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Avatar universal

Went off Nexium after 10 year and now am sooooo hungry!

I am a 55 year old woman and I was diagnosed with GERD in 2002 and have been on Nexium all this time.  I am concerned about the long term use of taking Nexium for this length of time and have recently went off of it and am trying more natural/holistic things.  The heartburn is back along with sour burps and I get some relief from aloe vera but I noticed that I get really hungry a lot sooner than before but I get full quickly.  My PCP doesn't think there is anything wrong with taking Nexium for 10 years but I have to disagree.  Is this normal about being so hungry all the time?
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Avatar universal
I have had two endocscopys done..the most recent last year.  Now they say I have polyps which the doctor said is normal from taking Nexium all these years.  Nexium worked for me but having polyps scares me.  I've been doing pretty good for not taking it for almost a week now.  The aloe vera pills seem to help plus watching what I eat.  On Nexium I could eat anything and not get heartburn.  Yes, the Nexium depleted my B12 and I had B12 shots for three months and get routine blood work to check my levels.  I do take iron and B12 supplements daily.

I also have had upper and lower GI's and the gastric emptying scan which came back negative.

Helpful - 0
63984 tn?1385437939
I had the same procedure as Smiley2000, the Nissen Fundoplication operation. It did work, and work well, I'm two years post surgery and haven't had to take a PPI since.  The surgery wasn't as pleasant as a walk in the park on a spring day, but it was certainly worth it.  I think Smiley will regain her appetite in a few months, I did, and gained back about seven pounds of the fifteen that I lost. that being said,  I haven't had to take a single PPI or any antacid medication.  
Nexium must be taken EXACTLY as precribed to be effective.  If taken casually, it will just make expensive urine.  Take it at least 1/2 hour prior to a major meal, usually one hour is suggested.  Blood tests will tell you if the drug is causing problems and supplements can be added if in the very rare case that Nexium is depleting vitamin B12, etc.  
I think you should end the guessing game and have an Endoscopy procedure.  The Preparation insn't much fun, but the doctor will see and qualify what is seen, it's the gold standard test to determine  your condition.
Keep us informed.
Helpful - 0
329165 tn?1515471990
Hi there harley1957 ,

I was on 40-80mg of Nexium for about 6 years.  Had a Nissen Fundo done 3 months ago and also went from taking the high dosages daily, to absolutely nothing post-surgery.  Because of my GERD symptoms and ENT issues I had absolutely no appitite and when I wanted to eat something, I ate chocolate as everything gave me acid reflux and at least I enjoyed the taste of choccies :)

now, post-op I still don't have much of an appitite and actually getting a bit worried about my weightloss.  I can also state that I don't have GERD symptoms anymore... previously I had strange back aches, chest pains, burning areas on my tummy, coughing at night and frequent Bronchitis, inflammed throat and could not get my food pass the Epiglottis, burped a lot and hoarse voice.

I guess when you have severe GERD you don't realize how "sick" it can make you feel, untill you get it fixed and then all those symptoms disappear!
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Avatar universal
I was just told that I have acute esophagitis.  I have been going to a holistic doctor for about two years now and take a lot of supplements and have bloodwork done every 3 months to check my hormone levesl, including the B12 because of taking the Nexium.   I do take B12 and vitamin D on a daily basis.  He is the one wanting me not to take the Nexium and has tried me on several things that didn't work.   I found some natural chewable pills with aloe vera in them that actually work pretty well.

Flycaster, if you don't mind me asking....what kind of surgery did you have for the GERD?  Evidently it must have worked.  
Helpful - 0
63984 tn?1385437939
I'm not a health professional, but from my experience, when one has a lot of acid reflux, one wants to eat to somehow  dilute the acid that is washing back up into the esophagus.  I stopped taking 80mg of PPI's cold turkey when I had surgery for GERD problems, that's a gorilla dose, and I had zero symptoms that I know of.  It's possible the surgical issues masked some discomfort from not taking the pills, but I haven't taken any form of an antacid in 1 1/2 years, or had a single symptom of GERD.  I frankly don't buy into the need to taper off PPI's.  
GERD problems are caused from many causes.  I'd listen to your health professional before following any other path.
Helpful - 0
620923 tn?1452915648

  Hi and welcome to the GERD forum.

Those constant hunger pangs r actually a symptom of GERD, and with stopping the meds u can get what is known as  rebound effect....u really need to step pf these meds slowly to help prevent this issue.

Also continue to modify ur diet and lifestyle thru this transition....ask about probiotics to see if that helps balance out ur GI track.

Were u ever told what the root cause of ur GERD was?

If the underlying issue is still there, meds or not, the GERD is too.

Getting a PH test to see if u have high or low acids may help...low acid levels can make u feel the same as the high levels.

Also, have u checked ur B12 and vit D levels? PPI's can make it diff to absorb vitamins and minerals we need...so make sure u have all them checked.

Once u get the GERD under control and slowly step off the meds that hunger will go away....

Helpful - 0
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