Why does heartburn sometimes come back 1-2 hours after taking an antacid?

There's a new commercial on TV for Pepcid Complete, featuring two guys. One guy takes Pepcid for his heartburn, and it goes away for good. The other guy takes Tums or Rolaids, and he keeps having to take more tablets every few hours because his heartburn keeps coming back.

My wife and I usually use Mylanta Supreme liquid when either of us get heartburn. It's not the strongest antacid, but it tastes good and doesn't have any chemicals like aluminum or magnesium. Sometimes, the heartburn goes away for good after one dose. Other times, it will come back an hour or two later - just like in the Pepcid commercial.

Does anyone know why heartburn sometimes comes back, even after taking medicine? Any tips on how to keep it from coming back (besides using a stronger medicine)?

FYI - Neither my wife nor I get heartburn that often - maybe once or twice a month at most, but a little more often during the holidays. Prescription meds (Nexium, etc.) are usually for people getting heartburn 2-3 times a week, so we are nowhere near that level.

Pepcid complete is actually a two medicine thing. The first is an antacid that neutralizes acid in the stomach immediately and the second actually shuts off the production of acid. Your heartburn isn't really returning, your stomach is still producing acid, there is just no more antacid to neutralize it. So its not really stronger, but a different type of medication performing a different task.

If you have heartburn this bad you really should consider trying pepsid or Prilosec. Don't eat such big meals.

You should know that using any ant-acid product is harder on your system than those selling these products want you to know. Take an honest and thorough evaluation of your diet, the size of the portions you eat and the way it is eaten, in addition to what is being eaten. I've suffered with this same ordeal until I became so tired of dealing with it, I went through the process myself. Within two days I was rid of the constant heartburn. Eating healthy takes into consideration many different aspects of how we consume the foods we need to support a healthy lifestyle.

First off make sure your doctor knows about this, it could be the start of something serious. Prilosec OTC is a great product. You take it once a day and works good. antacid tablets and liquids are not always good to take. Make sure also you don't lie down right after you have eaten a meal. If you wake up during the night with it, try elevating your head and upper back. Again.. if you have heartburn often make sure you talk to a doctor about this.