Do proton-pump inhibitors (Nexium, Protonix, Aciphex) interfere or affect weight loss?”
Weight loss and weight gain are both possible side-effects of using any kind of medication which impacts the digestive system. There are many anecdotal reports of people either gaining or losing weight while using Nexium and other PPIs. RXlist has both weight increase and weight decrease as potential side-effects for Nexium: http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/esomeprazole_ad.htm And the suggestion I most commonly hear is that it is more likely to act as an appetite suppressant, so it could actually help with weight loss. I personally have used both Prilosec and Nexium and neither had any impact on my weight. I believe my father uses Prilosec regularly and has done so for a couple of years at least and I see no evidence of it having affected his weight either. So though it is a possibility that it will affect you (positively or negatively), I don’t think it’s considered one of the more common side-effects.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) provide rapid and effective control of the symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) and dyspepsia, with few adverse effects. These are now prescribed in most new cases of GORD. Continuous use at a standard dose is common practice, but may represent more intensive therapy than many patients require. Serious side effectsm or “alarm symptoms” can include gastrointestinal bleeding, upper abdominal mass, difficulty/pain on swallowing, unexplained weight loss.
