Proton pump inhibitors should not be the first medicine you try to relieve heartburn. You should use a milder drug for immediate relief, such as Tums or Rolaids. Consider discussing proton pump inhibitors with your doctor if other heartburn drugs do not work or you get heartburn more than two or three times per week. Although one type of proton pump inhibitor (Prilosec OTC) is available over the counter, most of them are by prescription only. Talk to your doctor even if you use the over-the-counter version, since these drugs can have interactions with other medications you might be taking. Follow these instructions for getting the relief you need from your proton pump inhibitors.
Instructions
1. Keep a food diary for a week in a notebook. This is a record of foods you eat, your stress level and whether you experienced heartburn from any of your meals. This should be presented to your doctor to discuss dietary changes. For proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) to work most effectively, you should know which foods cause your heartburn and avoid those.
2. Talk to your doctor about the length of time he will want you to take your PPIs. Some doctors recommend that their patients take the drugs for the rest of their lives, but others will tell you to take them until your symptoms are relieved.
3. Read the instructions included with your PPI before you take it. If those directions differ from these, follow the directions on the package. Some types of PPI have slight differences in their dosing.
4. Take one pill at the same time every day with a full glass of water. Proton pump inhibitors do not bring immediate relief. You will need to take the drugs every day for at least one week before you notice that your heartburn is less frequent.
5. To treat heartburn immediately, do not take another acid-controlling medicine, such as Tagamet or Pepcid. These can interact with proton pump inhibitors and make your acid worse. Use calcium supplements such as Tums instead to bring relief.
6. Continue to take your PPIs every day at the same time until your doctor tells you that you can stop.
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