Stopping nexium

jagk · ‎07-29-2010

Doctor wants me to stop nexium and to start taking Pepcid 40 mg. Has anyone ever done this before and is it hard to stop the nexium? I've been taking nexium about 8 years.

June222 · ‎06-15-2015

Can I ask why he wants you to change? Just curious.

Snowpuppy · ‎03-09-2010

Have you tried to get to the root of the problem causing heartburn, reflux, etc?

I was taking a lot of antacids and I realized I took them more to combat the soda I was drinking.

Then I realized I take them while at work......usually don't need them at home. No matter what I eat.

lolakimono · ‎03-29-2012

@jagk

I don't have any personal experience with this, other than having a parent die from esophageal cancer.

Please read up about this.

http://www.ecan.org/site/PageServer?pagename=FactsPrevention

Nexium is supposed to be taken for two weeks at a time- max- to heal an erosion. It is not supposed to be taken as a maintenance drug, and certainly not for eight years.

Here is an analogy for you:

The burn that you experience is your body's smoke detector telling you that there is inflammation in your body.

No one wants to listen to the chirp, so they silence the smoke detector by taking out the batteries. That's what Nexium has been doing for you. It's taking away some of the symptoms, so that your body can't detect the smoke, but it isn't addressing the problem- what is causing the fire.

Esophageal cancer is one of the fastest growing cancers- a 600% increase of diagnoses in the past 35 years.

http://www.ecan.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Home

Lorik62 · ‎03-14-2010

I would listen to your dr. and not any advice on these boards. I have a friend who has been using Nexium for many years.

CaliKat · ‎03-17-2010

@lolakimono wrote:
@jagk
I don't have any personal experience with this, other than having a parent die from esophageal cancer.

Please read up about this.
http://www.ecan.org/site/PageServer?pagename=FactsPrevention

Nexium is supposed to be taken for two weeks at a time- max- to heal an erosion. It is not supposed to be taken as a maintenance drug, and certainly not for eight years.

Here is an analogy for you:
The burn that you experience is your body's smoke detector telling you that there is inflammation in your body.
No one wants to listen to the chirp, so they silence the smoke detector by taking out the batteries. That's what Nexium has been doing for you. It's taking away some of the symptoms, so that your body can't detect the smoke, but it isn't addressing the problem- what is causing the fire.

Esophageal cancer is one of the fastest growing cancers- a 600% increase of diagnoses in the past 35 years.
http://www.ecan.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Home

Thank you for posting this information, and the links. That's some pretty scary stuff. I've been taking Nexium for over 12 years, I've lost track. I have severe heart burn and acid reflux. The doctor who originally prescribed the Nexium for me was a gastroenterologist. He prescribed it after giving me a colonoscopy and an endoscopy. My primary care physicians have just continued to write me prescriptions for it ever since. No one has ever told me that it could possibly be dangerous for me. I will ask my doctor about it. I think I should probably have an endoscopy to hopefully rule out having Barret's esophagus.

Thanks again.

jagk · ‎07-29-2010

@CaliKat wrote:
@lolakimono wrote:
@jagk
I don't have any personal experience with this, other than having a parent die from esophageal cancer.

Please read up about this.
http://www.ecan.org/site/PageServer?pagename=FactsPrevention

Nexium is supposed to be taken for two weeks at a time- max- to heal an erosion. It is not supposed to be taken as a maintenance drug, and certainly not for eight years.

Here is an analogy for you:
The burn that you experience is your body's smoke detector telling you that there is inflammation in your body.
No one wants to listen to the chirp, so they silence the smoke detector by taking out the batteries. That's what Nexium has been doing for you. It's taking away some of the symptoms, so that your body can't detect the smoke, but it isn't addressing the problem- what is causing the fire.

Esophageal cancer is one of the fastest growing cancers- a 600% increase of diagnoses in the past 35 years.
http://www.ecan.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Home
Thank you for posting this information, and the links. That's some pretty scary stuff. I've been taking Nexium for over 12 years, I've lost track. I have severe heart burn and acid reflux. The doctor who originally prescribed the Nexium for me was a gastroenterologist. He prescribed it after giving me a colonoscopy and an endoscopy. My primary care physicians have just continued to write me prescriptions for it ever since. No one has ever told me that it could possibly be dangerous for me. I will ask my doctor about it. I think I should probably have an endoscopy to hopefully rule out having Barret's esophagus.

Thanks again.

This is the same thing that happened to me.

RedTop · ‎09-01-2010

Both of my adult daughters were treated for heartburn and acid reflux issues for several years. Both have had their gallbladder removed within the last year, and now neither is taking medication.

Reba055 · ‎06-23-2014

It can be really hard to stop PPI's, especially if you have been on them for years because you will have rebound acid reflux. Your system will actually think it needs to produce more acid. From what I've read, the most successful way is to lower your nexium dose, then take something like Pepcid ever other day. Gradually replace the nexium days with Pepcid. It can take weeks or months and for some people it is really bad. Other people talk about being able to do it with apple cider vinegar.

Good luck. I've never been able to stop completely. I'm on a 20 mg dose of Protonix, but I do take other medications that cause me a lot of stomach problems. Also be aware that any acid reducer ( like Pepcid, Zantac, etc.) has some of the same risks as proton pump inhibitors.

I don't like it either. I've been on them about the same amount of time as you, but my GI doc says uncontrolled acid reflux can cause major problems, even cancer. It can also burn and irritate your lungs. I have silent reflux which happens at night when I sleep. I hope the Pepcid works for you!

Vivian · ‎03-11-2010

Just last year, I tried switching from Aciphex, another PPI, to Pepcid 40 mg. My gastroenterologist suggested it because PPIs can cause benign gastric polyps, which

I already firm on my own. I had severe GERD, hiatal hernia...all the miserable upper gastro problems. The Pepcid didn't work for me. It's true that there can be a rebound effect with stopping PPIs. I had no problem with that but I had to return to the Aciphex because Pepcid didn't work. Meanwhile, I have yearly endoscopies to be sure everything remains OK. I think it's worth a try to switch, though.