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Nexium - when do you start feeling improvement?

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Posted 7/9/2014 11:03 AM (GMT 0)
Hi all,
I started on nexium 20mg 2x/day 1/2 hour before breakfast and dinner. my doc said it's more effective for me than taking 40mg in the morning.

Now it's been almost 3 weeks and i feel little improvement.
My symptoms are:
- constant burning upper chest pain
- acid taste in mouth
- sore throat
- blocked nose while sleeping
- ear pain(sometimes)
All related after having meals.

I think i felt slightly better after 2 weeks, but then when i mixed my white rice with red rice 4 days ago, suddenly i started having more sour taste and more burning upper chest pain.
I'm worried that the nexium is not working for me or the dosage too low?

I'd like to see my doc but he's away at the moment and he's fully booked until next month! :(

Would anyone with similar symptoms and on nexium share their experience? When did you start feeling there's a progress?

Thank you guys!
Posted 7/9/2014 5:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Vicky :)

I too have been recently put on Nexium 20mg twice a day for a recurring reflux. I was on Prilosec for 3 years+ and that worked great for me then but I had to take a pain med and all went to hell and so here I am on Nexium. Two weeks into it now and I have to say it took me a while to feel better reflux wise, throat and esophagus plus the wicked chest pain I had went away. Since we all respond different to all meds, I'm sticking with it for the moment to see what more it can do ( mild side effects) cramps and slightly feeling full still. If that doesn't do it I plan to try my Prilosec again sometime in a week or two. I'm very disciplined in taking it minimum 30min to an hour before food but I know how frustrating when you want it to work right away and feel better :( I know my doctor said for some depending on how irritated your are maybe it may take longer and also if your anxious that too can add to it. I know both well as I'm a high anxious person :) Hang in there and give it bit more time if you feel like it, after that have a chit chat with doctor to see an alternate plan. Hope you feel better soon !
Posted 7/9/2014 11:02 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for your reply mommanoesbest!
Most people say they can see improvement in 2 weeks.
And many say they feel better after 1 month.
Most people also say to follow Dr K's dropping acid book as they feel better after the diet.

This is why i'm so confused :(
I understand that everyone's body is different, but something must be wrong that i'm so 'different' to the majority of refluxers! :(

I've followed Dr K's diet to a T. And i dont have allergies to gluten, fructose, glucose etc. But why things that supposed to be safe like red rice, wholemeal bread seem to flare up my reflux?
Is it because they are higher in fiber and with low acid it's harder to digest?

I dont want to stress as i know stress will make it worse, but it's so hard. I was a bit happy last week when i thought i felt a bit of improvement, but after the red rice incident i feel so depressed....

Again thank you mommanoesbest! :)

Btw anyone out there has probs digesting high fiber food after on ppis?
Posted 7/9/2014 11:19 PM (GMT 0)
Your welcome :)

What I did and worked for me is and again we are all different is I gave my body a break by taking only Nexium this time, no probiotics no digestive enzymes or anything because I couldn't tell what what giving me more problems. At the moment I eat low acid foods, soft foods and for me those are and in small quantities mashed potatoes, toasts bananas I found very soothing some apples. Kinda sounds uninteresting the first few weeks but I was very irritated from mouth to stomach. Yes it does indeed take time but it gets there. Hope this helps some :))
Posted 7/10/2014 6:42 AM (GMT 0)
Mommanoesbest,
I live in Australia, and my doc is said to be 1 of the best here. But being honest, I'm scared of he doesn't get the full understanding of my condition....not because that he's not a good doc, but rather that he misunderstood my explanation to him....
The last time I saw him 3 weeks ago, he said that he believes I have a sensitive gut that probably related to my anxiety and my acid's actually normal.
I asked him whether I should go for endoscopy of other tests but he said that they are not necessary as the treatments would be the same anyway.
He then prescribed me with Nexium and endep (amitriptyline).

But down the road, I keep thinking that if my acid is normal & I just have esophageal hypersensitivity, then how come I could feel sour taste in my mouth? And that the pain can come up all the way to my ear? And blocked nose when I'm asleep?
Or is it because the nexium is not strong enough for my condition?
Have I got hiatal hernia? gastritis? weak LES? etc....

Since this started last August, and I keep getting worse and worse... I just want to make sure that this time I'm heading to the right direction with the medication....

Oh how I feel sorry and bad for my husband and kids. My youngest was just 4 months when this all started, and now she's 15 months I feel like I'm a bad mother to my kids....

Sorry for venting my sadness & frustation in here to you....:)
Thank you thank you for replying mommanoesbest......I feel really helpless and lost....
Posted 7/10/2014 11:48 AM (GMT 0)
Hi again :)

I know it's all very frustrating, so many of us here if you read some posts are in same situations and also many with the same symptoms / feelings. Maybe for your peace of mind try and see another doctor to have a test done at minimum to confirm a diagnosis. In any event know that I had/ have all your symptoms and I understand exactly how you feel as many on here do. Do you take any other meds besides Nexium? any other medical conditions? Hang in there ;)

Ps: I am also married with two teens, planned a trip before I go sick and you can imagine the pressure I feel to get better but I'll be darned if I won't ! :)!
Posted 7/15/2014 11:38 AM (GMT 0)
Hey there Vicky888,

Wondering how your feeling with meds ? Hang in there :))
Posted 7/16/2014 11:31 AM (GMT 0)
Hi mommanoesbest,
Thank you so much for checking on me :)
I've been busy. My husband's been down with another bout of vertigo and my youngest's having a cold :(

I'm feeling slightly better with the meds, but the sour taste, cold burning throat & chest, heartburn - they're all still there.... my diet is very strict, I'm eating exactly the same food everyday :)
Haven't got a chance to see a doc yet...

I only take Nexium 20mg 2x/day and amitriptyline (endep) 5 mg at the moment.
I'd stopped all other things like ginger, iberogast, slippery elm, manuka honey etc that I used to take before nexium as like you said, they confused me whether they're actually helping or not.

How are you feeling btw? Hope you're feeling better as well....
Posted 7/16/2014 11:44 AM (GMT 0)
Hi there :)

Slow process huh? I been meditating ( so not me ) and gradually my symptoms are fading. I think going back to my old PPI Losec has started working once more and I'm recovering. I wish I could wave a magic wand for everyone here sufferering because it's a beach really. I hope that soon you also find more relief, the faster the better. As for Nexium you've been on it how long now and it's taken well before a meal? That makes a big difference in the efficacity of the med :)) I truly hope you feel better soon until then keep posting ((hugs))
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