Hello,
Would anyone be able to comment on the use of a stomach-coater med (ex., Aciphex or something of the sort)?

Thanks.

The only stomach coating RX med I know is :
http://www.gicare.com/Medications/Me...px?CID=3&ID=29

Aciphex does not coat anything. It stops the stomach from making acid. That is all it does.

Carafate has dwindled in use recently. It has to be used very carefully, so as not to block the absorption of other drugs
or some nutrients.

An antacid which can coat and protect the esophagus and stomach is Gaviscon. This is over the counter and available in most stores.

Hmmmm, I wonder why my PCP gave me samples of Aciphex at all?? He gave me these to counter-balance Advil's stomach effects, or so that's what he said? He gave them to me a couple of years ago -- I never took them...Anyway, just for the heck of it, I looked up aciphex in the PDR the other night and read nothing whatsoever about this supposed off-label use. I've never had a duodenol (sp?) ulcer or any other kind of acid problem...

I'll be sure to ask my neuro next month and see what he says.

Thanks again.

There have been some studies to show using acid blocking drugs MAY help prevent damage from NSAIDs like Motrin etc.
They are often given with really potent NSAIDs like Indocin (indomethacin).

But one should not rely on this effect 100%... it is only a suggestion.

The damage from NSAIDs on the GI lining is a systemic effect, not a local one. So local agents are limited in effectiveness. I suspect the makers of the proton pump inhibitors have funded these studies...to increase use of their drugs. But that is only my opinion and reflects some others over time as well. NSAIDs block cox-2 enzymes in the cells lining the GI tract... these Cox 2 enzymes protect the GI lining from damage. When this is blocked, then the lining may become more fragile etc. This effect comes thru the blood stream to the cells and not completely thru the GI contents.