Heartburn (also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD) is a very common disorder. The symptoms are caused by a reflux of stomach contents up into the esophagus. There is a valve that separates the stomach and esophagus. That valve usually prevents stomach contents from getting into the esophagus. The valve doesn't work right in people with GERD. While the stomach is designed to deal with strong digestive juices, the esophagus is not. Repeated bouts of heartburn can cause damage to the esophagus. In the more severe forms, a precancerous condition called Barrett's esophagus can develop.
Prilosec OTC is the over-the-counter version of the popular prescription drug. Prilosec works by shutting down pumps that produce acid in the stomach. Prilosec, Prevacid, Nexium, Aciphex and Protonix all work the same way, and are called PPIs (proton pump inhibitors). The PPIs work a bit better than another group of drugs called H-2 blockers. Tagamet and Zantac are examples of H-2 Blockers.
Damage to the esophagus can take a long time to heal, so it is not surprising if a 14-day treatment is not enough. A longer treatment period of six to eight weeks may be needed. But a physician should be consulted for these longer treatments. The reappearance of symptoms after stopping the drug could be a sign of something more serious.
There are a number of things that can be done to reduce the likelihood of symptoms. They include:
Elevate the head of your bed at least six inches. If possible, put wooden blocks under the legs at the head of the bed or use a solid foam wedge under the head portion of the mattress. Simply using extra pillows may not help.
Avoid foods that promote opening of the esophageal sphincter and increase acid reflux, especially coffee, chocolate, fatty foods and whole milk, carbonated beverages, peppermint and spearmint. Also, limit acidic foods that make the irritation worse when they are regurgitated, including citrus fruits and tomatoes.
Eat smaller, more frequent meals.
