Famotidine

Famotidine is an antacid that reduces the amount of acid your stomach makes. It is used in hospitalized patients to treat certain conditions in which the stomach produces too much acid.

It is also used to treat ulcers (sores in the lining of the stomach or intestine) that did not get cured with other medications. It must be administered as an injection by healthcare professionals. The course of the treatment should be completed as per the prescription. It is not recommended to take this medicine in severe stomach disease. You can help the medicine work better by eating smaller meals more often and avoiding spicy or oily foods.

Most people who take it do not have any side effects but the most common ones include headache, dizziness, drowsiness, diarrhea, and constipation. You may also experience mild and transient redness, pain, or swelling at the site of injection. If you do get a side effect, it is usually mild and will go away when you stop taking this medicine or as you adjust to it. Consult your doctor if any of these side effects bother you or do not go away.

Before taking it, you should tell your doctor if you have any kidney or liver diseases so that your doctor can prescribe a suitable dose for you. Also, tell your doctor if you are taking other medications. This medicine is usually considered safe to take during pregnancy and breastfeeding if a doctor has prescribed it. Avoid drinking alcohol as this can increase the amount of acid in your stomach, and make your symptoms worse.

• Treatment of Gastroesophageal reflux disease (Acid reflux)
• Treatment of Peptic ulcer disease
• Treatment of Heartburn

Treatment of Gastroesophageal reflux disease (Acid reflux)
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic condition which is like having heartburn consistently rather than just occasionally. It happens because a muscle above your stomach relaxes too much and allows stomach contents to come back up into your esophagus and mouth. Famotidine reduces the amount of acid your stomach makes and relieves the pain associated with heartburn and acid reflux. You should take it exactly as it is prescribed for it to be effective.

Some simple lifestyle changes can help stop or reduce heartburn. Think about what foods trigger heartburn and try to avoid them; eat smaller, more frequent meals; try to lose weight if you are overweight and try to find ways to relax. Do not eat within 3 to 4 hours of going to bed.

Treatment of Peptic ulcer disease
Stomach ulcers are usually caused by using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or by bacteria called Helicobacter pylori. They both break down the stomach’s defence against the acid it produces to digest food. This damages the stomach and allows an ulcer to form. Famotidine may be used to treat these ulcers. It reduces the amount of acid your stomach makes which prevents further damage to the ulcer as it heals naturally. You may be given other medicines depending on what caused the ulcer. You need to keep taking the medicine as it is prescribed for it to be effective, even if the symptoms seem to disappear. It may also be prescribed to prevent stomach ulcers from forming by reducing the amount of acid.

Treatment of Heartburn
Heartburn is a burning feeling in your chest caused by stomach acids traveling back up towards your throat and mouth (acid reflux). It happens because a muscle above your stomach relaxes too much and allows stomach contents and acid to come back up into your esophagus and mouth. This can be a symptom of indigestion (dyspepsia). Famotidine belongs to a group of medicines called histamine 2 antagonists. It works by reducing the amount of acid your stomach makes and relieves the pain associated with heartburn and indigestion.

You should take it exactly as it is prescribed or as it says on the label for it to be effective. Some simple lifestyle changes can help stop or reduce heartburn. Think about what foods trigger heartburn and try to avoid them; eat smaller more frequent meals; try to lose weight if you are overweight and try to find ways to relax. Do not eat within 3–4 hours of going to bed.

Most side effects do not require any medical attention and disappear as your body adjusts to the medicine. Consult your doctor if they persist or if you’re worried about them

Common side effects of Femidin

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Drowsiness

Your doctor or nurse will give you this medicine. Kindly do not self administer.

Famotidine is a histamine H2 receptor antagonist. It works by reducing the acid produced in the stomach. This helps to relieve acid-related indigestion and heartburn.

• It is given as an injection into the veins under the supervision of the doctor.

• Famotidine is a well tolerated and safe medicine with a very low incidence of side effects.

• If you are also taking other medications to treat acidity (e.g., antacid), take them 2 hours before or after taking Famotidine.

• Avoid taking soft drinks, citrus fruits like orange and lemon, which can irritate the stomach and increase acid secretion.

• Inform your doctor if you do not feel better after taking Famotidine for 2 weeks as you may be suffering from some other problems.

• Inform your doctor if you have ever been diagnosed with kidney disease as dose of your medicine may need to be adjusted.

• Do not stop taking the medication without talking to your doctor.

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Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed) [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); 2006. Famotidine. [Updated 2018 Oct 31]. [Accessed 20 Feb. 2020] (online) Available from:

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