| Key to ratings for prevacid: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine. |
| Rating | Reason | Side Effects | Comments | Sex | Age | Time Taken | Date Added | |
| | F M | | | | ||||
| Change sort order by clicking arrow under column heading. | ||||||||
| 1 | Acid Reflex | Almost killed my husband- 48 hrs. after starting the drug, pain in upper extremities- I immediately asked the Dr. -"No not prevacid". Next pain in lower extremities- in less than 10 days, he could only feed and toilet self. Back to Dr., had all tests 2X- all ok-yet he could barely move. Sent to a rheumatoid Dr. who said it was a funny virus or reaction to medication. Stopped the drug and 3 days later much improve. Took 2 yrs. for his upper body strength to return. | Why do so few Drs. know of these side-effects? It was paralyzing my muscles, and might have stopped my heart had I not quit taking it in time. | M | 70 | 10 days | 11/15/2009 | 1 | gastric ulcer | Within 1 week was spacey, had leg cramps, increased urination, MAJOR HEADACHES, and horrible fatigue and depression. | Felt good accept for my stomach when I began this drug. Now I feel like someone gave me sleeping pills! I am so extremely exhausted. Hard to even get up and move. And I am normally a very active person. Have been off of it for 2 days and am praying that my mood and energy will be restored quickly. | F | 30 | 3 weeks | 11/13/2009 | 4 | stomach pain/reflux | none-but we thought there were | My son had stomach aches for 4 years, which worsened and developed heartburn. Doctor prescribed Prevacid to treat for acid reflux. His pain was immediately cut in half, the heartburn was eliminated, but not the stomach pain. After 6 weeks, he was also complaining of other symptoms-joint pain, spaciness, fatigue plus more. I went to research the Prevacid and found this site. All his symptoms sound like what others here had complained of, but the post about a blood drawn allergy test caught my attention also. We went back to the doctor and discussed if he was having side affects (which she didn't believe he was, of course), but I also requested a blood drawn 'allergy' test. I was told the only food they could do a blood test for was for gluten (wheat, rye, barley). Turns out I didn't quite know what I was asking for, but the doctor ordered the right one, its not technically an 'allergy' test, she also ordered other tests to rule out problems with liver, thyroid, pancrease, etc. Turns out my son has Celiac disease, verfied by a blood test and a later by a biopsy of his small intestine. After being on a strict gluten free diet for 30 days he stopped taking the prevacid. The heartburn didn't return. After 6 weeks of being gluten free, his stomach pain was completely gone, along with the other symptoms. Now six months later, his immune system is built up and he is the healthiest one in the family, instead of getting every virus he came into contact with on top of the stomach aches. | M | 09 | 4 months | 11/12/2009 | 4 | GERD | Worked great for about two years. My dad died of cancer from Barrett's Syndrome and, with my worsening reflux, Pepcid just wasn't cutting it for me anymore. My GI confirmed my esophagus was in rough shape and the Prevacid really helped according to the follow-up endoscopy. However, I started having problems with diarrhea and irritation "downstairs." A colonoscopy came out clear but the problem persisted. Stopped the Prevacid and returned to Pepcid and the GI problems cleared up. Discussed it with my GI and he concurred. | It really worked well for me until it started causing other problems. Diarrhea beats the heck out of cancer of the esophagus but, for me, Prevacid did not end up being a long term fix. However, it did get things healed to the point that Pepcid could step back in and be effective. | M | 53 | 2 years | 11/10/2009 | 2 | abdominal pain, possible gallbladde | worsened abdominal pain, diarrhea alt. with constipation, headaches, put me back into depression, hazy vision, fatigue. | I do NOT like it! My doc put me on it bc of abdominal pain, even though one side effect is abdominal pain. | F | 14 | 94 days | 10/24/2009 | 2 | GERD and hiatus hernia | Severe leg muscle craps (calf), migraine, sound sensitivity, major weight gain(10%), massive loose stool on occasion with severe gas and abdominal pain. I believe I was very moody and suffered memory loss and near depression. Stomach always looked bloated and I think I was over eating as well. | Took for mild regular heartburn. Scope showed hiatus hernia. Worked well for heartburn, but eventually started to hurt me. I never changed my diet or lifestyle, just took the drug (duh). Quit about a month ago - have since lost weight, feel much more alert. I came across http://askwaltstollmd.com/articles/hiatus.php - it's simple, please try it. Worked for me. I had a couple tough days but my family helped me through it. I also take a couple slices of peeled apple before bed.. and sleep peacefully! Don't despair, there is hope for others if me, with my hernia, can even find relief. I'm not perfect (ie. tight pants or bending way over is not always fun), but hope you can feel as well as I do. I eat much smaller now and eat lots of apples :) | M | 35 | 12 years | 10/11/2009 | 5 | GERD | No side effects for me. | The only cure for my GERD, when I take it consistently I don't have nighttime or morning reflux attacks, it's great to sleep through the night instead of waking up with blinding pain. Tried prilosac, otc and prescription, did not work. | M | 37 | 3 years | 9/30/2009 | 5 | GERDS Severe heartburn. | I do have a constant cough but it may be due to the antihypertensive med that I am taking. Who is to know as I cannot go off either for very long. | Prevacid appears to work for me. I am concerned about my long term use but Prilosec is out (abdom. pain) and I have built up resistant to earlier similar drugs. I am interested in if anyone experiences chest pain. I wonder if it's esophageal spasms. Cardiac tests are normal c exception of occasional missed hrt beats. | F | 69 | 15 years | 9/13/2009 | 1 | acid reflux, abd pain | My 7 yr old was placed on Prevacid 30mg daily and shortly after started complaining of "just not feeling good all over" "short of breath" "pain" over the chest area and extreme thrist. | I am stopping it! | F | 7 | 1 months | 9/12/2009 | 1 | Ulcer | Severe migraine headache/sinus pressure; dizziness; severe nausea; lower back pain; fatigue; and "spacey" feeling. | Initially it helped with the ulcer, the burining sensation, etc. but within a few hours after first taking the medication I started having sinus pressure and pain. I've had headaches everyday since and today I have a debilitating migraine and severe nausea and dizziness. My doctor said I could I stop taking the drug immediately and asked that I come in so that she could monitor my blood pressure and "check me out". I never take medication and now I remember why. This is the scariest experience I have ever had taking a medication and I can't wait for this drug to get out of my system. | F | 35 | 5 days | 9/11/2009 | 4 | Barretts Esophogus | I am unsure at this time, will be going in for an MRI soon. I have been on it for 5 months. Have noticed that I have been having many headaches. Recently I had an optical migraine and afterwards lost my memory (couldn't remember family members names). I have had another since then, but with mild confusion no memory loss. The tip of my tongue is numb most of the time. Also the top of my foot feels like it is on fire. I have also had some stomach discomfort, but not as in stomachache, more of a pain. As for the GERD it has done great. | F | 60 | 5 months | 9/10/2009 | 5 | Mild GERD, small Hiatal Hernia | None. | I have tried Protonix, Prilosec and Prevacid. I always go back to Prevacid because it works great and it gives me no side effects like the other 2 do. Started on the 30mg tab and now I only have to take the 15mg cap. Great drug. | F | 26 | 7 years | 9/7/2009 | 2 | Acid Reflux, heartburn | severe nausea, headaches, depression, lack of appetite, loss of weight due to lack of appetite | My son has been taking for two weeks and he has never felt so lousy. He has constant nausea which even wakes him up in the middle of the night. Has had headaches almost every day for the past two weeks. It seemed to help with the heartburn and acid reflex, but personally I don't think it's worth it due to all the other symptoms. Will look for an alternative. | M | 22 | 15 days | 8/13/2009 | 3 | Acid Reflux | Numbness and tingling in hands and feet, joint/muscle pain, burning sensations, head pain | I had been taking 30mg of Prevacid daily for approximately 10-15 years. The past two weeks I had cut it way down to maybe 1 pill a week. Since I have developed peripheral neuropathy (numb, tingling, burning hands and feet), joint and muscle aches and some random head pain (not a headache). I have read many of the posts from folks who have taken Prevacid long-term and I am afraid that it may have done some damage to my nervous system. I'd like to know if others are having similar problems when they go off Prevacid. | M | 41 | 15 years | 8/11/2009 | 1 | heartburn | A stroke after taking Prevacid for six weeks. | Extreme dizziness started occurring after I took Prevacid for a month. I thought that I had the flu. Didn't stop taking the drug however until six weeks. I felt like I had water on the brain. Now CT shows I had some kind of brain disaster while on Prevacid. | F | 67 | 40 days | 8/11/2009 | 1 | 9 yrs | depression, weakness, fatigue, hypoglycemia attacks, regurgitation of food, stomach and intestinal pains | Dr Mary Savard recently talked about ppi's on Good Morning America, and said how long term use can cause osteoperosis. Hello, if it is malnourishing your bones, what do you think it is doing to the rest of your body. Also, I have heard of doctors putting infants on this drug, are you kidding me, it doesn't even have a pediatric indication and can cause a child to not develop normally. Please if anyone see's this, don't let them put your child on this, let alone an adult. | M | 34 | 9 years | 8/10/2009 | 1 | ulcer, acid reflux | I have never connected so many dots as reading these dozens and dozens of "stories like mine." Thankfully, my gastro doc has never put me on these meds long term. He recommends 2-4 week treatments on a need-be basis and srict diet changes. I think the most remarkable thing I noted was eliminating wheat products and corn sweeteners. My worse symptoms have been chest pain and lung congestion. It starts as a false full body cold that then "settles" in the lungs. It lasts for weeks and gets better but never goes away. Not one doctor I have seen has ever asked about or suggested a problem with a PPI. In fact, they say I need to take it continuously. It is hard to heal with just good habits. I am underweight, eat organic, exercise. But when it gets really bad, I go on PPI for a few weeks. It is great when I can go off and the side effects turn off like a light switch has been flipped. | Prevacid is a serious drug and I do not understand while, if the studies are just for short-term use, millions are staying on this drug indefinitely. My 62-year-old sister just fell and shattered her leg. Why was her bone so porous as to shatter from a minor fall while walking? She has been on prevacid for 17 years. Hmmmm. Although she took vitamins and calcium supplements, I have to wonder how much nutrition her body was capable of metabolizing. She has the health of a 70-year-old. | F | 57 | 8/8/2009 | 3 | Acid Reflux (choking) | After being on it for less than a week we noticed my right ankle was severely swollen (it looked as though I had hurt it somehow). I immediately decided to stop the medication in case it was linked. It must be as now (only a few days later) My ankle are far better especialy the right one that looked as though I had rolled my ankle or something (severe cankle-itis). I am going to try and restart it however as the choking is noit a good option... | F | 34 | 3 days | 8/6/2009 | 2 | GERD w/esophagitis & gastritis | Uncomfortable, persistent "heavy" bloating in both upper and lower abdomen. And more than likely also related to the Prevacid, a bacterial infection of the intestines after about 3 months of taking it... | Was just off the Prevacid for less than a week (due to insurance issues) and have lost almost 5 lbs. from my gut during that time! Also, the rebound heartburn I experienced was unbelievable. (Before being put on the Prevacid I very rarely had heartburn despite my diagnosis.) I'm thinking the gastro doc was a bit hasty in insisting I be on this (and continue it indefinitely)... | F | 38 | 4 months | 8/4/2009 | 1 | Acid Reflux | Anything bad you can imagine. Took a long time to find a doc who took me seriously | Was on and off this and Prevacid for 3 months. Been off all of it for about 9 months, still not normal. Improved but not normal. Ruined my life. Got tested for Lupus, Diabetes, Heart Problems, Ulcers, Arthritis, and many other things cuz of side effects. And while weaning off, not even Zantac or Tums help. | F | 24 | 7/10/2009 | 1 | acid reflux | anxiety, depression, restless, irritable, loss of appetite, lost 30 pounds in 6 weeks and counting. Can't eat full meals without being totally wrecked. Dry mouth, nightmares, dizzy, light headed, ringing in ears, light sensitive, heat sensitive, noise sensitive. All these symptoms are new to me and doctors can't find anything wrong... Someone tell the medical association that intestinal flora is necessary please, k thx. There is no test for this (in USA) which is why they aren't finding anything wrong. | There is no rating low enough for this garbage. I am normally very healthy besides the heart burn I had for the last couple of years. I should have just fixed my diet, but instead opted to take the easy way out and pop some pills. Been to the ER like 5 times now in the last 6 weeks and a few doctors. Had every test under the Sun from food allergies to spinal taps. They all want to prescribe me anxiety pills and send me on my way despite all my physical symptoms as well. Damn the medical industry. Just cashin in by handing out the 'flavor of the month' pill decided by whichever drug company is paying. If you do some research you will find that this stuff kills off the flora in your intestines so you can no longer digest food properly. I suspect the great majority of people are having these symptoms due to mal-absorption since they no longer have the critical flora needed for normal digestion. All I can say is STOP TAKING THIS CRAP and nurse your stomach back to health with fruits & veggies & maybe some probiotics. In the meantime, pray for me as I will be praying for all of us to feel better soon. Worst experience of my life right now. | M | 35 | 6 weeks | 7/6/2009 | 1 | Stomach protection from Lupus meds. | I have used Prevacid for 10-plus years on doctor's advice to protect my stomach from vital, but very harsh, Lupus, S.E., meds. I became concerned over a published June '09 medical report concluding that long-term use of this drug, and others in its classification, cause dependency. I stopped the drug as a result but began sufferring almost immediate and terrible side-effects, that I now believe are severe withdrawal symptoms. Therefore, I believe you MUST taper off gradually if you've used Prevacid for a long time, just like you would any other medication that causes dependency. I repeat: Be very careful coming off the drug, and consider doing so under a doctor's care. | After reading the comments here, I now believe that it's very possible that a lot of the symptoms that I have attributed to my severe Lupus over the years may, in fact, have been directly caused, or certainly greatly worsened, by the long-term use of Prevacid. I am STUNNED. I had never, ever, associated this drug with ANY of my underlying symptoms before, and am still trying to wrap my mind around this terrifying, but sadly obvious conclusion! My symptoms have all been strangely progressive, becoming much worse over the years than most Lupus patients whom my doctor treats. My symptoms include horrible joint pain, edema, stomach cramping, joint stiffness, problems walking, dizziness, fainting, headaches, insomnia, very deep depression, problems swallowing, constipation, overall severe dryness of hair and skin, eye pain and increased eye pressure, and sudden, unexplained but consistent blood pressure elevation. Horrible, horrible, horrible@! Even though everything I've just shared, as well as all of the comments at this website, are based solely on personal experiences, I believe them compelling and point to one inescapable conclusion: Anyone reading this should refrain from EVER using Prevacid, or any drug from its classification. I also strongly believe that anyone currently using this medication should stop NOW, tapering gradually if they've taken it over a long period of time. DO NOT become a victim of this medication. | F | 53 | 10 years | 7/5/2009 | 3 | Stomac Burn | I stopped prevacid three weeks ago and I am still suffering its side effects. I have severe muscle pain (I cant not even seat down, walk few minutes and I get muscle pain in my abdomen and large and small intestine) I feel all my abdomen is burned and swollen. I feel bloated like I have to go to the bathroom and when I go nothing happens..I have pelvic inflamation..I had a CT scan, 2 Ultrasounds, one endoscopy and I was told I had nothing but a little heart burn. while prevacid helped me with the heart burn Thank God! on the other hand it destroyed my muscles, my intestines and even affected my reproductory system..I was bleeding for no reason just two days ago... | I asked the Dr. about prevacid side effects and whether I was having an alergic reaction to it and he just said it was psychological..that my pain was psychological and to continue prevacid..to walk a lot and eat lots of cereal..no allergy tests were done and now I am paying the price..I feel really sick and cant have a normal life..I was told by another Dr. I cant have a colonoscopy cause if I have inflamation it could perforate...She just send me to do a cells count and that is a feces test where you have to collect it for two days and keep them cold them bring them to the lab (to look for hidden blood)..sorry I know is too much information but I hope I can help some people from suffering. Please have allergy tests done with this medicine! Good luck! | F | 34 | 1 months | 7/3/2009 | 5 | barrett's esophagus | No side effects, actually cured my GERD and gastritis, good stuff! | Would reccomend to anyone. | M | 40 | 7 months | 6/29/2009 | 1 | GERD/Heartburn | Nausea, severe headache, dizziness, shortness of breath, hair loss after about 3+ years, and unexplained weight gain or inability to lose weight, constipation, depression, sore throat, and insomnia. | I have been taking Prevacid for over 3 years. I didn't have too many issues until the last 6 months or so. I have stopped the medicine and WILL NEVER take it again and would NOT receommend it to anyone, it is a terrible drug and should never have been put on the market, very scary! | F | 32 | 3 years | 6/17/2009 | 3 | Chronic cough | Stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhea, heavy feeling in stomach | F | 50 | 50 days | 6/13/2009 | 2 | acid reflux | Terrible stomach cramps,allot of pain too, constipation first then gas,bloating,loose BM...several a day too.Finally, I had felt depressed, and had horrible itching on my chest,arms and back. | I would like to add it stopped the acid in my stomach,BUT the side effects were so bad I had to quit.I had the upper GI test done,no damage, no stomach ulcer,all was normal.I went back to the generic Prilosec in the am and generic Zantac in the evening.I read this Rx was not intented for long term use and I can believe it!!No more for me. | F | 55 | 60 days | 6/8/2009 | 1 | heartburn.......30mg. dose | was always tired, bloated stomach like i was pregnant, many nites had indigestion, vomiting that came on fast...no time to get to restroom, wonder if prevacid could have made my fibromyalgia worse, extreme swelling the last year or so of neck under chin, large growth on back side between shoulder blades, extreme allergy to foods of which i was tested and found to be allergy free...this was recent, also recent sore throat...feeling like i could not swallow, also could not see my collar bone....i went off prevacid on march 1,2009 due to choking and tongue swelling, lip swelling....and i feel much better....wonder if it was the long term use that caused it??? | it seemed to help at first...but after my bad ordeal this march i would NEVER recomend taking it....my body went thru a lot of pain i feel that was caused by this medicine called prevacid AS a final note....ALL of my side effects are gone....and i am trying to understand....how can they still sell prevacid.. with so many horrid side effects!!!!!! | F | 57 | 10 years | 6/6/2009 | 1 | reflux | my 3 year old son was put on this for reflux, as he had been having recurrent sinusitus infections. After 4 days he has had uncontrollable coughing, little or no appetite, and very irritable. Day 5 he has runny nose & fevers, and continues to have uncontrollable coughing. I took him to the ENT Doctor today, and he said that he was probably having an adverse reaction to the Prevacid. He said that maybe 50 out of 1000 people will have a reaction like this where instead of helping, it exaggerbates the symptoms. We found out 2 weeks prior to this that he was severly allergic to Prilosec as well. | I have stopped the medicine on the advise of the dr, am hoping that we see relief soon! | F | 39 | 6 days | 6/5/2009 | 1 | gerd | irritability, regurgitation of food, muscle pains depression, behavioral disorders, hypoglycemia, severe mood swings, stomach pollops, | Yes, this drug does work but at what cost is the question. I am on a mission to ban this drug from the market. It is only supposed to be taken for two weeks, yet reps tell drs patients can take it forever...WRONG, this is a dangerous drug, I was on this drug for years, and am in the industry, so i understand everything about it. If you are on this drug, ask your partner, spouse, or someoe close to you if you have changed your behavior since being on this drug. I have met several people out in the feild who noticed there significant otherr habits and behaviors changing. Unmotivated, tired, lethargic, pukes up food after eating because there is not longer enough digestive enzymes to break down food in your stomach, thus starving your brain and body of the nutrients you need. I have filed suit with Takeda pharma and awaiting results, a long process, but if I can save people from this drug, I will do everything in my power, if you have any questions, please email me. | M | 34 | 10 years | 6/5/2009 | 1 | Stomach Pains | ALL SYMPTOMS WERE EXTREME: Leg pains, stomach pains did not stop, prickling feeling when sweaty, headaches, terribly moody, OCD, tiredness, extreme irritability when tired, nausea, short tempered. | Thankfully, I found this site about two months ago; read every post and cured my five year old son. Your posts do make a difference. My son was diagnosed with lactose intollerance and had to take Lactaid. He also went through Endoscopy and it was discovered that his stomach was raw and was extremely irritated. Prior to mealtime he would cry when he saw food as the pain would start as soon as he salivated. They tried several things and he was told that his bowls were compacted when they were NOT (NOVA Hosp.) He did a bown flush and vomited, I stopped the flush and they insisted that I start it all over again. He ended up in the hospital. Scans showed there was nothing in his bowls but GAS. Yes, the flush is carbinated and lactose intollerance makes you gassy. The pain was excruciating! My instink was to get him gasX as we had to leave the ER when they said that they did not know what to do for him, but to return to the gasteroenterologist that got us into this mess in the first place. -----------I read the post that recommended: Sherry A. Rogers MD writes a book on this called "No More Heartburn Stop the pain in 30 Days Naturally" . It worked within a couple weeks. My son no longer takes any medication, including Lactaid. I think that when he was on an antibiotic (Zithromax - VERY BAD FOR STOMACH)for an ear infection it killed all the benifical bacteria. My son now ingests all the milk, yogurt and ice cream without any Lactaid. No Meds. I have talke | M | 5 | 365 days | 5/22/2009 | 1 | acid reflux | irregular heartbeat, blurry vision, nausea, heart palpatations, anxiety attacks | F | 25 | 3 days | 5/20/2009 | 2 | Gastritis | chest pain, irregular heartbeat, deep depression, weight gain, severe fatigue | I'm grateful for this website. It certainly helped confirm my intution since it seems so many people have experienced similar symptoms. I was prescribed Kapidex, an updated form of Prevacid. I stopped taking it a week ago but the chest pain and irregular heart beat continue. (I've never had chest pain, etc. before). Hopefully no damage has been done! And although Kapidex helped with the gastritis, as soon I stopped taking it, the gastritis occurred worse than before. I intend to pursue alternative approaches. | F | 62 | 5 weeks | 5/18/2009 | 5 | GERD, Acid Reflux | None | When I began taking Prevacid, I didn't even realize I had GERD. Upon taking my first capsule (30mg) I felt better within 10 minutes. I've been taking 30-60mg daily ever since. I know immediately after eating or drinking anything (water included)if I've forgotten to take it. Prevacid does not always control my heartburn/reflux so I use Extra Strength Gaviscon during those times. There are still plenty of foods I cannot eat. I have found Foreverwell's fish protein supplement a great help with that. Also, I was instructed 2 years ago by an internist at Cleveland Clinic to take calcium w/ vit D to offset depletion. | F | 39 | 11 years | 5/17/2009 | 3 | acid reflux | bloating;IBS symptoms;inablilty to loose weight.i could drink 2 glasses of skim chocolate milk and look like I gained 30 pounds in 5 minutes. | I'm 5 foot 4.About 5 years ago I was eating super healthy and running 8-11 miles and doing weights a few times a week and weighed 135 lbs.In the past 2 years I have done the same and weighed 210 lbs 4 weeks ago.4 weeks ago I tried an experiment and quit taking the prevacid and have lost 15 lbs in 4 weeks.Before I was seeing a gastro specialist and my general Dr said I was "doing everything right".I felt that the acid reflux,IBS symptoms,inability to loose weight and bloating were due to the same thing.The Prevacid helped the reflux but it was the reason that I could not loose weight!I got my idea a while ago when I noticed that if I cut out the Mountain Dew (which is bad for reflux) for 2 weeks I would have stomach pain after a couple weeks but then if a had a couple dews the pain would go away.A friend at work and my sister who is a doctor said that the medicine was making my stomach akaline and the dew being acidic made the ph in my stomach neutral.Even my own doctor didn't tell me that!Now I've had no prevacid for 4 weeks and I feel normal like I did 5 years ago and am loosing weight like expected.I've undergone ultrasounds and catscans and was even precribed to double the dosage.The solution was to stop it! | M | 45 | 7 years | 4/27/2009 | 1 | hiatal hernia-gedrd | first day-thought the symptoms were still side effects of the egd and colonoscopy-abd.pain-gas-etc. second day-severe bloating-gas -stomach was talking everthing language possible to me-diarhhea and the most scaring the knot in my throat!! oh my gosh-i think i cant swallow-was going to go the er again! but i thought i would look up the side effects of prevacid real quick thank goodness i went to this website. i am having enough promblems as it is, i dont need anymore symptoms!! i hope i make it through the nite,because i wont be taking this pill tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!! | M | 48 | 2 days | 4/25/2009 | 5 | gerd, reflux | No side effects | Use to take Prilosec, but my joints were hurting bad while taking Prilosec, found a website that a lot of people complained of this side effect so I asked a Pharmacist, he looked it up too and confirmed (another reason for the change), also had a lot of stomach distress with Prilosec, constant diareaha, was afraid to go anywhere. But with Prevacid I have none of these problems, love this stuff just concerned about taking it long term, have been taking these type drugs for aprox 17 years | F | 56 | 7 years | 4/22/2009 | 2 | acid reflux | Suffered some mild to severe acid reflux for a few years. Doc recommended at my age the standard colonscopy, gi procedure and egd in 10/08. Diagnosis – no barrett’s or fungus. Took Nexium 40mg daily for 30 days, no symptoms. Then the insurance ghouls jumped, whining...save money switch to something else! Doc had me try some Prevacid and since I was doing so well I only took it maybe 2 3x wk. Did not notice anything bad. Followup visit, Doc gives me a Rx for 90 day supply for Prevacid Solutab 30mg = $70, not a generic. Took faithfully for 2 weeks. By 7th day, acid stomach symptoms elevated to extreme gas & belching, to watery diarreha. Skipped 3 days, then started again, with gradually elevated acidic stomach, belching, and loose bowel movements. Today is the 4th day and I have acid bloated stomach, severe watery diarreha and loud belching. By 4th run to toilet, I felt like I was prepped for another colonoscopy! Took anti-diarreha pills, a 3 hour nap, and stil | F | 59 | 16 days | 4/18/2009 | 1 | acid reflux | After three weeks the side effects kicked in: nausea, diarreah, abdominal pain, gas, bloating, itching | Out with prevacid -- looking for a replacement! | F | 50 | 2 months | 4/18/2009 | 5 | barrets esophagus | No side effects | (Before taking prevacid) I had reflux at night and never felt it, and sometimes woke up in the morning with a headache and upset stomach before I was diagnosed with Barrets esophagus. After my diagnosis this medication worked a miracle. Now I take one 30mg pill on an empty stomach in the morning and am good for the day. No more headache or stomach upset. I eat anything I like. | F | 72 | 14 years | 4/16/2009 | 3 | GERD, Heartburn | I have been taking Prevacid for years and it seemed to work for the GERD but not very well for heartburn. I always supplemented w/Maalox, Rolaids... Recently insurance problems arose, and I was forced to use Prilosec, then Prevacid Solutabs for several months; then nothing for 3 weeks; Now I'm back on Prevacid Caps, 15 mg 2 a day but am having horrible reactions and am not sure if the changes in meds or the long-term use of ppi's are causing my symptoms: diarrhea, bloating, nausea, gas, belching, pain in mid-sternum, anxiety, vague abdominal discomfort, shakiness. I also now have Osteoporosis and taking calcium, etc, makes my GI symptoms worse! | I'd like to know if anyone out there has had similar experiences and, if so, I would really appreciate an email. I'm told that if one stops takings ppi's, the GERD & other GI disorders come back with even more acute symptoms. I'm desperate! Doctors seem incapable of sensible advice. I feel so awful all the time and I can barely function! Help! | F | 63 | 10 years | 4/14/2009 | 3 | acid reflux/indigestion/heartburn | I have been taking 15 mg caps once a day for about 8 years and it seemed to work for GERD but had breakthru heartburn. My dr. increased dosage to 15 mg twice a day and I suddenly feel awful: bloating, loose stools, abdominal discomfort, headaches, anxiety, insomnia, pain in sternum and vague abdominal discomfort all the time. | I would like to know if anyone has had similar experiences with this drug. I'm feeling soooo bad and would love to hear from those who can identify with my situation. I've also discovered I have Osteoporosis, likely due to long-term use of ppi's. Help! | F | 67 | 8 years | 4/14/2009 | 4 | GERD | No side effects | Was very pleased with this drug but had to take 2 30 mg capsules per day and sometimes I would forget to take the second one and my reflux would come back in the evening. My doctor just sarted me on the new PPI Kapidex 60 mg capsule once a day. I just wanted to tell everybody how great this drug is working for me in case anybody is still having acid reflux problems on there current PPI | M | 39 | 18 days | 4/13/2009 | 5 | Severe acid reflux | Gas, bloating | I have taken Prevacid for 9 years and it has been wonderful! I am now taking 60mg a day because I also have an ulcer. | F | 65 | 9 years | 4/5/2009 | 2 | Esophogitis | Gas, bloating, stomach pain, muscle aches. | I've only been taking this for 3 days and I already have noticed a drastic increase in bloating and gas (as often as once every 5 minutes), decreased appetite which I'm guessing is partially caused by the bloating. I had esophogitis due to a stomach bug a few days ago where I was constantly throwing up. I am over that now so I am getting off this med ASAP! | M | 20 | 3 days | 4/2/2009 | 1 | never did and never would, deadly | your body is calling for enzymes and probiotics, and or your body is needing to be PH Balanced, an acidic body is subsceptable to disease or sicknesses. | And I see someone is giving a 1 year old prevacid, I had a daughter who vomitted everyday as well, but she ended up having hydrocephaly (water on the brain, pressure) which doctors kept treating as acid reflux, etc, etc. for 13 months. And giving her drugs that were not suited for children under 12years of age, she was 21 days old. | F | 44 | 0 days | 3/26/2009 | 3 | GERD | Weight gain, depression, muscle aches, headaches, malabsorbtion | I've tried to get off this med 5 times. This time I'm doing it for good or bad. I gained 70 lbs in the 7 yrs I have been taking this medicine. The only time I've lost any of the weight has been the times I've stopped taking it. I go back because the doc says I'm ruining my esophagus...but this time I stopped because I had a 4 wk stomach flu and have just stayed off it. I've lost 11 lbs in 3 weeks without doing much other than eating low fat due to the stomach bug. I'm going with herbal healing this time. Marshmallow Root, Ginger, Digestive Enzymes... and adding skinless apples twice a day. This might take more work than popping a pill once a day, but if I can get off it for good, perhaps I can absorb more of the nutrients in the foods I eat and won't be so darned hungry all the time because my body is starving for nutrition even though I'm overeating!! I've had it with pill popping Gastro docs. | F | 48 | 7 years | 3/25/2009 | 3 | acid reflux | first few weeks were fine but now i am having anxiety attacks, heart papaltations, and low pottasium levels. I am getting off these immediately. | M | 31 | 8 weeks | 3/3/2009 | 3 | Vomiting, exclude GERD | Lower Abdominal Pain; first week, followed by unexplained Fever; second week. He is taking the solutab 30 mg. | My son's vomiting has stopped but the lower abdominal pain and unexplained fevers indicate we should stop the medicine. | M | 8 | 14 days | 2/24/2009 | 1 | Acid reflux/hiatal hernia | Horrible watery diarrhea or loose stool, constant churning in stomach, dry cough, back pain, gas & belching, increased appetite, weight loss,extreme fatigue. Malabsorption of nutrients - I can tell my body is not getting nutrients from the food I'm eating! | Wow, this medicine (along with Prilosec) have totally messed up my digestion. I first took Prilosec OTC for about 6 weeks, then switched to Prevacid (which I have taken before with no side effects) for 1 month. Thankfully I found this website - I've been going crazy trying to figure out what was wrong. Someone on this site recommended the book "Gut Reactions" by Raphael Kellman...it is a MUST READ for anyone with stomach issues. The book explains how pharmaceuticals & antacids ruin the ecosystem of your GI tract (and cause other major health issues) and it provides natural ways to restore your health. I've been off Prevacid for 2 weeks now and I'm still not back to normal, although my diarrhea has stopped. I am taking a probiotics supplement to restore the good bacteria and a digestive enzyme supplement before meals to help digestion. I will NEVER take another PPI or antacid again! | F | 46 | 2 months | 2/24/2009 | 1 | The Side effects are really bad | Well until I read this tonight I thought I was going nuts i have been experiencing a lot of side effects from this first was. #1,Blurry Vision #2,Light headiness #3,Dizzy Spells #4,Like I was going to have a panic attach, heart pounding , Blood pressure was high. | I would never use this again I hope after taking after 4 weeks now I will go back to my normal self again.I'm scared I've never felt like this in my life I hope it really goes away and how long will it take to go away. | F | 30 | 4 weeks | 2/20/2009 | 1 | Acid Reflux | Abdominal bloating, diarhea or loose stools, occasional smelly gas, joint pain in fingers | BCBS insisted on my trying 3 medications to get me off Aciphex, which had worked fine for years after numerous other blockers had nasty side-effects. When all of those had issues, rather than giving the OK to Aciphex they told me to try Prevacid (which for a 3 month supply is only about $10 less per month than Aciphex). I wonder what they will tell me to try next! | M | 49 | 5 days | 2/17/2009 | 1 | acid reflux | headache and sinus | in the emergency ward they gave me a capsule before I left ...along with lidocaine & maalox...morning after took another one before eating...(huge headache all day) After reading about the side effects decided to go the natural route.... just starting taking aloe vera juice 4 oz daily... and going to buy probiotics and enzyme chewables and keep maalox just in case...but will never take the prescribed meds again...doctors and pharmaceutical companies make me wonder !! Also changing diet...not as much acidity...low fat milk, yogurt, applesauce, lots of fruits and vegies , almonds are good too | F | 58 | 2 days | 2/16/2009 | 5 | acid reflux | none :) | I have been on this drug since i was about 15, and it's great! went off it once because of insurance issues and they gave me something else that made me sick. once we got it straightened out with the insurance, i went back on prevacid and felt better almost immediately. after having stomach issues throughout my whole childhood, this drug has been a life saver. | F | 20 | 5 years | 2/10/2009 | 1 | heartburn | took one week ago...vomited with severe stomach pain and Diarrhea. Took again this morning and the same thing happened...WILL NEVER TAKE AGAIN! | F | 53 | 2 days | 2/9/2009 | 4 | Acid reflux | First day no acid reflux, sore stomach. Second day still no acid reflux but severe gas pains and diarrhea. Third day stomach pain and severe diarrhea uncontrolible. Stopped pills | M | 58 | 3 days | 2/2/2009 | 1 | Acid Reflux | Low and middle back pain, sore nose, wierd dreams, diarrhea, tiredness. | I had been taking Nexium and had no problems but insurance company would no longer cover Nexium so Dr. prescribed Prevacid. I started this medication one month ago and have not felt good since. Until I found this site and read all of the same symptoms I was having, I didn't even think this was a reaction to the medication. I have also had more heartburn taking this medication. I am going to quit taking it immediately. | F | 57 | 30 days | 2/2/2009 | 4 | acid reflux duadenal ulcer h-pylori | made my acid reflux better. cured my duadenal ulcer. do experience constipation, leg cramps, restless leg.i do not want to depend on this for the rest of my life. i do have joint pain especially my knees and ankles. due to my age? don't know. | it's probably good for short term. it prohibits the absorption of calcium in your stomach. if you have osteopenia (pre-osteoporosis) you need to take calcium citrate for your bones. the prevacid will not allow calcium carbonate to absorb. | F | 55 | 4 years | 1/30/2009 | 1 | Dispepsia | Some of the sympthoms gone away, but after taking Prevacid for 3 weeks, I started feeling stomach pain`, chest pain, anxiety and discomfort while i sleep, I stopped taking it and i am feeling that i am getting back to normal. I would go for natural medication now and on. | M | 34 | 30 days | 1/28/2009 | 5 | acid reflux | I do not have any side effects at all. | Works great for me. If I don't take it I have the worst pain in my stomach. | F | 37 | 2 years | 1/25/2009 | 1 | GERD | I took Prevacid for several months in 2007. I started having heart palpatations and angina. 3 trips to Emergency room a colonoscopy, stress tests and EKG's. I was going NUTS. Started having to take Ativan before bed just to sleep. It did help my stomach though. In 2008 my insurance company preferred that I take Protonix. Within a week my heart palpatations stopped, angina went away. At the beginning of this year insurance stopped paying for Protonix. Back to Prevacid and I am completely miserable. Finally just today my doctor put me on Nexiam and my insurance approved it. I have taken Nexium in the past with no problems. I wish the insurance companies would allow us to take what works best for us. Listen up Insurance Company Execs. PREVACID SUCKS and patients need choices. When patients use what works they spend less time at the doctors office and hospital. | More studies need to be done. This medication may work for some but it has been a nightmare for me. Protonix and Nexium both work well without the side effects. | M | 41 | 8 months | 1/22/2009 | 1 | YEs | blurry vision so bad I had to lay down*leg cramps* severe abdominal & chest pains*anxiety*depresion*and i think it's made my tongue feel weird | reflux can be one of the most overdiagnosed things in ER. i think all i really had was anxiety but they put me on prevacid saying i had reflux. now i'm trying to wean myself off from 30mg to 15 per day - can't wait to be off this stuff! | F | 35 | 30 days | 1/21/2009 | 5 | GERD | none, just relief | love it | F | 29 | 10 months | 1/20/2009 | 2 | Coughing up bile | I took Prevacid for 2 1/2 years (Nov 05-Mar 08) when I felt like I could quit taking it. I did fine for 9 month...no problems. I suddendly noticed that when I quit taking the Prevacid my Migraines immediately stopped. I had been having 1-2 migraines a week and after stopping Prevacid I only had 1 in 9 months. Hmmm...I thought there HAD to be a connection. I don't drink hardly any alcohol, but around the holidays I had some then one night I had 1 glass of wine and 3 small glasses of Port. A week later I was coughing up bile. When I called my doctor she asked if I had any Prevacid left and put me back on it immediately. This is the 3rd day I've taken the Prevacid and I've had a horrible migraine all day. I ended up needing to take medication for the migraine that tears up my stomach...kind of defeats the purpose of taking the Prevacid, doesn't it? The Prevacid helps the stomach problems, but I can't take the migraines. | No other side effects | F | 49 | 3 years | 1/16/2009 | 5 | acid reflux | Slight headaches, a little constipation | I have break through reflux sometimes. It has been a miracle drug. None of the others worked like Prevacid does. | F | 65 | 10 years | 1/15/2009 | 4 | barrets esphoph. | severe anxiety attacks - dizziness/light headedness - nausea - gas -a little shortness of breath - crampy stomach and strange dreams | I have been taking prevacid for about 10 years and until maybe last year the only side effect i was having was loose stools but within this last year everything went downhill. I thought I was going nuts ! I'm very happy I found this site because now I know What may be causing these bizzare effects. I am going to the docter next week to speak to him about a possible change in meds. and i am going to stop taking it and see what happens although my reflux is sure to return. | M | 49 | 10 years | 1/15/2009 | 1 | Possible GERD | Abdominal bloating and severe cramping especially at bedtime; constant severe churning in stomach; nausea; migraine headache. | I started my 14-year-old daughter on this drug and it worked wonders for her GERD symptoms, but she gradually developed the symptoms mentioned until a week and a half later the cramps and throwing up were so bad I thought I would have to take her to the hospital, but it all subsided around 4:00 a.m. and she was finally able to get to sleep. She has not taken the med in 3 days, but is still having the symptoms...they are gradually getting less severe, but she was still up last night with stomach cramps...I would not recommend this med for children at all. I have been on the 30 mg dose for about 1.5 years with no problems, but my daughter's reaction was so severe that I am starting to question whether I should take this anymore or not. | F | 14 | 10 days | 1/12/2009 | 1 | acid reflux | liquid diarrhea several times daily, vomiting, nausea, extreme abdominal bloating and cramping, constant gas | Recently our insurance suddenly refused to cover Aciphex, which I'd been taking for acid reflux for several months without any side effects, so my primary care physician switched me to Prevacid 30 mg daily. Began 12/8 and was violently ill on 12/17 during a vacation to New York City, which I initially blamed on food poisoning. But because the Prevacid was the only change to my regular routine, and because the symptoms have continued for the past 3-1/2 weeks, I am stopping it as of yesterday 01/03/09. Will post again if this works to ease the symptoms. | F | 49 | 26 days | 1/4/2009 | 1 | Taking Prevacid for Acid Reflux | I took Prevacid solutab for about 5 weeks starting April 2007. I developed muscle twitching, IBS, skin rash, heart palpitations and muscle weakness. I have been to many doctors searching for clues as to what is the cause. I had nuclear stress test, ekg, EMG, MRI of the brain, upper GI 2 times, and colonoscopy 2 times. All they could say was to take a tranquilizer your IBS is caused by stress. I kept telling them it was the other way around. The physical problems are causing the stress. | I found the answer to my disease that was caused by Prevacid after a long 1.5 years of suffering and close to loosing my job. I went to a doctor outside of the insurance network and paid dearly to have some tests run. I had a CDSA stool test run and a IgG Food Antibody test run. I was diagnosed with Klebsiella and Citrobacter dysbiotic flora in my intestines. This was caused by a dysbiosis when I took the Prevacid. I also have severe food and chemical allergies now due to the infected gut. The condition is called Leaky Gut Syndome or Hyperpermeable gut. Sherry A. Rogers MD writes a book on this called "No More Heartburn Stop the pain in 30 Days Naturally" I urge anyone who has problems with the proton pump drugs to have a CDSA stool test. I am not a doctor but a person who has suffered a great deal and would hate to see anyone else have to go through what I have. | M | 45 | 5 weeks | 1/1/2009 | 2 | GERD,possible barretts esophagus | headaches,very tired, swollen glands, stomach pain. | My Dr. just put me on this three days ago, 30mg two times a day, I have had a headache ever since and sinus pressure started second day, I am waiting for an endoscope in a week and hopefully will be taken off of this, I can't take it! Was diagnosed at 16 with ulcers and have been fine,able to deal with pain, take tums & on occasion prilosec, reflux has been worse and family history of barretts & esophageal cancer. | F | 37 | 3 days | 12/19/2008 | 1 | gerd | Been on prevacid for ten years. Just stopped realizing this drug had severly affected my life. From deep depression, mood swings, suicidal thoughts, impulse control problems. Wife even thought i was bipolar. The fatigue was terrible, not realizing how much it has affected my life, I am considering a class action lawsuit regarding this drug | Beware, you don't get all the side effects and long term use of this drug, as my dr recommended dmged my life, don't let it do the same to yours. Prevacid has not long term clinical trials or outcomes studies on possible severe side affects. | M | 33 | 10 years | 12/19/2008 | 2 | Gastric Ulcer & inflammation | The worst for me was deep Depression - as if there was absolutely NO hope at all! I couldn't figure out where this came from, til a friend finally suggested maybe it could be the Prevacid. Other side effects for me - sore muscles, as if I'd really exercised hard, but I hadn't. Sore hips. Sinus & eye pressure, stuffiness & really sore inside nasal passages. All these side effects disappeared after I stopped taking the Prevacid. It was really effective for the gastric symptoms, but SO not worth it regarding the side-effects. I'm taking the vinegar/honey thing & that seems to be helping. Oh! and when I read online about the Calcium leaching of Prevacid, that was IT! I can't believe my doc prescribed this when I am a woman genetically very prone to osteoporosis! | Would NOT recommend. Too much risk of adverse reactions, and those are only a few "recognized" by the drug company. There seem to be a number of other side-effects more common than any drug researcher has reported. | F | 55 | 10 days | 12/16/2008 | 1 | Doctor didn't know yet. | nausea, severe headache in my left temple, weak, feeling hungry all the time. | stopped taking the medication immediately. Hated it!!! | F | 26 | 5 days | 12/6/2008 | 4 | GERD/Acid Reflux | Possible slight hair loss (not sure from prevacid) Gas, bloating, constipation and diarrhea (again not sure from PPI's) and stomach polyps. (again not 100% sure from PPI meds. Coughing and choking at night and getting asthma type symptoms. | I have taken prevacid and like medications for over 10 years. Prevacid seemed to help me the most. I have still have break through acid reflux at any given moment. However I have found out this year I have 3 issues either due to acid reflux or causing it. 1)Hiatal hernia. 2) Barretts esophagus and 3) Stomach polyps. I have recently learned that Stomach polyps can be caused from excessive use of PPI's. I cant not at this time stop taking Prevacid because of the Acid reflux causing Barretts esophagus. And I am reluctant to take it because of the stomach polyps that cover 80% of my stomach. I am having surgery in January to fix the hernia and also having Fundoplication surgery to prevent anymore acid reflux. Prevacid helped me a lot. but, I am scared of what long term affect I could have for being on that medicine for so long. I have learned from research that PPI's were not intended for LONG term use. Where does that leave sufferers and long term problems? Has anyone ever heard of P | F | 43 | 10 years | 11/29/2008 | 3 | ulcer | severe pins and needles that felt like i was actually being stabbed by a needle when ever i felt hot or started to sweat | Used in the past with no problems but when tried recently caused severe pins and needles when i got hot or sweaty. | M | 24 | 6 days | 11/29/2008 | 2 | Acid Reflex/Stomach Pains | SEVERE Diarrhea, nuasea, unsettled stomach | After taking it for a little over 2 weeks, my reflex and stomach pains subsided, but my stomach was never settled, constantly turning, especially at night, and one day had the WORST case of diarrhea I have ever experienced and was consistently nauseas. | F | 23 | 2 weeks | 11/28/2008 | 2 | GERD Acid Reflux | Diarrhea, Hair loss, developed lactose intolerance, have allergy problems, headaches, constipation, carpal tunnel, itching, dizziness, muscle aches. | I started taking Prevacid for the last 5 years. At first it was a miracle drug. I could eat and no acid reflux. My GERD was so bad I could hardly eat bread. The first symptoms I noticed was carpal tunnel in both wrists. I thought it was due to too much computer work. Then I started getting severe diarrhea and terrible gas. Felt like I was having a baby. Diagnosed with lactose intolerance. Never had problems with dairy my entire life. That was corrected with lactose pills. Then I noticed hair loss, dizziness, headaches every day, and constipation. Now I am itching, but the worse thing is entire body muscle aches. I cannot sleep at night I feel my whole body throbbing. I have developed Osteopenia, even though I have been taking calcium faithfully every day. I am going to try to get off this medicine as I told my husband that at 52, I am feeling like an old lady. Hip pain, can't walk for very long. All this seemed to start happening overnight. My husband started trying Pr | F | 52 | 5 years | 11/25/2008 | 5 | Acid Reflux | None | It stopped my acid reflux. It was a life-send. I can eat or drink whatever I want to. I stopped taking it because I changed insurance and instead of $10 per month I was paying $150 per month. I am trying Prilosec OTC and my heartburn is back. I am going to talked to my BCBS and see if they will cover more of the cost for Prevacid. | M | 47 | 3 years | 11/23/2008 | 1 | screaming fits at night, gassy | constipation, extremely cranky before bed. Increased dose recommended by doctor and he developed insomnia. | Doctors prescribed it without knowing for sure if he even had GERD. Noticed when I removed milk from his diet that he seemed better. | M | 1 | 5 weeks | 11/21/2008 | 4 | Gerd/Barretts | flush feeling in my face,sore glands,flu-like symptoms,body aches,tiredness,joint pain,muscle weakness. | ive been taking it for over a year,it worked wonders for all my gerd symptoms,but within the last month and a half i've noticed all these new problems,some days are better than others,going to the doctor today. | M | 46 | 15 months | 11/20/2008 | 1 | reflux | my 20 month old son awoke tonight after taking his first dose (being switched from Prilosec, which wasn't working) and I suspect he had a severe stomachache and he seemed itchy all over. He was also very sweaty but did not have a fever. He was just anxious - like he couldn't calm down and seemed so restless. | I'm just wondering if anyone else has tried this drug with similar aged children? I'm all of a sudden very nervous about giving him this medicine long term...we will see how it goes tomorrow but if he continues to ahve this reaction it's back to the doctor we go... | M | 1 | 1 days | 11/19/2008 | 4 | heartburn and suspected reflux | Fatique and, possibly, more suseptibility to side effects from other drugs. It took care of my heartburn well, but I just started trying to ween myself off of it with apple cider vinegar. I'm trying to eliminate as much medication as possible after having some bad side effects from other drugs and losing confidence in the medical profession. | I want to respond to a 01/30/08 comment which said why make life changes when drugs can fix it all. I used to agree, but by age 49, I've seen MDs whip out their rx pad like it was a prized weapon and put me on stuff that they know little about. When a drug causes a problem, they add another to take care of it. One made me feel like I was dying and that's when I decided to make life changes to avoid drugs whenever possible. With only minor changes, I've lowered the dosage on some drugs and am working to only be on drugs when absolutely necessary. | F | 49 | 5 years | 11/16/2008 | 5 | GERD | None | I've been taking 30 MG of Prevacid daily for 2 years and it has been a GOD SEND. Prior to taking this drug, I couldn't eat anything - and I mean anything - without severe heartburn. Often my heartburn would be so severe, I'd feel tremendous pressure throughout my head, resulting in major headaches. My voice also became "scratchy" from all of the acid coming up into my esophagus. I used to pop 4-5 Zantac per day, which wasn't doing a good enough job. I felt completely enslaved by my heartburn. Since then, I've been completely heartburn free! | F | 33 | 2 years | 11/4/2008 | 5 | acid reflux/lung problems | none | i notice a huge difference with even one missed dose... just wish i t was easier to get a 16month old to take, even though its a solutab, he still fights taking it, but it helps so much, he vomits endlessly all day every day if we dont give it to him... no vomit or wet burps as long as he has it... | M | 1 | 6 months | 10/29/2008 | 4 | Gastritis/GERD | VERY dizzy. Stomach pains that come and go. Occasional headache. Trouble breathing. Moderate constipation. | I was on omeprazole (Priolsec) which did not help much at all. Prevacid has allowed me to start eating again and in the past couple of weeks I have been feeling almost 100% as far as my stoamch goes. I was in agonizing pain where I would spend about 4-5 hours a day rolling around on the ground crying hysterically, vomiting, etc. Lost 10lbs because I could not eat. They did many tests and found nothing. So, GERD it is. Prevacid is crazily expensive though. so beware if you don't have insurance that covers prescriptions. I just paid over $300 for one month at Walgreen's. (2 pills/day) | F | 25 | 1.5 months | 10/16/2008 | 1 | GERD | chest pain,palpitations,muscle spasms and twitching, fatigue, minor hair loss,headaches, (root to tip) in just three weeks in pills. | F | 24 | 3 weeks | 10/13/2008 | 4 | GERD | I had been on Prevacid 30mg/day for 10 years. Occasional low-grade headaches, bloating, gas, diahrrea. Decided I didn't want to depend on it the rest of my life due to it blocking Calcium absorption so I went to a Naturopath. Did food allergy testing, and eliminated those foods. Guess what? No heartburn if I avoid those foods to which I am sensitive (dairy, wheat, eggs, sugar). | I urge anyone having reflux to get a blood-drawn food allergy test or at least consider an elimination/rotation diet to see if it is the foods you are eating that's causing all the heartburn/reflux. It could literally get you off the dependency of pharmaceuticals. Here is a link that is helpful: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=faq&dbid=30 | F | 39 | 10 years | 9/23/2008 | 5 | GERD and Barret's syndrome | a little constipation | I love this drug, only worried about long term effects. Before taking it, I was miserable, coughing all the time. Learned to raise my bed, sleep on left side (on the right side, the stomach is above the esophagus and gravity makes food go into esophagus), digest before bed (eat early) and avoid too much of anything bad, like alcohol, spicy and fatty foods. EATING SLOWLY WITH NO RUSH is most important. We are always in a rush mentally and that affects acid production and digestion. Small meals also a plus. Give your digestive system a break, treat it right, and along with this pill, symptoms will subside. Chew food well and eat SLOWLY and CONSCIENTIOUSLY. RELAX. Make yourself breathe in a few times and it relaxes you. For the constipation I eat more fiber, drink more water, avoid too much cheese and bread and have Metamucil a few times a week. The drug alone won't work unless you change your eating habits. Bought GERD for Dummies and learned a lot. | F | 50 | 18 months | 9/14/2008 | 2 | laryngopharyngeal reflux | Unbearable itching. It was getting worse and worse up to the point where I couldn't sleep anymore. | It's four days since I stopped the medication and I still itch a little. | F | 32 | 1 weeks | 9/14/2008 | 3 | Acid Reflux | I have recentlt experianced dizziness, fainting, sudden temprature drop or rise, and blurry/obscured vision. | It worked at first. I mean, i thought i was in heaven. I used to have to leave school everyday because i could not carry on throughout the day with my stomach pain. My mother took me to the doctor and she said i had acid reflux and gave me prevacid.Then i started to experiance the symptoms that i listed. They are severe. They interfere with my daily life. If you want to take it, beware of side effects! | F | 13 | 4 months | 9/8/2008 | 3 | gerd | Diarrhea for a week and a half, some bloating, headache and an odd vague pain under right ribcage. Did help with the GERD. | First couple weeks were relatively ok with only a little loose bowels. Since then it has been progressively worse. GP did not make a connection with the Prevacid...I'm glad I found this page. I'm stopping to see if everything rights itself. | M | 56 | 30 days | 9/1/2008 | 5 | GERD | Slight. I had an occasional headache with Prevacd, but this subsided when I lowered my dosage or switched to the over the counter alternatives. | I have used all types of acid inhibitors. Prevacid worked great for me, but I switched to another acid inhibitor because my insurance would no longer cover the Prevacid. My insurance first tried to switch me to Protonix as it was cheaper, but I found it to be much less effective. Currently, I am taking Prilosec OTC and it works nearly as good as Prevacid for me, and is cheaper. | M | 41 | 11 years | 8/23/2008 | 1 | GERD | Felt sort of drowsy while I was taking it, GERD symptoms didn't improve that much at all - still needed to take anti-acids. Decided to stop after about 3 months and had the worst rebound reflux and sickness - far more severe than before I started taking it. Have never taken an PPI since. | I was prescribed this for GERD. It helped a little but I still needed to take drugs in between doses for heartburn so decided to stop taking it. It was also making me feel depressed, sort of dull and out of it. When I stopped after 3 months treatment I had the worst rebound reflux and had about 3 weeks of continual vomitting. It took nearly a year for the symptoms to go away - it really was like a withdrawal syndrome. The only thing that helped was anti-sickness tablets. I've never taken a PPI since and never will - this drug has put me off them for life. | M | 27 | 3 months | 8/22/2008 | 1 | acid reflux | severe adominal pain, hip and joint pain, back pain, severe headaches, and bleeding from the anus. | although prevacid helped my acid reflex, the side effects were too much. | F | 42 | 1 weeks | 8/11/2008 | 1 | Acid Reflux | SUDDEN HAIR LOSS AFTER 3 YRS | About 2 months ago my long, healthy, thick, and enviable hair started to come out by the brush-full. I was so scared and I began a series of visits to my PC Physician and was subjected to a barrage of blood tests (12 tubes of blood in one visit). None of these tests showed any reason for HAIR LOSS. I visited a Naturopath MD and he recommended I stop using Previcid. I did. He told me that the prevention of acids to my digestion prevents absorption of vital nutrients. Hopefully, my hair will grow back. In a two month period of time, waiting for dr's appointments and blood test results, I lost over 1/2 my hair. It is depressing. Thank you all for contributing your experiences | F | 55 | 3 years | 8/3/2008 | 2 | GERD | Extreme abdominal pain, constipation, sore throat. | Switched to Nexium after a month on Prevacid. Nexium also produced extreme abdominal pain and other muscle pains. Discontinued Prevacid after four weeks, Nexium after two weeks, but the abdominal pains have not diminished. I have now had a barium swallow study and have been diagnosed with Achalasia. I'm scheduled for esophageal dilation and botox injections. I did not have any symptoms of this disease prior to taking Prevacid. | F | 17 | 6 weeks | 7/31/2008 | 4 | GERD | Took the medicine for 12 days. The medicine controlled the GERD very quickly but I had fever from day 1, especially during evenings. The temps ran upto 103.5 deg which lasted on all the days, though not as high. I suspected it to be a side effect and stopped taking prevacid and within 3 days my evening temps were back to normal. | M | 40 | 12 days | 7/29/2008 | 4 | Stomach pain/Ulcer | EXTREMELY hungry, belching when switched to dissolving tablet | This drug was a godsend. After nexium nearly killed me with its side effects, I was given prevacid and felt better as soon as I took the first dose. The major downside was having to wait 30 minutes after the dose to eat because the drug made me extremely hungry, sometimes to the point of hunger pangs. Very expensive, but completely worth it. | F | 24 | 3 months | 7/25/2008 | 1 | Irritated stomach, intestines | Migraine headache, nausea, dizziness | I felt fine this AM until I took a 30Mg dose of Prevacid. Within an hour I had a debillitating migraine headache. It started on the left side of my temple (it's still there 9 hours later), and went down the left side of my neck. I have felt nauseous since then; haven't wanted to eat a bite. I have spent almost my entire day in bed feeling like I'm about to throw up. Often when I closed my eyes, I felt like my bed was spinning. My lower back hurts. I am so glad I found your alls' comments. I am not taking another dose! | F | 54 | 2 days | 7/19/2008 | 2 | GERD | SVT, PVC, PAC, A-fib, chest pain, belching, intestinal discomfort, dizzyness, tingling in neck and face, lower intestinal gas, sudden sweating hands, feet, and head, elevated blood pressure. | 10+ years ago I developed GERD while doing speed skating and taking Ibuprofen while exercising...(DON'T do it, no matter what the commercials say!) It took four trips to the emergency room over a period of a year with weird chest pains before somebody suggested I might have GERD. By then I had a large esophageal ulcer and some Barrett's. I was put on Prevacid with a one-time 6-month stint of Protonix in its place. I no longer have any Barrett's. I still have reflux. Since going on Prevacid, I've had about every heart attack symptom you can have. I've made ~10 trips to the emergency room over the years because of them...with never any heart problem found. I've had two SVT episodes that lasted 2-3 hours. I have always passed my cardiac stress tests with flying colors...in fact my cardiologist told me that my heart is in better condition that 99% of America. Finally, this week my cardiologist says that he has been reading that acid blockers can cause B-12, calcium, iron, | M | 60 | 10 years | 7/17/2008 |
| Key to
ratings: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine. |
