Report on Nexium Side Effects and Usage by AskDocWeb

Nexium Side Effects

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What is Nexium?

Nexium is the brand name of the drug esomeprazole magnesium. Nexium capsules contain either 20mg or 40 mg of esomeprazole.

Esomeprazole magnesium inhibits gastric (stomach) acid secretion. It is used to treat symptoms of heartburn and other symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).

How does Nexium work?

Nexium (esomeprazole magnesium) relieves heartburn symptoms by inhibiting the secretion of acid produced in the stomach (gastric acid).

Some gastric acid is necessary to digest food, but an excess can cause heartburn and can damage the esophagus. See Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). This is commonly referred to as acid reflux.

Nexium reduces the amount of acid produced in the stomach so that the esophagus can begin to heal.

Nexium (esomeprazole magnesium) is designed to be used for short-term treatment (4 to 8 weeks) to heal the damage to the esophagus and to reduce heartburn symptoms that go along with it. For some patients who have not healed after 4 weeks, another 4-8 weeks may be prescribed. Nexium (esomeprazole magnesium) is also prescribed for maintenance so patients don’t have symptoms of heartburn and so that the esophagus can stay healthy. Use of esomeprazole is not recommended for longer than 6 months.

What side effects do users of Nexium report?

Headache, diarrhea, nausea, flatulence (gas), abdominal pain, constipation, and dry mouth. Less than 1% experience tinnitus and/or memory loss.

Because Nexium (esomeprazole magnesium) reduces the production of stomach acid, it may interfere with the body’s ability to absorb certain other drugs (such as ketoconazole, iron salts and digoxin).

What are the symptoms of overdose or something gone wrong?

Reduced motor activity, difficulty breathing, tremor, uncoordinated movements, and convulsions.

For information on treatment of this or any drug overdose, contact the Poison Control Center listed in your local telephone book.

Tell your doctor if you experience

  • confusion
  • drowsiness
  • blurred vision
  • irregular heartbeat
  • nausea
  • flushing (feeling feverish)
  • headache
  • dry mouth.

If side effects are serious, seek emergency medical attention or call your doctor immediately.

Storing Nexium (esomeprazole magnesium)

Store Nexium at room temperature, away from heat, light and children.

Conditions you should tell your Doctor about before taking?

Tell the doctor if you are pregnant or there is a possibility that you might be pregnant, or intend to become pregnant. Tell the doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby or intend to breast-feed a baby.

Patients who are being treated with both proton pump inhibitors and warfarin may need to be monitored for abnormal bleeding which could potentially lead to death.

Tell your Doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:

  • Warfarin
  • ketoconazole
  • iron salts
  • digoxin
  • pimozide
  • amoxicillin
  • clarithromycin.

CAUTION:

Nexium can mask or hide the symptoms of other serious conditions. Patients who experience relief of symptoms after taking Nexium should be aware that this does not necessarily mean that there is no malignancy (cancer) present.

Things to avoid

If pregnancy occurs, mothers should be advised of potential damage to the fetus.

Nursing mothers may need to choose whether to discontinue nursing or stop taking the drug.

Patients with severe liver damage should not take more than 20mg of Nexium once a daily.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take only your next regularly scheduled dose.

General notes on Nexium

Nexium Delayed-Release Capsules should be swallowed whole and taken at least one hour before meals. The combination of esomeprazole and food lessens the effectiveness of the drug.

Dermatologic side effects are rare but include acne, dermatitis, pruritus, erythematous rash, maculopapular rash, skin inflammation, increased sweating, alopecia and erythema multiforme.

Suggestion for patients who have difficulty swallowing capsules:

The next time you take a pill and have water in your mouth, tilt your head forward and backward to find out if your pill floats or sinks. If it floats, make sure the tip of your tongue is pressing against the back of your upper front teeth and gums when you are about to swallow. Tilt your head forward and look down when you swallow. Capsules float and this will ensure that the liquid flushes the capsule down your throat. With pills that sink tilting your head back (lift your chin) will make swallowing them easier. The idea is to position your head so that the pill or capsule enters your throat before the liquid that flushes it down.
If you still have difficulty, put one tablespoon of applesauce in an empty bowl, open the capsule and empty the pellets inside carefully into the applesauce and mix together. Swallow immediately. The applesauce should not be hot and should be soft enough to be swallowed without chewing. Do not chew or crush the pellets. Do not store the pellet/applesauce mixture for future use.

Antacids may be used while taking Nexium. They do not interfere with drug effectiveness.

Read feedback about Nexium.

Most recent post: October 17, 2016

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