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TUMS and Crohn's

I take Prevacid every day for acid and usually use Maalox for bad cases of sudden heartburn. I woke up with my esophagus on fire and only had TUMS and I have been up for a few hours dealing with nausea. Does anyone else use TUMS and have they found they make you nauseous? I remember that this happened the last time I used TUMS and I wonder why it's so irritating.
 
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nogutsnoglory

Moderator
Tums over time damages your stomach lining by eating away at it. It doesn't sound like you use it that consistently but maybe it has an ingredient that doesn't sit well with you.
 
Wow, I have never heard of TUMS damaging the stomach lining. That is new to me.

If you have any zantac, that may work better. I would avoid all the PPI meds though as those have awful side effects and can cause long term issues.... Hope you feel better soon...






Tums over time damages your stomach lining by eating away at it. It doesn't sound like you use it that consistently but maybe it has an ingredient that doesn't sit well with you.
 
No experience, but my 11 year olds GI suggested we give her Tums daily for the extra calcium. I can't see her telling us that if they eat away at your stomach....
 
Thank you for that link. It looks like you would have to be taking quite a few to have the effects hopefully. Unless your body reacts badly to something in it.
 
Whenever I have taken Tums they go right through me and cause diarrhea. Even just taking 1 or 2 Tums does that. I don't know why, but my body doesn't seem to like them, so I just stay away from them.
 
I think that's the case for me, Jac521. I am never going to chew another TUMS again.

Unfortunately, I have to take the PPIs because I will develop strictures from ulcers in my esophagus if I don't. My GERD is pretty severe and painful when it's not treated.
 
have a look and see if you can get OMEPRAZOLE, it actually blocks the production of acid in your stomach, i have them for heartburn and acid reflux, work very well indeed
 
Thanks, Neville! I tried Prilosec but it didn't work for me for some reason. Prevacid has been the only one that controls the acid demon. Not sure why. I know, though, that I will never use tums as a back-up again. I'm going to stock my fridge with Maalox. :)
 
I am wondering if taking probiotics will help balance your stomach/acid issue. You may want to read up on the studies done with them. Only one a day and should make a world of difference. Once had 2 esophogeal ulcers and acid reflux thereafter Has been over 20 years and no further trouble. Do take probiotics and that is when I saw a difference. Good luck!
 
Thanks, Mickey! I take Culturelle probiotics. Do you have a brand or type that you recommend? I'm definitely up to switching to see if it works!
 

annawato

Moderator
Staff member
Christina could the nausea be from the acid reflux? Do you ever get it with Maalox? Or maybe the nausea is causing the heartburn. Just throwing some ideas out there.....
I use rabeprazole or omneprazole (sp?). I've been told they are pretty safe to use but I guess all medicines have side effects that you need to be aware of. hope you sort it out soon cos heartburn can be excruciating.
 
I do think I'm nauseous from the acid reflux but then the TUMS adds a ton of nausea and burping on top of it. Maalox just puts the fire out and then it's all over. TUMS turns something awful and makes it worse. I guess I just have a bad reaction to it. :)
 
My eastern/western doc reocommended Healthy Trinity and Yarrow; which both contain the certain strains she said have proven to make a difference. The HT is more costly, but Yarrow is certainly reasonable. I do not go a day without them. Digestive enzymes help me for most meals as well.
 
I've never had any issues with Tums. My old GI also suggested them for additional calcium. And when I was pregnant, I chewed them all the time for the heartburn, as my OB said I couldn't take anything else.
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
With regards to taking probiotics, be careful with them - in some people, they can actually make GERD worse. I am one of those unlucky people. I took probiotics for months and my GERD steadily got worse. I tried stopping probiotics, and things got somewhat better. I also seem to pass blood when I eat Greek yogurt (I am not normally a bleeder). Probiotics help a lot of people, but do keep an eye on it, because they seem to only cause trouble for me!

If Zantac (ranitidine) works for you, you might check with your doctor and see about getting a higher prescription strength dose. My GI has me on 300 mg twice daily, in addition to Nexium once daily. That's been working okay for me. Apparently Zantac is safer to take long-term than something like Prilosec as they are different categories of drug - I don't know the specifics but that's what my GI said, so he is fine with me taking a higher dosage of Zantac.
 
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