Gaviscon V Maalox

[AndrewB]

I am on prescribed Maalox for acid reflux but recently on holiday forgot my Maalox and bought Gaviscon. Which is better?

[Hidden]

The doctor is the best person to answer this sort of question, because we are not medically qualified. If gaviscon sorted out your problems on holiday it sounds like you did a sensible thing.

As I understand it, maalox is an example of medicine which is an antacid ie it combats acid chemically. Gaviscon works differently because it works with an alginate, which creates a barrier in your digestive system to prevent further irritation. There are also proton pump inhibitors (eg omeprazole) which prevent the stomach from creating acid in the first place. Bile is not an acid, it is an alkali, so some medication will help with it whilst others may not. The doctor may ask you which you yourself found better, and your own experience may be relevant to your question.

Gaviscon can be bought over the counter, but generally, if you have been prescribed something by your doctor there will be a reason for choosing that particular medication rather than another one. The other thing to bear in mind is that one does not always want to take any medication for long periods without a review by your doctor. If something has been prescribed to deal with a short term issue, then it is sometimes beneficial to stop taking it to establish whether any underlying problem has been resolved or not.

There is another point to bear in mind, that if one takes PPI medication for a fairly long period, and then stops, the body might well have a temporary reaction until the system settles down again. All of which is another good reason to ask a doctor about it!