How to Make Heartburn Go Away
If you try a two-week course of PPIs and your symptoms don’t improve or they go away and then return, your doctor may want to do an endoscopy, Moawad says. In this procedure, a small, flexible tube is passed through your mouth into your esophagus to examine it closely for reflux-related damage.
“If you have severe reflux,” Staller says, “you may actually see an ulceration of your esophageal lining.” Your doctor may also want to take a tissue sample (a biopsy) to check for a condition called Barrett’s esophagus, or even esophageal cancer. Barrett’s esophagus, which is marked by damage to cells that line the esophagus, raises your risk for esophageal cancer.
“If we see damage to your esophagus, you will need long-term therapy to reduce your risk for more damage or even cancer,” Moawad says. In these cases, the benefits of an extended use of a PPI— indefinitely, if you have Barrett’s esophagus—outweigh the risks, he says.
If testing reveals you have no esophageal damage from GERD but you continue to have frequent, severe heartburn, talk with your doctor about the pros and cons of using a PPI long term.
Your doctor may also suggest that you switch to the newer prescription acid blocker vonoprazan (Voquenza) for a number of weeks or even months. It’s effective at reducing stomach acid and relieving GERD-related heartburn symptoms, but Moawad says it may carry the same potential health risks as PPIs.
Whether you’re taking a PPI or Voquenza, your doctor should regularly check to determine whether you still need the drug or can be weaned off it. The American Gastroenterological Association advises that people take the lowest effective dosage for the shortest time possible. These meds are often used for longer than necessary.
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