Alternatives To Taking Nexium While Pregnant
There are many ways pregnant women can alleviate or prevent acid reflux without taking medications such as Nexium. It is suggested pregnant women eat small meals often to not overcrowd the stomach. Pregnant women should also avoid spicy and fatty foods. They can also avoid acid reflux by keeping their posture upright. Proper posture can extend the chest cavity and relieve stomach pressure. Using propped up pillow for sleep will also help with this stomach pressure.
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What Medications Are Never Safe During Pregnancy
Common medications that you should avoid during pregnancy are aspirin, ibuprofen, opioids, Xanax, and Valium.
- Aspirin and ibuprofen: Part of a class of drugs called NSAIDs, these are associated with a higher risk of heart defects.
- Opioids: Opioid use during pregnancy is associated with severe, catastrophic birth defects.
- Xanax and Valium: These sedatives are both associated with an increased risk of certain birth defects.
Cold Medications To Avoid
- Alka-Seltzer : There is some evidence this can cause unsafe fluid buildup during pregnancy. Also, Alka-Seltzer Plus, which is developed for cold and flu symptoms, contains phenylephrine, which may carry an increased risk of birth defects.
- Any cold relief medication that includes aspirin or ibuprofen: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are a category that includes aspirin and ibuprofen. Studies have shown that women who took these drugs are more likely to give birth to babies with heart defects.
- Sudafed during the first trimester: Some studies have shown an increased risk of birth defects associated with use of pseudoephedrine during the first trimester of pregnancy.
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What Sedatives Or Sleep Aids Are Safe During Pregnancy
Among over-the-counter drugs, the antihistamine Benadryl is considered low risk for pregnant women and developing babies.
There arent any completely safe prescription options. Ambien is sometimes prescribed during pregnancy, as it has the least definite association with birth defects. However, there is a risk associated with the use of Ambien in the third trimester of pregnancy.
What It Is Used For
NEXIUM is indicated for: Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease -Treatment of erosive reflux oesophagitis -Long-term management of patients with healed oesophagitis to prevent relapse -Symptomatic treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease Patients requiring NSAID therapy: -Short-term treatment of upper gastrointestinal symptoms associated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug NSAID therapy. -Healing of gastric ulcers associated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug NSAID therapy. -Prevention of gastric and duodenal ulcers associated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug NSAID therapy in patients at risk. Prevention of rebleeding of gastric or duodenal ulcers following treatment with NEXIUM IV solution by intravenous infusion. Pathological hypersecretory conditions including Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and idiopathic hypersecretion. In combination with appropriate antibiotics for: -Healing of duodenal ulcer associated with Helicobacter pylori. -Eradication of Helicobacter pylori in patients with active or healed peptic ulcer.
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How Can I Prevent Heartburn During Pregnancy
They say prevention is the best medicine, so knowing common heartburn triggers can help you keep the acid at bay.
Of course, pregnancy itself is a major trigger for heartburn. As your growing uterus puts pressure on your stomach, this pushes stomach acid up your throat.
Those lovely hormones are no help either. They tend to relax the valve between your stomach and esophagus, which makes it easier for acid to make its way upward.
While theres nothing you can do to stop this entirely, there are a few things that can help prevent heartburn from flaring up during pregnancy:
How Do I Treat Heartburn During Pregnancy
When youre growing a human being, you dont have time for that yucky acid reflux. But your usual go-to methods for treating it may not be safe for your unborn baby.
Instead, here are some of the safest and best ways to get rid of heartburn when youre pregnant:
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Welcome To Prilosec 20 Mg Capsules
Take this medication by mouth as directed by your doctor, usually once daily before a meal. This medication may also be given through a tube into the stomach . Dosage and length of treatment are based on your medical condition and response to treatment. In children, the dosage is also based on weight.
Prilosec OTC is a 14-day regimen that can be used up to three times a year, but not more often than every 4 months. If you need to use Prilosec OTC for more than the three indicated 14-day courses of treatment, consult with your doctor.
The active ingredient omeprazole works to fight heartburn differently from treatments like acid controllers/H2s or antacids. One of the best benefits of omeprazole is experiencing heartburn relief for 24 hours after only taking 1 pill a day.* But its not the only benefit. Omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor and PPIs are the strongest class of frequent heartburn medicines.
Safe Prescription Allergy Medications
- Singulair : Usage of montelukast during pregnancy for treatment of asthma does not appear to increase the risk of major birth defects.
- Allergy shots : Its considered safe to continue your allergy shots during pregnancy. Let your healthcare providers know that youre pregnant and they will carefully monitor your dosage.
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What Are Prilosec And Nexium
Prilosec and Nexium are proton pump inhibitors or proton pump antagonists. Proton pumps are the mechanisms that squirt out components of hydrochloric acid into the stomach from the gastric glands to be used for digestion.
The proton pump is a sort of valve made of a molecule of protein on certain stomach cell membranes. The precise name of the proton pump protein is adenosine triphosphatase or ATPase. It’s called a “proton pump” because it actively grabs positively charged atoms of hydrogen from within the cell and “pumps” them into the stomach cavity by switching them with potassium molecules. In the ducts of the gastric glands, the hydrogen ions combine with chloride ions to form hydrochloric acid, which is necessary to digest food. Chloride ions are also secreted by parietal cells, which suck them up from the bloodstream and secrete them through a different channel than the hydrogen ions.
It’s important for the proton pump to shoot the hydrogen out of the parietal cell before it turns into acid. Gastrointestinal lining is the only tissue in the body built to handle potentially lethal hydrochloric acid. If the parietal cell manufactured hydrochloric acid inside itself — as cells do when they make most other compounds — the acid would kill the cell, digesting it from the inside out instead of digesting the pork chop you just ate.
Rarely, Prilosec or Nexium can cause nervousness, abnormal heartbeat, muscle pain, weakness, leg cramps, and water retention.
Conditions Treated By Protonix And Nexium
Protonix and Nexium can both treat GERD and conditions associated with GERD, such as acid reflux . Both medications are also FDA approved to treat erosive esophagitis, or the inflammation of the lining of the esophagus.
Nexium is also FDA approved to treat Helicobacter pylori infection. This type of infection develops when H. pylori bacteria infect the digestive tract, which can lead to ulcers. In addition to ulcers caused by H. pylori, Nexium can prevent the risk of ulcers associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs .
Both Protonix and Nexium can be used to treat hypersecretory conditions, such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. These conditions are characterized by an overproduction of stomach acid. Protonix and Nexium may also be used to treat peptic ulcers, which encompass both duodenal and stomach ulcers.
Protonix and Nexium are only recommended for short-term use, or up to eight weeks in most cases.
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Warnings Of Protonix And Nexium
The long-term use of PPIs may lead to an increased risk of bone fractures, especially in people who have already been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Bone mineral density may need to be monitored during long-term treatment with PPIs.
Some patients have experienced acute tubulointerstitial nephritis while taking Protonix or Nexium. Nephritis is the inflammation of the kidneys, which can lead to decreased kidney function.
The use of PPIs may be linked to an increased risk of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea. Those who experience persistent diarrhea may need to be monitored, especially in a hospital setting.
Taking Protonix or Nexium can increase the risk of low blood levels of magnesium or vitamin B12 . There is an increased risk of hypomagnesemia and vitamin B12 deficiency in those on long-term treatment with PPIs.
Consult your healthcare provider for other possible warnings and precautions before taking a PPI.
Is It Okay To Take Nexium While Pregnant
Currently, the Food and Drug Administration has categorized Nexium in the pregnancy category B. This category indicates Nexium is generally considered safe to use while pregnant. However, there have been some reports of fetal re-absorption and lethality in the embryo in animal studies. In these studies, animals were given between five to 56 times more Nexium than the average human dose.
Before using Nexium for acid reflux, schedule a meeting with your doctor to determine if using this medication while pregnant is safe for you and the growing fetus.
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Pain Medications To Avoid
- NSAIDs including aspirin and ibuprofen: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are a category that includes aspirin and ibuprofen. Studies have shown that women who take these drugs are more likely to give birth to babies with heart defects.
- Opioid pain medications such as codeine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine: Taking these medications is associated with severe birth defects affecting the brain, heart, and intestines, as well as withdrawal symptoms in newborns.
What Pain Medications Are Safe During Pregnancy
The safest pain medication during pregnancy is acetaminophen, which is sold over-the-counter as Tylenol . Acetaminophen can also be prescribed by your doctor.
However, recent studies have indicated that acetaminophen use may be linked to certain birth defects. Talk to your doctor to assess the risks and benefits of taking pain medication.
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Effects On Lactation And Breastmilk
Omeprazole has been reported to cause gynecomastia in several men and a retrospective claims database study in the United States found that users of proton pump inhibitors had an increased risk of gynecomastia.
One woman developed elevated serum prolactin and estradiol with bilateral galactorrhea one week after starting esomeprazole 40 mg once daily for reflux esophagitis. The galactorrhea disappeared 3 days after discontinuing esomeprazole and prolactin and estradiol returned to normal 7 days after discontinuation. One month later, the patient restarted esomeprazole and again developed bilateral galactorrhea. She was switched to lansoprazole with no galactorrhea developing. The prolactin level in a mother with established lactation may not affect her ability to breastfeed.
Are Prilosec And Nexium Safe To Take During Pregnancy Or While Breastfeeding
There aren’t any studies to show whether or not omeprazole or esomeprazole have any effects on a developing fetus. If you’re a pregnant woman and you need to take a PPI, do so under the supervision of a doctor to help you decide whether the benefits outweigh the risks. Don’t take either Prilosec or Nexium while breastfeeding both medications are secreted in breast milk and could cause problems for the baby.
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Effects In Breastfed Infants
One mother taking omeprazole 20 mg daily orally pumped and discarded her milk once each day 4 hours after her morning dose. She breastfed her infant the remainder of the day for 3 months before weaning. The infant remained well at 12 months of age.
A woman with rheumatoid arthritis was treated with oral esomeprazole 10 mg, prednisone 2.5 mg and sulfasalazine 1 gram once daily as well as injections of certolizumab pegol 200 mg every 2 weeks. Her infant was about 50% breastfed and 50% formula fed. The infant had no detectable drug-related adverse effects.
Blood Pressure Medications To Avoid
- ACE inhibitors including Vasotec and Epaned , Prinivil, Zestril, and Qbrelis , and Altace : Have been shown to cause birth defects in all three trimesters of pregnancy.
- Angiotensin II receptor blockers including Diovan and Cozaar : ARBs have been shown to increase the risk of fetal kidney damage or miscarriage.
- Renin inhibitors including Tekturna : Renin inhibitors are associated with severe, catastrophic birth defects. Women taking renin inhibitors should avoid becoming pregnant.
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Is Protonix Or Nexium More Effective
Clinical trials have shown that pantoprazole and esomeprazole are similarly effective. One clinical trial compared the effectiveness of 40 mg of pantoprazole to 40 mg of esomeprazole in patients with GERD. Approximately 580 patients were randomized to receive either pantoprazole or esomeprazole over 4, 8, or 12 weeks of treatment. Complete remission of GERD was achieved with both PPI at similar rates.
In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, the effectiveness of pantoprazole and esomeprazole was compared for treating GERD. Approximately 200 patients were randomized to receive either 40 mg of pantoprazole daily or 40 mg of esomeprazole daily. Both PPIs were found to be equally effective with comparable safety and tolerability.
Consult a healthcare provider for the best treatment option for you. Your primary care provider may refer you to a doctor who specializes in gastroenterology for further medical advice.
Does Pregnancy Cause Heartburn
Pregnancy increases your risk of heartburn or acid reflux. During the first trimester, muscles in your esophagus push food more slowly into the stomach and your stomach takes longer to empty.
This gives your body more time to absorb nutrients for the fetus, but it can also result in heartburn.
During the third trimester, the growth of your baby can push your stomach out of its normal position, which can lead to heartburn.
However, each woman is different. Being pregnant doesnt necessarily mean youll have heartburn. It depends on many factors, including your physiology, diet, daily habits, and your pregnancy.
Relieving heartburn during pregnancy typically involves some trial and error. Lifestyle habits that can reduce heartburn are often the safest methods for mother and baby. The following tips may help relieve your heartburn:
Alternative medicine options include acupuncture and relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, or guided imagery. Always check with your doctor before trying new treatments.
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What Medications Are Safe To Take During Pregnancy
From the moment you get the happy newsthat youre an expectant parentyour priority is doing whats best for your child. An important part of keeping a growing baby healthy during pregnancy is learning which medications are safe to take.
Birth defects occur in 3 to 5 out of every 100 pregnancies. This is called the background rate. Drugs considered safe during pregnancy are those that are not believed to increase the risk of birth defects.
Its important to note: You should not take any medication without consulting your doctor or pharmacist. Everyones health situation is different. If you have any of the health issues below while pregnant, or while youre trying to become pregnant, a medical professional will be able to recommend the best treatment plan for your specific circumstances.
Can I Take Nexium During Pregnancy And While Breastfeeding
Generic Name: EsomeprazoleIndications: Nexium is a proton pump inhibitor that reduces acid production in the stomach. The drug is typically suggested for patients experiencing gastroesophageal reflux disease , ulcers associated with Helicobacter pylori infection or NSAID use. FDA Drug Category: B
Nexium is generally prescribed for no longer then eight weeks but if your doctor feels you need a second round of treatment to prolong healing time, a second round may be prescribed. Each dose of Nexium needs to be taken with at least eight ounces of water. Nexium must be taken for the full length of time prescribed even if symptoms resolve before you have taken all of the medication.
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