At the time I was between Remicade and Enbrel, so only stopped the MTX. It only took missing one dose to start the plunge, but I was already halfway there. It got very bad in 2 months. And you know how long it takes to ramp up to relief. Once I got on the Enbrel, things moved up a wee bit. Took changing to twice-weekly doses after 4 months to make a real difference. It's relieved a good bit of my pain and the percs 4 times a day does the rest, usually. Spring has made a bit of difference, since I struggle every winter.

Your weight loss and night sweats concern me, thus the blood work might help. Doubt the combined 8 doses of bis- drugs could have damaged your jaw, but pointed questions should be directed to the docs. Wonder why you would have been scripted bis- drugs with a bad esophagus? (I had to stop Fosamax and later, Atelvia, for difficult swallowing issues. The problems stopped after that.) Good luck! Hugs to you.

Wow...that quickly, huh?! Yes, I struggle in the Winter as well...okay, here's the bis drug/Barrett's esophagus story...I have 2 PCPs, one inside of my network and one outside of my network, the PCP outside of my network receives a copy of EVERYTHING that is done by all of the doctors in my network, it provides me with a constant second opinion, I meet with him every 90 days to get his thoughts...the PCP in my network is the one that prescribed the bis drugs and Dxed and treated the GERD...I'm not familiar with GERD prior to my own GERD issues, so not well versed in treatment protocols...so, he puts me on Famatodine for GERD in 2007, then he switches it up to Nexium in 2009, as I report to him that my symptoms are progressively getting worse and that I'm experiencing dysphagia, he increases the dose over the next 3 years, I'm up to 6 Nexium a day right now...this PCP and I had a falling out about it, so in Dec. 2011, I switched to his partner in my network...first visit in mid December, the first question he asks, "So, I see you're taking a lot of Nexium and you've had GERD for awhile now, when was your last scope?" and I say, "What's a scope?" ...I've been had one!!! The first PCP had never even discussed that with me...well 2 weeks later, I go in for a barium upper GI and they see one hot mess!! So, now it's Barrett's Esophagus, with an esophagusectomy (sp?)scheduled for May 2nd...oh yeah, the bis drugs, the same PCP put me on those in '08... So, that's the whole story... I really appreciate all the help...

Michelle, I am so so sorry you are having so much trouble. You may remember that I had to quit all treatment. I understand so much of what you are going through. I was losing about a pound a day and was so exhausted. It ended up being my heart. I don't want to frighten you but just to suggest that seeing a cardiologist would certainly be in order.

Hugs and Blessings.
Possi

8 Nexium per day?????? Does your pharmacist seem alarmed? (To answer that question: see below--quoted material from the link provided.)

That's a whopper dose. One link mentioned Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome, which could account for the high dose you mention. Do you have any symptoms below?

A reminder to all, check all your meds to see that you understand doses/side-effects/contra-indications/drug-drug interactions. In this era of multiple specialists not knowing always what the others are prescribing, we must be our own advocates. Most of us are aware, but it doesn't hurt to remind everyone. Michelle, I hope you aren't feeling problems from this high dose. Hugs. Big ones.


nexium max dose

quoted from above link: CONTRAINDICATIONS

NEXIUM is contraindicated in patients with known hyper-sensitivity to any component of the formulation or to substituted benzimidazoles. Clarithromycin is contraindicated in patients with a known hypersen-sitivity to any macrolide antibiotic. Concomitant administration of clarithromycin with pimozide is contraindicated. There have been post-marketing reports of drug interactions when clarithromycin and/ or erythromycin are co-admin-istered with pimozide resulting in cardiac arrhythmias (QT prolongation, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, and torsade de pointes) most likely due to inhibition of hepatic metabolism of pimozide by erythromycin and clarithromycin. Fatalities have been reported. (Please refer to full prescribing information for clarithromycin.) Amoxicillin is contraindicated in patients with a known hypersensitivity to any penicillin. (Please refer to full prescribing information for amoxicillin.)

OVERDOSAGE

A single oral dose of esomeprazole at 510 mg/ kg (about 103 times the human dose on a body surface area basis), was lethal to rats.

The major signs of acute toxicity were reduced motor activity, changes in respiratory frequency, tremor, ataxia, and intermittent clonic convulsions. There have been some reports of overdosage with esomeprazole. Reports have been received of overdosage with omeprazole in humans. Doses ranged up to 2,400 mg (120 times the usual recommended clinical dose). Manifestations were variable, but included confusion, drowsiness, blurred vision, tachycardia, nausea, diaphoresis, flushing, headache, dry mouth, and other adverse reactions similar to those seen in normal clinical experience (see omeprazole package insert Ð ADVERSE REACTIONS). No specific antidote for esomeprazole is known. Since esomeprazole is exten-sively protein bound, it is not expected to be removed by dialysis. In the event of overdosage, treatment should be symptomatic and supportive.

As with the management of any overdose, the possibility of multiple drug ingestion should be considered. For current information on treatment of any drug overdose, a certified Regional Poison Control Center should be contacted. Telephone numbers are listed in the Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR) or local telephone book.

Oh Possi...I do remember that, very frightening time, you've been through sooo much... I will mention this to my doctor, I hope you're doing okay, Joyce...you never cease to amaze me!!!

No, it was 6 Nexium per day(which is still a HUGE dose!! ) but no my pharmacist never said anything... but I've been fighting the excessive stomach acid production due to the MTX...so, maybe that's why but in retrospect, that's all the more reason the PCP should've been doing scopes... yes, that's very interesting info there...I'm going to read through it more thoroughly and see if any of it fits me, now they are saying at 120x the normal dose, these symptoms occurred, I'm only at 6 times the normal dose(unless I'm misinterpreting that)...but good news: no weight loss, this morning!! thanks rumble, big hugs...

Six is still a lot (I must have not had my glasses adjusted right..lol--sorry on that), check out the other side-effects from the rest of the info at the link. Hope it didn't cause you any harm, dear. GERD in 2007, Bis- drugs start in 2008, then the dysphagia in 2009? Sounds suspicious to me. Hope your tests come out well (or easily treatable). Keep us posted.

You are so right rumble, 6 is a lot... I can't for the life of me figure out why that didn't set off bells and whistles with me...

Not your fault--doctors need to have some sense and it seems like yours was not firing on all cylinders. But for your pharmacist not to see something odd...that's puzzling. Hence my plea for people to watch out for the meds they take. Any of us can get caught because we aren't the ones who went to numerous years of school to learn this stuff. And I'll give the docs a little leeway because there are so many drugs to keep up with...yada yada. When do you have your next appt with anyone?

'So many drugs to keep up with' - and that is the truth of the matter. One has to be pro-active, right on the ball, otherwise...
Refused a prescribed medication at the pharmacy yesterday; contained sorbital and sulphate : one I refuse to take in any shape or form (sweeteners) and the other I cannot take (would be back to the sulphasalazine scenario!! OMG, horrific). Got to be *always on the watch and always check it out.