Over the Counter medicines

[Todd]

Would you be willing totrade heartburn off for a combination of headaches/nausea/diahrea/abdominal cramps?


Does the cure sound worse than the problem to you?

or is it a "reasonable" trade off?

 

[Gilly Bean]

Not a trade off. If you want to 'cure' me of my problems, don't create more in the process.

 

[BlondGirl]

Todd,

It depends on how bad that heartburn is and what other damage that heartburn is causing.

If you are getting that list of side effects off the side of the warning label, please keep in mind that most people don't even experience most of the symptoms that are listed.

(I have never experienced any such symptoms as you described from any heartburn remedy. )

 

[Todd]

Todd,

It depends on how bad that heartburn is and what other damage that heartburn is causing.

If you are getting that list of side effects off the side of the warning label, please keep in mind that most people don't even experience most of the symptoms that are listed.

(I have never experienced any such symptoms as you described from any heartburn remedy. )

I didn't get it from the side of the bottle I got the info from the commercial where it said up to 73% percent of users may experience the above listed, there were otheres those were what stood out at me.

 

[Todd]

Not a trade off. If you want to 'cure' me of my problems, don't create more in the process.

thatss been my motto, but there is no money in that for the pharama cartel

 

[BlondGirl]

I didn't get it from the side of the bottle I got the info from the commercial where it said up to 73% percent of users may experience the above listed, there were otheres those were what stood out at me.

Is this a prescription drug then? If it is, then this is for some serious heavy duty heartburn--the kind where the esophagus (swallowing tube) is being destroyed by the gastric juices and it is definately better to have nausea or headache before going to bed than to let gravity help your lifetime of poor food choices finish up the job. (Do you know what they do when your esophagus is destroyed?)

Keep in mind also that such a statistic include the fake symptoms that people "experience" as well. For example, sometimes you see research studies that are described and it says that 60% of the people who take the drug experience drowsiness. Okay. That is easy to understand--sounds cut and dry, right?
BUT
The study also mentions that 45% of the people who were given a placebo (fake medicine--nothing but "sugar pill") ALSO report symptoms of drowsiness.

Now, figure out what your odds are....

 

[Todd]

Is this a prescription drug then? If it is, then this is for some serious heavy duty heartburn--the kind where the esophagus (swallowing tube) is being destroyed by the gastric juices and it is definately better to have nausea or headache before going to bed than to let gravity help your lifetime of poor food choices finish up the job. (Do you know what they do when your esophagus is destroyed?)

Keep in mind also that such a statistic include the fake symptoms that people "experience" as well. For example, sometimes you see research studies that are described and it says that 60% of the people who take the drug experience drowsiness. Okay. That is easy to understand--sounds cut and dry, right?
BUT
The study also mentions that 45% of the people who were given a placebo (fake medicine--nothing but "sugar pill") ALSO report symptoms of drowsiness.

Now, figure out what your odds are....

The commercial didn't mention anything of it being a prescription in fact it sounded like it was an over the counter medicne.

I have seen the one with the esophegeal damage one and it actually sounded less tdeangerous than this one i just say sounded.

I know what they do when you destroy portion of your stomach and bowels with acholohol posioning. though

 

[BlondGirl]

Todd,

I have taken Zantec, Pepcid, Tums, and Gaviscon for my heartburn. I started getting it this summer and had it daily. It ceased when I removed all wheat products from my diet. (I now only eat them on Sundays when I can deal with the migraines that accompany this also.) Seems I have a wheat allergy.

My ratings:
Pepcid--great stuff. No side effects that I experienced.
Zantec--great stuff. No side effects that I experienced. I have a big box in my desk at work.
Tums--makes me nauseaus--why? Because the things taste like shit and I hate them. But they seem to work okay--dealing rid of that nasty taste though makes the heartburn better.
Gaviscon--more chewables--I like them--to me, they taste just like cake batter when you make a white cake and lick the egg beaters. What a yummy way to deal with heartburn. I have containers right here in my computer-holder-upper.

Sundays are the only times I seem to need these anymore though.

If you want, I can send you some samples of each (except those nasty ones) to try when the need arises.

(Please note--Tums are a decent calcium suplement also--but if you are taking them for that purpose, please consider taking the Viactives instead--those are unbelievabely wonderful!)


Oh yeah, and Todd, the studies I mentioned in the previous post--these are done on every drug--seems that most drugs are 'script' only before being offerred OTC. The reason they list these side effects is because of out lawsuit-happy culture where people will blame ANYTHING except themselves for a problem. (Some side effects are great--I take Benedryll as a sleep aid, for example.)

 

[Chuckus]

Would you be willing totrade heartburn off for a combination of headaches/nausea/diahrea/abdominal cramps?


Does the cure sound worse than the problem to you?

or is it a "reasonable" trade off?

I will stick with heartburn. I would rather live with the heartburn. I get headaches without taking any medication. Thanks but no thanks.

 

[Silverlily]

My favorite side effect is the "5% of users experienced flu". Yeah, like the Pepcid caused that. Last time I checked, flu was a illness, not a side effect.

As for heartburn, until you've had the double-you-over variety, you don't know what side effects you'll put up with. BlondGirl's right, frequent heartburn can cause serious damage to the esophagus and leave you prone to esophageal cancer. I'll take a headache, thanks.

 

[Gilly Bean]

Ok, just saw one of those damn commercials for a perscription medicine...


Detrol LA... For those who have go more then they want to.

It stops the over active bladder syndrom.

Side affecrs include: Dry mouth, headache, constipation, and abdominal pain.

Is this a trade off for visiting the bathroom less? Not on your life, or mine.

 

[Shy Tall Guy]

Todd,

I have taken Zantec, Pepcid, Tums, and Gaviscon for my heartburn. I started getting it this summer and had it daily. It ceased when I removed all wheat products from my diet. (I now only eat them on Sundays when I can deal with the migraines that accompany this also.) Seems I have a wheat allergy.

You may have Celiac syndrome - I am fairly sure I do. It affects different people in different ways. I get severe abdominal cramps and distension among other things. It is not just wheat, it is anything with Gluten in it, including peanuts, oats, barley, etc.

It takes a while for it to build up in me (often days), in others it takes 15 minutes before they react. Rice is very hypo-allergenic and can be eaten by most people with food allergies. Corn does not have Gluten as far as I know, but unless it is ground, whole corn is rather indigestible on its own.

Fortunately I like rice and I especially like Asian food, unfortunately I really miss sandwiches and breads. There are non-Gluten breads, but they are dry and crumbly, so I just do without. Every once in a while I buy a bacon burger just because I can't resist it anymore.

Would I trade heartburn for abdominal cramps? Not for the ones I have had - I've lived with Celiac syndrome for over thirty years until a nutritionist diagnosed it and I got it under control, and being woken up in the middle of the night with cramps that double you over is no fun. Women complain about cramps for a short time once a month, try every other night all year long for 30 years.

STG