How long should I take Protonix ? I have been taking it for about 4 or 5 months?

Most likely you were prescribed this for GERD/indigestion issues. This could likely be a maintenance drug for that condition that you could realistically take for months or years to come. OR, if you change your diet, i.e., skip the chocolate, spicy food, etc. that may causing your problem (esp. in the evening), you could possibly not need the medication anymore. Another cause of indigestion problems is weight gain. I have had problems with the weight gain as well as eating food that is bad for my GERD, and was put on Protonix. It is possible that when I lose the weight and restrict my diet better I won't need it anymore. I don't know if any of those things apply to you, but they are big culprits. It's easy to tell if you need to continue taking it, stop it for two or three nights, or a week and see how you do. But remember, if you find you have a problem with the indigestion... and start it back up, it doesn't help immediately. It will take 24 hours or so to build back in your system. It is a medication you need to take daily. Of note, lots of times one med seems to stop working after a while and another can be tried. There are a few drugs in this category that you could try if needed. Also of note, this is not a medication that you have to ween off of so you could just stop your dose if you wish. But as always, its a good idea to discuss with your physician. Hope this helped.