Pain in the stomach - this feeling is probably familiar to everyone. Acute colic in the abdomen, a feeling of pain and cramping, especially after eating - the majority of the world's population suffers from gastritis and other stomach troubles in one form or another. A variety of medicines are called upon to help people cope with these problems, one of which is called "Maalox". What is this remedy, and what is the instruction for the use of "Maalox"?
What is Maalox?
As mentioned above, "Maalox" is a tool designed to alleviate the discomfort in the digestive system. It calms inflammatory processes, relieves pain, being an enveloping and absorbent (i.e. absorbing) agent. "Maalox" is called an antacid drug - this means that its action is aimed at protecting the gastric mucosa from external irritating factors, such as, for example, bile.
Maalox is available in several forms: these are tablets, a suspension in sachets and a suspension in a bottle of one hundred milliliters. Each form has its own advantages, which will be discussed below.
What form of "Maalox" to choose
What specific type of drug to purchase depends on, in particular, where exactly it will need to be taken. If the product is purchased for prophylactic purposes, so to speak, “in reserve”, in order to drink it, if you suddenly grab your stomach, then, of course, it is best to turn your attention to the tablet release. Tablets are more compact, you can drink them anywhere - including being on the road. An important factor - tablets "Maaloxa" must be absorbed, that is, there is no need to even have water with you to drink the drug.
Suspension bags also have their advantages. It is also convenient to carry them with you in your pocket or bag, and the amount of medication in one sachet just corresponds to the required single dose. The Maalox suspension tastes better than tablets - with the smell of mint. As for the liquid in the bottle, it is very convenient to take at home. In the package, in addition to the bottle with the medication, a measuring spoon is also supplied.
The composition of the "Maalox"
In both forms, the composition of the drug is almost identical. In Maalox suspension, however, as in tablets, magnesium hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide occupy most of the medication. A variety of excipients are also present in the medicine. So, the composition of "Maalox" includes sucrose, magnesium stearate, starch, mint flavoring, sorbitol and other components.
Indications for use
Perhaps the most common reason doctors prescribe "Maalox" for use is gastritis in any form - albeit in acute, even in chronic. Indications for "Maalox" will be a stomach ulcer and / or duodenal ulcer, and a hernia, and acute pain after taking a large amount of alcohol or coffee. If you eat a lot of fast food, do not follow a diet, or, on the contrary, zeal for too good nutrition, stomach pains can also appear, and then you can not do without this medication.
What Maalox also helps with is gastroduodenitis (inflammation of the gastric and duodenal mucosa; in essence, it is a type of chronic gastritis, or rather, gastritis can smoothly flow into gastroduodenitis) - both acute and chronic. It will also help from unpleasant heaviness in the stomach (especially if it is caused by excessive use of nicotine or occurs after eating). Among the indications for "Maalox", including sour belching, flatulence, and damage to the lower esophagus (scientifically called reflux with esophagitis). "Maalox" is also prescribed for dyspepsia.
Contraindications
With a question, what helps “Maalox”, it seems, sorted it out. Now you can go to the contraindications of this drug. The instructions for use of "Maalox" say that it is not allowed to use the drug in case of individual intolerance to the components of this medication, as well as in hypophosphatemia - a situation where the level of phosphates in the blood decreases so that it becomes less than normal (normal - two and a half milligrams and higher). People who have problems with the work of the kidneys, in particular chronic renal failure, should also not count on the possibility of taking "Maalox", since this drug is contraindicated to them. However, it’s worth mentioning right away: in some situations, as prescribed by Dr. Maalox, this category of citizens can be used, but treatment with such a medication should be carried out under vigilant medical supervision. In case of the slightest deviations from the norm in health, you should immediately stop using the drug. It is important to remember: "Maalox" is strictly prohibited to these people in large doses.
In addition, unfortunately, the medicine "Maalox" can not be used for those patients whose diagnosis is Alzheimer's disease, dementia or dementia. It will not be suitable for those who cannot tolerate fructose, since sorbitol is one of the auxiliary substances of the drug. "Maalox" is forbidden to receive suffering from constipation, especially prolonged, and in addition, those who have weak motility of the colon. With cachexia (severe depletion), "Maalox" is also not recommended for use.
You also need to know that for each drug there is its own so-called risk group - people who seem to be able to take this drug, but carefully. There is a similar risk group for Maalox - these are citizens of retirement and pre-retirement age, in other words, older people. Their use of the suspension and tablets of "Maalox" should be carried out under strict medical supervision.
Overdose
Cases of drug overdose are extremely minimal. If this does happen, then patients may experience vomiting, abdominal pain and / or diarrhea. Elderly people - that is, patients at risk - are able to get intestinal obstruction, and due to prolonged treatment, everyone who has used the medication without exception may experience phosphate deficiency.
In some cases, as the instructions for use of "Maalox" say, the use of a drug leads to the development of encephalopathy, dementia, anemia. It is possible to increase the level of magnesium, which, however, is excreted in the urine.
Side effects
If you do not self-medicate and take the drug in the sizes indicated by a specialist, then the action of "Maalox" will not cause harm. However, you should be aware that side effects are possible even if the recommendations are followed. However, they are insignificant: it is constipation, nausea or vomiting, probably a change in taste. Thirst or low blood pressure, an excess of calcium and magnesium in the blood and / or urine - all these are also possible side effects from taking the medication.
Such reactions of the body as allergies, edema, and even anaphylactic shock are relatively rare. If we talk about the functioning of the digestive system and its disorders, then, as mentioned above, constipation occurs more often - however, in some cases, diarrhea is also likely.
Instructions for use
How should I take "Maalox"? What dosages does he drink? Before or after a meal? "Maalox" is consumed inside, as a rule, after an hour and a half, or at least an hour after a meal. Of course, if the stomach is sick regardless of food, then the drug should be taken immediately.
Since "Maalox" happens in tablets and in suspension, the rules for taking different variations of the medication are different. If we are talking about a suspension in a bottle, then before you drink the medicine, you need to shake the bottle. In the case of a packaged form of suspension, in other words with a sachet, you should thoroughly knead the contents of the bag. It does not need to be dissolved.
Adults, starting at the age of fifteen and older, take one or three tablespoons of the drug per day (from the bottle) or one sachet three or four times a day. That one tablespoon, that one bag holds about fifteen milliliters of the product. A day is allowed to drink no more than ninety milliliters, which is equal to six bags or tablespoons. For each specific disease, the dosage of the drug may vary slightly.
In the event that a person takes the tablet form of the medicine, one single dose of "Maalox" is one or two tablets. You need to drink them the same way - three or four times a day, but not more than twelve tablets per day. They do not require drinking water - they should be chewed or absorbed. It is necessary to carefully monitor the number of days in which the drug was used, as well as your health (we are not talking about a single dose as a result of a sharp attack of pain). If more than ten days of treatment have already passed, and the condition has improved, or it has generally worsened, you should immediately consult a doctor.
"Maalox" is susceptible to x-ray permeability, does not in any way affect the ability to drive a vehicle. It is important to remember that it cannot be combined with any other medicines, so if you need to take other drugs, you should wait at least two hours after using "Maalox".
The instruction for use states that it is required to store this medicine at a temperature that is not higher than twenty-five degrees above zero. The shelf life of Maalox is three years, and in order to purchase a medicine in a pharmacy, a prescription from a doctor is not needed.
"Maalox" during pregnancy
Due to the high risk, clinical trials of many drugs are not conducted in such a population group as pregnant women (lactating mothers are also included). Too great a danger to harm not only the expectant mother, but also her baby. "Maalox" also refers to those medicines whose effects on pregnant and lactating women have not been specifically tested.
And although there were no negative effects on the female body and the child’s body during the intake of “Maalox” during pregnancy, it is still not recommended to use this drug once again for pregnant women, as well as for lactating women (although it is recognized by some specialists as “Maalox” quite compatible with breastfeeding, as it is absorbed in extremely limited quantities and, accordingly, does not affect the little man). Only if this brings more benefit than harm, and the attending physician is convinced of this, the use of the drug by pregnant women and women during lactation is allowed.
"Maalox" for children
Many parents are interested in the question of whether it is possible to drink "Maalox" for children. It is possible, but only if they are already fifteen or more years old. Unfortunately, “Maalox” is not shown to children under the indicated age, although some regard this fact as a significant lack of medication. The thing is that while the child is growing, active cell division occurs in his body. The action of "Maalox" slows down this process, which may subsequently negatively affect the crumbs. Therefore, it’s not worth the risk of risking once again - as they say, God saves the blessed, fortunately, now there is an abundance of various medicines on the pharmaceutical market.
Interaction with other medicines
As mentioned above, the interval between doses of "Maalox" and any other drug should not be less than two hours - regardless of what was drunk first.
This is necessary, since the aforementioned medication is able to reduce the absorbing effect of other drugs, which is prescribed in the instructions for use of "Maalox".
Drug cost
Various companies can set their value for Maalox based on their own margin, but the approximate average price for tablets is about two hundred rubles. Sasha is more expensive: the cost is already within two hundred and fifty rubles for ten sachets. A bottle with a suspension of "Maalox" costs about a hundred rubles more.
Analogues of the drug
If the drug for some reason does not fit the patient, he goes to look for him substitutes with identical components or identical action. Maalox also has its analogues. First of all, this is "Almagel" - a very popular and common tool. This suspension is available in three forms. Almagel’s usual active ingredients are the same as those of Maalox. The main component of the Almagel Neo preparation is simethicone, which promotes better gas discharge - it is not for nothing that simethicone-based preparations are developed even for newborn babies (for example, Espumisan Baby). "Simethicone" differs from "Maalox" (I must say, very profitable) also in that it eliminates bloating.
Almagel A contains benzocaine, a substance that can freeze sensitivity by blocking nerve endings. Anesthesia is instantaneous, but it takes only an hour or two (while the “Maalox” relieves discomfort for at least four to six hours). Thus, "Almagel A" can be attributed to short-acting anesthetics.
Analogs of “Maalox” are “Gaviscon” with “Escape”.
The first is often prescribed to expectant mothers. The effect that the drugs have on the body is identical to the effect of "Maalox", but the drugs have a different composition. When taking "Gaviscon" in the body of a woman, no harmful chemical reactions occur, which is why doctors fearlessly appoint him pregnant. As for “Escape,” due to the formation of a film on the mucous membrane of the intestine and stomach, the “meeting” of the inflamed organ section with pieces of food is prevented, that is, the wound does not progress. The anti-inflammatory effect is a striking difference between Escape and many other drugs.
Among the analogues of “Maaloks”, “Rivolox” - a drug for heartburn, gastritis, ulcers, pancreatitis, hernia and the like troubles, should definitely be highlighted. The product is available in several forms: there are chewable tablets, conventional tablets, suspension and gel. It is an antacid, like Maalox itself. But the medication "Agiflux", approved for use by people over the age of fifteen, is indicated for those who suffer from heartburn and reflux. It is sold only in tablets, and in addition to its antacid effect, it also has many others: carminative, for example, or choleretic and enveloping.
Reviews about the drug
Reviews about the "Maalox", of course, are very different. The remedy helped some, some didn’t. Of the positive aspects, the fast action of the medication, its pleasant taste, effective help in eliminating a boring problem, and the absence of side effects are noted. People write that for many years they suffered from one disease or another, tried many different medicines, however, only Maalox could have a really beneficial effect.
Among the negative reviews about the "Maalox" - complaints about its inefficiency. But it is worth noting - this happened only with the wrong diagnosis of a problem that tormented a person.
"Maalox" is one of the objectively most effective means of eliminating problems associated with pain and discomfort in the stomach. And whether to accept it or not - everyone decides for himself.