Acid Reflux Treatment

You have identified that you are taking one or more medicines from Group 2, the list that you just reviewed. This may be a part of your problem.

Those medicines are all drugs that decrease saliva production, causing dry mouth and inadequate rinsing of the esophagus.

If your esophagus is not repeatedly rinsed by saliva, reflux symptoms can be more severe.

You may want to discuss your medication choices with your doctor to see if there are any medications that can be substituted that will not contribute to your reflux. Please do not discontinue a prescribed medication without the advice of a physician.

Now please review our next group of medicines.

Group 3: Drugs That Irritate the Esophagus

Potassium supplements

Osteoporosis medicines

Including alendronate (Fosamax), and others.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain medicines

Including ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve, Anaprox), celecoxib (Celebrex), and others.

Do you take any medications on this list? Yes, I do take one or more medicines on this list. No, I do not take any of the medicines in this group.

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Online Medical Reviewer: Faculty of Harvard Medical School Date Last Reviewed: 8/18/2006 Date Last Modified: 8/7/2006 Source: from Harvard Health Decision Guides, Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.

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