Nexium causing my diarrhea and bacteria overgrowths???

[Calypso]

I have been on Nexium for acid reflux since about 2006/2007 and it seemed to help, but I have never fully had relief from diarrhea. The past year I have been having many problems with bacteria and now it's so bad I am not responding to antibiotics. I have read research that suggests PPI's can cause bacteria problems...So I guess I am wondering if my Nexium is actually causing my bacteria/diarrhea problems. I also occasionally get bouts of horrible discomfort in my stomach and my food sometimes takes several hours to digest sometimes. (I had an Endoscopy & Colonoscopy 1 year ago and results were all normal/fine).

Has anybody had any experience with this? I am considering trying to go off the Nexium for a period of time to see if it helps but I am terrified it will make me worse. I have tried all other PPI's in the past and none worked really except the Nexium. My GI doctor does not have a problem with me stopping the Nexium to see if it works, but I am just so scared. Any advice would be so helpful :confused2:

 

[D Bergy]

Is it just reflux, or are there other problems when you stop using acid blocking drugs?

Dan

 

[Calypso]

I have not stopped the Nexium since I started it so I am not sure if I would have other problems from it. I am already on Lialda for my Crohn's and it is doing O.K. in that department.

 

[723crossroads]

I have been on Nexium for acid reflux since about 2006/2007 and it seemed to help, but I have never fully had relief from diarrhea. The past year I have been having many problems with bacteria and now it's so bad I am not responding to antibiotics. I have read research that suggests PPI's can cause bacteria problems...So I guess I am wondering if my Nexium is actually causing my bacteria/diarrhea problems. I also occasionally get bouts of horrible discomfort in my stomach and my food sometimes takes several hours to digest sometimes. (I had an Endoscopy & Colonoscopy 1 year ago and results were all normal/fine).

Has anybody had any experience with this? I am considering trying to go off the Nexium for a period of time to see if it helps but I am terrified it will make me worse. I have tried all other PPI's in the past and none worked really except the Nexium. My GI doctor does not have a problem with me stopping the Nexium to see if it works, but I am just so scared. Any advice would be so helpful :confused2:

Have you tried taking some good probiotics you cvan buy over the counter everyday? That will help restore the good bacteria.

 

[723crossroads]

I am on protonics for acid reflux and it is very strong. I take probiotics to keep the good flora in my intestines. It works, but take it everyday. If you can't get rid of the D, ask your Dr. to prescribe cholestyramine powder or capsules. It creates a stool and works great for that and also it is for people wuith cholesteral problems. But, crohn's patients have great success with it. Try it!!!!

 

[Calypso]

I have tried several probiotics and they do not seem to work well for me, which is sad because many people on here seem to have good luck with them

 

[723crossroads]

I have tried several probiotics and they do not seem to work well for me, which is sad because many people on here seem to have good luck with them

I had the same problem till my DR. gave me Protonics. Take them half hr. brfore a meal. Works great for me when nothing else did!!!

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

Calypso, what dose of Nexium are you on? I had been on 40 mg for awhile and then my GI bumped up my dose to 80 mg. When I was on the 80 mg, I noticed I was passing a lot more undigested Asacol and was having more "bad tummy days" - my theory was that the Nexium was making my pH out of whack, so the Asacol couldn't break down, and since I was basically not getting my Asacol it was making my guts unhappy. I recently went back down to 40 mg daily and I feel much better. So if you're on a higher dose, you might consider going to a lower dose before stopping cold turkey. Or if you're already on 40 mg (which I believe is the lowest dose you can get), maybe see if you could take it every other day? I'm not sure if that would work. But I would personally try lowering the dose before I'd go cold turkey off of it. Good luck, I hope you feel better soon!

Oh, and for what it's worth, probiotics don't work for me either, they actually make both my GERD and IBD a bit worse. I tried eating Greek yogurt once because it's supposedly good for you and is chock full of probiotics - I ended up in pain for about 3 days, then passed blood (I am not normally a bleeder). So I have pretty much given up on probiotics too! They help most people but there are an unlucky few of us who don't do well on them.

 

[723crossroads]

Calypso, what dose of Nexium are you on? I had been on 40 mg for awhile and then my GI bumped up my dose to 80 mg. When I was on the 80 mg, I noticed I was passing a lot more undigested Asacol and was having more "bad tummy days" - my theory was that the Nexium was making my pH out of whack, so the Asacol couldn't break down, and since I was basically not getting my Asacol it was making my guts unhappy. I recently went back down to 40 mg daily and I feel much better. So if you're on a higher dose, you might consider going to a lower dose before stopping cold turkey. Or if you're already on 40 mg (which I believe is the lowest dose you can get), maybe see if you could take it every other day? I'm not sure if that would work. But I would personally try lowering the dose before I'd go cold turkey off of it. Good luck, I hope you feel better soon!

Oh, and for what it's worth, probiotics don't work for me either, they actually make both my GERD and IBD a bit worse. I tried eating Greek yogurt once because it's supposedly good for you and is chock full of probiotics - I ended up in pain for about 3 days, then passed blood (I am not normally a bleeder). So I have pretty much given up on probiotics too! They help most people but there are an unlucky few of us who don't do well on them.

If you eat saurkraut and certain other foods, like Kimchi you get probiotics that way, also raw veggies and such. Some people can take some kinds and not others. Check at your vitamin section, there are many different types now. Read the labels. Hope this helps you!!!

I am on Neurontin for pain and it is giving me headaches. Anyone else have that experience?

 

[ron50]

I have been on Somac for twenty years ,originally 40mg but then upped to 80 mg. I usually stick to 40. I have a history of peptic and duodenal ulceration as well as severe gastritis and duodenitis. The second last endoscope I was dxed initially with stomach cancer but biopsies showed wall to wall ulceration . I was told never ever stop taking the somac. I feel the 80 mg is too severe and only take it when something has stirred up trouble ,like prednisone or methotrexate tablets . I don't have a gallbladder and have acute diarrheah. I use some stuff called questran lite. It binds the bile acids (and cholesterol) and has changed me from 6-10 bms a day to 2-3. Ron.

 

[723crossroads]

I have been on Somac for twenty years ,originally 40mg but then upped to 80 mg. I usually stick to 40. I have a history of peptic and duodenal ulceration as well as severe gastritis and duodenitis. The second last endoscope I was dxed initially with stomach cancer but biopsies showed wall to wall ulceration . I was told never ever stop taking the somac. I feel the 80 mg is too severe and only take it when something has stirred up trouble ,like prednisone or methotrexate tablets . I don't have a gallbladder and have acute diarrheah. I use some stuff called questran lite. It binds the bile acids (and cholesterol) and has changed me from 6-10 bms a day to 2-3. Ron.

Yes me too, generic name is cholestid or cholestyramine powder you mix with water or drink. It works great for Diarrhea,, better than anything else!!! MIRACLE FOR CROHNNIES!

 

[Calypso]

Calypso, what dose of Nexium are you on? I had been on 40 mg for awhile and then my GI bumped up my dose to 80 mg. When I was on the 80 mg, I noticed I was passing a lot more undigested Asacol and was having more "bad tummy days" - my theory was that the Nexium was making my pH out of whack, so the Asacol couldn't break down, and since I was basically not getting my Asacol it was making my guts unhappy. I recently went back down to 40 mg daily and I feel much better. So if you're on a higher dose, you might consider going to a lower dose before stopping cold turkey. Or if you're already on 40 mg (which I believe is the lowest dose you can get), maybe see if you could take it every other day? I'm not sure if that would work. But I would personally try lowering the dose before I'd go cold turkey off of it. Good luck, I hope you feel better soon!

Oh, and for what it's worth, probiotics don't work for me either, they actually make both my GERD and IBD a bit worse. I tried eating Greek yogurt once because it's supposedly good for you and is chock full of probiotics - I ended up in pain for about 3 days, then passed blood (I am not normally a bleeder). So I have pretty much given up on probiotics too! They help most people but there are an unlucky few of us who don't do well on them.

I have been on 40mg a day for about 7 years now but a few times I have had severe upper gastric pain and stopped taking it for a few days and felt better in that respect....but it's just hard to know if it's causing diarrhea because I know that is one of the side effects. I think maybe the only way I would know for sure is if I went off it for a period of time and see how I do. I just don't want to deal with acid reflux problems....what a predicament.

 

[Calypso]

Yes me too, generic name is cholestid or cholestyramine powder you mix with water or drink. It works great for Diarrhea,, better than anything else!!! MIRACLE FOR CROHNNIES!

Wow I have never heard of this stuff before. I will ask my GI about it because maybe it could really help me!

 

[723crossroads]

Wow I have never heard of this stuff before. I will ask my GI about it because maybe it could really help me!

I guarentee it will! It is amazing! As soon as I take it, My D is gone! If you take it everyday, you never get it. Just be careful tho because if you take too much, you could block yourself up. If you notice you aren't going as much as you should, skip it till you do. That's what I do. I never deal with bad D anymore!

 

[ron50]

You are !00% right about the dose . I was originally prescribed the 4 mg sachets. I emptied mine into an air tight jar and slowly built up the dose to where it works perfectly but does not constipate me(just over a level teaspoon in my case). I take it in orange juice that still has the pulp. It really is good and has the bonus that it lowers your cholesterol Ron.