# Help - Heartburn **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 9, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-heartburn/187303 "2003-07-09T19:36:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Griffin)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-heartburn/187303/1 "2003-07-09T19:36:35Z")
I have been getting heartburn for the last few days. I think it started rather bizarly when I took an antibiotic capsule just before going to bed, and when I woke up I had this really bad feeling in my stomach. Any ideas if I should do anything about it cos it’s been happening now for about 4 days. I keep burping too! ---
**Author:** ![RufusLeaking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c5a1d2/32.png) [@RufusLeaking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RufusLeaking)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-heartburn/187303/2 "2003-07-09T21:24:59Z")
My first advice is to talk to the doctor who prescribed the antibiotic. Have you taken any antacid? My favorite is Gaviscon. Drink plenty of water (avoid milk – it may make your tummy feel better at first but there is a rebound effect). Avoid caffiene whether in coffee, tea or cola. But carbonated soda such as 7-up, sprite or club soda may be helpful, especially with the burping. Don’t lay down within about an hour or two of a meal. Avoid taking asprin or other NSAID. I do not recommend that you take Pepto-Bismol. It contains an ingredient very similar to asprin. Depending upon how sensitive you are to it, asprin can make your stomach more sensitive to excess acid. Why do they put such a thing in Pepto-Bismol? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-heartburn/187303/3 "2003-07-09T21:35:22Z")
If it has been for a few days and it’s something new to you, I’d say its time to talk to a doc too.