Famotidine: What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider?
You should talk with your healthcare provider prior to taking
famotidine (
Pepcid®) if you have:
- Kidney problems, such as kidney failure (renal failure)
- Any allergies, including allergies to foods, dyes, or preservatives.
Also let your healthcare provider know if you:
- Are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant
- Are breastfeeding.
You should also be sure to tell your healthcare provider about all of the medicines you are taking, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Specific Precautions and Warnings With Famotidine
Following are some warnings and precautions to be aware of prior to taking famotidine:
- Famotidine can interact with certain other medications (see Drug Interactions With Famotidine).
- Famotidine is considered a pregnancy Category B medication. This means that it is probably safe for use during pregnancy. However, because famotidine has not been studied in pregnant women, the full risks of using it during pregnancy are not known. Talk with your healthcare provider about the risks and benefits of using famotidine during pregnancy (see Famotidine and Pregnancy for more information).
- Famotidine passes through breast milk. Therefore, if you are breastfeeding or plan to start breastfeeding, discuss this with your healthcare provider before using famotidine (see Famotidine and Breastfeeding for more information).
- Because the kidneys clear famotidine from the body, famotidine dosing must be reduced in people with poor kidney function, including kidney failure (renal failure).
- Some of the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), heartburn, or ulcers are similar to symptoms of stomach cancer. The fact that famotidine helps relieve your symptoms does not rule out the possibility of stomach cancer.
