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Side Effects From Ulcer And Heartburn Medication?

Posting Date: 09/27/1999

Q: I have had stomach trouble since college. I injured my knee playing basketball and took a lot of ibuprofen. This led to an ulcer. Now I'm bothered with chronic heartburn. Doctors have prescribed medicines including Zantac, Prilosec and Prevacid. When I lost my insurance, I couldn't afford expensive drugs and now take quite a bit of Tagamet HB. I hope you can send me some information on side effects and interactions of this drug because I may be on it for a long time. A: Medications such as Prevacid, Prilosec, Tagamet and Zantac reduce the secretion of stomach acid. With less acid in the stomach, ulcers heal more quickly and heartburn is less distressing. Tagamet (cimetidine) may interact with many other drugs including alcohol, caffeine, certain asthma medicines, anti-anxiety agents and blood pressure pills. Headaches, confusion and sexual difficulties are possible side effects. Regular use of high doses of cimetidine or other acid-suppressing drugs may reduce vitamin B12 absorption. This may lead to neurological symptoms such as burning tongue, tingling or numbness of hands or feet and poor memory. Please check out our Guide to Digestive Disorders for more details on drugs such as Prilosec, Prevacid and Tagamet and home remedies for heartburn.