Thursday, September 25, 2008

Heartburn Medication Review

The Importance of Completing a Heartburn Medication Review

Heartburn is one of the most commonly experienced conditions in the world. It occurs when there is extra acid in the stomach which regurgitates back out into the stomach. This can cause a dreadful burning sensation in the stomach and also leave you with a sour, bitter taste in your mouth.

Heartburn can range from being so mild that it is hardly noticeable to being so intense and severe that it is unbearable. You need to deal with a condition like heartburn right away. This is not only so that you can get back to your regular life and get out of pain but also because if heartburn goes untreated it can cause damage to your stomach lining and even other areas of the body, such as the esophagus.

Completing a heartburn medication review before you go to take any heartburn medication is very important. This is because you really want to be educated on any heartburn medication before starting on it, and also you want to make sure that you are not going to be posing any danger to your health.

By reading a heartburn medication review, you will be able to get more information on the heartburn medication you are thinking of taking, and understand more about its purpose and dosage instructions.

To find a heartburn medication review, where do you look? Well there are actually a few different options here, but the Internet is certainly going to be the best available resource to you here. With the Internet you can browse through literally hundreds of different heartburn medication review selections in just a matter of minutes, and find just what you are looking for.

Use any search engine to get to what you are looking for, but not only should you read a heartburn medication review, but as well be aware of a few helpful tips that will ensure you are taking your medication properly and that you are not going to be putting yourself at any risk by taking such a medication.

Tips

For one, you should never ever keep your heartburn medication in the same container as any other medication, because even though you think you may be able to remember which is which, if you do end up forgetting or grab the wrong pill by mistake, this could be fatal.

Medication is not something that you ever want to take frivolously, and in fact you may want to keep a journal so that you can keep track of when you have taken the medication.

Heartburn Medication During Pregnancy

Can You Take Heartburn Medication During Pregnancy?

If you are pregnant and suffering from intense heartburn which is one of the most commonly experienced health conditions during pregnancy, you are surely doing a heartburn medication review in your head and wondering whether or not you can take heartburn medication during pregnancy.

Although you are not able to take just any heartburn medication during pregnancy, there are a few that are considered as being safe to take, so if you are looking for a heartburn medication during pregnancy that you can take, you will find this information very useful.

Which Are Safe?

If you are trying to decide on a heartburn medication during pregnancy that will be safe, you should try antacids. These are mild enough that they will not do you or your baby any harm while you are pregnant, and opt for the antacids containing magnesium hydroxide or magnesium oxide.

Try to avoid the antacids that have aluminum in them because this can cause constipation and in large doses it can actually even be toxic.

There are also pure acid relievers that you can use, but if this is what you opt for you should make sure that you take them right before a meal, because they will not help with the acid that is already in your stomach. Therefore you need to take them before you eat, before the acid is created in your stomach because afterwards they will not be any help.

If you are trying to find a heartburn medication during pregnancy that is safe for you to take, the best idea is to just discuss your problem with your doctor and see what advice they have to offer you.

Besides taking medication, there are a few other things that you can do if you want to deal with heartburn. More than anything, paying attention to the foods that you are eating will be very important here. You should be eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grain breads and cereals.

You also need to be drinking plenty of water, at least six to eight glasses of water a day. This will help keep your system flushed and remove any toxins from the body. Your body is made up mostly of water, and when you exercise or otherwise exert yourself, you sweat some out so you will want to make sure that you drink even more water during these times to stay healthy

Prescription Heartburn Medication

Prescription Heartburn Medication: Where to Start

If you suffer from heartburn, at least you can rest assured knowing that there are some effective options for prescription heartburn medication that you can use. If you are trying to find a prescription heartburn medication that works, here are a few of the best ones that you should start with.

One prescription heartburn medication that has proven to work quite well is Zantac. This is in a group of drugs that are known as histamine-2 blockers, and it works by reducing the amount of acid that your stomach produces. This way, not only are you dealing with the heartburn that you presently have, but with this medication you are actually able to prevent heartburn from recurring in the future.

In particular Zantac is used to treat and prevent ulcers in the stomach and intestines, and may also be used for various other purposes.

Another prescription heartburn medication that you may want to try here is Tagamet. This is a drug that is used in promoting the healing of active stomach and duodenal ulcers and in reducing ulcer and heartburn pain. It belongs to a class of drugs known as histamine H2-antagonists and was approved by the FDA in 1977.

Keep in mind that this drug may increase the blood levels of several drugs by reducing their elimination by the liver, and the interaction may occur between this drug and Coumadin for one which is a medication that is often used as a blood thinning agent.

Pregnant or Nursing?

Now if you are pregnant or nursing you are going to have to be really careful here, because you are not able to take the prescription heartburn medication that you normally could. There is heartburn medication during pregnancy that you can take however, just make sure that you work with your doctor on this.

There is also the option of using an all natural remedy for dealing with your heartburn, which will usually be safe even if you are pregnant or nursing.

Heartburn generally gets much worse when you are pregnant, because everything inside of you is all full and squished up, and pressing against your stomach which lets more acid out. It can be tough when you are pregnant or nursing because you have such fewer options in terms of treatment for your heartburn, but remember that you are only pregnant for nine months and so as soon as you have the baby and are done nursing, you can get medication if you still need it.

Best Heartburn Medication

What is the Best Heartburn Medication?

When you are in as bad as pain as you would be if you were experiencing heartburn, of course you are going to want to find the best heartburn medication right away and not have to try one after another just to get relief from your heartburn pain.

There is such a multitude of different prescription heartburn medication to choose from that it is no wonder it can be so frustrating and confusing for someone to find the right medication.

If you are looking for a heartburn medication that is going to be effective and offer immediate relief, here are a few of the top picks.

Antacids

Of all the different heartburn medication that you have to choose from, antacids are usually the first place that people start. These are the mildest medications for heartburn available, so this is what you should try first if you are suffering from heartburn. In cases of severe heartburn, antacids will usually not be enough however, and so you are going to want to be prepared to have to try something else.

Proton Pump Inhibitors

The next step up in terms of heartburn medication involves the proton pump inhibitors that are available. These work by lowering the production of acid in your stomach, and so not only can they help you to deal with the heartburn you have now, but as well they can actually prevent heartburn from recurring in the future.

H2 Blockers

Then there are also the H2 blockers which you may want to try out. These also work by blocking the production of the acid and thereby they reduce the amount of acid that is released into the stomach. You will want to discuss with your doctor if you are interested in taking H2 blockers, as they will need to ensure, especially if you are already taking another type of medication, that you are not going to be putting yourself at risk.

Remember that before you begin taking any heartburn medication, you need to make sure that your doctor approves, and that you are not going to be putting yourself at any risk.

Heartburn can definitely be hard to deal with, especially if you have had it for a while, but you may not get the results that you are looking for right away. It can often take some time before you can find a treatment that really works, so be prepared to have to be patient here.

Over the Counter Heartburn Medication

Safety Measures for Taking Over the Counter Heartburn Medication

Whatever your doctor tells you the best heartburn medication is and advises you to try, whether that it is an over the counter heartburn medication or prescription medication, you are still going to want to take the proper safety precautions so that you are not putting yourself at risk and can get the results that you are hoping for.

Remember

When you are taking an over the counter heartburn medication, before you even start taking it you will want to ask your doctor more about it. They will be able to tell you what sort of over the counter heartburn medication they are giving you, and also what side effects if any it may cause you to experience.

You also don’t want to think that just because you take more of your over the counter heartburn medication that you are going to get results faster, because if anything you will actually be reversing the effect and will be worsening your heartburn. Doctors recommend a specific dosage for a reason, and you should not disobey this.

Make sure that you listen to your doctor and only take as much as they suggest you to. You should also advise them – if they are not already aware – if you are on any other type of medication, because the heartburn medication that you are taking may have an adverse effect in combination with this other medication.

Never take any over the counter heartburn medication that is expired or discontinued, as it is best to throw away all medication if this is the case, because it may get you sick. Never combine multiple different medications in the same bottle, because even if you think that you can remember which pill is which, anyone can make a mistake and this could lead to a fatal situation.

Another tip for taking your medication safely is to consult with your doctor or even a pharmacist at your local drugstore if you ever have any questions. It is always better to be safe than sorry, so make sure that you are honest and willing to ask questions rather than just assuming.

Taking medication is always super important, and not only to ensure you get the relief of your heartburn but also to make sure that you are not posing a danger to yourself. With the right heartburn medication however, you can get relief of your heartburn and get back to living your normal life once again.

Heartburn Medication

Finding the Right Heartburn Medication

You would think that because there is such a vast selection of heartburn medication to choose from that this would make the process of picking one easier, but it can often make it more difficult and confusing, especially to someone who is dealing with heartburn for the first time or who has never had to pick out a medication before.

The good news? You can work with your doctor on this. They will perform a few standard tests to determine whether or not it is actually heartburn that you are dealing with and if so, they will decide on their own what over the counter heartburn medication is going to offer you the best results.

What They Think About

There are a few different things that your doctor is going to need to take into consideration in order to figure out which heartburn medication is going to be best. They will look to see if you are already on any other medication for one, and also take your health into consideration here.

To give you a better idea of what is out there in terms of heartburn medication, here are a few of the best heartburn medication products that your doctor will be choosing from.

Levsin, Librax, and Bentyl are all commonly prescribed medications for heartburn, and which have proven to be very effective. You have a choice of buying heartburn medications that can reduce or even totally eliminate your heartburn problem, but keep in mind that it will probably take a bit of trial and error before you are able to find something that actually works.

Make sure that you give the heartburn medication time to start working before just assuming that it is not. It may take a day or two, and some medications can actually take anywhere from four to six weeks to show their full results.

There is also the option of using all natural medications, although these are typically not as strong as their prescription medicine counterparts and so you may just need to stick with what your doctor prescribes, at least until you have your heartburn under control and it is manageable.

No matter which different treatments you try for your heartburn, just make sure that you work together as a team with your doctor on this. They will need to stay abreast of your condition, and make sure that you are making the right progress because if heartburn is left untreated or improperly treated it can end up causing permanent damage to the lining of your stomach.

Foods That Cure Heartburn

Finding Foods That Cure Heartburn!

We are all different, and we are all on the hunt for foods that cure heartburn. What works for one may not work for another? Every individual either has to suffer the pains out or realize which particular ingredient on their plate of food gives them heartburn or have heartburn medication on hand. There are no foods that cure heartburn; it is a condition one suffers when you have digested food or liquids that doesn’t agree with your system therefore suffering from indigestion or winds.

Even though you know some foods are not agreeing with you, you could have your stash of heartburn medication close at hand, now you too could have you favorite foods.

We know for a fact that acidy foods such as tomatoes, pineapples, strawberries, citrus fruits and not foods that cure heartburn, they just add to acids in the stomach. Most spices could cause heartburn too, especially those used in curry.

Battling The Winds Of Change

Apples are just one fruit or foods that cure heartburn, it also binds the stomach if it is upset, but it has to be oxidized. Therefore you peel it and grate it, and let it stand for a wee bit, till it goes dark in color, then eat it.

Ginger is another plant, herb or food that cures heartburn, flatulence, being bloated and indigestion. You could use it in your food in small quantities, as it is very potent to the taste, or simply make a tea from it. You would have to grate a tiny piece, soak it in boiled water, strain it and make a tea with the brew.

Having too much indigestion could prove to be very embarrassing, in public especially. There are antacids to help adults who suffer from indigestion. There are medications out there too for babies, who cannot wind themselves yet, like “Burps”. It is always better for babies to take their medication drops before meals, so that even before the foods have reached their tummies, the acids have been neutralized, helping with less winds.

If you are in a place where you cannot get any medication or foods that cure heartburn or indigestion immediately, you would have noticed that your belly seems swollen. There is still help, right on hand. Yes! Pat your stomach/intestines in circles as this does give some relief, either way, but you have to pat it clockwise, i.e. from right to left starting at the top right hand corner working your way across, then down, right again and up again. It works. If you suffer from constipation do this lying down, and you can feel what is inside you, with your hand on your belly, breaking up what’s jammed.