless to say the drug companies are up in arms especially since they

lost so much money when just about every canadian woman dropped hormone

replacements this summer after learning how dangerous it can be.Needless to

say I am laughing all the way!!!! Lynne

Adlard wrote:

> Hi Carol,

>

> Good article. Our local doctor - like he's one of the better doctors

> around here - gave my husband Propulsid for his hiatal hernia.

>

> Chas got immediate and severe heart palpitations from the first tablet

> and felt so ill that he threw the rest down the toilet. He then

> followed Dr. Mercola's suggestions which are the same as in your

> article. After drinking eight glasses of water a day and starting on

> probiotics, he has had no signs of hiatal hernia or acid reflux. Of

> course then we found out that Propulsid was withdrawn from the market

> as it killed some people by affecting their hearts...

>

> Chas also has had high blood pressure since he was a young man, despite

> the fact that he was a triathlon competitor and has always kept very

> fit. Probably something to do with his hyperactivity (ADHD). Eventually

> a few months ago his blood pressure got so high (220/165) that he

> reluctantly started on a drug for that. While the drug did reduce his

> blood pressure, he doesn't like taking it. So he's lost a lot of weight

> by swimming a mile every morning and cutting down carbohydrates, still

> drinking tons of water and taking probiotics. Last week Ethel was

> discussing with me the benefits of aloe vera and Chas started on aloe

> vera capsules. Quite suddenly, within two days, his blood pressure has

> normalised. He's expecting to be off the drug in another few weeks.

>

> Such simple measures for problems, rather than the cocktails of drugs

> so often prescribed.

>

> Thanks Ethel, as always

> Chris.

>

> On Tuesday, December 24, 2002, at 04:55 PM, Bob and Carol Zarn wrote:

>

> > Hi Group, Someone asked about long term use of prevacid. Prilosec is

> > similar. I cannot find who it was so .......Carol/Piney

> >

> > FIRE DOWN BELOW

> >

> > Health Sciences Institute e-Alert

> >

> > December 23, 2002

> >

> > **************************************************************

> >

> > Dear Member,

> >

> > I have great news for anyone who suffers from heartburn or

> > acid reflux.

> >

> > HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., recently sent me an eye-

> > opening article from the Boston Globe Magazine with an

> > overview of the marketing of the prescription heartburn drug,

> > Prilosec. Here's a quote from the article:

> >

> > " That drug stripped misery from the lives of millions and

> > became the world's best-selling prescription drug - and the

> > number one medication prescribed for seniors - taking in $6

> > billion a year. Prilosec is so good, and patients so attached

> > to it, that doctors jokingly call it 'purple crack.' It's an

> > expensive habit, about $4 for each daily pill, or $1,500 a

> > year. "

> >

> > Believe me - that's just the tip of the Prilosec iceburg.

> > I'll give you all the details on the Prilosec story in an

> > upcoming e-Alert. Today, however, I have something far more

> > practical. After reading the Globe article, Dr. Spreen sent

> > me an e-mail, sharing the details of a natural therapy he's

> > often recommended to successfully treat heartburn - a welcome

> > alternative to Prilosec and other heartburn medications.

> > Here's Dr. Spreen...

> >

> > --------------------------------------------------------------

> > Kicking out the purple

> > --------------------------------------------------------------

> >

> > This is so sorry an issue that it gives me reflux. I can't

> > tell you how many times I've stopped 'heartburn,' 'reflux,'

> > 'acid indigestion,' whatever...now it's called 'GERD'

> > [GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease] to make it really official!

> > If everyone would just give me $1500/year to stop it, I'll

> > pay for the supplements myself and retire a VERY wealthy man

> > with what's left (and improve the patient's digestion at the

> > same time).

> >

> > The solution is ridiculously simple (and cheap). Using

> > readily available acidophilus and digestive enzymes I stop

> > over 2/3 of all cases. The more difficult cases (that may

> > include overt ulcers, etc.) may involve a more aggressive

> > approach, but omitting really serious GI illness the results

> > are nearly always extremely positive.

> >

> > 'Reflux' (or any of the other scary sounding names) is

> > nothing more than acid slipping past the junction of the

> > stomach and esophagus. The stomach is designed for it, the

> > esophagus is not...hence a trap door (sphincter) at the

> > intersection (called the GE, or GastroEsophageal junction)

> > set in place to keep the two areas separated.

> >

> > --------------------------------------------------------------

> > Acid essentials

> > --------------------------------------------------------------

> >

> > People act like (from propaganda on TV) stomach acid is some

> > kind of mistake on mother nature's part. How many times in my

> > practice have I had to repeat that ACID IS SUPPOSED TO BE

> > DOWN THERE...WE NEED IT!

> >

> > Here's the kicker: if you 'kill it off' (using antacids, acid

> > blockers, etc.) the body, in its wisdom, saves the energy

> > required to protect the esophagus from the stomach's

> > (normally) more acid environment and weakens the GE

> > sphincter. This allows any remaining acid to sometimes slip

> > past and irritate the esophagus. So, you take an antacid (or

> > whatever...we have so many choices these days) and you feel

> > better, because you lessen even more what little acid remains

> > that has been irritating your already sensitive esophagus.

> >

> > The above association reinforces that you need more antacid

> > next time, since it helps in the short term. So look what's

> > happening - the short term 'fix' assures that the problem

> > will continue (and even worsen).

> >

> > Is that not the most beautiful trick? The 'cure' assures its

> > own increasing necessity...it's positively brilliant (and

> > diabolical). And don't think for an instant that I'm the only

> > one who's figured it out (and I make no money on the system).

> >

> > --------------------------------------------------------------

> > Acidophilus & enzymes

> > --------------------------------------------------------------

> >

> > Acidophilus supplements (powder form, the liquid tastes

> > awful) protect the esophagus without killing acid (while

> > killing the pain almost immediately). The hassle is, you have

> > to keep it handy and take it often if you don't solve the

> > whole problem, which involves tightening the GE sphincter.

> > That can be done using the English herbs (Potter's Acidosis)

> > or by improving the environment of the stomach, which then

> > tightens the junction on its own but requires a bit more

> > effort.

> >

> > When the stomach is low on acid it tends to also be low on

> > digestive enzymes. Believe it or not, the solution (along

> > with acidophilus protection) is to ADD acid and digestive

> > enzymes at the same time. Remember, it isn't acid that's the

> > problem (you need it desperately for digestion); it's acid

> > reaching the esophagus. Proper digestion allows for higher

> > concentration of acid while tightening the GE junction and

> > protecting the esophagus. I do that using Super Enzymes by

> > TwinLab, two capsules at mid-meal. I hate to push just one

> > company, but it's one of the few enzymes that includes

> > betaine hydrochloride, a plant-based form of acid like what's

> > in the stomach (you hope) - plus it's available everywhere.

> > I'm sure there are others.

> >

> > A trick with acidophilus capsules is that, with reflux, you

> > must open the capsule and let the saliva carry it down the

> > throat to the stomach. Dose is no problem, as the supplement

> > represents a sample of the billions of 'good guy' bacteria

> > that you want in the GI (gastrointestinal) tract (and in

> > which most people are woefully deficient). Look for caps

> > measuring at least 1 billion (with a 'B') cfu (colony forming

> > units).

> >

> > --------------------------------------------------------------

> > Licorice stick

> > --------------------------------------------------------------

> >

> > Occasionally the combo of acidophilus and digestive enzymes

> > isn't enough (that's uncommon), or there is actual stomach

> > trouble from low acid (the stomach's defenses weaken over

> > time, too, with decreased acid, such that irritation there

> > can form and progress to an ulcer...see how these things are

> > connected?). Then, I add DGL, a form of licorice that has one

> > component removed (DGL means De-Glycerrhizinated Licorice). I

> > use Enzymatic Therapy brand but there are other good ones.

> > Chewing or sucking on one 20 minutes before eating can be

> > very helpful in difficult cases. Avoiding refined sugar and

> > white flour products also seems to help.

> >

> > The Potter's solution can be very effective; just bear in

> > mind that it is a 'fix' that does not repair the altered

> > state of the gastric environment.

> >

> > Killing off acid, however it's done, is a serious mistake

> > with long term consequences if pursued over time. Poor

> > digestion is the genesis of all sorts of problems, in my

> > opinion...but that's just me.

> >

> > Good Health,

> > Allan Spreen, MD

> >

> > --------------------------------------------------------------

> > Pass it along

> > --------------------------------------------------------------

> >

> > My friend, , loves his Nexium. He is certainly one of

> > those purple crack addicts. But he doesn't have prescription

> > drug coverage and was complaining about the price. If you

> > have friends like , this is one of those e-Alerts that

> > I would strongly encourage you to forward to them.

> >

> > I'm grateful that I don't suffer from any of these

> > gastrointestinal problems myself. But for those who do, if

> > you give Dr. Spreen's recommendations a try (and why wouldn't

> > you?), please drop us a line and tell us about the results.

> >

> > Many thanks to Dr. Spreen for sharing this very useful

> > treatment with us.

> >

> >

> >

> >