Heartburn Relief, From Aciphex to Zantac

NY Times ^ | February 22, 2005 | MARY DUENWALD

[neverdem]

She forgot the cheapest, baking soda, unless you need to restrict sodium intake.

[little jeremiah]

Fennel tea, or chewing fennel seeds after the meal.

[neverdem]

FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Cheaper still are Rolaids, Alka-Seltzer, Maalox and Pepto-Bismol, antacids that can quickly calm occasional cases of heartburn.

Is Maalox really cheaper than a 20 cent pill? The brand name stuff sells for about 4 dollars an 8 ounce bottle. That's 50 cents for the usual tablespoon dose. And Pepto Bismol isn't an antacid, at least it doesn't say so on the bottle.

[HiTech RedNeck]

duh not 50cents, 25. my math stinx

[steve86]

Only the proton pump inhibitors work on someone like me.

Boy, am I glad OTC Prilosec is back in stock (was tired of buying it from eBay or ordering generic omeprazol from Mexico).

[clee1]

It is also the fastest, providing nearly instant relief.

[neverdem]

And Pepto Bismol isn't an antacid, at least it doesn't say so on the bottle.

They claim it's good for heartburn. It's the calcium carbonate, although that's described as an inactive ingredient. That's how Pepto Bismol functions as an antacid. IIRC, Bismuth subsalicylate sounds like a salt of a weak organic acid, i.e. salicylic acid. Acetylsalicylic acid, aka ASA, is aspirin. Hence the warnings about Reye's syndrome.

[GailA]

Wal-Mart sells a generic brand of Zantac for $4.95 for 30 pills. Works just as well as the name brand. They also sell a generic Claritin for half the cost of the name brand.

[Caipirabob]

Fennel tea, or chewing fennel seeds after the meal.

Really? I'll check that out. Thanks.

[Born Conservative]

Interesting to note that if you go to www.prilosec.com, you get a web page for Nexium.

[TomGuy]

I did Aciphex, but at $4 per pill per day, it was too costly (no prescription insurance coverage).

I did the Prilosec, and it worked ok, starting day 2, for the 14 days of the 'program'. Two days after I ended the 14-day program, stomach acid burning returned. Couldn't repeat Prilosec for 4 months.

Walmart has a generic Zantac for about 10-cents per pill. It is about half-strength of the prescription form of Ranitidine. Fred's (discount store) has their brand of Tagamet for about 10-cents per pill.

[mewzilla]

Losing weight and not overeating can also stave off heartburn. In addition to some other medical problems as well :)

[TomGuy]

Calcium is the major ingredient in most OTC antacids.

Interesting side note on Pepto (and store-brand quivalents). Bismuth subsalicylate, one of the major ingredients, is about the only 'medication' that is effective (in high doses -- 6 tablets or 6 t-spoons per day for 21 days with an additional complement of antibiotics) against the Helicobacter pylori (H. Pylori) bacteria that causes a stomach ulcers.

[Vigilantcitizen]

I used to have fairly moderate heartburn, mainly because I have no gallbladder. I take about 4 generic dollar store zantacs($1.95 for 30) a week, mainly when I eat foods I know will cause trouble, and they control it just fine.

[undeniable logic]

My father had the H. Pylori bacteria and was given a prescription treatment to kill off the bacteria. I think he had to take a medication for 3+ weeks. The problem was that it killed off his ability to taste. It took about 6 months before his sense of taste returned and he still doesn't feel like it's back to where it was.

I have always had upset stomach problems and he said I should go check if I have the bacteria. I am a little averse to losing my taste though :(

[panaxanax]

Baking soda is the cheapest and fastest, but I have heard stories of peoples stomachs exploding because they couldn't belch the gas out. Be careful.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

`I use baking soda as my emergency med, but I have a presecription for aciphex. Most often, though, I take pepcid. Nexium gives me bad side effects,protonix makes my heart race, prevacid worked fine, but you can never find it on the shelves.

The best herbal I have found that works is a tea from Traditional Medicines called Mother's Milk Tea...it's fennel, Anise, and some other stuff that's good for the tummy...

And real ginger ale or beer, like Reeds.

I have some gerds, and get scoped evry now and then.

But for emergency heartburn, baking soda works great!

[genefromjersey]

Prilosec does it for me ! Dr. approves,too. (Peptic ulcer.)

[fredhead]

I've been treated for GERD since 1990 and had heartburn problems as early as 1984.

I took Prilosec (prescription) for about 4 years straight and have had no ill effects.

I've also been treated with Zantac, Pepcid, Aciphex, Protonix, and am currently on Prevacid.

My prescription keeps changing because I use the Navy clinic (USN Retired) and they keep changing their formulary.

While taking the Prilosec, if I stopped it, the heartburn would return. Not just burning, but pain in the middle of my chest. I went to the ER at least 5 times thinking I was having a heart attack. When the doctor found out I was trying to get off the Prilosec, he said not to do that.

Again, I took it for 4 years straight, daily. No problems.