Acid Reflux Medication Side Effects

by Todd Eisner

Do acid reflux medications have any side effects?

Proton pump inhibitors generally have very few side effects. The most common are headache and diarrhea which occur in about 5 percent of patients. Other rare side effects are abdominal pain, constipation, itching, dizziness, swollen ankles, muscle and joint pains, blurred vision, rash and dry mouth. H2 blockers are very safe as well. Most common side effects include headache, dizziness, diarrhea and muscle pains. Rarer and more severe side effects include severe skin rash, severe itching, unexplained fever, enlarged or painful breasts, hallucinations, confusion and impotence. Additionally, with both H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors, as stomach acid helps kill bacteria in the stomach, by inhibiting acid, use can lead to a growth of bacteria in the stomach.