GAVISCON FAST SOOTHING ANISEED SUSP 200ML

Indications

Approved Uses

Symptomatic treatment of gastro‑oesophageal reflux (e.g., acid regurgitation, heartburn and indigestion), including symptoms occurring after meals and during pregnancy.

Off-Label Uses

Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) symptom relief (commonly used off-label).

Dosage & Administration

Dosing by Condition

GORD/heartburn/acid regurgitation: Adults and children ≥12 years: 10-20 mL after meals and at bedtime (up to 4 times daily). Children <12 years: only on medical advice (local labeling commonly provides 6-12 years 5-10 mL; younger children require clinician direction).

Initial Dose

10-20ml after meals and at bedtime

Maintenance Dose

10-20ml as needed after meals and at bedtime, up to four times a day.

Maximum Dose

80ml per day (20ml, four times a day).

Children's Dosage

Children 6-12 years: 5-10ml after meals and at bedtime. Children 2-6 years: 2.5-5ml after meals and at bedtime under medical supervision. Not recommended under 2 years without medical advice.

Dose Adjustment Notes

No hepatic dose adjustment is required; use caution in renal impairment and in patients on a restricted sodium diet (e.g., heart failure/renal disease) due to sodium content, and avoid/prolonged high-dose use in severe renal impairment because of electrolyte load (sodium/calcium).

How to Take

For oral use: shake well before use; measure the dose with a suitable measuring spoon/cup; take after meals and at bedtime; swallow directly (do not need to dilute).

How to Prepare

Ready-to-use oral suspension (no reconstitution required). Shake well before use. Measure the dose using a suitable measuring spoon/cup.

Side Effects

Common Side Effects

Constipation; nausea; abdominal discomfort/cramps; flatulence/bloating; (less commonly) diarrhea.

Side Effect Frequency

Generally uncommon/rare: GI effects such as nausea, constipation, diarrhea, and flatulence can occur; very rare hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., rash/urticaria, bronchospasm, anaphylactoid/anaphylactic reactions). Electrolyte disturbances (e.g., hypercalcemia/hypernatremia) are rare and mainly associated with excessive/prolonged high-dose use or predisposed patients (e.g., renal impairment).

Safety & Warnings

Contraindications

Contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to any active ingredient (sodium alginate, sodium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate) or any excipients (e.g., parabens if present in the product).

Warnings & Precautions

Consider sodium load in patients on a low-salt diet (e.g., heart failure, hypertension, renal impairment); use caution in hypercalcemia, nephrocalcinosis, or recurrent calcium-containing renal stones; separate from other oral medicines by ≥2 hours; if symptoms persist beyond ~7 days or alarm features occur, seek medical review.

Age Restriction

Adults and children ≥12 years: standard OTC use; children <12 years: use only on medical advice (not recommended for routine self-medication).

Driving Warning

Safe

Drug Interactions

Drug Interactions

May reduce absorption of other oral medicines; separate by at least 2 hours (especially tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones/quinolones, iron salts, bisphosphonates, levothyroxine/thyroid hormones, and azole antifungals such as ketoconazole).

Interaction Severity

MODERATE: may reduce absorption of tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, iron salts, levothyroxine, and bisphosphonates-separate administration by at least 2 hours (longer separation may be prudent for levothyroxine).

Food Interaction

Take after meals and at bedtime; food enhances effectiveness by providing gastric contents for raft formation (no specific food restrictions).

Alcohol Interaction

Safe

Special Populations

Pregnancy

Consult Doctor

Breastfeeding

Safe

Children

Children 6-12 years: 5-10ml after meals and at bedtime. Children 2-6 years: 2.5-5ml after meals and at bedtime under medical supervision. Not recommended under 2 years without medical advice.

Elderly

Standard adult dosing; monitor sodium and calcium intake in elderly patients with cardiovascular or renal comorbidities

Kidney Impairment

No formal dose adjustment, but use with caution/medical advice in renal impairment and in patients requiring sodium restriction; avoid prolonged high-dose use in significant renal dysfunction.

Liver Impairment

No adjustment needed.

Storage & Patient Advice

Storage Conditions

Do not store above 30°C. Do not refrigerate or freeze. Keep in the original container with the cap tightly closed and keep out of reach of children.

Preparation Instructions

Ready-to-use oral suspension (no reconstitution required). Shake well before use. Measure the dose using a suitable measuring spoon/cup.

Missed Dose

If used as needed, a missed dose is not usually relevant; if on a regular schedule, take the next dose when needed/at the next scheduled time and do not double the dose.

Stopping the Medicine

Safe to stop at any time; no tapering is required, and it can be discontinued once symptoms resolve.

Overdose

Overdose may cause abdominal bloating/distension, belching and GI discomfort; very large/prolonged excess can lead to metabolic alkalosis and hypercalcemia (milk-alkali syndrome) from calcium carbonate-manage symptomatically/supportively and seek medical advice if large amounts are taken or symptoms persist.

Patient Counseling

Shake well before use. Take after meals and at bedtime as directed. Separate from other oral medicines by at least 2 hours. Do not exceed the recommended dose. If symptoms persist or worsen after 7 days, seek medical advice. Consider sodium content (and calcium load) in patients on a salt-restricted diet, with renal impairment, or heart failure; consult a clinician if prolonged/frequent use is needed.

Monitoring Requirements

No routine monitoring for short-term/occasional use; if prolonged/high-dose use or in at-risk patients (renal impairment, heart failure, salt restriction), consider monitoring renal function and electrolytes (e.g., sodium, calcium).

Pharmacology

Mechanism of Action

In gastric acid, sodium alginate forms a viscous alginic acid gel/raft that floats on stomach contents; bicarbonate generates CO₂ to buoy the raft; calcium carbonate (and bicarbonate) neutralize acid, reducing acidity and physically limiting reflux into the esophagus.

Onset of Action

Rapid-typically within a few minutes (about 3-5 minutes).

Duration of Effect

Up to about 4 hours (typically ~2-4 hours).

Half-Life

Not applicable (no meaningful systemic half-life); duration relates to gastric residence/raft persistence rather than plasma kinetics.

Bioavailability

Minimal to negligible systemic absorption; primary action is local/physical in the stomach (raft formation) with only small amounts of ions potentially absorbed.

Metabolism

No clinically relevant systemic metabolism; alginate is not absorbed and is not metabolized systemically.

Excretion

Primarily eliminated via the gastrointestinal tract (feces) as the alginate raft; any absorbed sodium/calcium is excreted renally.

Protein Binding

Not applicable.

Product Information

Available Dosage Forms

Oral suspension, Chewable tablets.

Composition per Dose

Each 10ml of oral suspension: 500mg Sodium Alginate, 267mg Sodium Bicarbonate, 160mg Calcium Carbonate.

Generic Availability

No

OTC Alternatives

Other antacids (e.g., calcium carbonate; aluminum/magnesium combinations), alginate products (e.g., Gaviscon Advance where available), H2-receptor antagonists (e.g., famotidine), and OTC PPIs (e.g., omeprazole) depending on local availability.

Gi Condition

Acid Reflux/GERD

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