When to ask for more advice

Indigestion is very common and is usually nothing to worry about, but in some situations you should make sure your symptoms are not something more serious. Speak to your pharmacist if you are suffering symptoms of indigestion and:

• you are over 45 or under 16;
• you are pregnant (there are products specially designed for treating heartburn during pregnancy);
• your symptoms last for more than a week;
• your symptoms happen more than twice a week;
• your symptoms don't go when you take your medicine, or they come back when you stop taking your medicine;
• you find it difficult to swallow or it feels like food sticks in your throat when you swallow;
• you are short of breath, wheezing or coughing;
• you have a bitter taste in your mouth;
• you have a sore throat or earache which won't go away;
• you have a severe pain in your back, chest or neck;
• you are being sick or passing blood;
• you are losing weight unexpectedly;
• your symptoms suddenly change, become more painful, spread across your chest or you get them more often;
• you have ever had surgery on your stomach, a stomach ulcer, bleeding in your stomach or intestine, or you have anaemia;
• you have been taking other medicines, especially non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (sometimes called NSAIDs) such as aspirin or ibuprofen; or
• you are worried.