Prilosec? The culprit?

[RNRita]

Well, you guys know that my PVCs are back.  I take fish oil and Cal/Mg. They were gone for so long that it was very nice.....mmmm.  THEN they came back.  Anyway, I noticed that it was about a week after I started taking Prilosec every day.  Then I didn't take it for a day or two and they got a lot better.  I took it again....back.  Stopped...they calmed.  Yesterday I didn't take it and I had a decent day.  I am going to ride this one out.  I have NO idea where there could be a connection, but this is too coincidental for my tastes.  I also remember, in the past, having bad times with PVCs and I might have been on Prilosec, Prevacid or Protonix at the time.  I was on them for a long stretch.  Anyone else?

[pjlove]

I was so glad to find someone else who thinks there may be a link between PPI's (protein pump inhibitors) and heart arrhythmia's.  I had been on Prilosec/omeprazole for over 10 years.  A year ago I started having atrial fibrillation.  My doctor ran all the relevant tests and said my heart was fine and not to worry. At that time I questioned my gastroenterologist about being on Prilosec for such a long time. She assured me that there were no studies that showed any side effects from the long term use of PPI's.  I continued to suspect  Prilosec and attempted to discontinue it.  Unfortunately I did not keep a record of the prilosec intake or my arrhythmia's so I can't directly relate them. I have taken some Prilosec in the last year but not on a consistent basis.   I did have a long period the first part of this year without any arrhythmia's and then they started up again in August.

After a 2 day episode in September I went to the ER where they finally captured the Atrial Fibrillation and diagnosed me with Atrial Fibrillation with Rapid Ventricular Response (my heart rate was often over 170). I was in hospital for 6 days while they ran many tests and did an electro-cardioversion. I am now on medication in attempt to control the A Fib.  I continue to have intermittant episodes  of  A Fib.  I have stopped all PPI's and ATTEMPT to control my GERD with other methods.

I can't help but wonder if the long term intake of Prilosec caused this arrhythmia problem to start.  Then again I also wonder if there is any connection between the long standing problem of GERD and the arrhythmia's.  I am very interested in hearing from others with arrhythmia's who may have GERD and have taken PPI's.

Perhaps as a new member to this community I should be posting somewhere else, but when I saw that others suspect the PPI's I wanted to be involved with this discussion.

[btodd11]

Thanks for bringing this to my attention.  I have had 2 ablations for AVNRT in the last couple of months to no avail.  (I have had 4 in all.)  I've also been taking Protonix since the beginning of the year.  Perhaps that is the culprit?  I keep wondering why my heart is still pounding the next day after I got my ablations done?  I just looked up side effects of Protonix and it can result in Vitamin B-12 defficiency; symptoms of that include fatigue & weakness, pale skin, shortness of breath & fast heart rate.  All of which describe me to a tee (among others).  Is it possible, that, in all of the hundreds of doctor appointments that I've had this year, no one has checked my B-12?  This is definately something worth looking into.  Thanks for your post!  Have a wonderful day!  

PS. You know...there is something wrong with our doctors today when we seem to be spending all of our time on the internet "self-diagnosing".  If I hadn't self-diagnosed my kidney failure at the beginning of the year, I would probably be on the transplant list right now.  Fortunately, they are improving on their own (with a little help from meds, of course).  I'm beginning to lose my trust in them.

[RNRita]

It's BAAAAAAAD!  VERY BAAAAAAD!  I have some Zantac.  That is usually for after the fact.  I'll try that one again.  Thanks.

[MAB22]

How about trying another antacid?  I take Zantac when I need it.  I'm not sure how bad your acid is.

[RNRita]

Over the years, doctors have often told me that certain meds would not produce certain side effects.  I don't know why they say it, but I have found that they are either lying or misled!  I know my body and am no dummy.  I didn't get the PVCs right away with the Prilosec.  It took almost a week.  That is why I don't think I ever made the connection.  I always think that the side effects would start right away.  That is not necessarily true. Well, I am still off and still doing okay.  The acid is back horribly, though.  My sister told me to take a TBS of vinegar. I'll try ANYTHING!

[jkfrench]

I took Prilosec for six months with no changes in my pvc's.  Prilosec didn't work so they switched me to Protonix and I have been taking it since June.  I haven't noticed anything until recently so I'm not sure it is related.  I went 4 months with no problems.  Of course my doctor assured me that Protonix wouldn't bother my heart.  I'm going to try taking it every other day now because the reflux is so much better.  I was at the point where I was short of breath because my vocal chords were swollen.
Frenchie