How To Get Rid of Heartburn Quickly And Safely

Heartburn, or acid reflux: that uncomfortable burning in your chest, usually brought on by something you have eaten, or maybe stress. It can make you miserable. I know, I am a chronic sufferer myself. It can be very irritating and it can alter your lifestyle, diet, sleeping habits, and other health issues if not treated properly. How do I get heartburn relief you ask? You have come to the right place my friend…

When a patient comes to the counter and asks me how to get rid of heartburn, there are a lot of questions I must ask them to determine how to treat it. As I see it, there are 3 different situations in which you would need OTC heartburn medication. They are 1.) immediate need, 2.) occasional, predictable heartburn, and 3.) chronic heartburn. We can tackle these in order but let’s first talk about lifestyle habits that can help.

A lot of times heartburn can be prevented without medication. It can be as simple as avoiding, or cutting back on, certain foods or beverages. Beverages that can be troublesome include coffee, sodas, alcohol (especially red wine), or acidic fruit juices like orange or grapefruit. Cutting back on these may be all it takes to make you feel better. Foods to avoid are acidic sauces like tomato sauce, foods high in fat, spicy foods, fried foods, and citrus fruits or sauces. Eating a large meal distends your stomach and allows some of that stomach acid to creep up into your throat. Reduce your portions and you might not have a problem at all. If you only suffer acid reflux at night, try using an extra pillow to raise your head and torso a bit so the acid stays in your stomach and not in your esophagus.

Immediate Heartburn Relief

You are on fire. You are not sure why, or maybe you know exactly why. You also know you need to do something quickly before this heartburn causes you to ignite. There are a few options in this situation and we are all familiar with the names. Tums, Rolaids, Maalox, and Mylanta are all fast acting antacids. You can get them in a chewable tablet, a fruit flavored soft chew, or a liquid. They all work quickly and some of them even taste good now. They used to all taste terrible. My wife couldn’t get enough of these when she was pregnant with our kids.

These products work quickly, but don’t last long. The dose may need to be repeated to finish the job. They are for immediate relief only. If you find you are using these fast acting products frequently, then you need to choose a different option. Antacids can interfere with the absorption of some other medications, particularly some antibiotics. You may need to change the timing of when you take your other medications. Be sure to ask about that before taking antacids.

Occasional Heartburn

When I say occasional, what I mean is you have heartburn infrequently. Maybe once or twice per month. Usually this pain is predictable and caused by your diet. You know that when you drink margaritas or eat french fries that heartburn is likely to follow. When treating this type of heartburn you want to turn to a class of OTC drugs called H2 blockers. They help decrease the amount of acid your stomach produces.

Again, the names are familiar. Pepcid, Zantac, and Tagamet are all H2 blockers. They should be taken before you eat food you know will irritate your stomach. Take one of these 30 minutes before your margarita and french fry dinner and you probably will escape the meal with no symptoms. H2 blockers take longer to work than antacids do, but they work better and for a longer period of time. You should see relief from active heartburn in about 30-40 minutes. I recommend either Pepcid or Zantac, or the store brand equivalent. Tagamet interacts with a lot of other medications. There is no reason to take that risk. These heartburn remedies are safe for frequent use. If you have pain every day then there is something else that should work better for you.

Chronic Heartburn

Here is the category that I fit into. I have heartburn every day no matter what I eat, or don’t eat. No matter how I sleep or what I have to drink. Some things definitely make it worse. This experience has allowed me to try all of these products and learn first-hand how to get rid of heartburn.

Chronic heartburn sufferers need stronger medication that they can take every day. The best choice for chronic heartburn is a category of medications called PPIs, or proton pump inhibitors. They basically shut off the pumps that secrete acid into your stomach when you eat. They are taken just once a day and work best if taken in the morning before breakfast. PPIs are generally safe to use every day. They work best if taken on a consistent basis, rather than just when you are having symptoms. Examples are Nexium, Prilosec, and Prevacid. There are also several prescription products that are not available over the counter. They are not more effective than the OTC versions. If you have been taking Nexium 40mg by prescription, you can take 2 of the 20mg OTC equivalent and achieve the same results.

If you do decide to start on a PPI, this is something you should share with your doctor. There can be a potential for drug interactions or long-term side effects involved and your doctor or pharmacist can help you watch out for those. PPIs can interact with a common blood thinner called Plavix. There is also a recent study linking PPIs with dementia in the elderly. In short, don’t assume they are always safe just because you can purchase them without a prescription.

I would be interested to hear your experiences or answer any further questions that you may have. Please leave a comment or feel free to email me at brady@helpfulpharmacist.com.

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