FDA Warns About Maalox Mixups

Think that Maalox Total Relief is the same as the traditional Maalox liquids?

It isn’t, and the FDA wants you to know that.

Although both are available over the counter, they are intended to treat different medical conditions.  Maalox Total Relief contains bismuth subsalicylate, which is related to aspirin and can cause bleeding and other serious side effects.

Maalox Total Relief treats upset stomach and diarrhea, while liquid Maalox Maalox Advanced Regular Strength and Maalox Advanced Maximum Strength are antacids for conditions such as heartburn.

People with bleeding disorders or gastrointestinal ulcers should not use Maalox Total Relief, nor should patients taking certain medicines that interact with aspirin including oral antidiabetic drugs, blood thinning drugs (anticoagulants) such as warfarin (Coumadin) or clopidogrel (Plavix), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), and other anti-inflammatory drugs.

Maalox Total Relief  shouldn’t be given to children or teens with fever, flu, or chicken pox since salicylates can sometimes cause Reyes Syndrome, a potentially fatal condition, in children and teens with viral infections.

The FDA tells consumers to:

Cancer patients should always discuss any medicine or dietary supplement with their doctor before taking it to be sure that it is safe and will not interfere with cancer treatment.

Bookmark and Share

This news article was originally posted on February 18th, 2010 and was accurate at the time of publication. Since then, information may have changed or links may now be outdated. Please call our Answer Line 1-877-427-2111 for the latest information, or talk to your doctor before making any medical decisions.

Posted by Kate Murphy on February 18th, 2010
Tags: FDA, heartburn, Maalox, salicylates

Leave a Comment Comments RSS

Your comments are welcome. However, specific medical advice will not be provided, and we urge you to consult with a qualified physician for diagnosis and for answers to your personal questions. C3 is not responsible for the medical accuracy of any comments left by persons other than C3 staff members. C3 staff members monitor comments and may respond publicly where appropriate.

Please note that we automatically publish the name that you enter next to your post. Also note that our pages are automatically indexed by Google and other search engines, and your name may therefore appear in search results on those sites. So if you wish to remain anonymous please use a different name or enter 'Anon' as the name.

We regret that we are unable to privately answer questions left as comments. So please do not include your phone number, email or mailing address in the body of your comment. For the best personal and direct response to your colorectal cancer treatment questions, please call our Answer Line at 1-877-4CRC-111 (1-877-427-2111).

Search C3

Register to receive our free e-newsletter

Get monthly updates on colorectal cancer treatment options, research news and advocacy opportunities. We promise to not bombard you with email - just enough to keep you informed on how to fight colorectal cancer.

First Name

Last Name

Email

Donate

Support C3 and the Lisa Fund for Research

Donate to C3

Donate to The Lisa Fund

Learn more about the Lisa Fund

Sign Our Petition

Guarantee access to colorectal cancer screening for all Americans who need it.

Get Involved

Subscribe to the C3 website

Get C3 news & updates

Get the latest articles in your email inbox or news reader as soon as they are published.

Subscribe