Esomeprazole

Stomach and reflux

Also known as Nexium

Esomeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor — the same family as omeprazole. It shuts off many of the tiny pumps in your stomach that make acid, giving reflux, ulcers, and an irritated food pipe a chance to heal. It's a preventer, not a rescue: it works best taken daily before a meal, not popped when heartburn is already raging.

How to take it

When

Take it 30 to 60 minutes before a meal, usually breakfast — it needs those acid pumps active to do its job.

Food

Take it before food, not after. If swallowing capsules is hard, ask your pharmacist — some can be opened and sprinkled on applesauce, but never crushed or chewed.

Don't crush

The granules inside have a protective coating. Crushing or chewing them destroys it and the medicine won't work properly.

Good to know

Long-term daily use should be a decision you make with your doctor, not a habit that just continues — check in about whether you still need it.

Missed a dose?

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember that day. If it's close to your next dose, skip the missed one. Never take two doses at once.

Common side effects

Headache
Diarrhea or constipation
Nausea
Gas or stomach pain
Dry mouth

Call a doctor if

Black, tarry stools or vomit that looks like coffee grounds — this can mean bleeding in your stomach. Get help now.
Trouble swallowing, or food feeling stuck — call your doctor right away.
Watery diarrhea that won't stop, especially with fever — call your doctor.
New or worsening joint pain with a rash on your cheeks or arms that gets worse in the sun — call your doctor.

Educational only. This summary is drawn from public FDA labeling and MedlinePlus and simplified for readability. Your prescription label and your pharmacist always come first — doses and instructions vary from person to person.