Suggest Dosage For Alprim
Taking it at night even with food, as soon as I lie down I get very uncomfortable chest pain
which last some hours, blood pressure is normal
Some thoughts and suggestions:
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
Chest pain is usually from 1 of 4 causes: heart, musculoskeletal, anxiety, or gastrointestinal.
If you never had this problem until you started taking the Alprim, then as you are suspecting it is probably reflux pain (gastrointestinal cause) associated with the Alprim.
A few suggestions:
Can you take the Alprim after breakfast in the morning instead of at night?
Make your breakfast and lunch the larger meals, and less food for supper.
Eat small amounts but eat more often.
Raise the head of your bed on blocks so that it is elevated. (Using more pillows does not always accomplish the same thing as the bent position can exert pressure on your stomach.)
Ask the pharmacist if the preparation of Alprim you are taking can be crushed. If so, crush it and take it with apple sauce or pudding or other food that isn't hot temperature. Sometimes a hard pill or capsule or tablet that takes a while to dissolve can irritate the stomach lining.
Avoid certain foods until you are better. These include peppermint, alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, and for some people, tomato foods, citrus, fatty/fried foods.
Avoid lying down for 3 hours after eating.
And I think it would be wise that for the duration of the course of Alprim to take the H2 blocker ranitidine (Zantac) 150 mg, twice a day. This will help your lower esophagus and stomach to heal. You may need to take it for a few weeks after the Alprim is completed if you continue to have some symptoms. In the US it is sold without prescription - I don't know if that is the case in Australia.
I hope you are feeling better soon. Please let me know if I can provide further information or clarification.