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Famotidine Alternatives
If you experience unwanted side effects while taking famotidine, or if your condition is not being helped by the medicine, you may need to try an alternative to famotidine. Common alternatives include dietary changes, other medications, and (in extreme cases) surgery. Some examples of medications that are often used as famotidine alternatives include other H2 blockers (such as cimetidine), antacids and foaming agents (such as Maalox or Alka-Seltzer), and proton pump inhibitors (such as omeprazole).
Famotidine (Pepcid®, Pepcid AC®, Pepcid Complete®) is a medication used for treating several conditions related to the esophagus, stomach, and intestines. Some of these conditions include ulcers, GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), heartburn, and other similar conditions. Although famotidine can be effective at treating these conditions, it is possible that the medicine may not work for some people or that it may cause bothersome side effects. Fortunately, several substitutes for famotidine are available. Some of these famotidine alternatives include:
- Dietary or other lifestyle changes
- Other medications
- Surgery.
The following sections explain in more detail the available alternatives to famotidine.
Dietary Changes
Especially for mild heartburn or GERD, changes in diet may help to relieve symptoms. While dietary changes may help with less serious conditions, diet alone is usually not enough for more serious conditions (see GERD Diet).
(You can also learn about other lifestyle changes by clicking GERD Treatment.)
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD