Using acid reflux drugs is linked to higher migraine risk, study warns

[Sly Saint]

Using popular over-the-counter heartburn medications like TUMS or Prilosec raises your risk of suffering from migraines by up to 70 percent, a study suggests.

Researchers at the University of Maryland analyzed data on 11,800 people, including 2,100 who took over-the-counter anti-heartburn medications.

This included patients taking antacid treatments containing calcium carbonate, which is used in TUMS, or proton pump inhibitors like Prilosec to ease the burning sensation in the chest.

Twenty-eight percent of participants who took antacids reported suffering from migraines in the previous three months, compared to 24 percent of those who were not using the treatments.

Results showed taking calcium carbonate raised migraine risk by 30 percent, while taking proton pump inhibitors raised the risk by 70 percent.

Researchers warned this could be because the medications dehydrate the body and dehydration is a common cause of migraines.

They also raised concerns over the findings, warning previous research had linked the drugs to dementia — a condition repeated headaches have also been associated with as they raise the risk of damage to blood vessels in the brain.

Using acid reflux drugs is linked to higher migraine risk, study warns (msn.com)

 

[Sly Saint]

similar article in Daily express

Common heartburn drugs taken by millions 'increase the risk of agonising migraines'
Millions of Britons could be at risk of agonising migraines as a side effect of commonly prescribed drugs. New research has revealed that certain heartburn medications are linked to debilitating headaches.

According to researchers in the US, the drugs linked to the painful symptoms include omeprazole, esomeprazole, cimetidine, famotidine and antacid supplements.

Around a quarter of adults in the UK are thought to experience acid reflux and around 70 million of the affected drugs are prescribed by the NHS every year.

Researchers said the drugs are often "overprescribed" amd could have serious long-term implications.

They could even come with an increased risk of dementia, experts warned.

Common heartburn drugs taken by millions 'increase the risk of agonising migraines' (msn.com)

 

[Sean]

You can pry my Omeprazole from my cold dead hands. No way I am going back to that level of persistent reflux without an equally effective replacement.

Serious reflux is not just a bit of discomfort after over eating. It really is horrendous and crippling, and can happen on a completely empty stomach. It is also a serious risk for long-term complications, like Barret's Esophagus, which I now have, probably due to not having the reflux adequately controlled until I was in my early 40s, as well as various cancers, including esophageal cancer, a particularly nasty one with a high fatality rate (5 year survival rate ≈15%).

 

[Yann04]

Yes. My 40mg pantoprazole is staying with me for life. Especially now that I’m bedridden. Living with ME you already have to make so many lifestyle choices that healthy people would consider “unhealthy”. And this is just one of them…

 

[JemPD]

You can pry my Omeprazole from my cold dead hands. No way I am going back to that level of persistent reflux without an equally effective replacement.

that was my feeling too, about my lansoprazole!

I'd had reflux & heartburn since i was a child (when of course no one believed me because they thought i was just copying because my gran had it), but it stayed with me as an ongoing problem regardless of what i ate, how much i ate or how often, i tried everything inc all the OTC remedies which were utterly useless. It was so so painful affecting my life., sleep etc

Then about 20yrs ago i heard about PPIs & after a clear endoscopy i was given them. It felt like a miracle. I'm aware of issues with them for calcium & iron absorption etc but i really dont care. to be pain free is such a big thing. However perhaps if i had more regular migraines i would try coming off them, i guess you have to weigh up the different problems

I do get migraines, but (touch wood!) only about once a yr these days, so i

 

[Yann04]

However perhaps if i had more regular migraines i would try coming off them, i guess you have to weigh up the different problems

Trying to come of PPI’s gave me such bad rebound reflux I lost 4kg in 2 weeks because I could barely eat it was so bad. I think until there is a better option a lot of us are just cursed to stay with them for life.

 

[Sean]

Then about 20yrs ago i heard about PPIs & after a clear endoscopy i was given them. It felt like a miracle.

Same here.

I think until there is a better option a lot of us are just cursed to stay with them for life.

Yes, regardless of the possible long-term effects, I am more than happy to stay on them for my remaining days. The alternative is way worse.

Every time I have tried to stop taking them or even reduce the dose the reflux comes straight back, as bad as it ever was.

 

[Starrynight]

This is interesting. I have just been prescribed omeprazole, a year after being prescribed migraine medication. The link doesn't seem to work so I don't know if this study was well controlled in case of an association between migraine and reflux irrespective of medication?

I'm a bit wary of starting the omeprazole anyway because of other potential side effects. It is not clear that I have serious reflux issues but voice has been hoarse for a few months without other explanation

 

[Yann04]

This is interesting. I have just been prescribed omeprazole, a year after being prescribed migraine medication. The link doesn't seem to work so I don't know if this study was well controlled in case of an association between migraine and reflux irrespective of medication?

I'm a bit wary of starting the omeprazole anyway because of other potential side effects. It is not clear that I have serious reflux issues but voice has been hoarse for a few months without other explanation

PPI’s are often prescribed by doctors as they are more effective, but there exists H2 blockers which are much more well studied and seem to be less risky than PPI’s, but are less effective, so perhaps in your situation you could consider H2 blockers.