• echeng
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  • From: Oakland, CA
  • Registered: 2005-01-13
  • Posts: 52

Topic: Antacids (Tums, Rolaids, Maalox, Mylanta)

Call for experiences with alcohol and antacids (acid neutralizers) like Tums, Rolaids, Maalox, and Mylanta.

Acid Neutralizers (text from Healthcare South)

Antacids have been around forever with roots that extend back to the chewing of herbs, plants, and roots. An archaic term, dyspepsia, provides a clue to the original use for mints. Over time, as our understanding of gastric pain has changed, we have begun to use more direct acid neutralizers.

Bicarbonate of soda, appearing as bubbly liquids, was popular decades ago, as it was felt that a simple acid-base reaction would be the solution for the painful symptoms. Additionally, people were told to drink plenty of milk and eat a bland diet. This was boring, mildly unpleasant, and usually worthless. More recently, bicarbonate salts have become popular for a variety of reasons. Aluminum bicarbonate and Magnesium bicarbonate mixtures, like Maalox and Mylanta, are relatively easy to use. These chemicals are combined because the former is constipating and the latter is cathartic (produces diarrhea).

Calcium bicarbonate, Tums and Rolaids, is even more popular now because of the beneficial properties of Calcium on the bone. However, one major drawback for this category of medicines is that they have to be used when there is actually acid present in the stomach - after recently ingested food has passed on. Therefore, one must take these products four times a day, one hour after meals and at bedtime.

Topical coatings that form a protective film have also been tried. Initially, it was felt that milk had such an effect but this turns out not to be the case. Carafate (sucralfate) is a tablet that dissolves and forms such a barrier. A significant problem is that it can block the absorption of any other medications that one might be taking.

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2 Reply by Mistletoe

  • Mistletoe
  • Guest

Re: Antacids (Tums, Rolaids, Maalox, Mylanta)

I'm sooo excited to find this board.   I would run out to get some Pepcid AC right now, except it's the middle of the night and the nearest 24-hr pharmacy is too many blocks away.  But after foraging through my medicine chest, I found some TUMS, and for the sake of alcohol-flushers everywhere, decided to play guinea pig.

Background: I am an Asian flusher of the tomato-red, glow-in-the-dark, every-inch-of-skin-above-my-waist-is-aflame variety.  100% ethnically Korean - female.   The deep red flush starts after my first sip of wine.  On the scale of red-making spirits, red wine is the worst.  Vodka is the least offensve -- red is still noticeable, but I don't shine quite as red or bright, and symptoms like headache, throbbing hearbeat occur to a much lesser degree.  Vodka shots with sugar & lemon (Lemon Drops) or vodka gimlets are best at minimizing flush symptoms, but symptoms are still present and extremely undesirable.

CONCLUSION:  TUMS (calcium carbonate) is NOT a satisfactory solution to the Asian flush.

THE TOTALLY UNSATISFACTORY EXPERIMENT:

6 - 8 pm -- huge dinner.  It was Christmas, so lots and lots of food.

1:30 am -- check email.  On lark, google "Asian flush" cure -- stumble upon this board.  Read board and original blog post with intense fascination and relief that I have found my people.

2:20 am -- raid parents' medicine chests on quest for Pepcid AC.  Search futile.  But find roll of TUMS -- regular strength with calcium in assorted fruit flavors.  Hop around with glee.

2:35 am -- chew 3 Tums tablets -- equivalent to 1500 mg calcium carbonate (500 mg each tablet) -- then drink two large glasses of water.  Aside: very pleased about benefit of extra nutritional calcium.  Watch crappy informercial about scooters for people with limited mobility.

3:00 am -- uncork a bottle of cheap Beaujolais red wine that my mom would otherwise use for cooking..   Pour myself about 6 oz.  Take two sips.  Usually, within seconds of this point, the flushing begins.  But this time, so far, no flushing.
,
3:05 am -- eyes a bit glassy, as is usual, but no change in skin color.  Hmm, interesting.  Is that actual "intoxication" I feel?  There's a clarity to this slightly tipsy dizzy feeling.  Very unlike the dense unpleasant fog that usually accompanies the flush. 

3:06 am -- down the rest of the wine. 

3:20 am -- spend next 20 minutes marveling at the normal look of my skin and scrutinizing and floating in mild.

3:45 am -- UH-OH weird blotchy alabaster white mixed with pink spots appearing on arm. 

4:00 am -- I'm GLOWING like the nose on a frigging reindeer.  My face and torso are that otherworldly beet red typical of the Asian-flush.  Other symptoms, like dense mental fogginess, mild itching on arms, throbbing pulse  -- all show up.

EXPERIMENT RESULTS:  Antacids containing only calcium carbonate -- such as TUMS -- may DELAY the onset of Asian flush but is ultimately powerless before it. 

Still, it's interesting.  I never considered taking something to fight the Mean Reds.   I just kind of accepted it.  The fact that Tums delayed my usual onset of Asian flush by a FULL HOUR is kinda noteworthy to me, even tho it was totally ineffective in the end.  It's indication that OTC drugs CAN impact the Asian Flush.  I'm psyched to see what Pepcid will do.

3 Reply by Mistletoe

  • Mistletoe
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Re: Antacids (Tums, Rolaids, Maalox, Mylanta)

uh ... yeah ... so where I typed "Totally Unsatisfactory Experiment"  should say " Totally UNSCIENTIFIC Experiment." 

Didn't want to sell the experiment short.  It was kinda satisfactory.  Although now, after two more cups of wine, I'm drunk and feeling chatty and everyone's asleep.  Even our dog, Maru, who used to be super-bonded to me in his frisky young days.  But ever since I've moved away from home four and a half years ago, Maru's transplanted his primary loyalty over to my younger brother.  It really does hurt to be bumped down the hierarchy in your puppy dog's affection.  I used to be #1, now I'd be lucky to come in at #4.    It feels good to finally admit that.  Thanks for listening.

  • Registered: 2010-04-02
  • Posts: 5

Re: Antacids (Tums, Rolaids, Maalox, Mylanta)

Antacids are made to reduce the acid in our stomach but after gastric bypass there is very little acid in our new pouch, so I'm not sure how much an antacid will help the problem you are having. Most of the antacids that you are familiar with out there do contain calcium carbonate.  antacids can effect the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals. Iron is a big one so if you are taking an antacid don't be taking it with your iron supplements.

  • Registered: 2009-07-25
  • Posts: 3

Re: Antacids (Tums, Rolaids, Maalox, Mylanta)

yo, not posted in a while. My opinion is that antacids DOES have an effect on reducing redness IF you take it with famotidine. Here is why.

I read on wiki that when you take generic famotidine such as Pepcid AC, it is absorbed into the walls of our stomach, but it is only about 50% (or less) efficient. However, if you take an antacid with the famotidine, it increases the absorption efficiency and therefore increasing the productivity of famotidine. We have all known for some time that Pepcid AC reduces redness but no one really knows why. By taking an antacid with it, it should increase its effectiveness in hiding the glow - that is according to wiki!


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famotidine read the last paragraph in "History and Development"


Over the counter stuff such as Pepcid Complete falls into the catagory of drugs that contain both famotidine and antacids.

I live in the UK and we have PepcidTwo which is a combo drug containing 10mg famotidine, 800g calcium carbonate and 165mg magnesium hydroxide. I also got some Pepcid AC 20mg famotidine off ebay.

MY EXPERIMENTS:

1. I've been taking PepcidTWO for a while now. It worked worked great for the first year. I could drink as much and as fast as I wanted and all I got was a very slight glow when it would otherwise have been red hot. Its effects started to wear off after about a year.

2. Started taking Pepcid AC on its own 20mg famotidine. It was ok, masked the redness but only when I drank slowly. Any huge gulps would cause the redness to show.

3. Recently, started taking one PepcidTwo and one Pecip AC. Works better when taken together than taken separately - for me anyway.

It would be interesting to hear what other ppl experiences are with the combination of famo and antacids.

  • Registered: 2011-05-15
  • Posts: 88

Re: Antacids (Tums, Rolaids, Maalox, Mylanta)

Wow, looks like spamers are having a field day on this forum.  :-(

  • echeng
  • Administrator
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  • From: Oakland, CA
  • Registered: 2005-01-13
  • Posts: 52

Re: Antacids (Tums, Rolaids, Maalox, Mylanta)

Yep. Akismet isn't working as well here lately. :(

echeng's Website

  • Registered: 2011-11-07
  • Posts: 1

Re: Antacids (Tums, Rolaids, Maalox, Mylanta)

This post has been reported as spam and is awaiting review by the moderators.

  • Registered: 2011-11-14
  • Posts: 1

Re: Antacids (Tums, Rolaids, Maalox, Mylanta)

In my opinion you are mistaken. I can prove it.

  • Registered: 2014-11-16
  • Posts: 1

Re: Antacids (Tums, Rolaids, Maalox, Mylanta)

It really does hurt to be bumped down the hierarchy in your puppy dog's affection.  I used to be #1, now I'd be lucky to come in at #4.Although now, after two more cups of wine, I'm drunk and feeling chatty and everyone's asleep.  Even our dog, Maru, who used to be super-bonded to me in his frisky young days.  But ever since I've moved away from home four and a half years ago, Maru's transplanted his primary loyalty over to myIt feels good to finally admit that.  Thanks for listening.uh ... yeah ... so where I typed "Totally Unsatisfactory Experiment"  should say " Totally UNSCIENTIFIC Experiment."
Didn't want to sell the experiment short.  It was kinda satisfactory.   younger brother.