Do you still take a PPI?

I took prescription prilosec twice a day before surgery. hiatal hernia repaired during surgery. After surgery I continued the prilosec with otc as per doctors orders. After some amount of time - maybe 5 or 6 months I discussed this with surgeon and he said i could try dropping back to a less strong ppi  such as over the counter ranatadine or fanatadine. I had some and did that for a month or so. Then I ran out and decided to see what would happen without it.  I was totally fine without it. Tonight I am going to eat homemade chili with no fear.

Once in awhile I get a bit of heartburn and chew a tums. But its sure nothing like the miserable blast I used to get everytime i stooped over to pick something up off the floor. so it is possible to get off the stuff for some of us. but then there are skinny people who have to take it too long term. So glad there are such drugs because there were times in my life where i was miserable without them. Diane

The stomach acid issue is my only surgery-related problem these days.  For months I was taking Prevacid otc, and about a month ago I was feeling so good I thought I might try tapering off.  Instead, I had a huge flare-up, and I haven't been able to get it completely under control since.  I don't get reflux, but my stomach is a gurgling cauldron, and I can sort-of smell/taste the acid fumes, if that makes sense.  My doctor put me on Dexilant, which isn't working as well as I'd like, and I take a Pepcid or Zantac once or twice a day.  My hope is that eventually this will resolve, but in the meantime I'll keep working my way thru PPIs and H2 blockers to get it managed.  And I STILL consider it a small price to pay.  I'm in 12s for Crissakes!  LOL!

I'm only 7 months out, but thought I would answer anyway.  I am still taking my PPI.  I stopped taking it between 4-6 months out.  For those 2 months, my appetite was out of control.  The hunger wasn't real hunger though, it was stomach acid.  I didn't have reflux, just had never ending appetite.  It threw me off bad.  I had a hard time trying to lose weight during that time.  The PPI really helps control appetite.

At almost 2 years post, I still take a RX PPI. Because of our insurance as long as I fill my RX on base, they are free so I didn't see any sense in paying for OTC meds. When I had a flare of gastritis in January, my PCM switched me to Nexium once daily off Prilosec. I needed to do this switch because Prilosec is not allowed in pregnancy, so it all worked out for me. I'm now on the mail order RX program and for a 90 day supply of Nexium, I pay a mere 3 bucks, and it comes in the mail on auto ship. Since we don't live on base, it's a nice convenience and for 3 bucks, it's worth it.

I do not stay on it because of reflux. I've read enough of the vets that are further out than me, and they report breakthrough reflux, and hunger. It's not the reflux that scares me, it's the hunger. I still never experience any physical hunger, but I still have a "fat girl's appetite". Adding hunger to the equation scares the poop outta me. I have had a couple of episodes of breakthrough reflux with the pregnancy, and I was miserable so I don't want to even risk it by weaning off now. I've said since being 6-8 months out, "oh I'll wean off", but I never follow through with it. Seriously, physical hunger really does scare me. I know it's "normal" to be hungry, but I didn't have normal hunger pre-op and I don't ever want to feel it again. After Sprout's delivery, I might consider weaning off again, but the first time I feel hunger, or have major reflux, I'm going back on it. I take my calcium religiously so I'm not too concerned with the long term side effects of PPI usage.

2 years and 2 months out, and I don't take anything. Never had acid issues.

I have stopped taking my prilosec for the most part, but take it as needed, and find that when I do need something, a pepcid complete usually feels better, it has a "now and later" type of action.

 Definitely.  Every once in awhile I'll think "hmmm I don't think I need it" and go without it for a few days.  The first day I notice more "hunger" and by the 3rd I can barely eat the acid is churning so strongly.  So, yeah, I take my ppi happily.

I went from 1 omeprazole (once a day) to one every 12 hours when I bumped up my coffee drinking, maybe about 6 month out. I would guess that if I cut way back on coffee I could go down to one again. but probably not give it up completely.

if I miss one I really notice it.

While it may be only anecdotal, it seems like some type of acid-reducing treatment is a long-term issue for the majority.  As I said, it's no big deal.  Heck, even if it was... what am I gonna do about it, right?

Thanks to everyone for chiming in.  I wanted to make sure I wasn't "abnormal."  Well, in this respect anyway.

I was on prilosec twice a day until about 5 months.  At that time, I weaned myself down to once a day.  Just after 6 months I forgot to take it several days in a row and had no problems so I thought I'd see how long I could go.... I've never taken one since.  Now that I'm pregnant I can't take it anyway, but I haven't needed anything (knock on wood).