Nexium, Prevacid and othes may increase hip fracture...

[Misty800]

Just read in the newspaper regarding a study in the UK discovering that taking Prevacid, Nexium or some of the others may be causing the body to not absorb calcium, setting us up for hip fracture, that is increasing our risks.

This supposedly happens in people over 50 who have been taking the meds for a year or longer.

As of today, think I will stop the Prevacid and see how my stomach does. The article suggested taking Tums or Rolaids for acid.

I plan on researching more, but at the present I am concerned since I have been on Prevacid for 1 1/2 years. Actonel for osteoponeia was literally poison to my body and I dare not touch another med for osteoporosis. Actonel is the cause as to why I am on Prevacid.

Please share info you may have on this.

[cody48]

I have also just read about this and am very concerned. I'm 58 and have been taking Nexium for probably 7 or 8 years. I've realized this year that I've had a lot of back problems (creaking, cracking, aching) and have wondered if this has anything to do with calcium deficiency. I used to take TUMS like they were candy and they really didn't help that much. I would buy large bottles and always have them in my purse. Many times had trouble sleeping. Nexium was a lifesaver.

About twenty years ago I also had a kidney stone which was calcium in makeup. I questioned several doctors about whether or not I needed to take calcium if my body was throwing it off in such a manner. No one ever gave me a straight answer. When I told my latest internist that I had decided that I didn't need calcium due to the 'stones' and he said "that's a good assumption". Now I wonder if there is a problem. Oh gosh how I would hate to give the Nexium up.

Anyone else out there have any information?

[cvoor]

I also saw a segment on the news the other night, how PPI"S can cause calium deficiency, and thus lead to fractures. The side effects for ppi's are enormous. I have the "so called" rare side effects, which I think are more common than the drug companies want to admit. But what can I do, I was diagnosed with Barretts, and my GI doc told me, I would be on a PPI indefinately.

[Elegiamore]

Misty,

OMG! I have called my gastro about this after reading several books on how lack of stomach acid stops calcium digestion. He said no way was there a connection. I have been on prevacid twice a day for years (and H2 blockers before PPIs were invented) and like you, taking Actonel just made me double up again on the prevacid, and then lead to horrendous muscle pain that didn't stop (see my thread in osteoporosis). No wonder I'm getting osteoporosis.

What's the answer if you must have acid controls? My nurse sister-in-law suggested taking prevacid/nexim in the a.m. and calcium at night, when the drugs may have begun to wear off.

Taking Tums just blocks stomach acid anyway and defeats the purpose, but it might allow a little more calcium in.

I have read repeatedly, however, that calcium citrate does not require stomach acid to be digested and is an answer to this problem.

Any thoughts?

Elegiamore