Acid Reflux and Heartburn Treatment in Holborn, London — from £19.99
Ways Pharmacy offers a private pharmacist-led service for adults with heartburn, acid reflux and indigestion. We are a GPhC-registered pharmacy (premises number 9012227) at 77 Southampton Row, Holborn WC1, around two minutes' walk from the British Museum. You can complete the assessment online and have your medicine posted, or come into the pharmacy. A pharmacist checks your symptoms, health and current medicines first, and only supplies a treatment if it is suitable for you. Consultations are available in English or Chinese (中文).
Acid reflux treatment at a glance
| Treatment options | A short course of a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) — Esomeprazole, Lansoprazole or Rabeprazole — chosen by the pharmacist, together with lifestyle advice |
|---|---|
| Price | £19.99 for a course of treatment, with no separate consultation fee. The full price list is below |
| Who it is for | Adults aged 18 and over with mild to moderate heartburn, acid reflux or indigestion that started less than 4 weeks ago |
| How it works | Online assessment with a phone or video call from the pharmacist, or in person at the pharmacy |
| Pharmacist assessment | Required every time. If treatment is not suitable, the pharmacist will not supply it and will tell you where to go instead |
| Where and when | 77 Southampton Row, London WC1B 4ET · Monday to Friday, 9:00am–6:00pm |
| Language | English and Chinese (中英文服务) |
Start an acid reflux consultation or call 020 8106 7084.
Treatment options and prices
Proton pump inhibitors reduce the amount of acid your stomach makes. These are the medicines a pharmacist may suggest after your assessment. Which one, if any, depends on your symptoms, your health and the other medicines you take. Under this service the pharmacist supplies one course of up to 14 days, taken once a day.
| Option | What it is | Price | More information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Esomeprazole 20mg | Esomeprazole（埃索美拉唑）20mg gastro-resistant tablets or capsules, one a day | £19.99 | Esomeprazole 20mg |
| Lansoprazole 15mg or 30mg | Lansoprazole（兰索拉唑）gastro-resistant capsules, one a day. The pharmacist chooses the strength | £19.99 | Lansoprazole capsules |
| Rabeprazole 10mg | Rabeprazole（雷贝拉唑）10mg gastro-resistant tablets, one a day | £19.99 | Rabeprazole 10mg |
If you have had heartburn before and your symptoms are typical, the pharmacist may suggest an esomeprazole pack that is licensed for sale without a prescription instead, such as Nexium Control 14 tablets (£15.09) or Guardium 14 tablets (£13.99). These are for adults and are sold after the pharmacy team asks a few questions.
If the medicine you choose is not suitable, the pharmacist may suggest another option or give you a full refund. Repeat courses are not supplied without a new assessment.
Who can use this service
- Adults aged 18 and over
- Symptoms that fit uncomplicated acid reflux: heartburn (a burning feeling rising up the chest), acid or bitter taste coming up into the mouth, or upper tummy discomfort, often after meals or when lying down
- Symptoms that are mild to moderate and started less than 4 weeks ago, if you have not already seen a doctor about them
- People who do not need frequent or continuous acid-reducing treatment
Tell the pharmacist if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take blood thinners, anti-inflammatory painkillers, steroids or several regular medicines, or have had a stomach ulcer, Helicobacter pylori infection or liver problems. Some medicines interact with PPIs, including clopidogrel, warfarin, methotrexate, digoxin, tacrolimus, ketoconazole, itraconazole, rifampicin, some HIV medicines and St John's Wort. The pharmacist will check these and may refer you instead.
When you should see a GP or get urgent help instead
Heartburn is common, but some symptoms need a doctor rather than a pharmacy treatment. See your GP, or call NHS 111 if you cannot get an appointment, if you have:
- difficulty swallowing, or pain when swallowing
- food getting stuck, or vomiting that keeps happening
- weight loss you cannot explain
- iron deficiency anaemia, or you feel unusually tired and pale
- persistent or severe pain in the upper tummy
- symptoms that have lasted more than 4 weeks, keep coming back, or return soon after a course of treatment
- heartburn during pregnancy or while breastfeeding that needs more than lifestyle changes or an antacid — speak to your midwife or GP
Call 999 or go to A&E if you vomit blood or something that looks like coffee grounds, pass black or tarry stools, or have chest pain that feels tight or heavy, spreads to your arm, neck, jaw or back, or comes with sweating, sickness or breathlessness. Chest pain can be a sign of a heart problem and should not be treated as heartburn until a heart cause has been ruled out.
How it works
- Choose your medicine and pay.
- Complete the online health questionnaire and confirm your identity. After payment you fill in a short health questionnaire. To confirm your identity, you upload photo ID, or show your ID during a video call.
- The pharmacist speaks with you by phone or video to go through your answers and confirm whether the treatment is suitable.
- If suitable, your medicine is posted or ready to collect. Orders approved by the pharmacist before 3:00pm on a working day are posted the same day — see our shipping information for delivery costs. You can also collect from our Holborn pharmacy once your order is approved. If the treatment is not suitable, including if the pharmacist gives you advice only and does not supply a medicine, you get a full refund.
You can also come into the pharmacy and speak to the pharmacist in our private consulting room.
Taking your treatment and helping your symptoms
- Take the capsule or tablet once a day, ideally 30 to 60 minutes before breakfast, and swallow it whole with water
- Improvement can take a few days, so keep taking it daily for the course the pharmacist recommends
- Eat smaller meals, and avoid eating in the 2 to 3 hours before bed
- Notice which foods and drinks make symptoms worse — for many people these include spicy or fatty food, coffee, chocolate and alcohol
- Raise the head of your bed if symptoms wake you at night
- Stopping smoking, cutting down on alcohol and keeping to a healthy weight can all reduce reflux. See our stop smoking service and alcohol reduction service
Why choose Ways Pharmacy
- Treatment options and prices are shown before you start
- Assessment by a GPhC-registered pharmacist (premises 9012227), online or in a private consulting room
- Consultation and explanation in Chinese (中文) or English
- In Holborn, about two minutes' walk from the British Museum and close to Holborn and Russell Square stations
- Clear advice on when heartburn needs a GP instead
Related services: back pain treatment and the full Pharmacy Clinic list.
Frequently asked questions
How much does acid reflux treatment cost?
A course of Esomeprazole, Lansoprazole or Rabeprazole costs £19.99. There is no separate consultation fee. If treatment is not suitable, including if you only need advice, you get a full refund.
Which medicine will I get?
Esomeprazole, Lansoprazole and Rabeprazole all reduce stomach acid in the same way. The pharmacist chooses one based on your symptoms, any treatment you have used before, your other medicines and your preference. You may be advised that a non-prescription pack, lifestyle changes or an antacid is enough.
How quickly does a PPI work?
Some people notice a difference within a day or two, but it can take several days for symptoms to settle. Take it once a day before breakfast for the length of course the pharmacist recommends.
Can I keep taking it long term?
Not through this service. It is for short-term treatment of up to 14 days. If your symptoms last longer than 4 weeks, keep coming back or return soon after you stop, you should see your GP so that the cause can be looked into.
What is the difference between a PPI and an antacid such as Gaviscon?
Antacids and alginates work in the stomach to neutralise acid or form a barrier, and give quick, short-lived relief. PPIs reduce how much acid the stomach produces, so they act more slowly but last longer. The pharmacist can explain which suits your symptoms.
Can I have this treatment if I am pregnant or breastfeeding?
Tell the pharmacist. Heartburn is common in pregnancy, but under this service a PPI may not be suitable, and you may be advised to speak to your midwife or GP.
What are the common side effects?
Headache, feeling sick, diarrhoea, constipation, tummy pain, wind and dizziness. Stop taking it and get urgent help if you have signs of a serious allergic reaction, a severe skin rash, severe or persistent diarrhoea, or yellowing of the skin or eyes.
I take clopidogrel or warfarin. Can I use this service?
Tell the pharmacist. PPIs can interact with clopidogrel, warfarin and several other medicines. The pharmacist will check whether treatment is safe or whether you should speak to your GP.
Is this an NHS service?
No. Ways Pharmacy Holborn is a private pharmacy and does not provide NHS services.
Suspected side effects can be reported through the MHRA Yellow Card Scheme.
This page gives factual information about pharmacy services and medicines. Any medicine is supplied only after a pharmacist has assessed that it is suitable for you.
Ways Pharmacy
77 Southampton Row, Holborn, London WC1B 4ET
Telephone: 020 8106 7084
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9:00am–6:00pm, closed Saturday and Sunday
Around 2 minutes' walk from the British Museum, near Holborn station
GPhC-registered pharmacy premises: 9012227 · About Ways Pharmacy
