“Can GERD be cured permanently with medications?”
My husband is recurrently dealing with GERD. Can this problem be solved for good with medication? Please recommend the right medicines.
5 Answers
GERD is controlled with anti-acid pills but this is not a cure. GERD is a chronic problem so the pills will be needed indefinitely unless lifestyle changes and weight loss reduce the reflux. The only thing closer to a cure would be having surgery (e.g. Nissen fundoplication) to tighten the lower esophageal sphincter.
Yes a significant number of people will not need long term treatment.
Symptoms can be resolved initially with meds, but lifestyle and dietary changes are a must in order to achieve complete resolution of GERD. In most cases, people would still need meds.
It can be controlled but may not be cured. Use a PPI like Prilosec each AM and stay on a low fat caffeine free diet. Avoid red wine and see your GI doctor if it persists
Unfortunately, the natural course of acid reflux disease is unpredictable and even surgery such as fundoplication and newer endoscopic techniques to relieve acid reflux lasts 5-10 years, and more than 50 percent of people undergoing surgery will be back on acid-reducing medications after 5 years.
There’s times when acid reflux can be cured if it's related to sudden weight gain, smoking, or drinking too many caffeinated beverages after correcting these factors. Most acid-reducing medications are safe in the long term and most side effects have been rejected in more detailed studies. It is advisable to avoid any medication including acid-reducing meds if potential side effects outweigh the benefit of relieving occasional reflux episodes that can be managed with an on-demand approach to take it when you have symptoms if it is not persistent and does not return as soon as you stop the medication. Ignoring symptoms of severe and persistent acid reflux disease to avoid potential unproven side effects is not wise. It will affect your quality of life and increase the chances of complications such as narrowing of the esophageal lumen due to scar tissue formation, ulcer, bleeding, and possible developement of esophageal cancer.
There’s times when acid reflux can be cured if it's related to sudden weight gain, smoking, or drinking too many caffeinated beverages after correcting these factors. Most acid-reducing medications are safe in the long term and most side effects have been rejected in more detailed studies. It is advisable to avoid any medication including acid-reducing meds if potential side effects outweigh the benefit of relieving occasional reflux episodes that can be managed with an on-demand approach to take it when you have symptoms if it is not persistent and does not return as soon as you stop the medication. Ignoring symptoms of severe and persistent acid reflux disease to avoid potential unproven side effects is not wise. It will affect your quality of life and increase the chances of complications such as narrowing of the esophageal lumen due to scar tissue formation, ulcer, bleeding, and possible developement of esophageal cancer.
