Antacids
Over-the-counter (OTC) products are medicines you can buy without a doctor’s prescription. Many OTC products are advertised to relieve heartburn or acid reflux. These include antacids, bismuth subsalicylate, H2 blockers, proton pump inhibitors and combination medicines. Combination medicines may include two or more of the following drugs.
These medicines can help relieve heartburn or dyspepsia (pain or an uncomfortable feeling in the upper middle part of your stomach). Heartburn is also called acid reflux disease or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). OTC antacids and acid reducers may also be used as part of a plan to treat ulcers. For treating ulcers, these medicines may be used together and/or combined with antibiotics (drugs that kill bacteria) prescribed by your doctor.
You should stop using antacids or acid reducers and call your doctor if any of the following are true:
- Your stomach pain doesn’t get better when you use the medicine, or it gets worse.
- You need to take the medicine for more than 14 days.
- You are taking Omeprazole (brand name: Prilosec) and you have persistent pain take more than 1 course in 4 months.
