There are 436 ratings for the drug: PREVACID in the Askapatient database.

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.

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Rating	Reason	Side Effects	Comments	Sex	Age	Time Taken and Dosage		Date Added
				F  M
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5	Acid Reflux - Indigestion	None	This is a very good medication and has worked for me for many years. When taken as needed I have never experienced any side effects. Now that Prevacid is otc it's even better!	M	54	3 days 15-30 1X D		7/27/2010
2	GERD	Fatigue, nausea, faster heartbeat.	I just noticed I seem to be one of the only ones taking more than 30mg per day. 90mg does not even seem to be helping much. If I miss any less then 3 pills per day, I get air bubbles plus tons of excess gas, I've even puked a few times from having so much gas. But if I take it everyday at around the same time I seem to not have quite as much, but I still have a decent amount. I'm not sure why I'm on 90mg which apparently is a really high dose and it doesn't seem to be working completely. Think I need to try something else. =/	F	18	3 years 90mg 1X D		7/25/2010
1	GERD, Heartburn, Spastic esophogus	Heart palpitations, stomach pain, lightheadedness and dizziness.	Was going fine until the 9th week when all the symptoms started and got worse into the 10th week when i had to stop taking Prevacid. My symptoms got better after 2 days. A similar reaction happened to me a year ago when taking prilosec otc. Had to stop taking that after 6 weeks. I wouldn't recommend this drug to anyone, because the long term side effects far outweigh the problem you are trying to trerat. I LOOKED INTO A NATURAL REMEDY FOR THE GERD, HEARTBURN AND SPASTIC ESOPHOGUS. I FOUND A PRODUCT CALLED DGL (DEGLYCYRRHIZINATED LICORICE). IT IS 100% NATURAL AND 100% SAFE. DGL IS LICORICE ROOT EXTRACT THAT HAS A COUPLE OF COMPOUNDS REMOVED FROM IT WHICH CAN RAISE BLOOD PRESSURE. I BOUGHT DGL FOR LESS THAN $10 PER 100 CHEWABLES. YOU CHEW 1 TABLET 20 MINUTES PRIOR TO EATING ANY MEAL. THE DGL COATS AND PROTECTS THE STOMACH LINING AND HAS BEEN SHOWN TO REPAIR PROBLEMATIC CONDITIONS IN THE STOMACH INCLUDING SOME ULCERS. AFTER USING DGL FOR ONLY 1 DAY I BEGAN TO FEEL BETTER. I HAVE BEEN TAKING IT FOR ALMOST 2 WEEKS NOW AND FEEL 100% BETTER. I URGE ANYONE ON PRESCRIPTION OR NON-PRESCRIPTION DRUGS TO GIVE DGL A TRY. YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE AND EVERYTHING TO GAIN. DGL HAS ABSOLUTELY NO SIDE EFFECTS AND IS TOTALLY SAFE FOR ANY AGE.	M	40	10 weeks 15 mg 2X D		7/19/2010 Email
1	GERD	From worst to lesser: Exceptional fatigue, constant nausea, constant headache, "foggy" concentration, overall "lousy" feeling.	I thought that the OTC version of Prevacid was a good idea, but the drug has side effects that OTC Prilosec doesn't have. Unpleasant side effects vanished when I stopped taking Prevacid. Took about 24 hrs. Prilosec is equally effective, according to other posters here, so I'll go back to that instead. Bad drug, this OTC Prevacid, although some report no side effects.	F	69	6 days 15mg (OTC) 1X D		7/15/2010
2	For Acid Reflux	It worked great for nearly 10 years except for a full fealing I got. I took the pills and reduced the dose to about 1/20th of what the 15mg pill had to minimize the full feeling side effect and it worked great for 10 years. 1 year ago my stools started getting loose to the point of water so I has a colonoscopy which diagnosed me with Ulcative Colitis. The diarea would never stop with the medications. It kept comming back. I ask the doc if the Prevacid may have anything to do with it and he said no. He kept wanting to try new drugs and I said no not until I try diet first. Now I read all the side effects of gas, foul smelling, extreme diarea, etc. so I have stopped taking the Prevacid for 5 days and extreme gas and diarea is getting better. I hope it all gets better soon and possibly the UC will go away, too.		M	45	10 years 5mg 1X D		7/14/2010
2	to reduce acid in stomach	prevacid ( lansoprazole ) alters the skin's acid mantle and I have been repeatedly attacked by various stinging insects/bees/fleas resulting in a nettle rash and inflammmation. Itching, dry eyes, depression and anxiety, bad taste in mouth. The repeated insect attacks were by far the most pronounced. Also sensitive to sunlight also caused horrible rash.	went off prevacid and began sipping apple cider vinegar (2 TBSP in 1/2 C water )and ginger caps after every meal. Kefir for healthy stomach/digestion Probiotics. Small meals. I am still experiencing skin rashes and insect attacks, though.	F	54	75 days 30 mg 2X D		7/13/2010 Email
2	LPR	Cramps,stomach pains,wateryBM, gas,depression,loss of appetite, Hair loss, dry skin	Trouble is it has helped my LPR. Acid reflux which goes into the sinus area. BUT, I do not think dealing with the side affects is a way to live either. Tried Pepcid and things went back to normal, in 4 days. Went back and trouble again. Be off it, by October.	F	54	40 days 30mg 1X D		7/9/2010
3	GERD		Also wanted to add that although my neck was enlarged, etc. I have been tested for thyroid and many other things which all came back negative.	F	43	30 mg 1X D		7/7/2010 Email History
5	Acid Reflux	I have not hade any side effects.	I use an inflatable wedge device that elevates my mattress to prevent acid from entering my esophagus at night. I found that if I have any acid discomfort at night , I lay on my back rather than on my side seams to help. Foods that cause acid have been eliminated from the diet. If I don’t take the Prevacid, I have horrible burning in my stomach. I am going to try taking 15mg in the morning and 15mg at night to allow better digestion of food.	M	66	6 years 30mg 1X D		7/1/2010
1	Acid Reflux	Gas pains, upset stomach, unable to sleep.	My 3 year old was prescribed prevacid when she was a month old for acid reflux. She would not nap all day long, thought it was just her personality. THis went on until she was about 4 months old. I kept her on Prevacid until she was a year old then switched to Zantac. Never knowing that it was causing her any side effects! (Babies can't talk). I just had another baby and she too has acid reflux, spits up alot and fussy but she still napped about 5-7 hours a day. At 5 weeks the doctor put her on Prevacid and within two days of taking it she was not napping, acting very fussy just like her older sister did 3 years ago. I took her off the prevacid and within one day was back to her normal napping routine. I called the doctor and asked if this could be related to the prevacid and they told me to UP the dosage! There was no way I am was going to continue giving it to her. I have to trust my instincts. I think Prevacid causes alot of stomach pain and constipation in infants. Hope this will help any mothers out there who are dealing with babies with acid reflux.	F	0	2 days 15 MG 1X D		6/25/2010 Email
3	GERD/ Heartburn	Foggy feeling. Upper abdominal pains. Shortness of breath. Heart palpitations. Fullness feeling in abdomen.	I've taken Prevacid in the past to get acid reflux under control. That was about 14 years ago and i only took it for 1 month. It cleared up the reflux great. I was not told to take it for long periods of time, so i hadn't taken it again for almost 13 years. Last year my acid reflux began to get worse than ever, along with consistant heartburn ( which i have had for the past 20 years). My doctor put me on prilosec otc last year, which gave me extreme stomach cramps and abdominal pain after being on it for about 2 months. That was the last time i took anything but Tums in the last 10 months. Again recently i began having problems with the GERD and heartburn where it took me back into the Dr's office and i ws put on O.T.C. Prevacid 24 hr. 1 in the morning and 1 before bed for a permanent duration. My Heartburn and GERD completely went away after about a week. I have ben on Prevacid for almost 10 weeks now. After the 9th week i started to notice many adverse reactions to the drug, which after reading this message forum will now stop taking this drug. The bad side effects far outweigh the benefits to this drug. I will be seeing my NEW Doctor early next week to get some different insight to other options. I may or may not take Prevacid again in the future, but never again for long term use.	M	40	10 weeks 15mg 2X D		6/21/2010 Email
2	to relieve pressure on chest which	I was not burping, having gas pains, and definitely not passing noxious, odorous gas. On prevacid, I got all those symptoms which this drug is supposed to cure. It gave me what I did not have. My doctor switched me to Dexilant -s till have these symptoms but less intense. Been on these meds for 7 days now and am exhausted and don't want to eat much except bland carbs.		M	57	2 days 30mg 1X D		6/15/2010
4	Acid refllux	Excess gas		M	55	10 years 30 mg 1X D		6/8/2010
2	acid reflux	Constant nausea, warery BM, Feeling depressed constantly, and weight loss.	I thought it was just me until I stumbled upon this site. I will be stopping the drug as of today. I may have more acid reflux but spending 3hrs a day in the bathroom is too bigger price to pay	M	56	22 days 30mg 1X D		5/31/2010
5	Acid Reflux, Ulcer	None at all.	Although it has worked great for me over the years, I am going stop it for ahile to see if symptoms return.	M	71	4 years 30mg 1X D		5/27/2010
5	GERD	Urinary frequency, slight urinary incontinence, slight vaginal burning, dry eyes.	I have had horrible GERD and IBS problems off and on for 15 years - going through a terrible anxiety phase (GAD/Panic disorder) right now which triggers a lot of the GI distress. Complete relief from GERD within 24 hours of taking Prevacid 15 mg - amazing! Having urogenital issues which I'm sure are side effects but it beats having my esophagus burned and damaged! My IBS is a little better but getting my anxiety under control is going to help that more. I've read a lot of these posts and it would seem quite a few people are suffering from anxiety and psychosomatic symptoms rather than actual side effects. I think this is a good and safe drug to take for GERD.	F	38	8 days 15 mg 1X D		5/25/2010
5	heartburn abd acid reflux	I have not had any side effects with Prevacid.	I can eat what I want with out any problems. I no longer have acid reflux and am able to sleep the night though.	F	62	8 months 15mg 1X D		5/23/2010 Email
1	Acid reflux	At first the Prevacid worked, helped my stomach/upper belly issue but after 3 or 4 weeks, I had to stop it, I ended up with diarrhea, high blood pressure, stomach noises, upset stomach and so very very exhausted feeling all day long, want to sleep away my days and usually I am always a busy person. Would not recommend this pill to anyone!		M	53	27 days 15mg 1X D		5/13/2010 Email
1	I had stomach ulcer.	severe constipation headaches cramps dizziness	IT WAS HORRIBLE! I COULD NOT EVEN STAND UP!!!!!!!!!! IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON TAKING IT, DO NOT TAKE IT! IF YOU DO IT WILL BE THE SAME AS DRINKING POISION! THIS IS NOT A JOKE!	F	45	90 days 30 MG 1X D		5/12/2010
1	GERD	Rash on face and chest, swollen tongue and had open sores in my mouth. Did not control my Gerd well at all		F	53	15 days 20 1X D		5/12/2010
1	gastritis	severe bloating, nausea, weight gain, awful smelling gas,	I started taking prevacid and realized after 2 weeks that my symptoms were worse, not better. I've never gained weight in my life and put on 4 lbs..they wouldn't come off...until 1 week off the meds..the lbs. are GONE...after several days of diarhea and an endoscope which showed mild erosion. I am still having some burping and gas, but most of the pain is gone. I couldn't eat more than a couple of bites while on Prevacid w/out feeling full. i am reminded of the same scenario when i was on nexium 7 yrs ago. I called doc to say i didn't start out with reflux but while on nexium and Prevacid I had a hard time swallowing, reflux and a cough!!! NEVER AGAIN.	F	42	16 days 15 mg 1X D		5/9/2010
1	Continual GERD	stomach bloating, more upper than lower. Nausia, general queasiness, all this then leading to anxiety that my GERD is getting worse and something is seriously wrong again (anxiety and GERD are a snowball effect).	I've been on Prilosec OTC for about 3 years, I've been prescribed it for as many months per year as my health insurance would cover then my doc just told me to do OTC. I can tell no difference in the two. The only symptom I get with Prilosec is the occasional bout of extremelly smelly gas (LOL) which I then stop taking for a few days to clear up. No stomach discomfort, no GERD, no nausia etc. Recently I decided (for some reason) to switch to Prevacid OTC as it came on the market. It's only today, after deciding to look up symptoms do I find this page full of other people that have made the same realization. After two weeks of taking it my upper GI track would become very bloated - something I had not experienced before. It would take several hours to move into the lower stomach/bowels and be passed as gas. Truly awful. This then led to nausia, loose stools (not quite diarrea) and general constant "sour" stomach. I took have noticed some weight gain, up 5 pounds in a month when I am working out 5 nights a week and eating well. Very unpleasant. more so, very alarming as I thought well maybe I'm just getting older and this is how it is now? Right around the same time I started breaking out in large painful pimple like things that aren't really pimples. I've had about 20 - 30 total, mostly on my back, face and even several on my scalp. I've never had these before, they're almost more like boils as they're not really "surface" skin (can't squeeze	M	30	30 days 30 1X D		5/6/2010 Email
2	gastritis	My gastritis makes me vomit. Dr. put me on prevacid and I am still suffering. It interfers with my daily life and have not been able to go back to work as of yet. Prilosec worked for me but after a year I developed a rash. Desperately seeking relief.		F	49	6 days 30mg 1X D		5/5/2010
1	Acid Reflux, especially at night	At first I thought it worked great, because I stopped having heartburn and acid reflux at night and could even eat things like an everything bagel in the morning without getting heartbrun. But 2 weeks into taking it, I got sick (vomited) in the morning (not pregnant and hasn't happened to me in 18 years since I was pregnant). Then I started noticing the bloating and the constant feeling of fullness. Within 2 1/2 weeks, I could hardly eat, always felt full after taking a few bites, but stomach is more bloated than ever. I stopped after my 2 week dosage - hoping things get back to normal - I'll go back to my nightly Alka Seltzer gladly over this!	I cannot recommend to anyone. I have never felt so bloated and full and with constant stomach aches. Instead of heartburn, now I just belch all the time, or worse yet...the other. The side effects are definitely not worth the "cure". I wish the company would have been more honest about the side effects. I normally tolerate medications very well.	F	42	14 days 30MG 1X D		5/5/2010
1	Intestinal Ulcer	I first experienced the itching and burning in the vagina. It was not a yeast infection which I thought it was at first. Then it led to blacking out at a store. Then I had trouble breathing and became very fatigue where I could not hardly walk or move. I have had chest pains and slept for 4 days. It is the most scary and horrible reaction ever. If I could warn someone to not take something like this that is what I am trying to do! It also made my body extremely dehydrated! It is to risky. I was just trying to get rid of my horrible pain and then it made my body worse! Do not take this for any reason!		F	25	15 days 15 MG 1X D		5/5/2010
5	gastritis	none	After 2 weeks with gastritis causing all sorts of stomach problems, Dr. advised to take OTC Prevacid. In 2 days, all symptoms gone, stomach settled down, no more gas, no diahrea or pain.	M	73	2 days 15 mg 1X D		5/3/2010
2	Acid Reflux	Extremely/constantly nauseous, loose stools, heachaches, dizziness and fatigue	I switched to Prevacid after taking Prilosec for 4 or 5 months with no results. Hoping prevacid would work better, it made me feel just as sick (as if I had the stomach flu!) as Prilosec. Maybe I am just super sensitive to meds but these anti-acids seem to make me more sick than healthy. I am not taking another dose and we will see how I feel. Let's pray better! :)	F	21	1 years 30 mg 1X D		4/24/2010
2	acid reflux	severe, explosive diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea. I thought I had colitis and was scheduled to have a sigmoidoscopy. No one mentioned Prevacid as the possible cause and it was not until my doctor said I had lymphocytis colitis and I went to the Mayo Clinic web site and saw that Prevacid was mentioned as a possible cause of the diarrhea. hallelua! I stopped taking it two days ago- and it's a world of difference. I can sleep at night I don't have to be within 10 feet of a bathroom and I'm not exhausted and I don't have to go back to the doctor and have them stick a tube up my butt! I went back to Pepto bismol.		F	63	30 days 1X D		4/23/2010
2	Heartburn	My doctor’s office told me to try over-the-counter Prevacid for my heartburn until I had my endoscopic exam and they could see what was wrong with my insides. I took it for about 10 days and in the beginning no side effects but also it only helped my heartburn for about half a day. After about 10 days I started getting migraines and a rash on my chest. Did not attribute it to the drug until the third day of horrible migraines and the fact that my rash was not going away…went on-line and found out it was the pills. My doctor took me off of them right away and put me on Pepcid. It seems to help my heartburn and no side effects.	I was also having rapid heartbeats...very scary	F	55	14 days 1X D		4/18/2010 Email
5	GERD	GENERIC gave me breakthrough heartburn! I'm fine on the brand Prevacid. Avoid generic.	This in the only drug that stopped my my severe heartburn and reflux. Tried nexium, protonix, etc. - FYI, the GENERIC DID NOT WORK as well as the brand Prevacid! If you have very bad heartburn and GERD, you might want to avoid the generic! Generic gave me breakthrough heartburn. I'm fine with the BRAND.	F	47	3 years 30mg 2X D		4/14/2010
3	Acid Reflux	***Everyone read this*** ALL of the proton inhibitors such as Prevacid, Prilosec, Nexium, etc use the same binder which can cause migraines or severe headaches EXCEPT for Aciphex. If you're on a PPI and having headaches switch to Aciphex. It's been a lifesaver for me! All of the others also caused diarrhea while Aciphex didn't. Just know that when your doctor decides you can quit taking a PPI you must wean yourself off slowly and drop down the dosage or you'll experience a rebound effect where you'll actually produce MORE acid than when you started on the meds. These meds aren't meant for long term as you need acid to digest your food. Put the wheels of you bedframe up on 6" blocks and don't eat 3 hrs before bedtime, take the PPI's for a few months and you should be good!		F	50	90 days 15mg 1X D		4/14/2010
3	GERD	White-coated and burning tongue	The same happened while taking Protonix, Riopan, Zantac, Prevacid.	F	35	4 days 30 MG 1X D		4/7/2010
1	Stomach pain	Heart flutters every once in while, now every day off and on, out of breath, tired. Scary.	Already have Hashimoto Thyroid condition and anemia. Will be tested for Pernicious anemia (severe Vitamin B12 deficiency) Should not be on Prevacid for any length of time if already low on iron or B12! Have stopped taking and will see Doctor coming Tuesday if not in hospital sooner.	F	52	6 weeks 30 mg 1X D		4/7/2010
5	Severe Gerd	None	I have severe gerd.When I say severe I'm talking my stomach burned everyday for a couple of years.I tried alot of products from tums to malox to rolaids you name it.Zantac worked for a while but then did nothing for me.I tried dieting and no matter what I ate or drank,later came the horrible burn.Prevacid saved me from this with no side affects.I did it according to the 14 day plan and am now finished.I only hope it doesn't come back because the burn is unbelievable and I guess I can't take it again for four months.The acid was so bad I couldn't imagine living life like that again.	M	42	2 weeks prevacid24 1X D		4/3/2010
5	Acid Reflux	None	Prevacid after a few days got rid of my acid reflux, I didn't have any side effect (I took it years ago and haven't since, that's why I forgot the dosage I was prescribed).	M	22	6 months Forgot 1X D		3/30/2010
1	heartburn	massive heart attack	my father had no health problems and was frequent to the doctors office, shortly after taking prevacid he died of massive heart attack and this drug is to blame.	M	54	4 weeks 30mg 1X D		3/30/2010 Email
1	stomach pain	Crushing headache, elevated blood pressure, feelings of anxiety in chest and backs of arms.		F	49	4 days 15 mg 1X D		3/30/2010 Email
1	acid reflux	I switched from Prilosec to Prevacid after receiving a coupon. The first week was fine, but the second week I started developing gas and diarrea. The 3rd week it turned into explosive diarrea with cramps and lower abdomible pain. I couldn't figure out what was going on the only thing that had changed in the last month was my medication. So I switched back to Prilosec and after only 2 days I'm back to normal.		M	47	3 weeks 20 mg 1X D		3/28/2010
3	stomach pain/acid indigestion	Stomach pains/diarehea	Took after doctor recommended the OTC strength for acid indigestion. Cured the acid reflux but replaced my burning stomach pain with a different stomach pain. After 3 weeks, I've stopped taking; it's a bit like using a sledge hammer to kill a fly; fly's dead but too much collateral damage. The instructions say two weeks max then no more for 4 months even though doctors routinely prescribe it for much longer periods. I'd say follow the instructions if you're going to take this stuff, as my side effects showed up in the 3rd week.	M	57	21 days 15mg 1X D		3/25/2010
1	GERD	feeling dizzy, spacey, tired, headache and vertigo symptoms-vision changes. AS soon as I started taking it, I could feel a change within hours. Do not recommend this drug.	Was mandated to switch by my BCBS insurance!	F	45	7 days 30mg 2X D		3/21/2010
1	H. Pylori	Bloating, constipation, weight gain, edema, back/shoulder pain, fatigue	This stuff contains mannitol, which causes GAS in many people because it is an undigestible sugar. Couldn't wait to get offa this stuff. Taking as part of a PrevPak to treat H.pylori and awful stomach burning. It did stop the burning.	F	55	14 days 30 mg 2X D		3/17/2010
5	Heartburn prevention	None until my pharmacy decided to fill it with the generic. It took about 2 weeks until I thought, why am I getting such bad migraine headaches, they started the day after I started taking the generic Prevacid. I monitor myself and my headaches with a diary, so I know nothing else changed until that. I did explain to my pharmacy that in the furture, asked me first, before you fill the rx, if I want the generic or not. This make time 3 that a generic medication had adverse affects on me.	DAW Prevacid is wonderful and it will work if you forget and have to take it later in the day.	F	46	5 years 30 1X D		3/9/2010
1	heartburn	Extreme abdominal pain. Odd shooting pains in calves & arms. Thought I was about to have a heart attack. Bloating and gas that seems to fill my whole chest cavity. Also headache, nausea which made it impossible to sleep. Actually haven't felt this bad in ages. Heartburn gone...completely, which was so awesome but SO not worth how awful I feel.	I tried this because of a coupon but have been a regular user of Zantac for awhile. Zantac usually works but sometimes I experience discomfort. The Prevacid was truly wonderful for no heartburn but definitely not worth how awful I have felt. Threw the rest of the tabs out yesterday so hoping I feel better soon.	F	43	10 days 30 mg 1X D		2/26/2010
1	Acid Reflux	Lower back, chest and overall joint pain, tingling in feet and hands	Took Aciphex for about 5 years with no problems until insurance quit coverage. Doctor put me on Prevacid and I immediately began experiencing the tingling and what I would call hot flashes in my feet. Lower back and knee pain followed. Have been on it two weeks now and feel terrible. I quit taking it a day ago and hope symptoms will subside. I've never had a reaction this bad from any other medication I've taken. I am going to try the natural route for now on.	M	44	2 weeks 30 mg 1X D		2/21/2010
1	GERD	severe diarrhea, lower back and hip pain, depressed, very decreased engery level	After taking prevacid for about three weeks, I started having severe pain in my lower back and hip. I could not even turn over in the bed because of the pain. My othopedic physician could not find anything wrong with me and suggested physical therapy. I was coming home from work sleeping most of the evening. My days off consisted of the same because I had so little energy. Then I started having severe diarrhea for over two weeks. I performed a culture and found that I had very little normal flora left in my intestional tract. Since Prevacid was the only medicine I was taking, I stopped it and my diarrhea stopped the next day. I have been off of it for a week now and feel like a new person. I do not come home from work and hit the sofa and sleep anymore. I no longer have any pain in my back and hip, and have not had any trouble with diarrhea. This medicine helped my GERD but would not take it again because of the side effects that I experienced. I was convinced that something serious was wrong with me. Thank God it was only the Prevacid!	F	60	4 weeks 30mg 1X D		2/14/2010 Email
4	GERD	None that I know of.	Was on it at 30mg/day until insurance stopped covering it four years ago. I never had a problem with it and it was effective. One thing you have to consider about sites like this is that people are far, far more likely to report bad experiences than they are good experiences, and you never know whic bad experiences can be contributed to a drug and which cannot. Learn to read the clinical trials. They're placebo controlled and peer reviewed. There aren't people with multiple health problems making guesses about what's causing what. No offense to anyone on here but I trust data more than anecdote. With that said, I had a good experience with Prevacid and started going downhill when I was forced to go to Prilosec OTC. I just now took the first dose of OTC Prevacid. I don't really have any concern about side effects...my worries are more efficacy related as I will be taking half the dose I used to. Anyway I don't mean to say that people here are full of it or anything. There are always rare side effects to any drug and some can be bothersome or worse. What I'm saying is the average patient lacks the knowledge to diagnose themselves, and also that bad experiences are more likely to be reported. When people are feeling bad it's natural to point fingers and I don't particularly blame them, but when other people come along and read it these accounts should be taken with a grain of salt.	M	33	30mg, 15mg 1X D		2/5/2010
1	Acid Reflux	nausea, tingling upper body, fainting	switched to Prevacid after taking Zantac 150 for about 2 years. Mainly becouse of the coupons. thought I would give it a try. first 2 days, dont remember any problems, 3rd day, was out to eat and was drinking. Became sick to my stomach, light headed and flushed and vomited. Blamed it on the alcohol and my mood. The forth day, same side effects, this time i faited in the bath room and hit my head. Scary. At this time I suspected that it was Prevacid but was not positive. Out of fear I Stopped using it. went back to Zantac 150. Two weeks later, ran out of Zantac. So I took a 15mg Pevacid, within 30 min. all The Side effects were there. Now I am Positive.	M	37	4 days 15m 24hr 1X D		2/5/2010 Email
1	GE	GERD	I had been taking Prilosec for 6 years before I decided to give Prevacid a try. I had coupons and it made sense at the time to use them. Unfortunately, I did not visit this site before I took them. Immediately. I felt a change in my body and mood. I was lying on the couch most of the day, getting up only to go to bed. Since I am dealing with the recent death of my mother, I thought that it must be normal. Then the gastrointestinal stuff kicked in. All of a sudden, I was ravenous so I thought that the sheer amounts of food I was consuming must be causing that. Almost overnight, I couldn't wear my jeans and my stomach was constantly making animal noises. I could not eat anthing without getting severe diahrrea. The daily and nightly gas pains were crippling. I seriously did not want to go out because I could not control the gas and it was the type that would clear out the whole building. Last night I decided to look for side effects on Prevacid and EUREKA!! It was all there in black and white. I still had a week's worth of pills left but I dropped them into the garbage can and went out to buy some Prilosec. I never had a problem with Prilosec so I feel stupid for taking the chance with Prevacid. I will never take them again and hope that my symptoms go away quickly so I can go grocery shopping! Oh, I also had mind fuzziness and barely could remember my own name. What a horrible experience!	F	60	3 weeks 1X D		2/4/2010 Email
1	hiatal hernia--gerd	pains in neck and chest,terrible symptoms from slow heart rate,headaches,heart pausing,	runner and very healthy for years,developed high vagal tone which I believe the prevacid caused,ended up in the E.R. have been off med for 6 weeks and have slightly improved. last refill was generic maybe that was the problem	M	50	11 months		1/31/2010
4	GERD	In order of severity: Gas and intestinal discomfort,heat flushes at night?, forgetfulness?, occasional heart palpitations?, colon polyps?	Prevacid has been working for me.I noticed that as I became older the side effects seemed to get worse. Consequently,I have reduced the dose from 30mg daily to 15mg daily with no perceptible difference in reflux relief, but a big improvement in my side-effects.	M	53	12 years		1/29/2010
1	GERD/Reflux	Terrible stomach aches, alternate diarrhea, constipation. I knew something was wrong when I barely got 1/2 day relief fromGERD when it went OTC & I decided to switch from Prilosec (had many coupons). I went back to Prilosec a week ago and the stomach nightmares are fine again.	Not sure why but it doesn't work right for me. I'm tossing out my 2wk supply and back to Prilosec, not worth the pain and lost time from work for this junk. Very disappointed and worried for weeks my insides were a mess, thank god I thought to switch back to Prilosec as a last resort, saved myself a lot of money and worry!!	M	40	2 months		1/29/2010 Email
1	acid reflux	Severe IBS symptoms...loose stools,horrible cramping,burning in upper and lower stomach,intestinal spasms,gas,and bloating.	worked for acid reflux, but immediately caused other bad side effects	F	35	7 days		1/19/2010
4	GERD	joints pain, weight gain		F	51	11 months		1/18/2010
3	GERD	Constipation started soon after I started Prevacid, the abdominal bloating comes with it. I changed from Prilosec because I was having late day breakthrough reflux. I've been on Prevacid for about 1 month now. I am having little calf pain that I never would of associated with the medicine until I read other people's experiences, Hmm. Just this last week I felt like I gained some weight, tighter clothes...maybe side effect!? Same for being wiped out it started last week, initially I thought I was coming down with something..but I didn't and I still feel the same. Ditto about the vivid dreams that also started same time the fatique set in about last week....I thought it was odd..but I'm hearing similiar effects. I am gonna go back to Prilosec now and monitor this....	I switched to this drug because it just became an over the counter medicine and thought I would try it. Thought it might be more effective than Prilosec, but for the GERD it works about the same for me. Going back to Prilosec.	F	43	30 days		1/12/2010 Email
5	GERD	No side effects	This has worked very well for me to avoid GERD symptoms and to prevent developing Barrett's Esophagus. Since I have MVP I have worried that without any stomach acid and therefore no first defense against bacteria it could cause problems for a heart valve and when I expressed this to my doctor he said it was theoretically possible. However I've been taking it for 10 years apparently without any problems. Highly recommend it, if you can tolerate it.	F	56	10 years		1/11/2010
4	GERD	The first day was fine. By second day the migraine/severe headache began. It would lessen as the day went on. Headache pain increased for a few hours after taking the pill. By day six severe diarrhea and a depressed feeling. I also began to notice an irregular, more rapid heartbeat.	The side effects are not worth it. It's to bad as my GERD began to greatly improve by my second day on the medication. However, the way I feel now, it's not worth continuing. I hope the drug works its way out of my system soon.	F	47	6 days		1/11/2010
1	heartburn	stomach and muscle pain, diarrhea		F	48	14 days		1/11/2010
2	acid reflux	exessive heat flash, rash all over body, pain in stomach, loose bowels	Ive taken prevacid before when it was perscribed to me, for some reason the over the counter ones gave me these awful side effects.	F	24	1 days		1/2/2010
5	GERD	if I take too much-stomach pain, otherwise-none	Thank God for Prevacid! Saved my life from a severe case of GERD where I couldn't eat and lost 40lbs. Now I take one a day and I can eat anything I want, as long as I don't lie down for 2 hours after eating	M	35	5 years		12/30/2009
1	taken off nexium(pregnant)	horrible gas pains right before loose stools can not leave bathroom for over an hour. Horrible horrible bloating, this is bad medicine.I have never had this bad of gas in my life.	works for about 12hours for me, not even 24 with the side effects i don't recommend this medicine to anyone try taking otc prilosec works alot better. The only reason I swithched was because I had to for now (pregnant) but i,m going back to my family doctor to get on something else for sure on Monday.I haven't really noticed any other side effects though i do feel a little spacey i thought it was the holidays i,m thinking i should just stop taking it to be safe we will prolly see it on tv next year "if you have taken the drug prevacid please call 800 bla bla you maybe entiled to a cash settlement from the side effects sorry no cash can make up for shittin your pants some where!!!	F	28	20 days		12/27/2009
5	heartburn, pain, vomit		I've been taking prevacid for a while. Every time I eat I throw up or get such a raging pain I feel like I'm in heat and can't think. My chest would constantly hurt and everything was unbearable. My doctor gave me some prescribed prevacid and it helps lots. I still have a urky feeling a tiny tiny bit, but I'm extremely happy that I can think straight and most of the pain is gone. I did try the prevacids you can get at walgreen's one week when I had run out, but it like didn't really work. I only felt a little less heated and in pain, not enough to stop from vomiting or cringing. When I remember(I'm pretty stupid) to take my prevacid about 10-20 minutes before I eat, I have no problems. So it's awesome for prevention and calming c: I usually take it after I eat/during caused that's when I start getting the pain. It takes llike 5 minutes to start to work, and like 20 to make you feel much better.	F	14	7 months		12/20/2009 Email
1	I took prevacid for acid reflux	I started having problems after taking prevacid for 2 weeks. I had problems swallowing and swelling in my back that caused nerve root irritation. I have burning in my back, arms and face.I have have discontinued taking it and i hope my problems will go away.		F	58	2 weeks		12/15/2009 Email
1	heartburn	Irregular heartbeat, severe body aches, nervousness, elevated blood pressure, tingling in joints, brain fog, shortness of breath, foul bowel movements and gas, severe stomach pains	Was always healthy, fit and active. When I decided to come off of an anxiety medicine I took as needed, I got heartburn so they put me on this. I have been off of it for over a year now and am still sick. Had to postpone my wedding as well. Very upset still short of breath but some better. Cannot work.	F	25	3 weeks		12/11/2009
1	GERD	I started taking Kapidex (new version of Prevacid) one night. Next day I really started feeling cramps and diahrrea. Following day I was vomiting and non-stop bad diahrrea and I literally fainted. That day I stopped and it took 2 days for the side effects to go away. This and a antibiotic called chlyndamycin have been the worsts pills I have ever taken!	Kapidex manufacturer reports over 5% of patients have the symptoms I suffered so it seems that it is a known side effect (http://www.drugs.com/pro/kapidex.html)	M	40	2 days		12/6/2009 Email
1	GERD, Gastritis	Severe lower back, hip, knee and ankle joint pain/aches, night sweats and chills, odd/obscure dreams, headaches, insomnia, foggy mind	I took it for only 8 days and on day 5 the symptoms started and progressively worsened. First time I have taken this drug and I would take the stomach pain and nausea over the side effects of this drug!	F	23	8 days		12/2/2009
3	GERD	very tight throat, rigid hard to swallow food because of tight swelling of throat and esophagus, sore stiff neck, swelling under the neck, extreme bloating, fullness, lose watery stools, extreme pain in both knees and hips. extreme lethargic, no energy, unable to move depression, heart skips, extreme weight gain, no appetite, numbness, pressure in chest, ringing in ears, very moody, forgetting everything, blurry vision.	prevacid stops the acid reflux, and helps the gerd problems. But after two months using this drug I feel horrible!. Going to talk to my doctor but I am quitting this drug to see what happens, I have zantac for backup just in case. email me for my results	M	47	60 days		11/30/2009 Email
4	Acid Reflux, GERD.	None.	I used to be on Nexium until the insurance stopped covering it. We switched to prevacid solutabs. They work great, but honestly, Nexium was still the best for my acid reflux.	F	19	4 years		11/28/2009
5	GERD, constant heartburn	None!! Prevacid 30 mg worked better than protonix, nexium and others. It's the only drug that stopped my constant 24 hr heartburn and reflux. I can eat and sleep again. - HAS ANYONE TRIED THE NEW GENERIC VERSIONS????	HAS ANYONE TRIED THE NEW GENERIC VERSIONS???- Mylan Mfg Lansoprazole (generic). Any users of generic????	M	45	5 years		11/26/2009
2	Acid Reflux - GERD	After taking Prevacid for about a year, I started to experience hemorriods. At the time, it didn't occur to me that it was related to Prevacid, thinking it was something that happened after getting an upper/lower GI - ya know, an infection or reaction to the test. After 9 months and trying to convince my doctor that I never have had hemorriods in my life and my doctors stating to take something over the counter to ease the pain and itch (which I did), I started to think outside the box. Finally, I tried taking myself off Prevacid as an experiment - within 2-3 weeks the hemorriods were gone and I have been hemorriod-free for 3 months now!! I am taking over the counter Prilosec now and it is doing the job for the acid reflex.	Don't always follow your doctor's advice - if something isn't right, listen to your body and try new venues of curing the problem. And, find a new doctor...	M	46	1 years		11/25/2009 Email
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 Email
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	9	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 Email
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 Email
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 Email
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 Email
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 Email
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 Email
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 Email
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 Email
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 Email
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 Email
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 Email
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

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Average rating for drug: 2.7. This page is printer-friendly; use landscape print with background color turned on.

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.

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