Protonix and other PPI drugs cause inflammation of the GI tract, gallbladder failure, and infections when it is used inappropriately...it can also cause gastric acid cells (parietal cells) to be damaged..hence the drug (PPIs) can cause serious harm to your acid control system, and deplete you of key essential vitamins and minerals to absorb in your body, causing calcium, magnesium, B-12, D, and many other essentials you need to be able to breakdown with stomach acid and utilize in your body.
These PPI drugs are deadly, and should only be used for a very short term (2-3 weeks) ONLY if you have inflammation that needs some healing in your GI track... otherwise you are asking for serious trouble... you can get an acid reflux problem, bacterial overgrowth, Barretts esophagus and other serious GI conditions because of these drugs........ if you have reflux use some baking soda and water after each meal, use DGL licorice chewables to line your stomach before meals, and use 1-3 digestive enzymes with meals if you have already been affected by the PPI nightmare.... Garden of Life, has an excellent capsule super duper enzyme that helps break down food and other vitamins you orally take if you are lacking in digestive acid....
You might want to make sure you also aren't suffering from infections causing a slow down in digestion.... hydelberg capsule test (find out if you have very low acid). gastric emptying test 4-5 hours long), and also a camera capsule (looks at both upper GI esophagus, stomach, small, and large intestines -- and it tracked by the camera capsule -- you wear a hip device that records and take pics) also have your doctor (GI, or Immune system specialist) do various stool, blood work, and urine broth tests, thyroid tests, etc, to see what your vitamins and mineral levels are, and PH and stool acidity, and urine......these can all find out about infections, acid levels, and the GI tests I mentioned can be confirming tests to better understand what you need to focus on -- weather its treating an infection, or taking certain vitamins and minerals along with digestive enzymes etc...to help your body get back to a healthy state, after a PPI nightmare....
You may want to consider IV infusions of certain vitamins when you have gone through a crisis from a PPI drug. IV vitamin infusions can be safe when you have someone understanding your depletions and other test results... this was certain vitamins and minerals are getting straight into you veins feeding your organs directly.... and after several of the right IV mixtures, you GI tract will be better, you will overall feel healthier, and be able to take more food in, as well as more oral pills of vitamins and minerals...