If you are following a treatment with Nexium 20 mg, you should take it exactly how your doctor has told you to. If you have any further questions regarding the treatment, you should consult a doctor, a pharmacist or a nurse. Carefully read the set of instructions from the medicine’s label. Your dose of this medicine should be taken about an hour before at least one of your regular meals. If you are taking Nexium pills, you should try to swallow the capsule as a whole (do not crush, chew or break it). If you cannot do that, you should sprinkle the pill’s contents into some apple sauce (or water) and take it right away.