Pepcid AC

Pepcid-AC is an over the counter medication used to treat heartburn due to acid indigestion in adults and children 12 years and older. Pepcid-AC belongs to a group of drugs called H2 blockers. These work by decreasing the amount of acid made by the stomach.

This medication comes in tablet form and is taken 15 to 60 minutes before eating food or drinking beverages that cause heartburn.

Common side effects of Pepcid-Ac include headache dizziness and constipation.

Famotidine is a prescription medication used to treat digestive ulcers, reflux disease (GERD), and other diseases that causes the stomach to make too much acid such as Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome and gland tumors.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Take famotidine exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

Most ulcers will heal within 4-8 weeks and famotidine treatment can be stopped. For patients with severe cases this may be extended up to 12 weeks.

In some cases a maintenance dose of 20 mg once a day at bedtime may be prescribed to prevent ulcers from coming back.

Reduced dosages may be required in younger patients or in those with moderate to severe kidney disease.

For active peptic or gastric ulcers (ulcers in the small intestine or stomach):

• A typical starting dose is 40 mg once a day at bedtime.
• This can be split into 20 mg twice a day.
• Maintenance therapy of healed ulcers is typically 20 mg once daily at bedtime.

For reflux disease (GERD):

• A typical starting dose is 20 mg twice a day for up to 6 weeks.
• This may be increased to a maximum of 40 mg twice a day for up to 12 weeks depending on the severity of the condition.

For hypersecretory (extremely high amount of excretion) diseases such as Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome:

• Typical starting dose is 20 mg every 6 hours.
• Dosing may vary according to the individual. Doses of up to 160 mg every 6 hours have been given to some patients with severe Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome.

Famotidine can cause dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how this medication will affect you.

Famotidine liquid for injection has the preservative benzyl alcohol which can cause serious reactions in newborn children. This should not be used in newborns or in pregnant women unless in a single-dose vial.

Do not take famotidine if you:

• are allergic to any component of famotidine products
• have a history of allergy to other H2-receptor blockers, such as cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), and nizatidine (Axid)

Common side effects of famotidine include:

• headache
• dizziness
• constipation
• diarrhea

This is not a complete list of famotidine side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

No specific drug interactions with famotidine have been identified.

This is not a complete list of famotidine interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Famotidine falls into category B. Studies in animals have failed to demonstrate a risk to the unborn baby and there are no well-controlled studies in pregnant women.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

You should not take famotidine if you are breastfeeding. It may be excreted in your breast milk and may harm your nursing child.

The famotidine suspension form should be shaken well before each use and unused liquid should be thrown away after 30 days.

Famotidine can cause dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how this medication will affect you.

Most patients will see improvements within 4 to 8 weeks and so the medication may be stopped at that time.