Acid Reflux and Nexium: 5 Reasons to Question if This Combination is Right for You
Posted: Monday, July 07, 2008
by Sam LW
This article will be addressing the validity of following the commercial hype that Acid Reflux
and Nexium should be used in the same sentence. But is nexium the correct path to take when you are suffering from acid reflux? At the end of the day, only you can decide. You should at least be armed with the facts, don't you think?
For those who don't know how nexium works, maybe this brief explanation will help you to understand better.
Nexium (and other medications like it) is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) which suppresses the natural acid flow that is needed for proper digestion.
Let's get on with 5 of the many reasons that should cause concern when considering using PPI's.
Acid reflux is not caused by excessive acid but by the failure of the LES (lower esophageal sphincter) valve in most casesPPI's should only be taken for two weeks and no longer.PPI's are very addictive.There are alot of side effects that you may not want to experience.PPI's treat only the symptoms and not the root cause of acid reflux.
The lower esophageal sphincter valve, or LES for short, is located at the end of the esophagus right before the stomach begins. When working properly, it opens to allow food to enter the stomach, and then closes immediately to keep the acid needed for digestion in the stomach where it belongs. When it doesn't close the way it should, it allows the acid to regurgitate (reflux) into the esophagus.
What the drug companies don't want you to know is that PPI's should be used only temporarily, no longer than two weeks. Prolonged use will dimish their effectiveness.
PPI's are very addictive. Most people find that if they stop taking them " cold turkey", the symptoms become even more severe than before they started.
There are a lot of side effects that you may or may not experience. Here are just a couple:
Food-borne intestinal infections.Bacteria overgrowth in the stomach and small intestine.Pneumonia.Stomach cancer.Vitamin B12 deficiency.
The list goes on and on, but you get the idea.
Wouldn't you rather have the root cause of acid reflux treated and not just the symptoms? PPI's only attack the symptoms. Take away the PPI's and the symptoms return. Not only that, but you also have to deal with the addiction issues.
So is acid reflux and nexium the right combination for you? Again, only you can decide, but at least now you can make an intelligent decision.
Do you really want to spend the rest of your life taking expensive, addictive drugs for you acid reflux? If not, stretch that clicking finger and click the following link for more information: Acid Reflux and Nexium.
This article is for educational purposes only and not intended to replace your physicians advice.
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Really disturbed about this becuase my wife has been on it for sometime and I have wanted her off. Her doctor insists she stay on it.Hiya Robert! Quite a few people want off of nexium and for good reason. I know you are concerned about your wife, and I would be too if I were in your shoes, but she has to make the decision whether or not she takes nexium or not. If she does want to stop taking nexium, there are many natural remedies to combat her acid reflux. If both of you would be interested in these remedies, leave another comment and we can discuss them. Thanks and God Bless! Sam
Great article. So many people suffer from acid reflux and you see the Nexium commercial on TV every day. But you are right about being leary of these promises of a great product (even though the list the side effects---which are numerous). Of course, it is the same with all new drugs on the market today--the side effects they list (probably many they don't) would scare anyone away from their products. And yet, doctors give out free samples from their offices every day. Thanks for sharing. Sandra
i was on nexium for 1 1/2 years, I stopped taking it and at first was fine, but 1 month later I am experiencing problems with digestion and have developed ibs, are there any alternatives? I am lactose intolerant and over the holidays I ate way too much cheese and dairyThere are many different alternatives available. The natural and drug free route is the best one for both your body and your peace of mind. I am in the process of submitting articles here that cover all natural ways of taming both beasts: acid reflux AND IBS.
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