Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, etc. – How to Save Money and Treat Your Heartburn

by Gabriel Levitt, Vice President, PharmacyChecker.com and Sam Werbalowsky, Pharmacychecker.com | Jan 18, 2013 | Drug Prices, Online Pharmacies, Prescription Drug Reports

Fifteen million Americans suffer from heartburn every day, caused by such conditions as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), Laryngopharyngeal disease, dyspepsia, and peptic ulcer disease. If you suffer from chronic heartburn you may want to use a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) to treat it. Which one should you take, and which is the best value?

PPI’s are among the most commonly prescribed medications; Americans spent over $6 billion dollars on Nexium, “the purple pill”, in 2011. That same year, over 59 million prescriptions were written for omeprazole (generic Prilosec). These numbers don’t even include sales for Aciphex, another popular prescription PPI, or any of the over the counter PPI’s, such as Prilosec (low dosage), Prevacid, or lower dose omeprazole.

A report from Consumer Reports studying 7 different PPI’s, found that all of them completely relieved symptoms for roughly 7 out of 10 patients within four weeks, and they repaired damage to the esophagus in roughly 9 out of 10 people within eight weeks. Consumer Reports recommends the OTC drugs when they are an option. If the necessary dosage is not available in OTC drugs, you should consult your doctor to find the prescription-only PPI with the lowest out of pocket costs. All of the OTC PPI’s mentioned above are about $30 for 28 pills.  If you choose to go with a prescription medication, check out the price tables below. We’ve compiled price comparisons for two popular brand name PPI’s below. For instance, you can save up to 89% — or $233 a month — on the “Purple Pill” by ordering from a verified online pharmacy.

Compare Nexium Prices on PharmacyChecker.com

Compare AciphexPrices on PharmacyChecker.com