Nexium Question

[robertw]

My Doc told me that you need to take Nexium before meals as it reacts with the food to reduce heartburn
During the day I don’t have any problems I can eat anything.
For me this doesn't make any sense to take it when I'm OK
(The rational: if I'm not in any pain the more acid the better to digest the food)
Last night was a night from hell. I had lots of burning pain in the lower stomach and bloating and I know the culprit
I had a breakfast with 3 sausages about 1:00 pm you would think after 12 hours it would be all digested and gone, but for me that’s when the fireworks start, obviously my problem is not the typical Gerds but some sort of IBS since the food should no longer be in the stomach.
I tried taking it at night before bed no help


My question should I be taking the Nexium at meal times to react with the food?

[af]

Originally posted by robertw
My Doc told me that you need to take Nexium before meals as it reacts with the food to reduce heartburn
During the day I don’t have any problems I can eat anything.
For me this doesn't make any sense to take it when I'm OK
(The rational: if I'm not in any pain the more acid the better to digest the food)
Last night was a night from hell. I had lots of burning pain in the lower stomach and bloating and I know the culprit
I had a breakfast with 3 sausages about 1:00 pm you would think after 12 hours it would be all digested and gone, but for me that’s when the fireworks start, obviously my problem is not the typical Gerds but some sort of IBS since the food should no longer be in the stomach.
I tried taking it at night before bed no help


My question should I be taking the Nexium at meal times to react with the food?

-I would sleep with head elevated and lying on the left side. Cinderblocks are a cheap and quick way to get the head of the bed elevated, and you still get to stretch out. Wedge pillows are sometimes used, but I have tried both and I favor the cinderblocks unless I am out of town. After a week or so, you don't notice the incline at all. I keep a couple of pillows under the covers at the foot of the bed to prevent sliding down so bad.

-You may want to check back with your doc about taking nexium twice a day instead of once. They are finding that nexium (and most of the once-a-day PPI's) play out after around 13-15 hours. My doc said a lot of people are on it twice a day and do just fine on that regime.

-no matter when you eat it, when you eat fatty and/or spicy foods, you may pay a price. Staying on a low-fat non-spicy diet is an essential part of control of GERD. If you are not willing to pay that price, you may want to approach the doc about possible surgery. While you possibly do not feel the symptoms at the time you consume the "forbidden" foods, the damage is being done, and you end up paying for it later. At least that has been the case with me.

Good luck!

[robertw]

Is this normal to feel the effect 12-16 after eating always at night?
When I go to bed no pain get woken up with pain after about 2 hours sleep
I'm thinking gall stones, gall bladder

[af]

Originally posted by robertw
Is this normal to feel the effect 12-16 after eating always at night?
When I go to bed no pain get woken up with pain after about 2 hours sleep
I'm thinking gall stones, gall bladder

Many people have their worst GERD symptoms at night. However, IF you think this is your gallbladder, then have the tests and find out.

I had a normal ultrasound of the gall bladder, however my HIDA scan was only 13%. I had my gall bladder out, and now I have GERD with Barrett's Esophagus. Go Figure. I'm not at all sure that my gall bladder was causing ANY of my symptoms at this point, but it could have been. No way to know, I guess.

[robertw]

Sorry to hear about your Esophagus AF might not be as bad as it sounds, at least you know you have it and can take steps
I think I have narrowed it down to an allergy of either cream or coffee because that’s when I have the worse bouts
Friday I had such a bad night I stayed home all day Saturday to recover
Didn’t have any cream or coffee that night I slept like a baby. Sunday went to usual coffee bar and Sunday another bad night. From now on completely off and we will see
This is not the first time I have diagnosed myself so I could be wrong