Protonix and Headaches: What Users Say

• Jen...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 7, 2018

For GERD "I have both IBS and Gastritis. Protonix has been a complete game changer for me. Without it, I have chronic nausea, difficulties tolerating food, vomiting, low energy, and headache. My days were very difficult prior to being prescribed this med. I feel incredibly better."

• Tee...
• December 17, 2015

For GERD "This was the worst medication I have ever taken. I was just prescribed this medication last week. After being on it for only 2 days, I stopped. Headache was unbearable. I thought I was going to have to go to the hospital to get a CAT scan until I realized it was probably the Protonix. Then there was the nausea that came along as well. Five days later, I'm still nauseous, but used ginger to help with that. Overall, I will never use this medicine again."

• MsS...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 17, 2020

For GERD "I took this for about 2 and a half months. Halfway through, I told my Dr it wasn't working. He said I was under stress. Not. Then I developed a hot, itchy rash on my arms and face. They told me to stop taking it and start Nexium. I didn't because, to me, they seem to have the same risk. Being off Protonix is almost as bad as being on it. Terrible acid reflux. I am sleeping sitting up, I can't eat very much, I can hardly wake up and start falling asleep around 7 PM, and I have had a headache off and on for 3 days. Going to an internal medicine specialist next because I’d like to know the reason for the reflux I have had for 1.5 years, not just take a medication."

• Hll...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 11, 2021

For GERD "I started taking Protonix a few months ago. I’m 19 and have never had any prior health issues besides bad acid reflux. I was taking Protonix for about a week and started to notice awful headaches. By week two, I was having awful dizzy spells, and I avoided going to class because I thought I was going to pass out. I thought all of these side effects were related to when I had COVID a month prior, so I overlooked it. After taking this medicine for a month, I went to the ER twice because I felt like my heart was skipping beats, I was nauseous, couldn’t catch my breath, tingling in my hands and feet, and my dizzy spells were unbearable. The doctors summed it up to panic attacks, which I knew was wrong because I’m not an anxious person. I researched Protonix online and realized a lot of other people had the same side effects. DO NOT take this medicine!!! It made me feel like I was going crazy, and for a whole month, I couldn’t do anything because of dizzy spells!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 28, 2018

For GERD "I took Protonix for about a week, and every time I took it, I got a severe headache every day. It did help to keep my heartburn at bay, but to me, it is not worth it for the side effects. My mood dropped because of this medicine, and I just did not feel like myself. I have stopped taking this medicine, and I am now taking Zantac 150 mg. Took effect, and it is working wonders for me."

• Tin...
• December 16, 2017

For Barrett's Esophagus "I have been on this medicine for a while, and as long as I take it as I'm supposed to, I'm good. The only side effect is a headache for the first couple of days, but other than that, I really like this medicine. It's much better than being sick and in pain all the time."

• Ren...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 28, 2021

For GERD "Prescribed Protonix by my doctor, and after a week and a half, I had to stop. Almost immediately, anything I ate gave me heartburn (I didn't have frequent heartburn before), headaches every morning, extreme nausea, so much that I had no appetite, foggy brain, joint pain in my hands/wrists, abdominal pain, and depression/anxiety. I wish I would have done my research and asked more questions. I'm on day 2 after stopping, and I feel slightly better. I'm going to try a cleaned-up diet and not eating so late. Let us hope it works."

• Chr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 27, 2022

For GERD "Awful! Ruined an entire ten-day vacation. Gas, stomach cramps, headache, alternating constipation and diarrhea. I had started taking a few days before the vacation and did not think much about it. I thought I had a stomach bug as it started just a few days into the vacation. On day ten, I realized it might be this med. I stopped, and within two days everything went back to normal."

• Cze...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 22, 2014

For GERD "After two days on Protonix (for GERD associated with adult-onset asthma) I ended up in the emergency room with extremely high blood pressure, fast, pounding pulse, severe headache, and severe anxiety."

• ris...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 11, 2014

For Duodenal Ulcer "Caused severe muscle cramps, headaches. Took away the pain from duodenal ulcers within 3 days."