I just started taking a ppi for acid reflux. i read an article last year that long term use of ppis can cause chronic kidney disease. is this true?

You may be: right. If your doctor prescribes long term PPI use for you, then you should take it as prescribed. However, it is best to have your kidney function checked at least once or twice a year to make sure that you are not one of the very few people with this adverse effect. Here is a good article to read: http://www.gastro.org/info_for_patients/gerd-107-long-term-use-of-proton-pump-inhibitors-ppis