Hi, I have been diagnosed with GERD. I have been on Nexium for about 9mos. and did not realize how bad I was before taking it. It has been a wonder drug for me. I have felt "normal" for the first time in years. Unfortunitely my Dr. has advised me to stop taking it and try an over the couter H2 which I have been doing for the last 10days (Pepcid). I am now completely miserable, worse than I was before going into the Dr last year. I cannot find much information on the long term outlook for taking a PPI drug. I realize they have been out for only a short period of time but isn't there anyone that will stick thier neck out and speculate on the future of taking these medications.?
Hi, I have been diagnosed with GERD. I have been on Nexium for about 9mos. and did not realize how bad I was before taking it. It has been a wonder drug for me. I have felt "normal" for the first time in years. Unfortunitely my Dr. has advised me to stop taking it and try an over the couter H2 which I have been doing for the last 10days (Pepcid). I am now completely miserable, worse than I was before going into the Dr last year. I cannot find much information on the long term outlook for taking a PPI drug. I realize they have been out for only a short period of time but isn't there anyone that will stick thier neck out and speculate on the future of taking these medications.?
Sound like you need to contact your doctor and probably restart the nexium. No need to live with those symptoms, IMOP. . . H2 blockers do nothing for me. I had been on an OTC PPI - prilosec but got my doc to prescibe prevacid. Works OK in my case. I do stop it for a few days from time to time. My mom has taken prilosec for years without adverse effects. Nexium it a next generation PPI and is supposed to work better.
thankyou "wheels" for the responce. This site is a blessing for people suffering. But I'm not seeing alot of success stories here but maybe people who have gotten better do not return to give thier testamonials.
I have gotten better apart from the odd twinge now and again when I eat the wrong food! There is light at the end of the tunnel..... Lots of different things work for different people.
Unfortunitely my Dr. has advised me to stop taking it and try an over the couter H2 which I have been doing for the last 10days (Pepcid).
Hi March,
I was diagnosed with GERD about 8 years ago. I've tried many different types of drugs for relief and about 8 mo ago went with Pepcid OTC. The last perscription drug I had was Nexium which did an excellent job for the reflux but was soo expensive (we don't have med. ins./$145/mo) that I just gritted teeth and tried the Pepcid OTC. It took about a week, but was I shocked to find out it worked as good as the Nexium at a fraction of the price. My gastric doc is o.k. with me taking it, as long as it works.
Beezy
Beezy - How long did your doctor say you could take the Pepcid? Indefinitely? I have taken it now for about four months and it helps if I don't overeat which I have a habit of doing. Thanks for your answer.
Hi, I've suffered from GERD all my life and also have questioned the safety of long term use of PPIs. I recently came across this web page that confirms what my doctor told me: that long term use should have no adverse effects. This doesn't mean that this is necessarily true, only that there is agreement out there.
Good luck.
Ron
If you have medican that works, try not to change. The over the counter meds are not as good and have side effects. See a Gastroligiest A.S.A.P. It could be something that can be fixed or the specialist will deside if you need to stay on it. Look up GERD and follow all the diet and sleeping recommendations until you see a Doctor. The elevated bed realy helps.
Hello everyone I am new here and so glad that I found this website!!!!!! For the past three months I have been having frequent visits to the emergency room thinking I was having classis cardia symptoms and I have had several EKG's, stress test echocardiogram etc etc and (knock on wood) they have all come back good! also my cholesterol and all that stuff is great!! I am a 38 year old female and also a light smoker (about three packs a week).
I went to the emergency room and everytime I express my sypmtoms...(chest discomfort, neck, fullness feeling in my chest are and shoulder discomfort and significant gas (mostly burp! lol) and throat pain and oddly even into my jaw. I have been told that I am just having anxiety symptoms!!!!!!!! I probably am because I am so worried that these symptoms are something catastrophic!!!!
Sooooo I just went last night to the local ER and the doc was super nice and told me that he was very convinced that I may have GERD.....I would be ever so grateful if someone could tell them symptoms so that I could get some REAL information. I am going for an upper gi series on Monday wish me luck everyone....also the doc said it could possible be a peptic ulcer? any help or advice is sooooooooooo appreciated!!! I so look forward to a response