My feedback on using sucralfate

[KenG]

Hi all,

Quick recap. I've had MC for about 4 years. I've had major heartburn for many years and was on Nexium and Omeprazole. Both of these are proton pump inhibitors and are very powerful. Combined with liberal use of NSAIDs and perhaps Lipitor, I damaged my own gut. I'm a male, age 63, in otherwise good health.

After stopping milk and adding a daily allergy pill (antihistamine), I was doing pretty good. My main symptom was gut pain every morning and typically lots of visits to the bathroom. My gut pain was greatly reduced by the antihistamine.

Recently, my acid indigestion has come back with a vengeance and my doctor has me now taking 40 mg of Famotidine twice a day. That wasn't working all that well so she has added sucralfate. Before sucralfate, I was taking tums 4-6 times a day when I had breakthrough heartburn.

From Wikipedia on Sucralfate "Sucralfate is a medication primarily taken to treat active duodenal ulcers. Sucralfate is also used for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and stress ulcers.
Sucralfate is a sucrose sulfate-aluminium complex that binds to the ulcer, creating a physical barrier that protects the gastrointestinal tract from stomach acid and prevents the degradation of mucus. It also promotes bicarbonate production and acts like an acid buffer with cytoprotective properties."

Just to be clear, I don't have an ulcer but this medication is very helpful. In terms of its affect on MC, it has reduced my gut pain to zero and it would seem that the protective coating works a bit in the large intestine where MC lives. I've been on this medication for about 3 weeks and I like its affect on my gut.

I'm not sure if I will continue this medication, and its a bit of a bother as you must take it 2 hours after your last meal or wait at least 30 minutes after taking it before eating. There doesn't seem to be a long term problem with taking sucralfate which is why I wrote this note. This medication has been around a while and seems like a possible fit for others with MC.

I'd be interested to know if others have used sucralfate and how their MC reacted to this medication.

Best regards,

Ken

[SunnyD]

That’s very good information, Ken. Thank you.
Deb