Hi, I have a few questions.
For the past 10 months I have been getting really bad heartburn at night, complete with the acid coming up and all the joys that go with it :eek: . I had an UpperGI/small bowel follow through exam this summer which didn't show any reflux at the time. The burning and regurg. is bad some nights, and fine others, and makes no difference what/if anything I eat for dinner. For example, one night I ate spicey spagetti with sauce, chocolate cake, and coffee...and no heartburn. A few nights later I had toast and some yogurt...big time pain and burning. When it happens, I take gaviscon, and feel almost immediately better. I told my doctor that I take gaviscon approx. 4 times per week, and she said it would be better to take zantac on a daily basis to reduce the acid. She put me on 150mg twice a day. I started out taking 150mg at bedtime for a few days, and was extremely dizzy and had terrible diarrhea, so I went back to gaviscon. This was a few weeks ago, and since then my stomach has been upset...gurgling, bubbling, occaisional diarrhea. I'm worried that the zantac has done something to my intestines. Is there a better drug out there, perhaps with less side effects? Would I have gotten used to the zantac if I had stayed on it? Is taking gaviscon bad for me? I"ve tried all the non-drug ways to reduce reflux, and ironically it wasn't until I had lost 30 pounds that I got the hearburn in the first place!
Another thing I should mention, is that during the day, if I drink a big glass of water, I feel the reflux starting, and if I drink any water right before bed, I will get reflux.
Thanks in advance for any insight into this unpleasant problem. :jester:
Lynne

I was given zantac 150 mgs last month when i stopped taking a blood pressure med. I was told that in the ER when a med is discontinued it would be good to take zantac and was given a prescription. Sorry, but i never took the zantac bcuz i was afraid it would cause more problems. Instead i took tums or rolaids for about 7 days. I also drank skim milk or whole milk every day for a wk to 'coat' my stomach. I have not had any problems.

Sorry i can't answer you question.

Prilosec is now over the counter. It's expensive but it works. If you have a prescription plan I'd ask your dr for an rx for a PPI that's not yet over the counter so your insurance co can pay for it.

Gaviscon must not be that harmful my doctor recommended it for my reflux while i was pregnant.Matter fact it was the only thing i was allowed to take for my reflux because it wouldnt harm the baby.Take care.