BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuTaking antacidsHeartburn - antacids; Reflux - antacids; GERD - antacidsAntacids help to treat heartburn (indigestion). They work by neutralizing the stomach acid that causes heartburn.You can buy many antacids without a prescription. Liquid forms work faster, but you may prefer tablets because they are easy to use.All antacids work equally well, but they can cause different side effects. If you use antacids often and have problems with side effects, talk with your health care provider.When to Use AntacidsAntacids are a good treatment for heartburn that occurs once in a while. Take antacids about 1 hour after eating or when you have heartburn. If you are taking them for symptoms at night, do not take them with food.Antacids cannot treat more serious problems, such as appendicitis, a stomach ulcer, gallstones, or bowel problems. Talk to your provider if you have:AppendicitisAppendicitis is a condition in which your appendix gets inflamed. The appendix is a small pouch attached to the end of the large intestine.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Stomach ulcerA peptic ulcer is an open sore or raw area in the lining of the stomach (gastric ulcer) or in the first part of the small intestine (duodenal ulcer)....Read Article Now Book Mark Article GallstonesGallstones are hard deposits that form inside the gallbladder. These may be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Pain or symptoms that do not get better with antacids Symptoms every day or at night Nausea and vomiting Bleeding in your bowel movements or darkened bowel movements Bloating or cramping BloatingAbdominal bloating is a condition in which the belly (abdomen) feels full and tight. Your belly may look swollen (distended).Read Article Now Book Mark Article Pain in your lower belly, on your side, or in your back Diarrhea that is severe or does not go away Fever with your belly pain Chest pain or shortness of breath Trouble swallowing Weight loss that you cannot explain Contact your provider if you need to use antacids on most days.Side Effects of AntacidsYou may have side effects from taking these medicines. Antacids are made with 3 basic ingredients. If you have problems, try another brand.Brands with magnesium may cause diarrhea. Brands with calcium or aluminum may cause constipation. Rarely, brands with calcium may cause kidney stones or other problems. Kidney stonesA kidney stone is a solid mass made up of tiny crystals. One or more stones can be in the kidney or ureter at the same time.Read Article Now Book Mark Article If you take large amounts of antacids that contain aluminum, you may be at risk for calcium loss, which can lead to weak bones (osteoporosis). OsteoporosisOsteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break (fracture).Read Article Now Book Mark Article Antacids can change the way your body absorbs the other medicines you are taking. It is best to take any other medicine either 1 hour before or 24 hours after you take antacids.Talk to your provider or pharmacist before taking antacids on a regular basis if:You have kidney disease, high blood pressure, or heart disease. Kidney diseaseChronic kidney disease is the slow loss of kidney function over time. The main job of the kidneys is to remove wastes and excess water from the body...Read Article Now Book Mark Article High blood pressureBlood pressure is a measurement of the force exerted against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood to your body. Hypertension is the ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Heart diseaseCoronary heart disease is a narrowing of the blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is also called co...Read Article Now Book Mark Article You are on a low-sodium diet. You are already taking calcium. You are taking other medicines every day. You have had kidney stones. Open ReferencesReferencesAbdul-Hussein M. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In: Kellerman RD, Rakel DP, Heidelbaugh JJ, Lee EM, eds. Conn's Current Therapy 2024. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:230-233.Falk GW, Katzka DA. Diseases of the esophagus. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 124.Katz PO, Dunbar KB, Schnoll-Sussman FH, Greer KB, Yadlapati R, Spechler SJ. ACG clinical guideline for the diagnosis and management of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Am J Gastroenterol. 2022;117(1):27-56. PMID: 34807007 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34807007/.Kopf PG, Prozialeck W. Gastrointestinal disorders and their treatment. In: Wecker L, Ingram SL, eds. Brody's Human Pharmacology. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 72.Richter JE,Vaezi MF. Gastroesophageal reflux disease. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 46.AllVideoImagesTogSelf Care Taking antacidsRelated Information Peptic ulcer(Condition)Gastroesophageal reflux disease(Condition)Gastritis(Condition)Heartburn(Symptoms)Indigestion(Symptoms)Heartburn - what to ask your provider(Doctor Questions)Gastroesophageal reflux - discharge(Discharge)Peripartum cardiomyopathy(In-Depth) Review Date: 10/30/2024 Reviewed By: Jenifer K. Lehrer, MD, Gastroenterologist, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Taking antacidsHeartburn - antacids; Reflux - antacids; GERD - antacidsAntacids help to treat heartburn (indigestion). They work by neutralizing the stomach acid that causes heartburn.You can buy many antacids without a prescription. Liquid forms work faster, but you may prefer tablets because they are easy to use.All antacids work equally well, but they can cause different side effects. If you use antacids often and have problems with side effects, talk with your health care provider.When to Use AntacidsAntacids are a good treatment for heartburn that occurs once in a while. Take antacids about 1 hour after eating or when you have heartburn. If you are taking them for symptoms at night, do not take them with food.Antacids cannot treat more serious problems, such as appendicitis, a stomach ulcer, gallstones, or bowel problems. Talk to your provider if you have:AppendicitisAppendicitis is a condition in which your appendix gets inflamed. The appendix is a small pouch attached to the end of the large intestine.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Stomach ulcerA peptic ulcer is an open sore or raw area in the lining of the stomach (gastric ulcer) or in the first part of the small intestine (duodenal ulcer)....Read Article Now Book Mark Article GallstonesGallstones are hard deposits that form inside the gallbladder. These may be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Pain or symptoms that do not get better with antacids Symptoms every day or at night Nausea and vomiting Bleeding in your bowel movements or darkened bowel movements Bloating or cramping BloatingAbdominal bloating is a condition in which the belly (abdomen) feels full and tight. Your belly may look swollen (distended).Read Article Now Book Mark Article Pain in your lower belly, on your side, or in your back Diarrhea that is severe or does not go away Fever with your belly pain Chest pain or shortness of breath Trouble swallowing Weight loss that you cannot explain Contact your provider if you need to use antacids on most days.Side Effects of AntacidsYou may have side effects from taking these medicines. Antacids are made with 3 basic ingredients. If you have problems, try another brand.Brands with magnesium may cause diarrhea. Brands with calcium or aluminum may cause constipation. Rarely, brands with calcium may cause kidney stones or other problems. Kidney stonesA kidney stone is a solid mass made up of tiny crystals. One or more stones can be in the kidney or ureter at the same time.Read Article Now Book Mark Article If you take large amounts of antacids that contain aluminum, you may be at risk for calcium loss, which can lead to weak bones (osteoporosis). OsteoporosisOsteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break (fracture).Read Article Now Book Mark Article Antacids can change the way your body absorbs the other medicines you are taking. It is best to take any other medicine either 1 hour before or 24 hours after you take antacids.Talk to your provider or pharmacist before taking antacids on a regular basis if:You have kidney disease, high blood pressure, or heart disease. Kidney diseaseChronic kidney disease is the slow loss of kidney function over time. The main job of the kidneys is to remove wastes and excess water from the body...Read Article Now Book Mark Article High blood pressureBlood pressure is a measurement of the force exerted against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood to your body. Hypertension is the ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Heart diseaseCoronary heart disease is a narrowing of the blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is also called co...Read Article Now Book Mark Article You are on a low-sodium diet. You are already taking calcium. You are taking other medicines every day. You have had kidney stones. Open ReferencesReferencesAbdul-Hussein M. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In: Kellerman RD, Rakel DP, Heidelbaugh JJ, Lee EM, eds. Conn's Current Therapy 2024. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:230-233.Falk GW, Katzka DA. Diseases of the esophagus. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 124.Katz PO, Dunbar KB, Schnoll-Sussman FH, Greer KB, Yadlapati R, Spechler SJ. ACG clinical guideline for the diagnosis and management of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Am J Gastroenterol. 2022;117(1):27-56. PMID: 34807007 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34807007/.Kopf PG, Prozialeck W. Gastrointestinal disorders and their treatment. In: Wecker L, Ingram SL, eds. Brody's Human Pharmacology. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 72.Richter JE,Vaezi MF. Gastroesophageal reflux disease. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 46.
