Famotidine and Heart Palpitations: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 6, 2020

For GERD "Just began taking Famotidine for the first time as omeprazole made me sick. So on this, I notice I feel bloated after 12 hours of taking it even though at first it got rid of my acid reflux within like 15 mins. However, I woke up almost in a panic feeling like I was gonna have a heart attack. I was burping excessively to the point my stomach feels in knots. I can't sleep a full 8 hours. I wake up every 2 hours or can't even go back to sleep at all, and I work night shift. I even feel like my muscles wanna just spasm out of control. And I feel like my heartbeat is irregular right now too, it's crazy to think a drug can do this. Much like someone else said here, I'd rather have the acid reflux as this is torture; who would ever make a drug like this. Whatever happened to safety, this stuff is not safe, but DR. has determined this will do more good than cause you harm. THAT'S A LIE. Done with these trash pharmaceutical companies' drugs. I'm gonna try natural remedies."

• Med...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 16, 2020

For GERD "Took this medicine for GERD. After 1 week, I started getting constipation, anxiety, heart palpitations, and muscle weakness, dizziness, and nausea. I felt bloated all the time and I couldn’t eat. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone."

• Anonymous
• September 20, 2022

For GERD "Pepcid is literally the spawn of Satan. I was prescribed Pepcid twice a day every day for acid reflux/sour mouth. I never felt WORSE in the following categories: one-sided headache/migraines, dizzy, weak, fatigued, depressed, anxious, panicked, crying episodes, joint pain, constipation, swallowing difficulties, chest pain, heart palpitations. I want to emphasize that I NEVER experienced such bad headaches, dizziness, weakness, and joint pain prior to taking Pepcid. I SOMETIMES experience crying episodes, constipation, and depression before/during my menstrual cycles. I took Pepcid even when I wasn't on my period, and I've ruled out those symptoms. The side effects were so bad to the point that I called out at my NEW job, and I really don't want to call out sick. It also does NOT help that I took Pepcid while on Lexapro. As for my acid reflux, there are no improvements in my sour mouth, but I'm not sure if I've been taking it for long enough. DO NOT TAKE THIS PILL!!!!!"

• Bri...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 8, 2023

For GERD "Was prescribed 40 mg daily, only took it as needed over the course of several years without much issue. Started to develop horrible anxiety in February 2023, which progressed into a whole suite of other symptoms as well, and none of these were ever things I struggled with before. I never really understood intense anxiety until this: significant loss of appetite (I dropped 20 pounds), heart palpitations, chest pain, sleep disruptions and stress dreams, tremors, difficulty thermoregulating, feeling cold, cold hands/feet, headaches, fatigue, depression, and others. I continued to take it for several weeks without pinpointing it as the cause of these issues. I stopped taking it in March, and I'm still experiencing some of these, although not as frequently or as intensely. I hope that I can make a full recovery like many others have written they did. In May 2023 I am still experiencing some anxiety and depression, cold hands/feet, and some lesser chest pain/palpitations. This drug is awful."

• Ree...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 12, 2022

For GERD "Best used very short term, I'm talking about a week MAX. This stuff loses efficacy very quickly, and after that point, the side effects will take over. In one month of on-and-off use, this drug has given me anxiety and irregular heartbeat and stopped working for treating acid reflux/esophagitis. Get off of it while you still can because this will make you very ill in the long run."

• Lad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 11, 2022

For GERD "After about a week on famotidine, I didn't really notice where it was helping me with the heartburn that I had. I had to supplement the famotidine with over-the-counter antacids like Pepto-Bismol or a bicarbonate tablet. But I would say about five or six days into taking famotidine, I started to have palpitations and feelings of discomfort in my chest, and then with that came feelings of anxiety and other symptoms like my muscles hurting, sides, and my back hurting, feeling like my kidneys are hurting, just all. I started to have slight headaches for no reason, and I drink a lot of water per day. I do not recommend H2 blockers and PPIs because just tweaking your diet can actually help your digestive tract a lot better than swallowing this garbage that actually damages your stomach and your intestines in the long run. I would not recommend famotidine to take longer than a week, and I have noticed in some of these reviews people have been on this medicine for a year-wow, I can't do it!"

• Bea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 9, 2021

For GERD "Took this medicine for GERD. After 1 week, I started getting anxiety attacks, heart palpitations, muscle weakness, dizziness, and nausea. I felt bloated all the time, and I couldn’t eat. When the insomnia symptoms escalated, like I’d drank a pot of coffee, it was intensely scary. Even 24 hours after my last dose, I still don’t feel well. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 11, 2022

For GERD "I always have famotidine in the house and have taken one now and then for stomach acid. However, after experiencing a reflux attack one night, I decided to take one a day to see if that helped. I don't know if it helped, could only stay on it 3 days. I was suffering so badly with my stomach and anxiety. I became very anxious and started to have what I thought were heart palpitations and almost constant heavy burping. The palpitations I believe weren't the heart though, it seemed to be generating from the esophagus where it joins the stomach, and it felt like spasms that would not stop. Three days of this misery, and the only thing different that I was doing was taking this medicine. Once I saw the side effects, I immediately stopped, and the symptoms became less and less, but it took a few days to get back to normal. I will never take this stuff again. Please be aware of all these symptoms if you try it so you can recognize these side effects. Do not recommend."

• Car...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 6, 2021

For GERD "Took it for four days for acid reflux, which it fixed. Suddenly felt high anxiety, palpitations, and insomnia on the fourth day. I stopped taking it, and my normal sleep schedule returned at first. Now I'm experiencing insomnia and palpitations the day after I exercise. It's been almost two weeks since I stopped. I'm hoping this goes away soon. It's misery, and I'll never take this drug again."

• Its...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 20, 2021

For Peptic Ulcer "Started taking this for a month, 40 mg twice a day for gastritis. Noticed a lot of anxiety after taking it. Plus hallucinations, dizziness, feeling tired. Plus shoulder joints and back hurts. Had heart palpitations. Having hot flashes also. I've cut it down to when I need it. I pretty much feel back to normal again. Med works, just not worth the side effects. PPIs mess with your absorption of food. You don't get all your nutrients. I think it's messed up my gut. Diarrhea more than usual. Wish I never started it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 10, 2022

For GERD "I noticed after taking this that I feel like I can't swallow. I get heart palpitations, dizziness, and shortness of breath. I will not be taking this anymore."