calcium carbonate/magnesium hydroxide
Rolaids is a combination medication containing calcium and magnesium. It provides fast symptom relief for heartburn and indigestion.
What is Rolaids?
What is Rolaids used for?
- Heartburn
- Indigestion
- Relief of sour stomach
How Rolaids works
Rolaids is an antacid. Calcium and magnesium counteract (fight against) the acid in your stomach. Neutralizing the acid helps relieve your stomach symptoms.
Drug facts
Side effects of Rolaids
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
See Risks and Warnings
Pros and cons of Rolaids
Pros
- Provides fast relief for heartburn and indigestion
- Can buy over the counter (OTC), without a prescription
- There are tablets and soft chews in a variety of flavors (Rolaids brand)
Cons
- Doesn't last as long as other heartburn medications, like famotidine (Pepcid) and omeprazole (Prilosec)
- Not meant for long-term use
- Interacts with the absorption of some other medications, such as certain antibiotics
Pharmacist tips for Rolaids
- If you take prescription medications, talk to your provider or pharmacist before taking Rolaids. Sometimes calcium and magnesium will affect how much medication is absorbed. Ask them if any of your medications interact. Usually the medications have to be taken a few hours before or after Rolaids.
- Take Rolaids at the first sign of stomach discomfort for it to work the best.
- You can continue to take Rolaids throughout the day whenever you have symptoms. But, don't take more than the maximum recommended amount of tablets per day (see your product label for details).
- Contact your provider if your symptoms don't improve after 2 weeks, and you're still needing to use Rolaids regularly (for example, every 2 hours). Also contact them if your symptoms are getting worse or feel severe. Your provider might need to check to see if you need more medical attention.
- There are a lot of different antacid products that have similar ingredients. Some contain simethicone (Gas-X) and others famotidine (Pepcid). Always check the active ingredients on the back so you know what you're buying. If you're not sure, ask your pharmacist for help.
Common questions about Rolaids
Rolaids and TUM (calcium carbonate) are both over-the-counter (OTC) antacids, but they're not exactly the same. TUMS (calcium carbonate) contains only calcium, while Rolaids has calcium and magnesium.
Both Rolaids and Cidatrine-TM are OTC antacids that contain calcium and magnesium, but their magnesium salts are different: Rolaids contains magnesium hydroxide, while Cidatrine-TM contains magnesium carbonate. Different salt types can change how well the magnesium gets absorbed by your body, so it's possible that Cidatrine-TM might upset your stomach more than Rolaids. Another difference is that Rolaids are meant for you to chew, while Cidatrine-TM tablets aren't necessarily chewable. Always check the packaging or ask your pharmacist if you can chew your antacid.
You can take Rolaids every day if you're having heartburn and indigestion symptoms often. But you should contact your provider, however, if this continues for 2 weeks or more. Your provider might want to see what's causing the stomach discomfort and might recommend a longer lasting medication if appropriate. Keep in mind that the manufacturer's label says that you shouldn't take the maximum daily dose of Rolaids for longer than 2 weeks.
No, Rolaids won't cure heartburn; it will only help get rid of heartburn discomfort. The best way to cure heartburn is to figure out your heartburn triggers, and then find a way to remove them from your diet.
Talk to your provider before using any OTC heartburn or stomach medications during pregnancy. Because Rolaids contains magnesium, it might not be safe for you to take depending on which trimester of pregnancy you're in. If you have heartburn during pregnancy, it's best to try to identify your triggers so that you can prevent it. This means that you might need to avoid certain foods, or you might need to eat smaller meals throughout the day.
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Risks and warnings for Rolaids
Rolaids can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Medication interactions
- Risk factors: Taking certain prescription medications
Rolaids interacts with many prescription medications, which can lower their absorption and weaken their effect. You might need to separate Rolaids from other medications by several hours. Talk to your provider or pharmacist about the medications you're currently taking so they can check for interactions and help you manage them.
High blood calcium
- Risk factors: Kidney problems | Dialysis | Overactive parathyroid gland
Rolaids contains calcium, which can build up in your blood and lead to dangerously high calcium levels. There's more risk of high calcium if you have a condition (e.g., kidney problems) that causes you to have problems with your calcium levels. Talk to your provider before taking Rolaids if you've ever been told you have abnormal calcium levels.
Rolaids dosage
Typical dosage for Rolaids
Make sure you check the instructions of the product that you're using since this medication comes in different strengths and might have different age recommendations, directions, or maximum recommended doses. Ask your pharmacist for help with this.
Some examples include:
Rolaids (calcium carbonate / magnesium hydroxide)
- Adults: Each tablet contains 675 mg of calcium carbonate and 135 mg of magnesium hydroxide. Chew 2 to 4 tablets by mouth when you have stomach symptoms, or as directed by your provider. The maximum recommended dose is 10 tablets in 24 hours. Don't take the maximum dosage for more than 2 weeks.
Cidatrine-TM (calcium carbonate / magnesium carbonate)
- Adults and children (age 12 years and older): Each tablet contains 975 mg of calcium carbonate and 232 mg of magnesium carbonate. Take 3 to 4 tablets by mouth when you have stomach symptoms, or as directed by your provider. The maximum recommended dose is 8 tablets in 24 hours. Don't take the maximum dosage for more than 2 weeks.
As a general rule of thumb, you want to take the fewest amount of pieces as possible.
