Tums after every meal is actually a really good way of getting electrolyte imbalances, to the point of developing kidney stones from the amount that the kidney has to excrete to try and keep things on an even keel. If you need tums after every meal, you should be talking to your doc about a PPI.
edit: Now I think on it, actually, depending on (variables), you might need a specialist visit more than a PCP visit for some antacids. Shame on me for assuming it's just unmanaged acid reflux.
I take it because any acidic meal literally deactivates the positive effects of my stim meds and gives me a pounding headache. The only way to reverse this is with half a tums.
Kidney stones scare me, I've heard horror stories of the pain it causes. Is half a tums alright after acidic meals? How much more likely am I to develop kidney stones?
I hesitate to give anything resembling medical advice to someone whose medical details I do not know, and can't follow up with.
Speaking in broadest generalities:
1. The kidney stone risk a/w calcium carbonate intake has not been well-quantified. In a couple of studies of post-menopausal women the risk elevation was estimated to be in the range of a 20% bump. It has not been quantified any better in any other demographic segment, that I am aware of (nota bene: I'm not a nephrologist or urologist).
2. Timing-wise, the closer to the bulk of the meal the tums goes in, the better. You get calcium stones due to calcium oxalate crystal formation - when you take the calcium with food, the calcium is prone to crystallize with oxalate in the gut and get shat out, rather than both getting absorbed and crystallizing in the urinary tract.
3. The other risk of constant tums supplementation is an acid-base condition known as milk-alkali syndrome (a combination of hypercalcemia and metabolic alkalosis). Please, get your basic bloodwork done.
4. I can't speak more usefully without understanding what medications you're on and the timing of their administration. I'd strongly recommend having that discussion with a trusted physician, because this really shouldn't be your baseline condition, full stop. If you want to share more details so that I could suggest more specifically what sort of specialist you should see, if you don't currently have a trusted physician, let me know, and I'll arrange a way of sharing contact information.
There have been some very weak recent studies on PPIs and long-term dementia risk that look very flimsy. Other than that, I’m unaware of “long term damage.”
You need to make some changes and get your acid reflux under control. I had bad acid reflux. Here are things I do to keep it under control:
1. Sleep on a wedge pillow.
2. Meditate. Seriously. When I quiet my thoughts and focus on my stomach, my stomach starts to move and push the food+acid bolus down into my intestines. It happens every time.
3. Don't delay bowel movements. This prevents acid reflux during the day.
4. Drink enough water throughout the day. This helps with the bowel movements.
5. Avoid acidic foods at night: chocolate, tomatoes, and citrus.
6. Mostly stopped drinking alcohol.
7. Stop eating when I'm full.
