Nexium

superfear

Hi all, I'm a long time sufferer of Acid reflux disease and i have been on Nexium 40ml for the last 5 years. These are very expensive in these times. I was told yesterday that you can buy these over the counter abroad
so my question is has anyone ever come across them, and if so did they work the same. I am heading away this Sat so would be good to know.
Thanks

blossom180

hi ,i hav bought them abroad and they are exactly the same,just bring ur packet with u to the chemist

Vorsprung

Ask your doctor to prescribe the generic version i.e. esomeprazole instead of Nexium. There may be a cheaper version of the same drug available.

You could also ask him to change you to a cheaper, but different drug, like Omeprazole (also known as Losec).

superfear

hi bloosm180, would they be the same price?

SomeDose

bigjimthefirst wrote: »

Ask your doctor to prescribe the generic version i.e. esomeprazole instead of Nexium. There may be a cheaper version of the same drug available.

You could also ask him to change you to a cheaper, but different drug, like Omeprazole (also known as Losec).

There is no generic esomeprazole available - it's just Nexium. Generic omeprazole or lansoprazole are cheaper and just as effective, so on the face of it there's no evidence to favour Nexium over these other alternatives.

RobFowl

SomeDose wrote: »

There is no generic esomeprazole available - it's just Nexium. Generic omeprazole or lansoprazole are cheaper and just as effective, so on the face of it there's no evidence to favour Nexium over these other alternatives.

You're wrong there a rep gave me lots of pens with nexium written on them, haven't got a losec pen in years. Obviously nexium must be far superior :rolleyes:

anotherlostie

AFAIK, Nexium, esomeprazole, is twice as effective as Losec, omeprazole, because only the S enantiomer acts as a PPI, and the maximum daily dose of Nexium is higher than that of Losec (because both enantiomers contribute to side effects), so Nexium can be used in higher doses, and does have a clinical benefit, notwithstanding the groovy stationery that AZ provide to health professionals! And I am almost 100% certain that is is not available in the UK OTC, but Losec definitely is.

SomeDose

anotherlostie wrote: »

AFAIK, Nexium, esomeprazole, is twice as effective as Losec, omeprazole, because only the S enantiomer acts as a PPI, and the maximum daily dose of Nexium is higher than that of Losec (because both enantiomers contribute to side effects), so Nexium can be used in higher doses, and does have a clinical benefit, notwithstanding the groovy stationery that AZ provide to health professionals! And I am almost 100% certain that is is not available in the UK OTC, but Losec definitely is.

"Twice as effective" in what context, and by what outcome measures? For example, we can say that PPIs (in general) are more effective at healing oesophagitis than H2-receptor antagonists (NNT=2 vs NNT=6), but is there evidence to show esomeprazole has similar superiority within the PPI class? I'd be interested to see it if it does exist. Besides, just because esomeprazole is a "cleaner" drug and can in theory be used in higher doses than omeprazole does not make it a more "effective" treatment. Side-effects of PPIs are seldom seen in clinical practice so I'm not convinced that's a reasonable argument to favour use of esomeprazole.

Nonoperational

Dont think its twice as effective, seem to remember reading a few things that placed it just about ahead of omeprazole. Should never be prescriped on the GMS, but nor should desloratadine or levocetirizine or a hell of a lot of other stuff imho.