What Are The Common Side Effects Of Ulcer Medication
All medications may produce side effects, and side effects will vary depending on the type of medication. This is not a complete list of possible side effects, so consult with a healthcare professional about any concerns or questions you may have regarding your specific situation.
Proton pump inhibitors and H2 blockers are relatively safe medications available in prescription and over-the-counter formulations. The most commonly experienced side effects are digestive system problems such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. H2 blockers can also affect the central nervous system, so headaches, drowsiness, and dizziness are often experienced.
Proton pump inhibitors can reduce the absorption of calcium in the body, which can lead to an increased risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures. Patients will often be prescribed or recommended calcium supplements to take along with proton pump inhibitors. Other serious side effects of proton pump inhibitors may include kidney disease, vitamin B12 deficiency, and diarrhea caused by Clostridium difficile infection.
The most serious side effects of H2 blockers are related to their effects on the central nervous system. These side effects may include delirium, hallucinations, extreme drowsiness, and slurred speech.
Risk Factors For Peptic Ulcers
Not everyone who regularly takes NSAIDs will also need to take medication to protect their stomach. This will mainly depend on your personal risk of developing a peptic ulcer. Peptic ulcers are more likely to develop in people who
- are over the age of 65,
- have had a peptic ulcer in the past,
- take several different painkillers at once for instance, including acetylsalicylic acid for the prevention of complications following a heart attack or stroke,
- take steroids too,
- take a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor antidepressant as well as a painkiller.
Younger people who don’t have any risk factors aren’t likely to get peptic ulcers. So they hardly benefit from taking medication to prevent peptic ulcers.
How Can I Prevent Ulcers
You may be able to prevent ulcers from forming if you:
- Talk to your doctor about alternatives to NSAID medications to relieve pain.
- Discuss protective measures with your doctor, if you cant stop taking an NSAID.
- Opt for the lowest effective dose of NSAID and take it with a meal.
- Quit smoking.
- Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all.
Read Also: Does Ulcer Pain Come And Go
How Do Doctors Treat An Nsaid
If NSAIDs are causing your peptic ulcer and you dont have an H. pylori infection, your doctor may tell you to
- stop taking the NSAID
- reduce how much of the NSAID you take
- switch to another medicine that wont cause a peptic ulcer
Your doctor may also prescribe medicines to reduce stomach acid and coat and protect your peptic ulcer. Proton pump inhibitors , histamine receptor blockers, and protectants can help relieve pain and help your ulcer heal.
Foods To Limit When You Have Acid Reflux And An Ulcer
Some people who have an ulcer also have acid reflux. In some people, certain foods can relax the lower part of the esophagus, known as the lower esophageal sphincter or LES. A relaxed LES makes it easier for acid to back up into the esophagus and cause heartburn, indigestion, and pain.
Foods that may make acid reflux worse include:
- coffee
Also Check: Herbal Medicine For Ulcerative Colitis
Safe Home Remedies For A Stomach Ulcer Pain Relief
Currently, there are many people experiencing a stomach ulcer at some points in their lives. Stomach ulcers are the open sores within the lining of the stomach. This condition happens due to the presence of acid in the stomach. The damage may occur and cause pain to the patients.
If you are suffering from this common digestive issue, you should not skip this article since we will uncover top effective home remedies for a stomach ulcer pain. Read on below!
Knowing If You Have An Ulcer
Burning stomach pain, burping, bloating and heartburn are among the common signs of an ulcer, Abdi said. But Borum noted that its not unusual for people with ulcers to be asymptomatic until they develop a complication, such as bleeding or perforating, as in Dingells case. About 2 to 10 percent of ulcer patients will experience a perforated ulcer, which often manifests as acute, severe and diffuse abdominal pain, Borum said.
Because of the overlap between symptoms of various gastrointestinal problems, Borum urged people to pay attention to their bodies. If your symptoms are recurring, persistent and increasing in severity, you should definitely seek medical attention, she said.
You May Like: Symptoms Of Ulcer In Female
Other Options For Pain Relief
Painkillers aren’t the only answer for many of life’s aches and pains. Many effective and safe alternatives don’t have any side effects at all.
- Ice packs, for acute injuries such as a sprained ankle, can keep down swelling and ease pain.
- Heat with a hot towel or heating pad can be helpful for treating chronic overuse injuries.
- Physical activity can help reduce some kinds of discomfort, such as arthritis pain.
- Relaxation with techniques such as yoga or meditation — may reduce pain. Biofeedback may help as well. These approaches are best for pain that’s amplified by stress, such as tension headaches.
- Nontraditional techniques with low risks — such as acupuncture — benefit some people.
So remember: Pain relief doesn’t only come from a pill bottle.
Tell Your Doctor About Gi Symptoms That Dont Go Away
Your doctor may want to switch or discontinue the medication, or try to manage the symptoms with medications such as proton pump inhibitors or misoprostal. These are sometimes prescribed with an NSAID when you start taking it to reduce your risk of ulcers and other serious GI complications such as bleeding.
Following her surgery, doctors told Boyd she should have been instructed to take a PPI while on NSAIDs for so many years to protect her stomach.
If you were to tell your doctor that you were experiencing GI symptoms, your doctor might also want to you see a gastroenterologist to screen for conditions such as ulcers, gastritis, and Barretts esophagus, Dr. Hana says.
Don’t Miss: Align Probiotic For Ulcerative Colitis
You Have Heartburn At Most Meals
If you find yourself experiencing frequent heartburn, regardless of what you eat, an ulcer may be responsible. Many patients with ulcers describe feeling very intense chest pain, which often causes them to burp or hiccup more than usual after eating. In many cases, a simple over-the-counter antacid can be taken to temporarily alleviate some of the pain and gassiness, but if it persists day after day, its likely something more than a regular case of heartburn.
What If A Peptic Ulcer Doesn’t 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.
Don’t Miss: How To Calm Down An Ulcer
What Causes Stomach Ulcers
The two most common causes are:
- H. pylori infection. This common bacterial infection affects up to half of people worldwide. It primarily lives in the stomach. In many people, it doesnt seem to cause problems. Their gut immune systems keep it in check. But a portion of those infected have H. pylori overgrowth. The bacteria continue to multiply, eating into the stomach lining and causing chronic inflammation and peptic ulcer disease. H. pylori infection is associated with about 60% of duodenal ulcers and 40% of gastric ulcers.
- Overuse of NSAIDs. NSAID stands for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.” These include common over-the-counter pain relief medications such as ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin. NSAIDs contribute to ulcers in several ways. They irritate the stomach lining on contact and repress some of the chemicals that defend and repair the mucous lining. Up to 30% of people who take NSAIDs regularly develop peptic ulcers. Up to 50% of all peptic ulcers are caused by the overuse of NSAIDs.
Less common causes of stomach ulcers include:
- Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome. This is a rare condition that causes your stomach to produce too much gastric acid.
- Severe physiological stress. Severe illness, burns or injuries can produce stress ulcers in the stomach. Physiological stress changes your bodys PH balance, increasing stomach acid. Stress ulcers develop very quickly in response to stress, unlike normal stomach ulcers that develop gradually.
Proton Pump Inhibitors Lower The Risk Of Peptic Ulcers
The proton pump inhibitors used in the studies were lansoprazole , omeprazole and pantoprazole . The studies lasted up to six months. They showed that, compared to a placebo, all of these proton pump inhibitors clearly lowered the risk of getting peptic ulcers:
- Without a proton pump inhibitor, 36 out of 100 people developed an ulcer.
- With a proton pump inhibitor, 14 out of 100 people developed a peptic ulcer.
In other words: Proton pump inhibitors prevented the development of NSAID-related peptic ulcers in 22 out of 100 people.
Proton pump inhibitors may cause headaches, diarrhea, constipation and stomach pain. Only a few people in the studies stopped their treatment early due to side effects.
But it’s not clear whether the long-term use of proton pump inhibitors is safe. It has been observed that hip fractures, spinal fractures and wrist fractures are more common in people over the age of 50 who have taken PPIs in a high dose or for longer than a year.
It is also thought that the long-term use of PPIs might increase the risk of intestinal infections and pulmonary infections or nephritis .
Read Also: Ulcerative Colitis And Lactose Intolerance
Precautions About Aspirin Acetaminophen And Ibuprofen In Other Medicines
Some opioids also contain aspirin or acetaminophen in the same pill. A few also contain ibuprofen. It can be dangerous if you take these drugs without being aware of this.
- If one of your doctors tells you not to take aspirin or ibuprofen, or if you cant take NSAIDs for some reason, be sure to check your medicine labels carefully.
- If one of your prescription medicines has acetaminophen in it, and you also take over-the-counter acetaminophen for pain, you can get too much without knowing it. Too much acetaminophen can damage your liver.
- If youre not sure if a medicine contains aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen, ask a pharmacist.
- If you take any non-prescription medicine for a cold, sinus pain, or menstrual symptoms while youre taking pain medicines, read the label carefully. Most of these drugs are combination products that contain aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen. Check with a pharmacist to find out what you can safely take with your pain medicines.
Serious Side Effects Associated With Nsaids
The concern on both counts revolves around the quite serious side effects the medicines can cause, and the risks they pose especially if overused at higher doses for long periods. Two recent reports from Consumer Reports discuss the issue and offer detailed recommendations. One is the cover story in the June 2016 issue of Consumer Reports magazine. The second is an from Consumer Rehttp://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2013/07/treating-pain-with-nsaid-medications/index.htmports Best Buy Drugs, available online.
Theres little doubt that NSAIDs are overused for the everyday aches and pains that come with advancing years, says Marvin M. Lipman, MD, chief medical adviser at Consumer Reports. Long-term use of any pain killer requires close medical supervision.
Heres the most salient advice distilled from both articles, which draw on the latest research:
- All the NSAIDs there are about 20, with some available only by prescription can cause serious side effects. These include stomach ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding, kidney failure, heart attacks and strokes. Aspirin is the exception. It can cause GI bleeding and stomach ulcers but not heart attacks and strokes. Indeed, at low doses, aspirin can help prevent heart attacks and strokes, which are caused by blood clots that aspirin can counter.
Also Check: How To Reduce Stomach Ulcer
What Are The Possible Complications Of Peptic Ulcer Disease
An ulcer left untreated may cause serious complications, including:
- Internal bleeding: While most people with ulcers wont have bleeding, this is the most common complication that can occur. A slow bleeding ulcer can cause anemia or even severe blood loss.
- Perforation: An ulcer that is continuously eroded by acid can eventually become a hole in the stomach or intestinal wall. This is intensely painful and also dangerous. It allows bacteria from the digestive tract to enter the abdominal cavity, which can lead to an infection of the abdominal cavity called peritonitis. From there, the infection is at risk of spreading to the rest of the body . This can lead to a life-threatening condition called .
- Obstruction: An ulcer in the pyloric channel, the narrow passageway that leads from the stomach into the duodenum, can become an obstruction that blocks the flow of food into the small intestine. This can happen after the ulcer has healed. Ulcers that have gone through a healing process may build up scar tissue that enlarges them. An ulcer that is big enough to obstruct the small intestine can stall the digestive process, with numerous side effects.
- Stomach cancer: Some gastric ulcers can become malignant over time. This is more likely when your ulcer is caused by H. pylori infection. H. pylori is a contributing cause of gastric cancer, though fortunately this is uncommon.
What About Complicated Ulcers
While most ulcers are successfully treated with medication, some complicated ulcers may require surgery. Ulcers that are bleeding, or that have perforated your stomach or intestinal wall, will need to be surgically repaired. An ulcer that is malignant, or obstructing a passageway, will need to be surgically removed. In severe cases, an ulcer that keeps coming back may be treated by surgery to cut off some of the nerve supply to the stomach that produces stomach acid.
You May Like: Ulcerative Colitis And Back Pain
When Should I Stop The Drug And Get Immediate Medical Attention
You should cease taking NSAIDs if:
- Signs of allergy occur, such as rapid breathing, gasping, wheezing, hives, skin rashes, puffy eyelids, and/or rapid heart beat.
- You develop:
- vision abnormalities.
- dizziness, depression or confusion.
- yellowing of the eyes that could indicate liver injury .
Symptoms Of Stomach Ulcer
Perhaps the most common symptom of this condition is a burning sensation or pain in the area between the chest and the belly button. Depending on the severity of the ulcer, the pain may last for a few minutes to several hours.
Other symptoms of stomach ulcers include:
- Poor appetite
- Vomiting red or black blood
You May Like: Imodium Ulcerative Colitis Toxic Megacolon
The Risk Of Stomach Bleeding Associated With Nsaids Is Increased In Certain People Including Those
WITH A HISTORY OF STOMACH BLEEDING OR STOMACH ULCERS
OVER THE AGE OF 60
TAKING A BLOOD THINNING OR STEROID DRUG
WHO HAVE 3 OR MORE ALCOHOLIC DRINKS EVERY DAY WHILST USING AN NSAID
TAKING OTHER DRUGS CONTAINING PRESCRIPTION OR NONPRESCRIPTION NSAIDS
TAKING MORE THAN THE RECOMMENDED DOSE OF AN NSAID OR FOR A LONGER TIME THAN DIRECTED
Home Remedies For Peptic Ulcer Honey
Raw honey is very helpful in treating peptic ulcers. Plus, honey reduces and soothes the inflammation of the stomach lining. For best results, you can take raw honey daily in the morning on your empty stomach. It will help treat and prevent stomach ulcers, cleanse the bowel and boost the stomach lining. There are a lot of other natural home remedies for peptic ulcer presented in this article, so keep reading it to learn more!
Also Check: What Are The First Signs Of A Stomach Ulcer
How Are Ulcers Treated
Three kinds of medicines can be used to treat ulcers. All of them do a good job of healing ulcers. Your doctor can tell you which one is right for you. You should take the medicine just as your doctor tells you to.
The first kind of medicine reduces the amount of acid your stomach makes. This medicine can heal an ulcer in the duodenum in six to eight weeks. Ulcers in the stomach take a little longer to heal. You take these medicines for eight to 12 weeks if you have a stomach ulcer.
A second kind of medicine blocks the stomach’s ability to make acid. This medicine helps heal an ulcer in the duodenum in four weeks. It helps heal stomach ulcers in six to eight weeks.
A third kind of medicine coats the ulcer. It protects the sore place from stomach acid, so it can heal. This kind of medicine takes eight to 12 weeks to heal an ulcer.
Medication To Prevent Ulcers
Various medications can lower the risk of getting a peptic ulcer. These include, in particular, drugs called proton pump inhibitors and H2 blockers. Both of these types of drugs reduce the production of stomach acid. In Germany, the most commonly used PPIs are omeprazole and pantoprazole. The H2 blocker that is normally used is ranitidine.
The hormone-like drug misoprostol is sometimes used too, although less often. One of the things misoprostol does is increase the production of gastric mucus, which helps protect the stomach wall. In Germany, misoprostol is available as a combination drug together with the painkiller diclofenac.
Don’t Miss: Foam Dressing For Pressure Ulcer