Nexium, also known as the Purple Pill, is a pharmaceutical drug manufactured by AstraZeneca. It must be prescribed by a physician and is used to treat heartburn symptoms caused by acid reflux disease. The following is my personal experience with Nexium and the side effects I encountered while taking it. If your physician prescribes this medication for you, I hope this story encourages you to conduct research before you pop this pill.
Several years ago, I was diagnosed with Sjogren’s Syndrome, an autoimmune disease which causes white blood cells to attack moisture-producing glands. Sjogren’s can affect many areas of the body including the brain, gastrointestinal, respiratory and circulatory systems. In my case, Sjogren’s affects my eyes, mouth, throat, pancreas and stomach.
During a visit with my doctor, I expressed concerned about a constant, nagging pain in my left side. I have experienced problems with my pancreas in the past and asked my physician if she would order an ultrasound. Instead, she suggested I try Nexium to see if it would alleviate the symptoms and perhaps avoid the cost of an expensive test. She provided me with a 30-day sample supply of Nexium 40mg capsules.
According to the patient insert, Nexium should be taken at least one hour prior to meals. One of the side effects is abdominal pain and I was already experiencing enough of that. Therefore, I was very careful to take this medication as prescribed.
Although never officially diagnosed, I felt as if my pancreas was inflamed and swollen. The first few days of taking Nexium, I noticed the pain in my left side had diminished. The Nexium seemed to be doing its job.
On the third day of my Nexium protocol, I began to experience problems with my vision. At times things were very blurry, at other times things were out of focus. It felt as if there was pressure on my entire eyeball. I also noticed a significant increase in the amount and duration of hot flashes I experience thanks to menopause. Since I frequently have vision problems related to the Sjogren’s, I did not connect it to the Nexium.
Day four brought many aches and pains. I woke up feeling extremely fatigued. My muscles and joints ached. I had a headache and felt as if I was coming down with the flu. Although I attempted to work, I had a major case of brain fog. I couldn’t recall simple words I use every day. My fingers felt heavy and stiff and my joints were swollen and visibly inflamed. I felt anxious, aggravated and somewhat depressed. These were not my normal aches and pains, so I called my physician and asked her if the Nexium could be the cause of my malaise.
She assured me that what I was experiencing could not possibly be caused by Nexium. She suggested I take some cold medicine and call her in the morning. I ignored her advice and instead decided to conduct a bit of research on Nexium side effects.
According to the patient insert provided by AstraZeneca pharmaceutical company, there are many potential side effects to this heartburn medication. The following is just a sampling of what this drug can do to your body:
Body as a Whole:
Enlarged Abdomen
Back Pain
Chest Pain
Hot Flushes — hmmmm. My doc said there was “no way” Nexium could cause an increase in my hot flashes.
Fatigue
Fever
Flu-like Symptoms — hmmmm again! Doc said Nexium wasn’t the cause of this either.
Cardiovascular:
Flushing
Hypertension
Tachycardia
Gastrointestinal:
Bowel irregularity
Constipation
Esophageal disorder
Frequent stools
Ulcerative Stomatitis
Hearing:
Earache
Tinnitus
Musculoskeletal:
Arthritis — again, my doc swore Nexium could not increase or cause arthritic symptoms
Fibromyalgia Syndrome – this one concerned me most because my doctor is well-aware of the fact that I have fibromyalgia.
Hernia
Cramps
Nervous System/Psychiatric:
Anorexia
Depression
Insomnia
Impotence
Migraine
Confusion
Respiratory:
Asthma aggravated
Coughing
Sinusitis
Pharyngitis
Larynx edema
Visual:
Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
Vision abnormality — remember, I mentioned I had blurry vision and my doctor insisted it was not caused by Nexium.
As one who has been coping with fibromyalgia and autoimmunity for years, I’m used to being a medical guinea pig. With prescriptions from my doctors, I’ve experimented with powerful mind-altering drugs, anti-inflamatories, anti-depressants and a cornucopia of pain pills. All in an attempt to control my daily pain just so I can function. I truly believed Nexium was a relatively harmless drug and never expected it to make me feel so bad.
For now, I’ll go back to taking my all-natural dietary enzymes and aloe vera juice from the health food store. These products don’t cause my body harm. In fact, they help me feel almost normal. They don’t cost an arm and a leg and they don’t make me sick when I take them. And, they certainly don’t bring on any of the side effects that Nexium caused.
If you’re suffering from chronic heartburn or GERD, I encourage you to take a look at alternative solutions first. The Purple Pill might have a catchy name and convincing commercials, but it also comes with a host of serious side affects.
Learn more about Nexium side effects by downloading the Nexium Patient Insert at www.astrazeneca-us.com/pi/Nexium.pdf * or visit AstraZeneca’s Nexium website at www.PurplePill.com.
*NOTE: The Nexium Patient Insert is in PDF format and requires Adobe Reader. If you do not have this software installed on your computer, you can download it for free at www.Adobe.com.
Reference:
- Nexium Patient Insert – www.astrazeneca-us.com/pi/Nexium.pdf
