How long before antacids work

Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Tums is used as an antacid to relieve heartburn , acid indigestion, gas, and stomach upset. Learn when you could take this medication, how should it be used, possible side effects, and when your symptoms may suggest that something more serious is going on.

Tums can be used to provide minor relief from heartburn, indigestion, and gas. Different antacids work in different ways.

The active ingredient in Tums is calcium carbonate, which works to neutralize the acid in your stomach. Calcium carbonate may also increase motility movement in the esophagus, lessening the exposure to acid. Some formulations of Tums also contain simethicone to reduce gas and are usually labeled for gas relief.

Other antacids may have additional ways of controlling heartburn. For example, Gaviscon also contains alginic acid which provides a protective barrier that prevents acid from moving back up into your esophagus. Tums comes in a variety of formulations, and they change over time. You may have older products at home that differ from those currently sold.

Be sure to read the product instructions for the formulation you intend to use, and make sure that the product isn't past its expiration date. Tums has hard chews, soft chews, and a smooth dissolve formula.

Tums is also available in a variety of strengths. Regular strength has milligrams of calcium carbonate, extra strength has milligrams, and ultra-strength has milligrams. At one time they marketed a Tums Dual Action, which contained a combination of calcium carbonate, famotidine, and magnesium hydroxide. Tums comes as a tablet, chewable tablet, capsule, and liquid to take by mouth. The amount taken per day depends on the strength.

Follow the directions on your prescription or package label carefully, and ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take Tums exactly as directed. When the stomach contents back up into the esophagus, it causes heartburn because your esophagus is not built to withstand acidity, especially over a prolonged period of time. Antacids help neutralize these acids, so the esophageal lining is less exposed to gastric acids. Liquid versions tend to work faster.

More convenient options, such as tablets and gum, are also available. Some of the most popular brand names include:. Antacids are meant to be taken for quick relief when you experience symptoms of GERD, but they do not prevent these symptoms. There are other medications, such as H2 blockers or PPIs proton pump inhibitors , that can be used for prevention.

Antacids are not recommended for people with kidney disease or high blood calcium levels. They may also interact with medications, such as thyroid hormones. When the esophagus is left inflamed over time, it can erode the lining or, rarely, develop into cancer.

While a doctor might give the go-ahead to use antacids, this type of medication is only a temporary solution to a long-term problem. In some cases, acid-blocking medications are needed to treat GERD.

Your doctor might recommend preventive medications called Hreceptor antagonists H2RAs. These work by reducing the amount of acid the stomach produces. Unlike over-the-counter antacids, these medicines are maintenance medications and meant to be taken regularly to help prevent symptoms of GERD in the first place. These medications work by decreasing the actual production of gastric acids made by your stomach, not just neutralize them.

If you still experience frequent heartburn, your doctor might recommend proton pump inhibitors PPIs instead. PPIs are also ideal for patients with significant esophageal damage. Prevacid and Prilosec are among the best-known over-the-counter brands. Ask your doctor before use, especially if you are at risk for osteoporosis. PPIs may increase the risk of bone fractures. Prescription versions of both classes of medications are available for more severe cases of GERD.

You may need to see a gastroenterologist for better management or further investigation of your disease. Antacids 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 like 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.

Antacids 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:. You may have side effects from taking these medicines.

Antacids are made with 3 basic ingredients. If you have problems, try another brand. 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 4 hours after you take antacids.