My gi rx'd me nexium (esomeprazole) 40mg 1x/day for reflux while i'm waiting on a scope. does nexium (esomeprazole) totally shutdown acid production or just reduce it? how is food digested without acid if it does shutdown?

Nexium (esomeprazole): Nexium (esomeprazole) reduces approximately 90% of stomach acid production. It's good question how food gets digested. First, there is some minor acid production left. Also, it's a well known fact that prolonged use of Nexium (esomeprazole) and like drugs can lead to atrophic gastritis in which the acid producing glands thin and eventually die with potentially bad long term consequences.

Just reduces acid : The class of proton pump inhibitors like Nexium (esomeprazole) just reduces acid suppression. It is nearly impossible to make the stomach completely devoid of acid with those meds. And it would probably not be good to do that anyway.