Heartburn & GERD guide

Heartburn & acid reflux (GERD) treatment online in Virginia and West Virginia

This guide is for typical heartburn and acid reflux (GERD), treated with a PPI (omeprazole or pantoprazole) or an H2 blocker (famotidine) as an alternative or step-down. Any chest pain or pressure (especially exertional, radiating, or with sweating or shortness of breath) is never assumed to be reflux and needs ER evaluation first.

Start online

Start a $59 online review for Heartburn & acid reflux (GERD).

If you have typical burning chest or upper-abdominal discomfort after meals or when lying down, online review can often start a PPI (omeprazole or pantoprazole) for 4-8 weeks, or famotidine as an alternative or step-down option, followed by a plan to taper to the lowest effective dose. Because chest pain can also be a sign of a heart problem, any chest pain or pressure (especially with exertion, radiating pain, sweating, or shortness of breath) is never assumed to be reflux and needs to be evaluated in the ER first, before any online treatment.

If treatment is appropriate, your physician can send a non-controlled prescription to your pharmacy and provide portal instructions for the next step.

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Quick facts

You must be physically located in Virginia or West Virginia at the time of request.
Starts at $59
No insurance needed
No app download
Physician review around the clock
Non-controlled prescriptions can be sent to your pharmacy when appropriate
A work or school note can be included when medically appropriate
Response times apply 24/7, every day

Common symptoms

Burning discomfort in the chest or upper abdomen, often after meals or when lying down
A sour or acidic taste in the mouth
Regurgitation of food or acid
Symptoms that improve with antacids but keep coming back

May fit online care

Adults 18 and older
Typical heartburn/reflux symptoms without chest pain or pressure
No trouble swallowing, food sticking, unintentional weight loss, or signs of GI bleeding
No new heartburn starting at age 60 or older

Look for another care setting

Any chest pain or pressure, especially exertional, radiating, or with sweating/shortness of breath (this needs the ER, not online reflux treatment)
Trouble or painful swallowing, food sticking, unintentional weight loss, vomiting blood or coffee-ground material, or black tarry stool
Persistent vomiting, iron-deficiency anemia, new onset at age 60 or older, or symptoms lasting beyond 8 weeks of treatment (these need in-person evaluation, possibly including endoscopy)

What to have ready

Whether you have any chest pain or pressure, especially with exertion, radiating pain, sweating, or shortness of breath
Any trouble swallowing, food sticking, or unintentional weight loss
Any vomiting blood, coffee-ground material, or black tarry stool
Whether this is new heartburn starting at age 60 or older, or if you have a family history of esophageal or stomach cancer

What happens next

Standard

$59

Within 6 hours

Priority

$99

Within 3 hours

Rush

$149

Within 1 hour

Start the request on the website, answer a few questions to check that this visit fits you, and choose how fast you want an answer (the response window). If your concern still fits this service, a physician reviews it and sends you a secure update after you sign in. When appropriate, non-controlled prescriptions can be sent to your pharmacy, and a basic work or school note can be included at physician discretion.

Your physician

Every visit is personally reviewed by Ankur Fadia, MD. He is board-certified, has extra training in heart care (a cardiology fellowship), and is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha, a medical honor society. He is licensed in Virginia and West Virginia, and your care is never handed off to someone else.

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Why does chest pain need the ER instead of online reflux treatment?

Chest pain and heartburn can feel similar, but chest pain (especially with exertion, radiating pain, sweating, or shortness of breath) can also be a sign of a heart problem such as a heart attack. Because of this, we never assume chest pain is reflux; it always needs to be evaluated in person, in the ER, before any online treatment for heartburn is considered.

Can I stop my medication once I feel better?

Please do not stop all at once after taking it for a while. Stopping suddenly can make your body make extra acid for a short time, and that can feel worse than before. Once your symptoms are under control, the plan is to step down slowly to the lowest dose that keeps you free of symptoms.

What if my symptoms don't go away after 8 weeks?

If after 8 weeks of treatment your symptoms have not gotten better, or they have come back, you will need an endoscopy. This is a test that uses a small camera to look at your esophagus (the food pipe) and stomach. Please set up an in-person visit at that point instead of only continuing online treatment.

Other conditions we treat

Not quite what you have? Here are other conditions we treat.

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