Nexium

[nicole]

I was just put on Nexium twice a day for the first time and was told I would probably get diarrhea. I was wondering if anyone had experienced this and if there are any ways of making the transition to Nexium easier. I am a 23 year old, I was on Prilosec for 7 years, then Protonix for about a month and then Achiphex for the last year. Also, does anyone know the long term effects of these meds? I have been on them for 8 years and am wondering about long term. Thanks in advance for replies.

[bradj]

Hi Nicole.

You have been on PPI's for 8 years and have not yet experienced diarrhea?! I am amazed that you have been able to tolerate them that long, given the number of posters here who have experienced severe side effects after taking these drugs for far less time.

From what I have read, PPI's are not intended for such long term use. I hope there is a very good reason for your physician keeping you on these meds for this length of time.

Good luck,

bradj

[nicole]

Hi bradj. I have been on meds for 8 years and never experienced diarrhea. However, I usually get constipated whenever starting a new med. Not this time, this time its the opposite. I had been on Prilosec age 16 until about a year ago. Then protonix for about a month, and achiphex for about a year. I just started Nexium. I keep asking the docs about long term effects from these meds, but they never say anything bad about it.
Nicole

[Bob]

Hi Nicole
After reading "NO MORE HEART BURN" By Sherry Rogers MD. I would not want to go long term on them. For me I reacted badly to them, I was on them for 5 months straight, and my stomach went from bad to worse. When I stopped them my stomach started to get better. (Thats me) I do know for many they are life savers, and I believe there are some on this board that have been on them for alot longer than you, my father has been on them for five years with no problems. The reason I write this is I sometimes seem to bash them, but I know for some it's a great drug. Good Luck Bob

[LSAT]

Nicole.....Prilosec and Nexiom are VERY similar. Nexiom was the replacement for Prilosec when the latter was close to going Generic. (It is now available Generic). They are from the same company. If you had no problems with Prilosec you may not have any with Nexiom. Check out www.purplepill.com

[tricia]

Hi Nicole Every ppi i ever tried gave me diarrhea and other side effects. Nexium gave me the least side effects. Some people have no adverse effects however. If nexium continues to bother you, maybe you should talk to your doctor about changing.

And yes, Nexium and Prilosec are almost identical, if you click on the professional site on the link you were given,you'll see there is a slightly higher incidence of diarrhea with nexium than prilosec, it also explains the very small difference between the two.drugs and how nexium was actually derived from prilosec.

You asked about safety and long term use. PPIS are not FDA approved for long term use. Protonix is the only PPI that is FDA approved for long term use, only in the treatment of Zollinger Ellison syndrome.however, not gerd. The majority of the North American medical community beleives they are safe for long term use though. There really haven't been enough long term studies done to determine what the long term effects are.

Some of the PPIs are too new for long term studies. Prilosec is the oldest at 14 years.

Long term studies so far have said they are pretty safe. They have found however that long term use of PPIs supress vitamin B12 levels Other studies show a rise in plasma gastrin in patients on PPIs and also that bacterial overgrowth. forms in the small intestines from long term use.

Also it's important to get checked for h pylori if you are on these drugs for a long time because studies have shown that people who are on PPIS long term and have undetected h pylori are at a much higher risk of developing atrophic gastritis, which is a pre curser to stomach cancer.

These are all only preliminary studies however, a lot more studies are needed. Noone really knows at this point for sure as to what the long term effects are.

[Kyle]

I got diarrhea on Nexium. My feeling is that PPI's compromise digestion and you need the acid to digest protein. Stomache acid stimulates pepsin which helps digest protein. Also, stomache acid helps kill bad bacteria and prevents stomache illness.

I can't tolerate Nexium and not sure if any other PPI would be any different....