I have reflux. I've had if for years. Two years ago, I had asthma that was out of control and they changed my reflux medication to help get the asthma under control because the acid was causing it to flare up. I have been on Prevacid 2x/day since then. I have felt my acid was 'under control' during this time, because I wasn't feeling the acid symptoms. For me, I have never had the heartburnsymptom. I get a chronic cough and some belching. Anyway, I went for some more testing last month in an attempt to get my asthma under better control because I had a rough winter. (Acid, extremely cold air, chemical smells and pollution trigger my asthma. Summers are usually good for me asthma wise.) I had a modified barium swallow and an esophagram that showed that even though I wasn't feeling it, I still had a lot of acid coming up to my throat. The Pulmonologist said I would never get my asthma under control until until the acid is better controlled.

I had an appt with a GI specialist last Friday. He switched me from the Prevacid, which I didn't feel any acid symptoms using, to Nexium. I am now on day 6 with the Nexium. On day 2 I started getting major heartburn, nausea, and a lot of belching. This has continued through today. I have even added Gaviscon per the doctor's advice. Today, I started in with a horrible cough. I had trouble getting my breath even with the use of my Albuterol. (I am also on 2 other asthma medications daily also.) It was so bad by early afternoon that I almost made a trip to the emergency room. I can feel the acid coming up my throat and I know the cough and trouble breathing are as a result of the acid. I tried calling the GI doc and his nurse called me back and told me that even though I am feeling bad, I needed to continue following the doctor's instructions to stay on the Nexium, supplemented with Gaviscon, for at least another week because Nexium controls the acid better. I don't think I can handle another day, or through the weekend, with the acid affecting my asthma so much. I really don't want to have to go to the emergency room just because the Nexium hasn't "kicked in" yet. Anyone have advice out there? Has anyone else switched PPI's and had it take a long time to take effect?

Actually, the Nexium isn't covered by my insurance. The Prevacid I like went from a $50 to $25 co-pay this year, so I was really happy with that.

I think it is really because the doctor wants to exhause all of the PPI's before he recommends surgery. I had only tried the Nexium for one month in the past and he wanted me to try it again to see if it will help more than the Prevacid did. It has just been a very miserable transition for me though. Even on the Prevacid, when I felt good, the tests were showing I had enough acid coming up that it has been triggering my asthma.

I spoke to the doctor and his nurse twice this week. I told them I almost needed emergency treatment because my asthma was so bad. (I hadn't needed my Albuterol in over 8 weeks and I didn't have any problems before the med change.) I also told them about all of the new symptoms I have had that I hadn't experienced before. The answer both times was to stay on the Nexium regardless. I think that is what frustrated me most. The nurse told me my asthma must have been triggered by allergies. Even after I told her I have never had allergic asthma, but that I have cough varient asthma triggered by cold, pollution, chemicals and acid.

I am glad the Prevacid works so well for you. I realize now how grateful I was for how much it helped me the last couple years.