Seeking Advice ... Nexium and Immodium
#258406 - 04/16/06 09:52 AM
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erinb_77
Reged: 11/23/04
Posts: 21
Loc: Alberta, Canada
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I know that there are other posts about these meds but my questions are going on a little bit of a different path.
1. Nexium - I started on it about 5 days ago. I am taking 40mg once a day. I now starting to see some slow improvement in my symptoms. My questions:
> What is the best time of day to take Nexium?
> Can it be taken at the same time with my other meds? I am also on Prozac, Dicetel, and Propranolol (it is a beta-blocker med for the heart but I am on it to help with migraine headaches). My other meds I take twice a day usually around lunch time and again at bedtime.
2. Immodium - my doctor told me that research is showing that taking Immodium is almost as effective as most other meds for IBS-D without being too expensive and having nasty side effects. However, he didn't give me any instructions and it will be June before I can get back into see him. My questions:
> Is it okay to take one every morning? At this point it would be an experiment but I am willing to try anything to stop having 5-10 BMs a day (and that is a good day). Right now I take them only when needed and like someone else posted depending on the individual BM (sorry if that's too mich info)
> Could Immodium also be taken more regularly like maybe two or three times a day
> Can Immodium be taken at the same time as my other meds (especially the Nexium)
I know everyone has different symptoms and no two people's IBS is going to act the same way or respond the same way. I am asking these questions to the members of this amazing site who read the boards for a couple of reasons. I have a lot faith in the members of this site and in Heather. Also, I am a nurse, and I don't know that a lot of the doctors have IBS. Though they try hard to understand what we are going through, unless they experience it first hand, how can they really know.
I have had IBS for as long as I can remember and really it feels like my life has become one big experiment to see what works and what doesn't. I guess the Immodium and Nexium will be part of my experiments, but now I have others to ask about personal experiences and that means a lot too.
Thanks everyone!
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Erin
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Re: immodium..
#258407 - 04/16/06 09:58 AM
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K2
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 1191
Loc: Canada
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Taking one or two Immodiums a day, or even 3 or 4 is fine if you do well with it. What you may notice is that taking too much Immodium could make you not go at all for a few days, and then when you do go it can be bad. You want to play around with it and find what is good for you. I take 1/2 if I have 2 BMs in a day, which helps me not go until the next day. I find if I take it every day, I end up C. Some people on these boards have said they take it every morning and then as needed in the day. So it is really trial and error for you body.
Kat
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Kat
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Nexium should be taken 60 - 90 minutes before a meal since it reaches peak blood levels in 90 minutes. What is interesting it that the half life of the drug is also about 90 minutes which basically means that after taking one pill, after approximately four hours you have no more drug in you. If you find that you have worse acid reflux in the morning, then you should take it before breakfest. If your problems occur later in the day, adjust the time when you take it accordingly. The main point is that it needs to be taken on am empty stomach. If you take it with food you end up decreasing the amount of the available drug by 45-50% which is a huge drop.
Since the immodium question has already been answered the only part I will say is they can both be taken together.
As far as the other drugs you mentioned are concerned, you can take then with Nexium no problem. Just figure out when the best time for you to take Nexium is. The only drugs that have clinical data to suggest interactions with Nexium are penicillin and its relatives but a Dr. should have told you about possible side effects.
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Here...there....everywhere
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As far as if Nexium and Immodium would interact with other medicines, the best person to answer that is a pharmacist. If you get your prescription meds at different places, make a list of all your meds, their strength, and time of day you take them.
the OTHER ErinB 
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Erin
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IBS-D, GERD...
I got it comin' outta 1 end or the other!
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