Dr. Michael Lascelles (of Sydney, Australia) writes an excellent blog about abuses in the pharmaceutical industry.  The blog is called “Pharma Watch”.  See the link below:

Pharma Watch

Unfortunately, Wisconsin is rushing to join Michigan and other states in a preferred drug list plan than requires prior authorization for generic omeprazole and NO prior authorization for Nexium. Thanks Mr Scully for bring some common sense to this issue.

An endoscopy the other day revealed “very mild” gastritis (probably from taking Advil on an empty stomach), also “very mild” esophogial irritation from a bout with heartburn that I had during a particularly stressful period several months ago. The doc, who is does a great job with the endoscopy, does not do such a good job with followup and simply gave my husband on the way out a script for Nexium, with little direction. I have so many questions! First of all, I have lowish platelets, around 100,000. Does Nexium, like Tagamet, interfere with platelet counts. Secondly, is this drug really necessary??? If both problems are “mild,” and if I really don’t even feel heartburn anymore, can’t I a)change my behaviors and cure the gastritis and b)assume that the esophagial damage is from an old problem and that the esophagus will heal itself, given time? By the way, I am a 47-year-old woman who takes no scripts, who hates taking pharmaceuticals and likes to believe she can heal herself holistically — until something life-threatening comes along, at which point I will be grateful for life-saving drugs. I don’t see this situation as a life-threatening one. Thanks for listening and for whatever advice you can offer.

I was diagnosed with GERD on 5/6/03, and given Nexium. I also made major life changes at the same time: eliminated all caffeine, alcohol, etc.) I soon started having symptoms that had not been present prior to the doctor’s appointment, the most serious was waking up at night with severe chest and stomach pains. I also experienced loss of appetite, and a loss of eight pounds in the month I took the drug. I had multiple trips to my primary doctor and the GI doctor, plus an ER visit with severe chest pains and high BP. No one considered my symptoms to be related to the Nexium; the focus was totally on possible heart attack. A diagnostic test on 5/28/03 (EGD) showed a small hiatal hernia, but no erosion in the esophagus. Since stopping the Nexium, the severe pains have stopped, but I continue to have a major acid rebround problem. My concerns are multiple: is there permanent damage in my stomach related to the use of Nexium. Where can I get assistance/information about this situation, since my primary doctor and GI doctor are non-responsive? I have searched the web, but haven’t found the information I need yet. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thank you for your assistance.

The current tv ads where they show how this food you are ordering is going to cause you so much heartburn and goes on to explain how this phony pill will make things better.
Anyway you all know how inconsiderate this ad is to true acid reflux sufferers. It should be yanked off the air and this Nexium company censured.
And there are others just as despicable!!.
Don’t buy this product!!!!

I have been taking nexium and have not had any of the problems mentioned by others. It is the only thing that has helped me with my heartburn. But I also do not want to have to take this for the rest of my life. I had never been given any kind of test to even check for ulcers. I was just told that treatment is the same and we do not test anymore. I had to argue with them in order to get a barium test done. I do not understand how the doctors can prescribe this without checking you out. A friend of mine had a similar problem and her doctor tested her and found her positive for h.pylori and she was treated and has not had a problem since with heartburn or acid reflux. My doctor tells me that h.pylori is not associated whatsoever with this. After doing internet research I see that h.pylori is associated with ulcers that can eventually lead to acid problems in the stomach which eventually can lead to heartburn and acid reflux. So what is the deal. Are we just supposed to take the pill forever and not question any further? If anybody has any better insight please let me know. My husband has suffered from this for years and I did not develope the problem until after we were together and I have found out the h.pylori is contracted from person to person from someone who is infected. It can be passed through kissing. It sounds to me like most of us could have been exposed to this at one time or another. But getting someone to test for the bacteria is a little harder to do.

Nexium has worked for me better than all of the OTC drugs and prilosec combined. It is a pain to have to take a drug every day, but I can eat and sleep in comfort again. Let them make their money, they earned it.

Nexium works great for me but I’ve noticed a 10 pound weight gain in the two months since starting it. I don’t do anything different than I did before but my doctor says “exercise more.” I walk a fair bit. Frustrating.

yes i have a problem with doctors prescribing medication without testing you futher. given you medicine anytype can make the problem worse

I have been taking Nexium for alomst a year now. Have not had any problems with the medication. The doctor has not followed up with any further testing for ulcers. I have a flare-up only when I go on a spicy food binge.