Nexium

Medically Reviewed by Harshi Dhingra, M.D.

Last Reviewed: Jun 28, 2022

Warnings

What are the risks of taking Nexium (esomeprazole)?

Nexium can cause serious health problems, especially in certain high-risk groups. Some of the potential risks of Nexium treatment include:

SERIOUS DIGESTIVE ISSUES: Heartburn and other digestive symptoms can be warning signs of a more serious problem, including stomach cancer. If your symptoms do not go away after 14 days of Nexium treatment or get worse or come back within 4 months of completing treatment, seek medical care from a healthcare provider.
KIDNEY DAMAGE: Nexium can damage the kidneys. Stop taking Nexium and contact your doctor immediately if you see any blood in your urine (pink or red urine), increased or decreased urination, fever, nausea, or confusion.
SEVERE DIARRHEA: Nexium can increase the risk of severe diarrhea from a bacterial infection. Contact your healthcare provider without delay if you have symptoms like severe watery diarrhea, stomach pain, and fever. You can lower adverse reaction rates by taking Nexium at the lowest dose for the shortest time possible.
BONE FRACTURE: Nexium can increase the risk of bone fractures, especially if you are on high esomeprazole doses or take the medication for a long period (one year or longer). Your doctor may recommend taking calcium and vitamin D supplements during treatment with Nexium to keep your bones healthy.
SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS (SLE): Nexium can lead to SLE development (lupus) or cause worsening of lupus symptoms in people with an existing condition. Lupus symptoms can include rash and joint pain, but they vary from person to person. Talk to your healthcare provider about the symptoms to watch out for. Should lupus symptoms develop, they usually improve within 1-3 months of stopping Nexium.
LOW MAGNESIUM AND VITAMIN B12 LEVELS: In a small number of people, Nexium can cause low vitamin B12 or magnesium levels. This usually happens after taking Nexium for a year or longer, but it can occur with just 12 weeks of Nexium use. Your doctor can order medical tests and may recommend mineral and vitamin supplements while you are on Nexium.
FUNDIC GLAND POLYPS: Nexium can increase the risk of developing fundic gland polyps, which are small, non-cancerous growths in the stomach. This is a rare occurrence. The growths do not usually cause any symptoms. The risk is higher with prolonged treatment. Therefore, you should use Nexium for the shortest duration possible to reduce the risk of this and other adverse outcomes.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the risks of taking Nexium (esomeprazole). Call your health care provider immediately if you experience any unusual symptoms while on this medication.

What should I tell my doctor before starting Nexium (esomeprazole)?

Tell your doctor if you have previously had an allergic reaction to esomeprazole (Nexium) or other proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole (Prilosec), rabeprazole (Aciphex), lansoprazole (Prevacid), or pantoprazole (Protonix).

Give your healthcare professional your complete health history. Nexium may not be suitable for people with certain medical conditions such as osteoporosis and lupus. Tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had low levels of magnesium or vitamin B12.

Tell your doctor about all your prescription and non-prescription (over-the-counter) medicines, nutritional supplements, vitamins, and herbal products, especially St. John’s Wort—this can help avoid serious drug interactions.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.

What precautions should I take while on Nexium (esomeprazole)?

Visit your healthcare professional for regular health checks. Your doctor may order blood tests to keep an eye on your health status while you’re taking Nexium.

If you take OTC Nexium, tell your doctor if your heartburn symptoms last longer than 3 months. Be vigilant for symptoms such as dizziness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, chest pain, difficulty swallowing, unexplained weight loss, nausea, vomiting (especially blood-tinged vomit), and black tarry stools, along with heartburn. These symptoms may indicate a more serious gastrointestinal condition.

Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while taking Nexium.

Call your doctor immediately or go to the emergency room if you experience symptoms such as confusion, blurred vision, flushing, sweating, headache, rash, hives, difficulty breathing or swallowing, severe stomach pain, severe diarrhea, or swelling of the face, tongue, lips, throat, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs.

What are Nexium (esomeprazole) interactions?

Taking Nexium with some other medications can affect how it works. Drug interactions can also increase the risk of serious adverse effects. Your physician may choose a different medication to treat your heartburn, change the dose or frequency of one or both medicines, and/or monitor you carefully for side effects if there are known interactions between Nexium and your other medications.

Taking Nexium with rilpivirine (Edurant, Odefsey, in Complera) is not recommended.

There can also be interactions between Nexium and medicines such as:

Anticoagulants (blood thinners) like warfarin (Coumadin)
Diuretics (water pills)
Iron supplements
Certain antifungals like ketoconazole (Nizoral) and voriconazole (Vfend)
Plavix (clopidogrel)
Pletal (cilostazol)
Digoxin (Lanoxicaps, Lanoxin)
Valium (diazepam)
Certain medications used in HIV patients
Tarceva (erlotinib)
Methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall)
Mycophenolate mofetil (Cellcept)
Rifampin (Rifadin, in Rifater)
Tacrolimus (Prograf)

This list does not describe all possible Nexium interactions. Give your healthcare providers a complete list of your medications, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements, and herbal products. Also, tell your healthcare providers if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs because some of these substances can cause serious health complications or increase the risk of side effects.

Find the best discount on Nexium »