Hi all , thanks for reading here is my problem . I have been suffering with a sore throat for about 6 months acid reflux going into throat and post nasel drip, I have been seeing a ENT for about 2 months now and he put me on Nexium 40mg (1 x aday) and Singular 10mg (1xaday) and Respa AR ( 1x a day) after much reading on the web I saw that the dosage many people take for lpr/gerd is 2 nexium’s a day. So I tried 2 nexium and felt much better right away. I called my ENT and told him I tired 2 nexiums and asked if it was ok to stay on 2 aday . The ENT told me it was but for only 7 days. My reading says I should be on Nexium 2xs aday much longer than 7 days . I have an appointment with a new ENT in 2 weeks. Do you people think I should trust my research and stay on 2 Nexiums aday ? Or drop back down to one aday after the week is up? I want to stay on 2 nexiums a day . But don’t like being my own doctor.
I do have an appointment with a new ENT but he is booked for 2 weeks.
Thanks for reading any advice would help
The only two dosages recommended in the Nexium prescribing information are 20 mg/day and 40 mg/day. You're already on the maximum recommended dosage (which is twice the base dosage). Nexium comes in two different strengths - are you sure the information you found online referred to people taking 2 x 40 mg pills daily (or were they referring to taking 2 x 20 mg pills which would be the same dosage you're already on). I'd wait to see the new doctor before you double the dosage for more than 7 days.
Thanks for your reply Gcsmithjr its nice to know someone cares enough to reply. I know I am on a high dose of nexium. I am going to put a few links in here for anyone that might have acid backing up into the throat. If the links dont work just try google (nexium 40 mg 2x ) I had a sore throat for 4 months seen 4 doctors before i even knew what was wrong with me. I never was really sick before and dealing with doctors is all new to me. anyway he goes on the links. Thanks again for the reply Gcsmithjr I will think about it
Jason,
I have read many posts on LPR and looked at many websites about LPR, and they pretty much all say that LPR has to be treated aggressively, and it is normal to prescribe a PPI (Proton Pump Inhibitor) 2x a day, once in the a.m. 30 mins. before eating and once in the p.m. 30 mins. before dinner. I am on Protonix for my LPR just once a day, but I don't really eat anything all day until dinner, but I am still having a bit of a sore throat when I wake up. Once I take the Protonix at night and eat, I seem to be better until the next day. I think I will also try the Protonix 2x a day. By the way my Protonix is 40mg each and my GP said to go ahead and try it 2x a day. I told my ENT and he didn't really say anything. If it is making you feel better taking it 2x a day, I would stay with it, like I said I have read many things that state LPR normally requires 2x a day dosing. Just thought I would put my 2 cents in.
Hi yeahzach3 How long have you be taking the PPI's? have you thought about surgery? I just started with this (lpr) and I cant bear the thought of having to take ppi's my whole life. thank you Jason
I have been on the Protonix for about 1 year, that is not to say that I took it regularly. When I was first diagnosed with LPR, it really didn't make sense to me, because I have never had heart burn or any kind of reflux. The only reason I went to the Dr. was because I felt like I had something in my throat, about an hour after I would eat it felt like there was something kind of poky in my throat, it didn't feel big or anything but because I have anxiety, it really sent me through the roof. My GP said he thought it might be reflux, so he sent me to an ENT who put a scope through my nose into my throat and said it was LPR, handed me a prescription for 6 mos. and a pamphlet on LPR and sent me on my way. After I would get this feeling of something being in my throat, it would seem that my throat would feel swollen and kind of raw (but not like when your sick) for about 10 days, then it would be back to normal. I would only have an episode every few months. The last time I had one was in October, then it hit again in February, and I have only had a few days of no throat sensations whatsoever. I went back to the ENT and he checked again, said it's just LPR and allergies, continue the Protonix and take Claritin-D. So that is what I am doing now. I think I should probably take the Protonix 2x a day and see how that does, but I haven't done that yet because I don't really want to take that much PPI's. I think my anxiety is what has got the LPR symptoms active again, because I put too much thought into them.
Basically, it took me 1 year to use 6 mos. of the Protonix, because I didn't take it regularly, and I didn't have a problem when I didn't take it. My ENT said that is not unusual for his patients to do that.
I have read on another website where an ENT has described LPR as a chronic intermittent problem, which I think describes it pretty good. My problem is, I'm not sure when it's anxiety or the LPR that I am having a problem with, and which one is the bigger problem. I'm beginning to think if I get the anxiety under control, then my LPR won't freak me out so much.
Hi again yeahzach3 I have a sore throat and an up set Stomach. I think you may have something there when you talk about anxiety. I am starting to think but still not sure if anxiety is my problm or maybe at least part of the problem. I would never tell anyone this but becuase i am unkown to everyone on this board and maybe it may help someone I will tell you that I have started to see a therapist. I have just started seeing the therapist and I have noticed a Improvement in my sore throat, but i am starting to think that perhaps my anxiety may have caused a real medical problem. also my eating habits i use to dirnk alot of diet soda and i drank alot of orange jucie...
Here is something interesting that happened to me just as a side track I saw my dentist this Wednesday and asked him to look at my teeth for evidence of acid reflux the dentist told me he saw no evidence of acid reflux (i have been seeing this dentist for 20 years) On thursday I saw a new Doctor he looked in my mouth and asked me if my dentist told me about my teeth because some of the enamel was off my back molers....take care and God bless
There are alot of Doctors out there that got no clue. people out there need to find a good doctor that is Familiar with acid reflux. I am going to post the way i take my nexium in hopes it may help someone. it took too long for me to take my meds right and the only way i found out how was reading healh boards ( thank you yeahzach3 i read many web sites that aslo said to take your meds this way but your post confirmed it) . 1 nexium 40mg in the morning 30 min before Breakfast. 1 nexium 40mg 30 min before dinner. and zantac 150 before bed. no eating 3 hours before bed. nexium needs food to work zantac does not need food to work. I am not a doctor but was told by my doctor that i am taking my meds the right way. he said taking that much nexium will not hurt you ( I do wonder about takng double doses but hope I am not on them for too long) i also take a Claritin at night. Take care and God bless
I haven't checked the post for a few days, but I also started taking my Protonix 2x a day starting on Friday. By Monday afternoon, I was almost symptom free, the mucus and everything had really gone away. Today, however, I have been anxious and did strain my voice a little when I was yelling for my 6 year old and couldn't find him (he was hiding and thought it was funny), after that my throat is a little sore and now more mucus. I am so tired of this stuff. Sometimes I really think my throat is going to close up because I feel like it's raw and when I swallow it feels tight, and I start wondering if I should go to the hospital or just ride it out. I wish I knew for sure how much of this is anxiety and how much is LPR. It's really hard to differentiate when you are so anxious. I hope the Nexium 2x a day is working for you. I think you will see the difference and from what I understand Nexium is better than Protonix is, so maybe you will see even more of an improvement than I have. Best of luck to you Jason and God Bless You too.
I had TERRIBLE acid reflux for some time and was on two pills a day, which really didn't work. Went on the Internet and found Digestinol and it has done wonders. It is nothing but a tablet that contains VERY strong aloe vera. Look it up and read the testimonials. I now can drink coffee, which I couldn't even go near!! The aloe vera heals one.
Hi yeahzach3 I hope by the time you read this you are feeling better. I am so sorry to read that you are feeling so bad you want to go to the hospital. I cant believe they let people walk around, go to work, feeling so bad.
I think that anxiety plays a big role in all medical conditions. I took up trying to learn playing the guitar to take my mind off my sore thorat. I also started to do nasel flushes that seemed to help out alot. I stopped tacking the nexium because i got so sick after a month of double doseing. I hope after my 2nd endocopy they dont tell me to start up on the nexium again. I know what you mean about being anxious. who would not be anxious if they had a sore throat for months on end? take care and I am pulling for you, god bless
Last edited by moderator2; 05-04-2008 at 04:18 PM.
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Re: acid reflux /post nasel drip Medication Dosage 
