Korean Job Discussion Forums

[uberscheisse]

hey all

i get heartburn sometimes.

i can't find anything like tums, rolaids etc. i don't have acid reflux or an ulcer, just minor heartburn, especially after a few beers.

so what's the option? i've gone into the pharmacy a couple times and all they have are these pills that are about 5000 won that don't do anything for me.

[eamo]

As another heartburn sufferer I'd like to know the Korean equivalent of Tums or such like.

I've asked Koreans a couple of times who wrote in Korean the name of some medicines. They didn't work.

I don't think Koreans get much stomach acid due to their low dairy and oil consumption.

[Confused Canadian]

I can sympathize with both of you. I've been here a long time, and never seen anything resembling an antacid in any Korean stores or pharmacies.

My solution? Find a black market store that gets stuff off the army bases. I've currently got two bottle of Rolaids sitting in my bathroom cabinet. There was a great black market store in the town I used to live in, and I still travel there (over an hour) to stock up on antacids when I run low. 5000 won for a big bottle that keeps me happy for months! I've also seen Pepto Bismal and Alka-Seltzer in that shop, but Rolaids is what I need. If you can't find a decent black market store, may be worth having someone sending you a couple of bottles from home.

If anyone knows a Korean store or pharmacy that does carry antacids, please let us know.

Happy hunting!

Confused Canadian

[batman]

A brand of Korean antacid is called "Lamina Gel" (my wife used it when she was pregnant).

[Ghostinthemachine]

Zantac is an anti-ulcer drug but it works primarily as an antacid. You can buy it in most pharmacies in Korea but buy it under the generic name of 'ranitidine' as it's a lot cheaper than the branded 'zantac'. You don't need a prescription for it. It's very effective.

[Swiss James]

but surely any acid problems can be solved by just massaging the flesh between your thumb and forefinger?

[Snatch]

Don't know where you are in Korea, but the black market shop in Itaewon had Rolaids and Zantac.

[uberscheisse]

can you please post directions to a good black market store?

or if i go to itaewon will it be an obvious find?

[Zyzyfer]

If you're just getting it from beers, that's pretty mild. I've got full-blown acid reflux(I even get acid from just working out!), and it took me a while to find my solutions.

#1-Bring stuff from home/go to that blackmarket place, and buy the heavy duty stuff. If you've got bad acid problems, you need the heavy stuff, no way around it.
#2-Drink milk. This will help with moderate acid problems, but it can't do anything with heavy stuff. Drink a glass of it, slowly, and it should calm you down long enough to get past digestion time. If it kicks back up, drink another glass.
#3-Spearmint gum. If it's a really light case of acid, this is a great and healthy way to cure it. I'm not big on taking medicines, and milk can pack on the pounds, so I try to rely on this a lot. You'll probably have to eat several pieces. Conversely, you can take spearmint alone, and it should help.

[anemone]

I found these oriental medicine packets in any pharmacy in a number of cities which worked like a charm--better than any western antacid Ive ever seen. If you just go into any pharmacy and describe your symptoms (using the Korean word for big D, like salsa but pronouncing the a like an o, is particularly helpful) they usually give you this peppermint drink with a wave on the bottle to wash it down. Alls good in around 15 mins...

[OiGirl]

I find that Korean ginger tea resolves nearly all my gastro-intestinal issues. Good for heartburn, gas, nausea, hangover. And nice when you have a head or chest cold, but I don't know if it really helps that or just makes me happy for a while.

[bixlerscott]

Oh yea, I had tons of Prilosec OTC I brought from the US in my check-in bag and someone took the stuff out of my bag during my flight to Korea. It was still in the original package and unopened. Kinda errs me, becuase now I am suffuring due to having acid reflux disease not to mention, I spent $100 US dollar on the stuff before leaving. This is how important it is to me, especially with drinking beer often and eating lots of food with red pepper paste in it. It's good that ranitidine is sold in Korean pharmacies according to the previous post here. I am going there today to get it on my lunch break. I was so worried I would have to go to doctor only to get 2 days worth each time. Yes, you only get 2 days worth of meds when going to doctor which is a major flaw in the health care system here as I tend to lack on free time during the week.
Thanks again,

[dulouz]

the Red Door BM store in Iteawon... go to Burger King and keep walking south. Open til 8 daily. Says "Money Exchange" out front.

[eamo]

Arm & Hammer baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) is on sale everywhere these days. A level teaspoon of that stuff dissolved in a glass of water should take care of stomach acid.

[uberscheisse]

FWIW i found rolaids in the basement at Doota! in dongdaemun.