How Should This Medicine Be Used
Prescription famotidine comes as a tablet and a suspension to take by mouth. It is usually taken once daily at bedtime or two to four times a day. Over-the-counter famotidine comes as a tablet, a chewable tablet, and a capsule to take by mouth. It is usually taken once or twice a day. To prevent symptoms, it is taken 15 to 60 minutes before eating foods or drinking drinks that may cause heartburn. Follow the directions on your prescription or the package label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take famotidine exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often or for a longer time than prescribed by your doctor.
Shake the liquid well for 5 to 10 seconds before each use to mix the medicine evenly.
Swallow the tablets and capsules with a full glass of water.
Thoroughly chew the chewable tablets before swallowing them. Swallow the chewed tablet with a full glass of water.
Do not take more than two tablets, capsules, or chewable tablets of over-the-counter famotidine in 24 hours and do not take over-the-counter famotidine for longer than 2 weeks unless your doctor tells you that you should. If symptoms of heartburn, acid indigestion, or sour stomach last longer than 2 weeks, stop taking over-the-counter famotidine and call your doctor.
What Other Information Should I Know
Keep all appointments with your doctor.
Do not let anyone else take your medicine. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.
It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.
What Does A Stomach Ulcer Feel Like
The classic symptoms of peptic ulcers are stomach pain and indigestion. Ulcer pain feels like burning or gnawing inside your stomach, which is between your breastbone and your belly button. It may improve temporarily when you eat or drink or when you take an antacid, medication to reduce stomach acid. It may feel worse between meals and at night when stomach acid builds up without food to digest. It may also make you feel like you dont want to eat.
How do I know if I have an ulcer or gastritis?
Gastritis and gastric ulcers share many symptoms and often go hand in hand. Gastritis can be a precursor to stomach ulcers, caused by the same conditions that will eventually cause ulcers, including H. pylori infection and mucous erosion. You may also have both.
Both gastritis and stomach ulcers can cause stomach pain, as well as symptoms of indigestion. Usually, the pain from an ulcer will feel more localized like its coming from one particular spot. But since some ulcers are silent, you might not feel it if you do have one.
If you have symptoms of either gastritis or stomach ulcer, you should seek medical care. Gastritis can lead to ulcers if it hasnt already. It can also indicate an infection or other condition that needs to be treated. Medical testing can quickly determine the causes of your stomach pain.
How can I tell if I have ulcer pain or heartburn?
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Gastroenterologists In Austin Texas
If you suffer from stomach ulcers, reach out to us at Austin Gastroenterology by calling the location nearest you or request an appointment online now.
We offer a wide variety of GI services and treat various disorders of the upper and lower digestive tract. Our goal is to provide you relief so you can go back to living your life without bothersome stomach pain.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Peptic Ulcers
Each persons symptoms may vary. In some cases ulcers dont cause any symptoms.
The most common ulcer symptom is a dull or burning pain in your belly between your breastbone and your belly button . This pain often occurs around meal times and may wake you up at night. It can last from a few minutes to a few hours.
Less common ulcer symptoms may include:
- Feeling full after eating a small amount of food
- Bloody or black stool
Peptic ulcer symptoms may look like other health problems. Always see your healthcare provider to be sure.
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Peptic Ulcer Disease Treatment: Medication
Several different medication therapies are available to help reduce gastric acid and coat the ulcers:
- Antacids neutralize gastric acid. The disadvantage is that you need to take a relatively large dose for them to be effective, and they can cause unwanted side effects like diarrhea.
- Histamine blockers reduce gastric acid by blocking the H2 receptors. These medications decrease acid secretion and are a relatively safe treatment option.
- Proton pump inhibitors are drugs that block the three major pathways for acid production. PPIs suppress acid production much more effectively than H2 blockers. PPIs are the gold standard in medication therapy of peptic ulcer disease.
- Medications to protect and strengthen the mucous lining of the stomach
- Antibiotics to treat H. pylori if it is detected
The Best Otc Drugs For Ulcers
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, 10 out of every 100 Americans will suffer an ulcer in their lifetime 3. Many over-the-counter medications are available to relieve your pain and assist the healing process. Each medication has a separate function, though the drugs serve the same purpose: pain relief and acid digestion. You can choose from acid neutralizers, acid blockers and drugs that stop acid production altogether.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
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How Soon After Treatment Will I Feel Better
If you take all medicines as prescribed and avoid irritating the ulcer with NSAIDs, alcohol or smoking, your ulcer should heal well within a few weeks. Surgical cases may take a few weeks more. Your healthcare provider will follow up with you at the end of your course of medication to make sure the ulcer has healed and any infection has cleared. They will probably take follow-up tests, including an upper endoscopy to look at the site of the ulcer and tests for H. pylori, if you had it, to make sure the infection is gone.
Peptic Ulcer Disease Complications
The three major complications of peptic ulcer disease treatment are:
- Perforation/penetration, due to the ulcer burning through the stomach wall
- Gastric outlet obstruction, or pyloric stenosis, occurs when the pylorus narrows. The pylorus is the opening from the stomach into the small intestine.
There are a number of options available to treat these complications, including endoscopic therapy.
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Advice On Taking Nsaids
If your stomach ulcer has been caused by taking NSAIDs, your GP will want to review your use of them.
You may be advised to use an alternative painkiller not associated with stomach ulcers, such as paracetamol.
Sometimes an alternative type of NSAID that’s less likely to cause stomach ulcers, called a COX-2 inhibitor, may be recommended.
If you’re taking low-dose aspirin to reduce your risk of embolism , your GP will tell you whether you need to continue taking it.
If you do need to keep taking it, long-term treatment with a PPI or H2-receptor antagonist may be prescribed alongside the aspirin to try to prevent further ulcers.
It’s important to understand the potential risks associated with continued NSAID use.
You’re more likely to develop another stomach ulcer and could experience a serious complication, such as internal bleeding.
Page last reviewed: 14 January 2022 Next review due: 14 January 2025
What Are The Risks For People With Ulcers
Why do painkillers increase the risk of gastrointestinal problems? The same chemicals that amplify pain which some pain medicines block also help maintain the protective lining of the stomach and intestines. When a painkiller stops these chemicals from working, the digestive tract becomes more vulnerable to damage from gastric acids.
For people with ulcers, the risky pain relievers are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs. They include aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, and ketoprofen, the active ingredients in medicines such as Bufferin, Advil, and Aleve.
Other pain relievers may be less dangerous. Acetaminophen the active ingredient in Tylenol works differently and poses a much lower risk of GI problems. However, like any drug, it does have side effects of its own. You shouldnt take any over-the-counter painkiller for more than 10 days without your health care providers approval.
The risks from NSAIDs are quite serious. Studies show that people who use NSAIDs are about three times as likely to have gastrointestinal bleeding. Even at low doses, NSAIDs can make mild ulcers much worse.
Aspirin has additional risks. Aspirin can help prevent blood clotting, which is why it helps people at risk of heart attacks and strokes, says Cryer. But in people with ulcers, it can lead to more serious gastrointestinal bleeding.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Stomach And Duodenal Ulcers In A Child
Ulcers dont always cause symptoms.
The most common symptom is a gnawing or burning pain in the stomach. This is often felt between the breastbone and the belly button . Your child may feel the pain more between meals and in the early morning. It may last from a few minutes to a few hours.
Less common ulcer symptoms include:
-
Tiredness and weakness
The symptoms of ulcers may look like other health problems. Make sure your child sees his or her healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
How Is A Stomach Ulcer Treated
Treatment for stomach ulcers usually involves a combination of medications which reduce acid secretion, protect the mucosa, and kill H. pylori bacteria .
This allows ulcers to heal and reduces the chance of them will come back. All medications should be taken exactly as prescribed.
Examples of medications that may be considered to treat stomach ulcers include:
- Antibiotics to kill H. pylori
- H2 receptor blockers that reduce stomach acid production
- Proton pump inhibitors to block stomach acid production
- Protectants that coat the ulcer and protect it against acid and enzymes, enhancing healing
Rarely, surgery may be needed.
If NSAIDs have caused your stomach ulcer, your doctor may advise you to stop taking them, reduce their dosage, or switch to an alternative medicine. Follow his/her advice. Talk to your doctor before taking antacids as these may reduce the absorption of some other medications.
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What If A Peptic Ulcer Doesnt Heal
Most often, medicines heal a peptic ulcer. If an H. pylori infection caused your peptic ulcer, you should finish all of your antibiotics and take any other medicines your doctor prescribes. The infection and peptic ulcer will heal only if you take all medicines as your doctor prescribes.
When you have finished your medicines, your doctor may do another breath or stool test in 4 weeks or more to be sure the H. pylori infection is gone. Sometimes, H. pylori bacteria are still present, even after you have taken all the medicines correctly. If the infection is still present, your peptic ulcer could return or, rarely, stomach cancer could develop. Your doctor will prescribe different antibiotics to get rid of the infection and cure your peptic ulcer.
What Treatments Can Relieve Ulcer Pain
While over-the-counter medications can treat an upset stomach, they are generally not effective in treating ulcers. And taking over-the-counter painkillers could worsen the problem. That is why its better to see a doctor, who may combine several medications and therapies to relieve pain, cure the infection, and prevent it from worsening. Medications usually include:
Your doctor may also recommend making lifestyle modifications, including:
- Avoiding spicy and oily food
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Can Stomach Ulcers Just Go Away
Some ulcers follow a chronic pattern of healing temporarily on their own and then returning. This might happen if the factors contributing to your ulcer, such as NSAID use, smoking and alcohol, are temporarily reduced and then resumed. You wont completely heal your ulcer until you eliminate the cause, whether that is chronic NSAID use, H. pylori infection or an overactive stomach. Even after successful treatment, you can get another ulcer.
What Should I Do If I Think I Have A Stomach Ulcer
Always seek medical care for a stomach ulcer. While you may be able to manage symptoms temporarily with over-the-counter medications, these wont heal the ulcer. You need to identify and treat the underlying cause. An untreated ulcer can lead to serious complications, even if your symptoms are mild. The major cause of stomach ulcers, H. pylori infection, can also lead to other complications.
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How Do Ulcers Develop
NSAID usage isnt the only reason ulcers develop in the stomach or upper area of the small intestine. Another common culprit is a bacterial infection caused by Helicobacter pylori, or H. pylori. And although NSAIDs and H. pylori infection are independent risk factors, Staller said, they can work together to increase a persons chances of developing ulcers.
Dingells case appears to be more directly tied to taking ibuprofen, however. The saga, as she calls it, started months ago, when a bothersome dental implant led to a bone infection in her jaw. After she had jaw surgery in January, the lawmaker, who has been outspoken about the dangers of opioids and narcotics, instead opted to take Motrin for pain relief.
Soon, Dingell said, she was regularly downing 800 mg morning and night, which continued long after the initial surgery. By around March, Dingell said, her doctors started to raise concerns about how much ibuprofen she was taking.
The doctors warned me, she said. They told me that taking it for this long, they wanted to watch me closely, and I thought I was invincible.
Ibuprofen and other pain relievers such as naproxen, or Aleve, reduce your bodys ability to make a layer of mucus that protects the lining of your stomach from gastric acid, said Christian Stevoff, clinical practice director in the division of gastroenterology at Northwestern Universitys Feinberg School of Medicine.
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What Drinks Help Ulcers
For most medical conditions, the best drink is water. For an ulcer, other types of drinks, such as dairy and juice, can increase acid production in the stomach. Some drinks, such as orange juice, are acidic, so youre just pouring gas on the fire. Plain and simple, water not only doesnt irritate the stomach or increase stomach acid, but it can also dilute and weaken the acid in the stomach.
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Types Of Stomach Ulcers
Ulcers can develop in various parts of the GI tract, including the esophagus, stomach and duodenum. Contrary to popular belief, research shows that men develop duodenal ulcers more often than any other kind, including stomach ulcers. On the other hand, the opposite is true for women: They tend to develop more stomach ulcers and fewer ulcers of the duodenal.
Many doctors refer to stomach ulcers simply as peptic ulcers. A few other types of ulcers and names that ulcers sometimes go by include:
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Bismuth: Cures Cramping In The Stomach Due To Diarrhoea
- Brand name Kaopectate, Peptobismol
- Composition Bismuth subsalicylate
- Popularity level 7
- Bismuth is an antidiarrhoeal drug that acts by decreasing PG synthesis in the intestinal mucosa due to which chloride secretion and loss of water from the intestines deceases.
- Dosage It is taken as a suspension, 60 ml in every 6 hours.
- Price Kaopectate costs $14.00 per pill or unit.
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What Is This Medication
OMEPRAZOLE is used to treat heartburn, stomach ulcers, reflux disease, or other conditions that cause too much stomach acid. It works by reducing the amount of acid in the stomach. It belongs to a group of medications called PPIs.
This medicine may be used for other purposes ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.
COMMON BRAND NAME: Prilosec OTC
How Are Stomach And Duodenal Ulcers Diagnosed In A Child
Treatment will depend on your childs symptoms, age, and general health. It will also depend on how severe the condition is.
Your childs treatment will also depend on whats causing his or her ulcer. For instance, ulcers caused by H. pylori need different treatment from ulcers caused by using NSAIDs.
Your childs healthcare provider will ask about his or her health history. He or she will also give your child an exam. Your child may need more tests before his or her ulcer is diagnosed.
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What Is An Ulcer
Ulcers are open sores on the inner lining of the lower esophagus, stomach, or the upper portion of the small intestine. They are often painful, particularly after eating, and can bleed into the stomach or intestines.
Ulcers are identified by the location of the sore:
- Esophageal ulcers occur on the lower part of the esophagus, the muscular tube that connects the throat to the stomach.
- Gastric ulcers form in the stomach lining.
- Duodenal ulcers form in the lining of the small intestine near the stomach called the duodenum.
Esophageal, gastric, and duodenal ulcers are collectively called peptic ulcers or peptic ulcer disease . They are closely related both in causes and treatments. Compared to gastric and duodenal ulcers, esophageal ulcers may arise from different causes and require different treatments in some cases.
Peptic ulcers are due to an erosion of the defenses the stomach or intestinal tissues use to protect themselves against harmful stomach acid. When these defenses are compromised, the acid can eat away at the lining of the stomach or duodenum, causing sores.
Lifestyle factors, such as eating spicy foods or stress, are no longer considered risk factors for developing peptic or esophageal ulcers, but they may worsen ulcer symptoms.
Peptic ulcer disease is very common. Anywhere from 5% to 10% of the population will develop a peptic ulcer at some time during their lives. About 2% to 7% will experience an esophageal ulcer in their lifetime, mostly due to GERD.