Has has anyone heard of famotidine being trialled as a therapy for OPLL/spinal stenosis? — Scope | Disability forum
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Has has anyone heard of famotidine being trialled as a therapy for OPLL/spinal stenosis?

debbijane
debbijane Community member Posts: 9 Courageous
Has has anyone heard of famotidine being trialled as a therapy for opll/spinal stenosis?

Comments

  • Oxonlady
    Oxonlady Scope Member Posts: 566 Pioneering
    Hi debbijane, Famotidine is used to reduce stomach acid so I'm not sure how it could act on the spine in any way... Can you provide any further information please? 
  • Chloe_Scope
    Chloe_Scope Posts: 10,586 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @debbijane, unfortunately we are not medically trained so wouldn't be able to say why. Have you discussed this with your GP? Hope you are well. :)
    Scope

  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi and welcome to the community, glad you have joined us and look forw.

    I hope you get an answer to your question but agree you would be better speaking to a GP as we are not medically trained so we are not aware of any drug trials info
  • gkalteich
    gkalteich Community member Posts: 1 Listener
    I think this study and some others like it warrant a trial, but I know of none being done. I just buy Pepcid and take it. I was diagnosed three years ago and have not had surgery due even higher than normal risk factors. It does seem that there are some promising non surgical regimens that should have trials. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4612692/
  • John_Moody
    John_Moody Posts: 34 Connected
    I take famotidine, it's part of a group called H2 Receptor Antagonists or H2 Blockers, long term use can lead to vitemin and mineral deficiencies such as calcium and magnesium so be weary of that but its very rare that can happen.

    Famotidine is by far the best of all the H2 blockers that I do know.
  • SueHeath
    SueHeath Community member Posts: 12,420 Disability Gamechanger
    gkalteich said:
    I think this study and some others like it warrant a trial, but I know of none being done. I just buy Pepcid and take it. I was diagnosed three years ago and have not had surgery due even higher than normal risk factors. It does seem that there are some promising non surgical regimens that should have trials. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4612692/
    Hi 
    I am awaiting surgery at the moment for my spinal stenosis - i have just read the link you shared , think i will need to read it a few times tho ha ha - but i found it extremely interesting - wouldn't it be great if this sort of treatment was available/worked i have high hopes in the power of these clever people who find/discover such remedies.
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    just to add that ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPPL) likely has many causes including genetic & environmental factors. It predominantly occurs in those of Asiatic ancestry, particularly if Japanese, & more than twice as many males are affected compared to females.
    Here's an easy to understand link:
  • SueHeath
    SueHeath Community member Posts: 12,420 Disability Gamechanger
    wow Chiarieds big words again ha ha - but thank you i will have a good look at your link x
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @SueHeath - I just posted as this OPPL is about bone being formed in this ligament where this shouldn't normally happen. It usually occurs in the cervical region, whereas I believe your spinal stenosis is in the lumbar region, so completely different, altho both may cause compression of the spinal cord, with some similar symptoms due to stenosis (narrowing) of the spinal canal.
    In the study initially mentioned, Famatodine seemed to slow the progression of bone forming in the OPPL if in the early stages, but will not be relevant to the majority of patients that have stenosis of the spinal canal for the more usual reasons.
  • SueHeath
    SueHeath Community member Posts: 12,420 Disability Gamechanger
    Thanks for that @chiarieds wouldn't it be lovely if a pill could take away all our problems ha ha instead of invasive surgery but then again at least i am a lucky one that something can be done, which i am grateful for.

    Hope your keeping well x
  • vreehal
    vreehal Community member Posts: 1 Listener
    Hi, Pepcid/famotadine is an H2 blocker. There are mouse studies that show it is helpful in OPLL(it is thought to lower inflammation). Whether that translates to humans is unclear.  I have OPLL and I take famotadine. I also take zinc.  Finally there are good studies showing weight loss helps reduce recurrent lesions.  There is an OPLL Facebook support group. Please join!

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