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Side Effects of Sucralfate

Sucralfate is a prescription medication. It is used for the treatment and prevention of intestinal ulcers. This medicine operates by coating on top of the intestinal ulcers, which thus defends them from experiencing any further damage. This, as a result, enables ulcers to heal more rapidly. There are several possible side effects that could happen from taking Sucralfate.

  1. Common Side Effects

    • There are several common and usually minor side effects of this ulcer medication. These side effects are generally not considered to be cause for alarm, due to the fact that they usually go away as the body gets used to the medicine. If you happen to have these side effects, and they are long-lasting or getting worse with time, you need to see your doctor regarding the matter. These common side effects are whirling sensations, dizziness and constipation.

    Serious Side Effects

    • The most serious side effects of Sucralfate are those of allergic reactions. Allergic reactions to this medication can have some potentially harmful consequences, so if you think that you are experiencing one, you need to get emergency medical attention. Some symptoms of allergic reaction include the chest feeling very tight, rash on the skin, itchiness, breaking out into hives, trouble with breathing and swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue or face.

    Minor Side Effects

    • There are a few other minor side effects that sometimes happen due to Sucralfate use. These minor side effects are backache, stomachache, nausea, throwing up, indigestion, sleeplessness, drowsiness and headache. If you have any of these side effects and if they are causing you great discomfort, or if they are not going away, you need to speak with your physician regarding the situation.

    Caution

    • Before starting use of Sucralfate, it is crucial that you inform your doctor of your entire medical history, especially regarding intestinal or stomach problems, kidney issues, tube feeding and any problems or difficulty with swallowing. It is also important to make sure that your doctor is fully aware of any allergies (to foods, medicines or substances) that you might have.

    Elderly Individuals

    • Kidney functioning slows down with age. One of the ingredients inside of this medication is aluminum. As a result of both of these facts, elderly people have a much greater risk of experiencing raised aluminum levels when taking this medication. This is particularly true when Sulcrafate is being taken alongside another medicine that consists of aluminum (like antacids).

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