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How Long Can I Stay on Famotidine?

Posted by diane @dks, Jul 23 6:15pm

Through an endoscopy & colonoscopy, the pathology lab diagnosed that I have chronic gastritis in Feb 2025. I went back to my gastro for an appointment to ask questions. He told me I have nothing to worry about b/c he didn't see anything in my stomach area that looked like evidence of chronic gastritis, which concerned me even more. I changed my diet (which was fairly "clean" to begin with) and stayed on that regimen for a year.

A few months ago, I fell off the wagon and began eating more spicy foods (which I've always loved), wheat (I'd been G/F for 10 years, and more sweets. I shouldn't have done that. Two weeks ago, I started experiencing indigestion. I immediately changed to a bland diet and hoped for the best but it didn't go away.

I began taking Pepcid (not the AC one) and I noticed a big difference the following day, so I stayed on that twice a day for a week, at which time I tried weaning myself off with only one Pepcid per day.

I'm not still having the daily indigestion I had but feel little twinges of it every once in a while, so I don't think I'm ready to stop the Pepcid completely. The bottle says to only stay on it for up to two weeks.
I've talked to others who say they've been on it for up to 5 years with no problems.

My questions are:
1, Has anyone here taken Pepcid longer than two weeks at a time?
2. Timeframe for healing from a gastritis flare? Two weeks? A month?
3. Should I maybe ask for another endoscopy to be done by a new gastro to confirm the 2024 pathology report?

Thanks for any help anyone can give.

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caroljeand | @caroljeand | Jul 24 7:28am

My pharmacist neighbor takes it twice a day to prevent stomach issues. I know people who take it on an ongoing basis.
The PPIs are not recommended to be on long term but there are people who use them long term anyway.

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standinginfaith | @standinginfaith | Jul 24 8:40am

My gastro has me on 40 mgs twice a day and my allergist and nephrologist agree with it..I've been on it at 20 mg for years (I'm 72) but recently upped because I had to get off pantoprazole because the nephrologist says NO to that ..(in 3rd stage renal failure .. it keeps my gastritis down ok..I never eat spicy foods.. but some sweets..wishing you better health!!

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diane | @dks | Jul 24 4:06pm

Thank you so much for sharing your journey. I hope it continues to work well for you!

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diane | @dks | Jul 25 12:00am
In reply to @caroljeand "My pharmacist neighbor takes it twice a day to prevent stomach issues. I know people who..." + (show)
Profile picture for caroljeand @caroljeand

My pharmacist neighbor takes it twice a day to prevent stomach issues. I know people who take it on an ongoing basis.
The PPIs are not recommended to be on long term but there are people who use them long term anyway.

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@caroljeand Thank you for your answer!

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mitch4444 | @mitch4444 | Jul 26 8:53am

I was on PPI’s , Pantaprozole and Dexilant. They do not agree with me. I think they shut down to much of your acid. I also have chronic gastritis probably because I have OCD, anxiety and depression. I now take 20 mgs. of Famotidine (pepsid) which is less aggressive to help with the acid. My weakness is I love coffee which is not helping. I’ve been on pepsid for 2 months now and will continue. I don’t think there is any harm.

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diane | @dks | Jul 26 9:58am
In reply to @mitch4444 "I was on PPI’s , Pantaprozole and Dexilant. They do not agree with me. I think..." + (show)
Profile picture for mitch4444 @mitch4444

I was on PPI’s , Pantaprozole and Dexilant. They do not agree with me. I think they shut down to much of your acid. I also have chronic gastritis probably because I have OCD, anxiety and depression. I now take 20 mgs. of Famotidine (pepsid) which is less aggressive to help with the acid. My weakness is I love coffee which is not helping. I’ve been on pepsid for 2 months now and will continue. I don’t think there is any harm.

Jump to this post

@mitch4444 Thank you for sharing. I've stopped the Pepcid for now and so far, so good. I'm hoping I'll only need it occasionally & first short-term.

Best to you with the continued use. I hope this med will work better fir you.

My concern with the Pepcid was it might shut down too much acid & cause me other digestive issues down the line, which could be bad.

Thanks again!

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mark1952 | @mark1952 | Jul 26 10:44pm
In reply to @dks "@mitch4444 Thank you for sharing. I've stopped the Pepcid for now and so far, so good...." + (show)
Profile picture for diane @dks

@mitch4444 Thank you for sharing. I've stopped the Pepcid for now and so far, so good. I'm hoping I'll only need it occasionally & first short-term.

Best to you with the continued use. I hope this med will work better fir you.

My concern with the Pepcid was it might shut down too much acid & cause me other digestive issues down the line, which could be bad.

Thanks again!

Jump to this post

@dks @mitch4444 @caroljeand
Hello,
I am a 74 yo male. About six years ago, I was diagnosed via endoscopy with moderate gastritis. (I also have IBS-C. These conditions often accompany each other.) I was on Omeprazole for a year and then my gastroenterologist switched me to 40 mg Pantoprazole once a day. I have been on it ever since. With difficulty, I am trying to cut back to 20 mg a day. The Pantoprazole is inhibiting my stomach's ability to absorb iron. I have low RBC's, hemoglobin, hematocrit. I try to space my Pantoprazole a few hours from when I take my vitamins (B12, zinc, magnesium, D, etc) I suppose I will now need an oral or IV iron supplement. If it is not one thing it is another. Best Wishes to you folks!

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diane | @dks | Jul 26 11:31pm
In reply to @mark1952 "@dks @mitch4444 @caroljeand Hello, I am a 74 yo male. About six years ago, I was..." + (show)
Profile picture for mark1952 @mark1952

@dks @mitch4444 @caroljeand
Hello,
I am a 74 yo male. About six years ago, I was diagnosed via endoscopy with moderate gastritis. (I also have IBS-C. These conditions often accompany each other.) I was on Omeprazole for a year and then my gastroenterologist switched me to 40 mg Pantoprazole once a day. I have been on it ever since. With difficulty, I am trying to cut back to 20 mg a day. The Pantoprazole is inhibiting my stomach's ability to absorb iron. I have low RBC's, hemoglobin, hematocrit. I try to space my Pantoprazole a few hours from when I take my vitamins (B12, zinc, magnesium, D, etc) I suppose I will now need an oral or IV iron supplement. If it is not one thing it is another. Best Wishes to you folks!

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@mark1952 I'm so sorry to hear you're having trouble cutting back to 20mg. I also have the same colon problem. And yes, you are correct that it seems we just exchange one thing for another!

I hope you'll be able to cut down to 20mg without adding an oral or IV addition of an iron supplement. Fingers crossed!

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ZeeGee | @fourof5zs | Jul 27 1:57pm
In reply to @mitch4444 "I was on PPI’s , Pantaprozole and Dexilant. They do not agree with me. I think..." + (show)
Profile picture for mitch4444 @mitch4444

I was on PPI’s , Pantaprozole and Dexilant. They do not agree with me. I think they shut down to much of your acid. I also have chronic gastritis probably because I have OCD, anxiety and depression. I now take 20 mgs. of Famotidine (pepsid) which is less aggressive to help with the acid. My weakness is I love coffee which is not helping. I’ve been on pepsid for 2 months now and will continue. I don’t think there is any harm.

Jump to this post

@mitch4444

I stopped PPIs too. My body said NO after about 30 years of taking them. I just take the store brand version of Pepcid AC when I need to. When my stomach feels irritated I use liquid Maalox .. store brand .. at bedtime. If bad I use in daytime too.

I like coffee too. I drink a Dark Roast coffee. It has less caffeine and acid. Community Coffee is what I drink. Not the best .. not the worst. Folgers seems to have dropped their Dark Roast except in K- cups.

I don’t drink as much coffee as I used to. Everything is expensive!

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2 replies
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mitch4444 | @mitch4444 | Jul 27 2:38pm
In reply to @fourof5zs "@mitch4444 I stopped PPIs too. My body said NO after about 30 years of taking them...." + (show)
Profile picture for ZeeGee @fourof5zs

@mitch4444

I stopped PPIs too. My body said NO after about 30 years of taking them. I just take the store brand version of Pepcid AC when I need to. When my stomach feels irritated I use liquid Maalox .. store brand .. at bedtime. If bad I use in daytime too.

I like coffee too. I drink a Dark Roast coffee. It has less caffeine and acid. Community Coffee is what I drink. Not the best .. not the worst. Folgers seems to have dropped their Dark Roast except in K- cups.

I don’t drink as much coffee as I used to. Everything is expensive!

Jump to this post

@fourof5zs
I think I will try a dark roast coffee. I use McDonalds
K cups. If I have one the acid isn’t bad but if I push it to two my stomach lets me know🥲

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