Who takes Nexium 2 X a day ??

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painter207

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Wow, two Nexium twice a day right out of the shoot? That's unusual. I had to have one for three month before my ENT put me on two. I've been having some back discomfort and was wondering if it could be the Nexium.
Just remeraber this is not an overnight fix. It takes years to get where you are and it won't heal overnight. You need to give it a chance, for at least 8 weeks and sometimes more. I'm going on 13 weeks myself and I still have the sore throat.
 
Sorry for not responding lately. No more Nexium after the first 30 days. I use OTC for any reflux symptoms now. Seems to be working - no heartburn (never really had the burn)

So the irritable bowel thing (IBS) is a lot better with change in diet. Did add fiber (cereal every morning) and lots of water which seems to help. No more diarrhea and stools are much harder. Stretching and breathing, too.

However still getting some dizziness. Went back to the doctor again (4th time) for dizziness about 3 weeks ago. He thinks it may be inner ear related as I had some slight nystagmus on eye test. (I've been to ENT for this twice in two years. They give me nasal sterioRAB which only ever give me headaches. Had a CT of the sinuses and showed clear a while ago.) Reg doc told me to take Zyrtec and perscribed Paxil for anxitey. Not sure I like it, but giving it a try. Was on SSRI 5 years ago and helped me through a tough time. Been on Pax for 3 weeks now and i have much less nervousness, but still having dizziness. It's not vertigo, but more like an uneasiness when walking or standing for a long time. Don't like movement! I also think it's the change in weather as my sinus issues are back. No mucus, just pressure and inflamation. (A physical therapist had even suggested a blocked vertebral artery, which was checked by my regular doctor as normal.)

All my tests have come back normal. CBC, Xray, physical exam.... So not sure if acid reflux, anxiety, or sinus allergies causing my dizziness. Could be a corabination of things. Any ideas?
 
Hi--I am having the Bravo study starting this Wed. Has your Dr given you any instructions to follow before---like being off the Nexium for X amount of days?? I've been told to continue taking my Aciphex. It doesn't make alot of sense to have the study done while on PPI's. I remeraber reading somewhere that you discontnue them prior to the test.

Anyone that's been through this test??? I'd be interested to hear how things went.
 
go to dr and see if you can try prilosec....its really really good, worked great for me...good luck, Bill
 
Here is a great website about the precedure:

http://www.woosterhospital.org/Pages/HospitalServices/Endoscopy.aspx

Turn on sound. There is an excellent narrative and it shows how the procedure is done. It is such an improvement over the way they used to measure acidity. A friend sent the website to me and I found it very informative and helpful. I go tomorrow for my endoscopy and Bravo study.
 
Hi Thank you for the link to the Bravo procedure. I was wondering how your test went? I'm on my 2nd day right now. I'll be glad when this probe passes out of my system as I'm having trouble eating. I keep checking the PH level on the monitor whenever I eat or drink and was wondering if anyone knows what a "normal" PH should be?
 
How are you doing? Is eating becoming any easier? I had my endoscopy w/Bravo done on Tuesday and last night (Friday) was the first time I did not feel some degree of discomfort in my chest when I swallowed food. I think the little sucker has dropped off and on its way out. Yeah!
 
Yeah, I know - its just frustrating. Strange thing is that I don't have classic heartburn. Is that what they call silent heartburn? The pain almost feels like it's on the outside, like where the abdominal muscles join the ribs. Right in the Xiphoid Process area. Advil does help, but been told to take that with food for obvious reasons.

I went back on two nexium pills a day again as perscribed and getting diarrhea in the mornings now. Back pain is mild. I do think it's the Nexium, but I will give this more time and follow up with my doctor next week. It will have been a month. How long does it typically take the LES to heal?

Thanks for the support.
 
I had my Bravo test Wednesday and breakfast went down OK this morning (Saturday) I know that it was still in place when I (tried) to eat dinner last night but later on I was drinking water and was pretty sure it had dropped outa there. Yeah!! I go for a follow up this Wednesday with my Gastro. I sure hope this test and the manometry I had on the 14th will help put me on a course of treatment that improves things. I've been so miserable for over 1 1/2 years more often then not. Sure hope things improve for you too.
 
If anyone out there takes Nexium twice a day, please tell me and others how long it will take to get rid of this silent reflux irritated throat??
I've read in some old forums that with the throat soreness you must take two PPI"S. Is this correct?
 
Dear businessman,
I went from Nexium twice a day to once a day after having Bravo tests that were negative while on my Nexium , meaning that what we thought were breakthrough symtoms were not from GERD at all. My new GI doc spotted a candida (yeast infection)...just a few streaks...in my esophagus, and put me on Diflucan for 5 days. I have not had any heartburn or chest pain since! I am wondering why it was never noticed on other endoscopies when I was having these horrid intractible symptoms. This GI doc said that I used steroid nasal sprays and that it probably had dripped down into my esophagus and set me up for this yeast infection. I was shocked. I have bad asthma and allergies and now I use a Netti Pot and have not used my steroid prescription nasal spray since. I am really glad that my new doc is on the ball. He speculated that this was the problem and said that if this did not work then it had to be a neuropathy. I continue to use all of my asthma drugs, including steroid inhalers, but continue to rinse as always, after use. When I think about it, what the GI doc said about the Flonase and similar steroid nasal sprays, makes perfect since. How many people may be suffering from a yeast infection of the esophagus and it is very painful and the pain will not go away no matter how many antiaciRAB or how high a dose of PPI's you take. Anyone going for an endoscopy, please ask your GI doctor to culture any white streaks he may see in your esophagus, no matter how small. You may be suffering needlessly from something easily treatable. In all the reading that I have done about my GERD, chest pain, esophageal pain, etc, I have never seen any mention of esophageal yeast infections. More people need to know about this.
By the way, I do get relief from the Netti pot and it is harmless saline solution.
 
Who told you to continue taking the Aciphex? Was it your doctor?

Here is the typical routine prior to the test:

7 days before the test, do not take PPI's

2 days before the test, do not take the H2 blockers

24 hours before the test, do not take antaciRAB

4 to 6 hours before your appointment do not eat or drink
 
Dear businessman,
Forgot to mention that I also suffer from IBS. I take Klonopin (anti-anxiety med similar to Xanax, but stays in the system a little longer. Xanax did not work for me very well.)three times a day and Lomotil as needed. My Gi doc told me to also take the over the counter diarrhea medication loperamide hydrochloride as needed, but so far I have not needed to go there.
 
Businessman,
As you have found out, more than one thing can be going on at the same time. Costochondritis can cause some really terrifying chest pain, enough to send people to the ER thinking they are having a heart attack.

You mentioned lots of gas. Has your doctor ever addressed this or mentioned any possibility of IBS? I have been treated for years for reflux and my new GI doctor added a diagnosis of IBS, which now makes a lot of sense and accounts for some of the symptoms that were not from reflux. Stress does not help if you have IBS. I am still on Nexium, but he has added med for IBS and it has helped with those symptoms.
 
I received a letter form my Gastro Dr. with instructions:

I should stay ON stomach/antireflux medications.

Eat NO solid fooRAB after midnight.

I may have clear liquiRAB up to six hours before the procedure.

There's a list of drugs the must be stopped 5 to 7 days prior, but none apply to me. As I have such poor response to PPI's he wants to determine if I am refluxing bile or bile & acid, so maybe that has something to do with NOT stopping the Aciphex. I still think it doesn't sound right. I only have 3 days to go before the procedure anyway. I'm calling 1st thing Mon a.m. & will question the instrutions. Thanks for the response!
 
Follow your doctor's specific instructions. They can differ. They will always want you to not eat or drink at least 6 hours prior to the procedure. However, they may differ about whether they want you to continue to take your usual proton pump inhibitors before a Bravo test. My doctor said the nurses will tell me to stop them but I am definitely to take them as usual...He wants to see if I am still producing acid despite my Nexium twice a day teatment regimen. Clarify instructions with your doctor and make sure you understand clearly what you are supposed to do about your usual meRAB.
 
Anonymousinsc - Thanks for your post. I've been doing some internet reading and had considered a possible candida infection, but didn't consider it could be from nasal steriod spray. I had heard possibly from too many antaciRAB. Interesting. Did you have any white coating on your tongue? From time to time I get that on my tongue, but it easily comes off with brushing and mouthwash.

This weekend I did have some esophageal discomfort but no heartburn - strange. I also get pains along my front right rib cage. It feels like a cramp almost, but its only on the surface. Like a muscle strain. I've had x-ray and exam for gallbladder and that's not it. Been stretching and massaging for relief.

Really don't want to go back to the doctor, but I'll look into candida infection option.

Thanks.
 
Here is a very technical article I found when I googled for normal ph of the esophagus.
http://www.nature.com/gimo/contents/pt1/full/gimo31.html

When I googled for normal ph of the esophagus the nuraber given was 7, which is neutral, as far as acidity goes. The technical article goes into how they begin to evaluate all of the data they get from the Bravo study...too complicated for me.

Some people do not feel the little radiotranmitter that is attached to the lining of the esophagus. I certainly did. The first day was the worst and felt like chest pain, but not the worst I've had with esophageal spasms. I also had trouble eating. I had trouble swallowing food...it wasn't trouble with my throat from the endoscopy, it was pain in the chest getting the food to go down. I ate pasta a strand at a time the first night. The second night I could eat more easily, but didn't challenge it too much. The test is over and it is feeling better slowly but surely. I can't wait for the little sucker to drop off!
 
Update - Went to doctor last week. Took follow up x-ray and did exam. So now I am off Nexium 40MG (2x/day). did for 1 month. Check up was normal. Doctor gave me perscription for Prilosec (generic) for when any heartburn comes back (much cheaper for my insurance plan). Their diagnosis is IBS. My stomach/chest pain could very well be stress/anxiety, although I think I do pretty well to manage that. If not better in a few weeks, I am supposed to schedule an abdominal ultrasound. Doctor did not feel that I needed to be scoped or CT scanned at this point. Ultrasound could eliminate a sluggish gallbladder, but the follow up x-ray showed not stones.

So we are trying fiber and probiotics. And actually I think the fiber is working. I am having more substantial BM and better color brown stool (was yellow and watery often). I think the nexium contributed to some of the cramping pain and diareaha. Slowly introducing regular food back into the diet. Lost like 22 lbs in 6 weeks.

I am also going to try relaxation breathing and stretching for stomach tightness. I still get pain in the xiphoid process area if sitting still on the couch or chair. Which the doctor thinks may be stress related. Just not sure. Does anyone have any good suggestions for that?

Thanks for listening.
 
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