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Esomeprazole vs. Omeprazole for Patients with GERD

• esomeprazole vs. omeprazole for patients with gerd.
• Poorly designed study
• re: a brimsn, 10 Jul 2009 2:46 PM EST

esomeprazole vs. omeprazole for patients with gerd.

a brimsn, 10 Jul 2009 2:46 PM EST

Competing interests: None declared

I have suffered with gerd from a teenager i am now 51, i was diagnosed with a hiatus hernia when i was 35 at 48 after having a camera inserted in my thoat i was told i had very bad scaring from years of acid reflux. Before i had the hiatus herna diagnosed i was on zantac which i found extremely good but after diagnosis i was put on gaviscon which i didnt find effective so i went on to over the counter drugs i.e. pepcid 2 until it was found i had scaring of the thoat and then i was put on nexium (esomeprazole) 40mg to beging with which was brilliant and then down to 20mg. With 20mg i occasionally got heartburn and after 2 years on nexium my doctor said if i got heartburn in future i could double up which i have done only taking an extra tablet a day in 6 months. When i went back for my repeat prescription in june i was told i couldnt have it because it wasnt due so i saw the doctor for a review , ist one in 3 years and was told try not to take 2 tablets a day, i saw another doctor at the practice who said because i had had a flare up to take 2 a day but when i when to collect prescription i had been given omeprazole is this because this drug is cheaper?

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Poorly designed study

Jose Eusebio, MD, Carolinas Healthcare System, 14 Jul 2009 5:18 PM EST

Competing interests: None declared

Esomeprazole is the purified L enantiomer of omeprazole (which contains both R- and L-enantiomers). 20 mg of omeprazole contains 10 mg of esomeprazole and 10 of the R-omeprazole. Naturally 20 and 40 mg of esomeprazole would be superior to 20 of omeprazole. Why not compare 80mg of omeprazole with the 20 and 40mg of esomeprazole to compare efficacy? What a scam!

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re: a brimsn, 10 Jul 2009 2:46 PM EST

N. L Lyon, 21 Jul 2009 12:44 PM EST

Competing interests: None declared

The exact same thing just happened to me. In fact it happened 2 years ago as well and my doctor seems to think it's ok to give me omeprazole 40mg instead of esomeprazole 20mg this time round. In effect it IS because it's cheaper for the doctor but I don't really care, now my pharmacy is closed and i'll have to wait til monday to reopen the dispute I had 2 years ago.

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