Thanks.  I guess I can see some rationale for that.

That's a good reminder that sometimes the old fashioned tried and
trued remedies are the best.

However, for many of us with gerd and middle of the night acid reflux,
you know, the kind where the acid boils up and asparates into your
lungs, waking you choking and gasping for breath, baking soda (alka
seltzer) works fine for immediate relief, but once it clears the
stomach the acid production and the cycle starts over again.

I recently had a hernia repair surgery: the nurse gave me a shot-glass
sized drink of a very bitter lemony liquid that was supposed to
instantly neutralize stomach acid and last the length of the surgery.
It'd be very cool to have that stuff available on the drugstore shelf.

I've never understood how other people coul drink that and feel better.  I've
done it exactly twice in my life.  Once when I was much younger.  I got
INCREDIBLY painful and dramatic diarrhea.  FF about 10 years.  I have stomach
trouble and my boyfriend tries to convince me to take backing soda in water.  I
explain my terrible reaction.  He INSISTS that I do it and that it was just a
fluke.  I finally give in and have diarrhea so bad that I have to lay on the
floor to keep from passing out.  He complains about the smell and steps over me
(but he and his devious campaign to emotionally wound me is another story (and I
sincerely hope he's rotting in prison somewhere -- ahem)).  I will NEVER
willingly take baking soda and water again -- EVER!