Andrew Liver Salt – Is It Safe? Uses, Side-Effects, Dosage
What is Andrew liver salt?
Andrew Liver Salt is an antacid and a laxative which is used in case of complaints related to the stomach which are mild in nature. It is available in a powder form, to which the water is to be added causing effervescence, prior to its consumption.
‘Liver salts’ is a term commonly used for laxatives.
It is similar to Eno’s salts and Epsom salts in terms of its action as an antacid.
What is its composition?
What are its uses?
How often it can be taken?
How does it work?
What are its side effects?
What precautions should be taken before its use?
Can it be used by children?
Can it be taken if I am pregnant?
Can it be taken if I am breastfeeding?
Can it be taken on an empty stomach?
Can it be taken with alcohol?
Is it addictive?
Does this medicine have any drug interactions?
Is it available as over the counter product?
Frequently asked questions
Reference
What is its composition?
The powder consists of :
What are its uses?
Andrew liver salt is commonly used to prevent, manage and control the following conditions and symptoms:
- Hyperacidity[5]
- Magnesium deficiency
- Constipation[6]
- Hypertension during pregnancy[7]
- Swelling and pain caused due to sprains[8]
- Arrhythmias[9], which is irregular heartbeats
- Barium chloride poisoning
- Asthma attacks which occur back to back
- Convulsions in children who are also diagnosed with sudden kidney inflammation
- Symptoms of a herpes outbreak[10]
- Indigestion[11]
- Symptoms of overindulgence
- Excess acid
- Upset stomach
How often can Andrew Liver Salt be taken?
For problems like upset stomach, hyperacidity, heartburn it should be taken not more than 4 times a day.
For constipation, take 5 ml of the solution before breakfast or prior to bedtime.
If taken too often the medicine may lead to diarrhoea[12]. To reverse this effect, just reduce the dosage and an immediate relief will be achieved.
How does it work?
Stomach usually contains acid with a pH of about 2 in order to break down incoming food and also to kill any microorganisms[13] present in the food. This acid is corrosive in nature, the body tends to build up a natural barrier of mucus[14] produced by the mucous gland of the stomach, to protect the stomach lining from getting damaged.
The barrier made of mucus may sometimes get broken and subject the stomach to the highly acidic fluid.
There could also be a problem with the sphincter (a muscular band that is present at the end of an organ) which keeps the stomach closed tightly at all times and prevents regurgitation of food. This may lead the acid to leave the stomach and enter into the oesophagus[15]. The acid in the oesophagus will cause irritation in the local tissue and cause discomfort in the person.
Andrew Liver Salt works as an antacid and neutralizes the acid which is causing discomfort and provides immediate relief to conditions like heartburn and acid reflux. It is capable of neutralizing the acid as it contains Sodium Bicarbonate and Magnesium Sulphate which are alkali bu nature which is opposite to the acidic nature of the stomach fluid.
What are its side effects?
Andrew Liver Salt may give rise to the following side effects:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diahorrea
- Flushing
- Abdominal pain
- Lowering down of blood pressure
- Lowering down of the temperature of the body.
- Allergic reactions in people sensitive to any of its components
These side effects are not always seen in frequent users of this medicine. If any of these symptoms are seen a medical professional is to be contacted immediately.
What precautions should be taken before its use?
- Antibiotics should be taken either 2 hours prior or 4 hours after taking this drug.
- Can be taken orally for constipation.
- It is to be avoided if you suffer from a bleeding disorder, heart block, kidney problems, or breathing problems.
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women should use this product cautiously.
- It should be avoided if you are taking medicines acting on the central nervous system, for heart preconditions or hypertension or are going to be given an anaesthetic.
- Consult your doctor before consumption if you have irritable bowel syndrome or any other bowel related disorders.
Can it be used by children?
Andrew Liver Salt can be used by children over the age of 6 years. The dosage in case of children is half that of the adult dosage.
The product should not be handled by children. Strict caution should be taken that an adult administrators the dose to the child.
In case of any allergic reactions like swelling of the tongue, rashes on the skin, continuous sneezing or worsening of the present condition, a medical professional should be contacted immediately without any delay.
Can it be taken if I am pregnant?
Consult your doctor before consumption of Andrews Liver Salts if you are pregnant. The doctor will give you case-specific feedback about whether or not it is suitable for you to consume the product.
Can it be taken if I am breastfeeding?
The medicine usually does not cause any adverse effects in breastfeeding women. Though for the sake of safety it is better to consult a doctor before its consumption.
The doctor can provide alternative drugs in order to cure the condition which is safer to use while breastfeeding.
Can it be taken on an empty stomach?
Andrews Liver Salts is safe to use on an empty stomach as well as after consumption of food.
Different conditions require different dosages of the medicine. In some cases, it is advised to consume the medicine before meals, on an empty stomach for the drug to act effectively. In some other cases, it is recommended that the medicine should be taken after meals.
Therefore, before you take a dose, consult your doctor about how you need to go about with your doses.
Can it be taken with alcohol?
Alcohol is usually slightly acidic in nature and thus can reduce the effectiveness of the medicine. It will react with the base in the medicine and will neutralize it. The medicine hence will no longer be capable of producing sufficient action with the acid present in the stomach.
The medicine should always be consumed when there is no trace of alcohol in the body, generally after 7-8 hours after the consumption.
Is it addictive?
There have been no cases of addiction associated with consumption of the medicine by frequent users of this medicine.
Also, the medicine does not contain any component which is capable of producing addiction of any form. A person can, therefore, use it for a long period of time without getting addicted.
Does this medicine have any drug interactions?
If you are undergoing any treatment and are taking drugs for the same, it may modify the actions of Andrews Liver Salts. This may lead to a need to increase dosage which intern will cause unnecessary side effects.
Therefore, before starting with the medication consult your doctor or your pharmacist and inform them about your ongoing medication or about intake of any over the counter products.
Andrew Liver Salt is known to interact with the following drugs in particular :
- Suxamethonium
- Tubocurarine
- Ritodrine
- Tetracycline
- Vecuronium
- Nifedipine
Even a few herbal products and food items may interfere with the action of the medicine. Such items should be avoided during the course of the medication.
Is it available as over the counter product?
Yes, this medicine is available at any nearby pharmacy and does not require a prescription from any medical practitioner. However, it is advised to consult a doctor prior to starting the medication in order to rule out any allergies or drug interactions that may interfere with the activity of the drug.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I use Andrew Liver Salt before I see improvement in my condition?
Usually, the doses range for about 3 months after which improvement in the conditions of the patients is observed. However, the effect of the medicine is subjective and may take different amount time in the different individual to bring about results.
How often do I need to use Andrew Liver Salt?
The frequency of the doses of Andrews Liver salt depends on the condition it is being used to treat. Usually, it is taken three to four times a day. However, it is always better to follow your doctor’s advice on using it.
Is it safe to consume it if I am driving or operating heavy machinery?
It is always better to consult your doctor about the suitability of this product to your body. Everybody reacts in a different manner to different medicines. If you feel dizzy, drowsy, have a headache or if you feel that you have low blood pressure after consumption of the medicine, then it is better to avoid driving or operate heavy machinery after consuming it.
Can I stop the use of this immediately or do I need to stop it slowly?
It sheerly depends on your body, health or other medicines which you are taking. Sometimes, some medicines if stopped immediately have a rebound effect on the body.
It is always better to consult your doctor before stopping it.
What if I miss a dose?
In case you miss the dose, take it when you remember. In case you remember it when its near to the next dose, then don’t take the missed one. Do not take it double to compensate the earlier dose. If you notice that you are missing dose frequently, set an alarm or ask someone to remind yourself at regular intervals of time. If you have missed many doses, talk to your doctor to change your schedule or make a new schedule to compensate your missed ones.
What to do in case of an overdose?
Never exceed the dose beyond the amount instructed by your doctor or pharmacist in case of any medication.
It will not improve your symptoms but instead can cause harm to your body. The medicine in large amounts may cause poisoning or lead to serious side effects.
In case a dose exceeding the instructed amount is taken, immediately go to the emergency department of nearest hospital or clinic.
Never give the same medicines to other patients who have similar symptoms as of yours. It may not suit them. Always consider talking to your doctor or pharmacist before consumption of any medicine.
How should I store Andrews Liver salt?
Store your medicine at room temperature. Keep it away from heat or direct sunlight. Unless and until asked to do so, do not refrigerate it. Care must be taken to keep it away from the reach of home pets and children.
Unless and until instructed, never flush medicine in the toilet. It may cause environmental damage by disposing of the medicine in this manner. Always talk to your doctor or pharmacist regarding its discarding manner.
Can I consume expired Andrews liver salt?
Expired drug many times is ineffective in treating some of the symptoms experienced by the patient. It is better not to use the expired drug at any time. A single dose of an expired pack of Andrew liver salt may not have any adverse effect on the body. If you feel sick or unwell please immediately have word with your physician for proper advice. In case you have symptoms or any kind of disorder which requires you to take the medicine without any break, always be in touch with your pharmacist so that you don’t run out of medicines at any time.
When consumed, how quickly does it relieve my symptoms?
If you take the medicine immediately after experiencing symptoms, it should relieve your symptoms quickly.
You can also take the medicine in advance if you suspect that you may be getting any symptoms that the medicine can cure. This will lead to a faster action of the medicine and will thus give faster relief to the discomfort.
A complete improvement in the condition, however, takes more time to occur and requires an adequate amount of dosage for the same.
Reference
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