Maximum Strength Zantac 150-Prevent and Relieve ...

Cheaper Than Walgreens!:
I've found limited benefit; much more impact achieved by ceasing to drink carbonated drinks out of cans - the level of carbonation/acidity in them is MUCH higher than in restaurant drinks. Also helps to cut back on ice cream.

Zantac Works By Shutting Down Acid Secretion in Stomach:
Zantac (Ranitidine) is low-cost, over-the-counter medication that consumers can buy without a prescription. It is used to treat persistent heartburn and stomach ulcers. Zantac works by decreasing the secretions of stomach acids. When too much stomach acid is produced, some can "leak" out in a retrograde fashion and move into the esophagus, where it can burn the lining of the esophagus and cause the sensation of heartburn. Zantac is also used to treat stomach and esophageal ulcers. Zantac is more potent than it's "sister" medication, Tagamet, another anti-acid medication in the same class as Zantac. It is slightly less potent than Pepcid (Famotidine). Zantac is not as potent as Prilosec or Prevacid, both very srong stomach acid inhibitors. For those with occasional bothersome mild heartburn, Zantac is a good place to start in terms of treatment. It is relatively cheap, and it is effective in controlling mild cases of heartburn. However, in more persistant and serious cases, one may consider taking the more potent (and more costly) Prilosec or Prevacid. The latter two medications generally work in cases where Zantac and Tagamet will not. Zantac is taken about 30 minutes to an hour before eating foods that commonly cause heartburn. The lead time is essential to decreasing stomach acid output before ingesting food. The effect peaks at about 3 hours and lasts up to 15 hours. Zantac can be taken up to twice per day. Zantac is a good place to start treatment of heartburn. If it does not do the job for you, consider moving on to Prilosec and/or Prevacid. Jim "Konedog" Koenig, Dentist