Indigestion Medication Recall

You may have heard or noticed that it is difficult to get hold of your usual indigestion medication recently. Many products containing the ingredient ‘Ranitidine’ were recently recalled by the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) as a precautionary measure due to possible contamination with an impurity. You can find out more about this recall by clicking here.

Ranitidine is a medicine which reduces the production of acid by the stomach lining and helps with the symptoms of heartburn and indigestion.

It is unclear at the moment how long these products will remain unavailable and with the Christmas holidays fast approaching many people are wondering what alternatives exist to treat these symptoms.

We have created this guide to alternatives to Ranitidine for treating the symptoms of indigestion, acid reflux and heartburn.

Antacid tablets

We supply a wide range of indigestion relief products in tablet form from leading brands including Gaviscon, Alka-Seltzer, Rennie and more. This type of acid reflux treatment is fast-acting and convenient to take when you are on the go. Available in a range of flavours, you can ease the symptoms of indigestion and heartburn in minutes. Antacid tablets are a popular choice because of how discreet they are, as well as being suitable for people of all ages. As the name suggests these products work by neutralising the acid in the stomach to help prevent the burning sensation. Some Antacids such as Gaviscon dual action also have an ingredient that forms a raft that floats above the stomach contents. They can coat and protect the food pipe to relieve symptoms.

Liquid antacid and acid reflux treatments

Liquid heartburn relief treatments are a great alternative should you dislike taking tablets. We stock liquid acid reflux treatments from reliable brands including Pepto Bismol and Gaviscon. Indigestion relief liquids work by coating the oesophagus and relieving the burning sensation.

Antacids, both liquid and tablet work within five minutes so provide fast relief of symptoms but their effects can wear off after 30-60 minutes

Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI)

This type of medicine works by reducing the amount of acid produced by your stomach. They will not provide immediate relief of symptoms but their effects last longer than antacid tablets. They are useful for conditions such as Acid Reflux, a condition where acid from the stomach travels back up the ‘food pipe’ causing a painful burning sensation. There are a number of options available such as Nexium control and Pyrocalm.

These types of tablet can take up to 3 days to be completely effective but their effects can last up to 3 days.

Ranitidine Tablets

These belong to a class of medicines called ‘H2 receptor blockers’. Although they work in a similar way to the PPI’s in reducing the amount of stomach acid being produced, by blocking one of the triggers for acid production in the stomach, the Histamine receptor. There are other triggers to acid production and so some acid is still produced.

These work quicker than PPI’s usually after about 1 hour and their effects can last between 9-12 hours.

PPI vs. H2 blocker

So what’s the difference?

Both types of medicine work by blocking and decreasing the amount of stomach acid being produced, but PPIs are considered stronger and faster acting at reducing stomach acids. The H2 receptor blockers can decrease the acid released in the evening, this is useful as large amounts of stomach acid later in the day can be a contributor to peptic ulcers formation.

The best way to think about the two types of drug are that PPI’s act like more like a light switch whereas H2 blockers are like a dimmer switch in regulating acid production.

Do you have products suitable for pregnant women?

Indigestion and heartburn are both common complaints during pregnancy, and Weldricks are proud to stock a range of heartburn relief products which are suitable for use when pregnant.

It is not advisable to use H2 blockers or PPI’s whilst pregnant except on the advice of your Doctor.

Our trained Pharmacy staff are on hand to guide you through the best options for you. Use the contact us button at the top of our pages to get in touch.

If you are suffering or are planning on what to have on hand, look no further than our selection of heartburn relief products.