Acid Reflux

Acid Reflux Treatments

at 24 HR Pharmacy

Acid reflux (also called heartburn or GORD) happens when stomach acid flows back up into your food pipe (oesophagus). This can cause a burning pain in the chest, a sour taste in the mouth, and sometimes a cough or sore throat. Symptoms are often worse after eating, when lying down, or when bending over.

For many people, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as omeprazole, lansoprazole and esomeprazole are the main prescription treatment. They work by reducing the amount of acid your stomach makes, giving the lining time to heal and easing symptoms.

See Treatment Options

Why choose 24 HR Pharmacy

At 24 HR Pharmacy, you can request acid reflux treatment online and have it delivered discreetly to your door. A UK-registered prescriber will review your assessment to make sure a PPI is safe for you and that there are no red-flag symptoms that need a GP or hospital check instead.

Genuine, UK-licensed medicines only
Clinician-reviewed - not an automatic repeat service
Plain, unbranded packaging
Orders placed before 3pm (Mon-Fri) are reviewed and, if approved, dispatched the same day

Important: Persistent heartburn can sometimes be a sign of something more serious. If you have any warning symptoms (see "Who Is Eligible?" below), you should speak to a clinician in person.

Your Treatment Options

Omeprazole

Compare Your Options

All three are proton pump inhibitors that reduce stomach acid and are commonly used for heartburn, acid reflux and GORD.

	Esomeprazole 20mg	Omeprazole 20mg	Lansoprazole 15mg
Type of medicine	Proton pump inhibitor (PPI)	Proton pump inhibitor (PPI)	Proton pump inhibitor (PPI)
What it is used for	Heartburn, acid reflux, GORD and related acid conditions	Indigestion, heartburn, acid reflux, and GORD	Heartburn, indigestion, acid reflux, and GORD
How it works	Blocks the "proton pumps" in the stomach lining to reduce acid production	Same - reduces stomach acid by blocking proton pumps	Same mechanism - lowers stomach acid output
Usual adult dose for reflux (typical)*	Often 20mg once daily	Usually 20mg once daily, sometimes twice daily if advised	Commonly 15-30mg once daily, sometimes increased if needed
When to take it	Usually once daily, often before a meal - follow your specific directions	Once daily, often in the morning, with or without food; try to take at the same time each day	Usually first thing in the morning, at least 30 minutes before food for best effect
How fast it works	Some people feel improvement within a few days; full benefit may take 1-2 weeks	Similar - relief often within a few days, with maximum benefit over 1-2 weeks	Similar - symptoms usually improve within days and continue to improve over several weeks
Typical course length	Often 4-8 weeks initially, then review with a clinician if ongoing treatment is needed	Same - short course then review; may be continued longer at lowest effective dose if needed	Same - short course with regular review to avoid unnecessary long-term use
Who might prefer it?	Sometimes preferred when a slightly "stronger" PPI is needed or previously prescribed by a specialist	Common first-line PPI with wide experience of use and flexible dosing	Often used when a once-daily, morning-dose PPI suits lifestyle or has worked well before
Common side effects	Headache, tummy pain, diarrhoea, constipation, nausea (not everyone gets these)	Similar side-effect profile: headache, tummy pain, diarrhoea, nausea, wind	Similar: headache, tummy pain, diarrhoea, constipation, nausea
Long-term considerations	Long-term PPI use should be reviewed regularly due to possible risks (e.g. infection, low magnesium, reduced absorption of some nutrients)	Same - aim for the lowest effective dose and review ongoing need	Same - ongoing use should be monitored by your GP, especially in older adults or those on multiple medicines

*Your exact dose and course length will be decided by the prescriber based on your symptoms, history, other medicines, and any previous PPI use.

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Who Is Eligible?

This service is mainly for adults with typical acid reflux symptoms who need short- to medium-term treatment or a repeat of a previously prescribed PPI.

You may be suitable if:

You are an adult with typical reflux symptoms (burning chest pain, sour taste, symptoms worse after meals or lying down)
You have already tried lifestyle changes and/or simple antacids or alginate (e.g. Gaviscon) without enough relief
You have previously been told you have acid reflux / GORD / oesophagitis and a PPI helped
You do not have any new or worrying "red-flag" symptoms (see below)

You may not be suitable for online treatment if:

You should see your GP or seek urgent care instead if you have:

Chest pain that could be heart-related (tight, heavy, spreading to arm/jaw, or associated with breathlessness or sweating)
Difficulty or pain when swallowing (food getting stuck or going down slowly)
Repeated vomiting, vomiting blood, or black/tarry stools
Unexplained weight loss, poor appetite, or severe fatigue
Persistent reflux despite several weeks of PPI treatment
A history of stomach or oesophageal cancer, Barrett's oesophagus or major stomach surgery

These symptoms need face-to-face assessment and possibly tests such as endoscopy or heart checks, and are not appropriate for an online-only service.

Emergency reminder: If you have severe chest pain, are short of breath, feel faint, or think you may be having a heart attack, call 999 immediately.

How Our Online Service Works?

Simple, safe, and designed around you. Here is what happens from start to finish.

Quick Online Consultation

You complete a short, secure questionnaire covering:

Your symptoms (heartburn, regurgitation, chest discomfort, swallowing issues, etc.)
How long you have had symptoms, and what you have already tried
Any previous diagnosis (e.g. GORD, oesophagitis, hiatus hernia)
Other medical conditions and medicines you are taking

This gives the prescriber enough detail to decide whether a PPI is suitable and safe, much like a remote GP assessment.

Reviewed by a UK Prescriber

A UK-registered clinician checks your answers to:

Confirm your symptoms are consistent with uncomplicated acid reflux
Make sure there are no red-flag features suggesting something more serious
Check that PPIs such as omeprazole, lansoprazole or esomeprazole are safe for you, including interactions with other medicines
Decide which treatment options and strength are appropriate

If online treatment is not suitable (for example, because of warning symptoms or complex medical history), we will not supply medication and will advise you to contact your GP or urgent services as appropriate.

Fast, Discreet Dispensing & Delivery

If treatment is suitable:

The prescriber issues a private prescription
Your medicine is dispensed from our UK-registered pharmacy
Discreet parcels: No external product names on the box

We can also advise when it is sensible to step down or review long-term PPI use with your doctor, as guidelines recommend using the lowest effective dose for the shortest necessary time.

Your safety comes first. If your assessment shows a medicine is not appropriate - for example, due to red flag symptoms, drug interactions, or medical history - we will explain the reason and recommend safe next steps, which may include seeing your GP for further investigation.

2000+ Happy Customers

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