Sucralfate for Duodenal Ulcer User Reviews

• Cyn...
• December 16, 2008

Sucralfate "I had several ulcers, the pain was tremendous. After a week in the hospital, I was given this medication and others. This medication worked miracles. I wasn't told that if I stopped taking it, my ulcer would come back (my ulcers are not from bacteria). They came back, and I began the medication again, and I am fine now. You must take the medication all the time."

• HaP...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 11, 2015

"Immediate relief! I was diagnosed with a duodenal ulcer 14 months ago. A few months of antacids and it healed, but all of my symptoms recurred 4 months ago. My gastro said I had gastritis and gave me antacids again but they didn't do much at all: still burping all the time (waking 3-4 times/night to burp myself like a baby), stomach tenderness from swelling, faux hunger pangs, nausea. The very first sucralfate pill stopped all of that. I take it 3x/day an hour before meals, which is my prescription for the next 3 months. Also: I have an eating disorder that was constantly triggered by the fake feeling of hunger from my sore stomach. Since starting on this medication, my disorder is easier to manage."

• Anonymous
• September 1, 2009

Sucralfate "It takes a long time to be effective. Don't be surprised that it may take 2 bottles (at 30-day supply per bottle) to get results. The condition will slowly improve. It is usually taken 4 times daily. It's easier to take 1 hour before meals than 3 hours after. My schedule is at 6:30 am, 11 am, 4 pm, and before bed. Make sure to have a FULL (8-10 oz.) glass of water. Otherwise, the blue pill will cause the stool to be DARK GREEN."

• Cee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 4, 2019

Sucralfate "First, I must say I started feeling better pretty much right away on this med, and then I almost choked to death! I cut the pill in half, took half, and it was stuck, and I panicked! I ended up getting it down (because I tried to get it back up but didn't work), but I am still left with a horrible taste in my throat 5 hours later. I did call the pharmacy, and they said to dissolve it in a small med cup of water and drink it, thank god because I don't want to be that scared again!"

• Mis...
• December 14, 2010

Sucralfate "I have both an ulcer in my stomach as well as duodenitis (two ulcers in the upper part of my small intestine) -- this was all discovered during my endoscopy. I was given this medication and am still on it... immediately I had dry mouth, mild headaches, and that dizzy/vertigo feeling which I just thought were my sinuses acting up until I looked up the side effects. It's changed my bowel motions for sure, more towards constipation which then causes an upset stomach for me, mainly in the morning."

• tam...
• March 20, 2012

Sucralfate "I have been on Carafate for almost 6 weeks for an ulcer. It has not helped me at all. I still have the extreme abdominal pain all night long. I was checked for H. pylori and it was negative. I had all kinds of ultrasounds done and they all came back fine. I was also given Dexilant to take. I take the Carafate 4 times a day and no luck for me. I am seeing another doctor today. It just is not working for me. And as others said, it does make you constipated for sure. I wish it worked for me like some of the others, but it is not."

• lde...
• March 9, 2009

Sucralfate "I have had pains in my upper abdomen at the center right edge of my ribs. The pain radiates into my back, and we are looking to find out why. An endoscopy found a little ulcer, so they did a biopsy just in case, and we are also doing other tests. Anyway, I was prescribed Carafate Suspension, and it causes intense diarrhea."

• IMA...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 14, 2016

"After an endoscopy, I was diagnosed with a big duodenal ulcer. Not every day was painful, and the pain was lower, seemingly different from the symptoms that I had. But increasingly, a lot of days, the pain was almost intolerable. Healing has been a slow process, but steady. Going into week 4 of taking it, there is definite improvement. The pill is big, and yes, constipation is a problem. But this is easily remedied with extra fiber cereals or bulk fiber taken every day. This medication is without a doubt fantastic stuff. At first, I split the big tablet in half and swallowed it in 2 pieces, but now whole. I am very thankful for this medication, even with its inconveniences. I can tell the ulcer's healing, the pain gets better every day!"

• Nan...
• July 5, 2018

"I have been on this medication since June 10, 2018. I saw an improvement after about 4 days. I was a bit skeptical at first, but it has helped tremendously. No side effects. Be patient while the medication does its job. Good luck to everyone."

• Man...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 7, 2018

"I have suffered from acid reflux my entire life and finally got an upper endoscopy done, which revealed I have gastritis, duodenal ulcers, and a hiatal hernia. I was prescribed this medication and have only been taking it for a day and a half and feel absolutely horrible. Not only does my stomach feel worse than when I started taking it, I feel incredibly nauseous at night and in the morning, right when I’m about to take my next dose. Sick to my stomach, hot flashes, dizzy, etc. I’m hoping that I see improvement in my stomach in a few days, but otherwise I am seriously considering calling my doctor and trying to get off of this. I have been off of work since starting the medication, but I’m terrified of having to go back to the office feeling this way. I lay in bed for at least an hour or two before I go to sleep and before I can get up in the morning because I feel so ill."

• bev...
• September 6, 2016

"Very effective for duodenal ulcer flare-up. My only criticism is that they dissolve in your mouth before you can swallow any water to wash them down, and I have almost choked on them, which is very scary. The company needs to provide a thicker coating, even if it delays the quick effectiveness. I just coated one with butter, and it went down more smoothly, with lots of ice water, but I still felt it hang up in my esophagus, which almost made me gag. I think this could be dangerous. The other night it really scared me, as it got stuck on the way down, and I coughed and gagged and drank water, but it was stubborn."

• Tam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 5, 2018

"I had 6 duodenal ulcers. I was in so much pain. I was prescribed this medication 4 times a day. My doctor told me never to swallow this pill whole. It is to be dissolved in a small amount of water to avoid choking. It took a couple of weeks to work, but I had great results, and upon the second scope, I was ulcer-free."

• Jer...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 23, 2018

"DON'T SWALLOW THIS PILL WHOLE! YOU MIGHT CHOKE! When you swallow it with water, it expands in your throat, and you can choke. ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM: TAKE A SIP OF WATER WITH THE PILL IN YOUR MOUTH. LET IT DISSOLVE COMPLETELY. It has no flavor and dissolves very quickly. SWALLOW. TAKE ANOTHER SIP OF WATER, SWISH, AND SWALLOW. EASY. I don't know why the instructions don't include this method. Many people have choked taking this medication."

• Mad...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 21, 2023

Sucralfate "I had a stomach ulcer perforation on 2/22/22. Carafate helped me so much that my endoscopy showed a fully healed ulcer within months. Now, when I feel the same stabbing pains, this medicine, along with Protonix, is my go-to tool to fix my issues. I’m so thankful to have found this medicine because I never want to experience the pain of a hole in my stomach again. I use it as soon as I get up in the morning around 5:30 a.m. (so that it’s on an empty stomach), ground into a powder mixed with a little unsweetened applesauce at the advice of my doctor, then an hour later I allow myself to eat or take other meds. In the afternoon, I stop eating at 2:30 p.m. and take it the same way at 5:30 p.m. This schedule feels like the most effective one for me (and I hope it can help you!)."

• MJa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 30, 2020

Sucralfate "Amazingly good results with the Carafate liquid. I was blessed to find an MD who actually listened to me both as an inpatient and subsequently an office patient. He has continued my liquid. I have to say I wish the price was lower, but if I have to choose between paying more and suffering less, I'll figure out how to pay more."

• Lad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 23, 2019

"I have been having such bad acid reflux and diarrhea, so I went to the doc, and he pushed on my stomach and said I had inflammation or something in my stomach. He gave me Carafate and told me to also take Prilosec every day. The pains in my stomach don't come as often now, and my poop is solid, but my throat is almost constantly burning. I don't know if it is because of the medicine or what it is. The pill is almost impossible to swallow without choking, and my insurance doesn't cover the liquid. The eating rules are the hardest part, though. I am constantly hungry and tired because I can only eat at very specific times due to having to take it 4 times a day. I hate this medication."

• 2Li...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 26, 2024

"The drug works like it should. I take it 4 times a day. I went off of it for a while, I forgot to take it, and it helped a lot. I was on so many meds, and the pain returned, so I contacted my doctor, and he put me right back on it with the positive results. How can you go wrong?"

• Kal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 15, 2019

"I was diagnosed with a very large ulcer about 2 months ago. My Dr. prescribed the liquid Carafate for the first few weeks, but it is extremely expensive. They then prescribed the pill form. This medication has helped so much with my stomach pain and bloating! However, I have had issues with choking on the pill. I don't know why, I have taken pills a lot larger than this one and have had no issues. Be careful when taking this pill, I have ended up getting sick because of it lodging in my throat and causing me to choke."

• Zip...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 28, 2019

"I have chronic Crohn's disease. I’m always experiencing some pain and bloating after eating, but recently I have had accelerated symptoms with much worse diarrhea, so I had an endoscopy on 12/24. Sent home being told I had gastritis and then prescribed this medication for a duodenal ulcer. Day 3 of the meds, and the pain in my stomach, up high to the right, near my rib cage, has gotten noticeably worse. I’m hoping it’s just because of the endoscopy, but this is really worse than Crohn's!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 5, 2020

"I actually have the liquid and the pills, and both were bad for me. I want this ulcer to heal, but this sucralfate medicine is horrible. I had several side effects, so I stopped taking the liquid. I recently got the pills, and again I had a couple of side effects, but it wasn't as bad as the liquid, so I'm at a crossroads right now. I'm not sure if I will continue. Oh, the pill is about the size of an 800 mg ibuprofen, but I was advised to crush it because it could possibly cause choking."

• Lia...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 4, 2021

"I feel really sick, particularly in the morning after taking the medicine. I believe it's helping, though, because I've only puked once in the past 2 months, and I used to puke anywhere from once to five times a day. It's really hard to fight the nausea and not puke up the pills. I can't tell if my ulcer is healing, either, because I still feel nauseous so often. I'm on the last month, so fingers crossed."

• Toe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 4, 2022

"First of all, let me start by saying I had a double lung transplant. I have had GERD issues almost all my life. I have Barrett’s esophagus. I have had three surgeries trying to fix my stomach issues. Unfortunately, these surgeries have not helped. They fixed my top flapper and my bottom splinter trying to help with the issues that came up after the transplant. I have gastroparesis, nonstop diarrhea, and throwing up. I’m on approximately 50 pills a day. This medication was added by my regular doctor. I definitely had side effects. If you like seeing things that are not there or hearing them talk, I even recalled seeing my wife and I had other problems also, like falling six times within a week! I took myself off the medication. I will call and visit my doctor. Now I know what individuals with paranoid schizophrenia feel like. Trust me, it is scary!"

• Dav...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 28, 2020

"I have (getting better, so the doctor says) I have a duodenal ulcer, gastritis, reflux. I've been taking this sucralfate 2 times a day since March 11, 2020, and for me, it's worked slowly but has helped, I guess, along with a diet change. But 'stress' is my major issue. Back to sucralfate, for me, timing of dosing is the hardest part. Now 4+ months in, I have very light brown stools...hmmmm? It does not relieve my pain, it seems to make it worse sometimes. All in all, it's been effective along with other changes. P.S. Not super hard to swallow, but you got to get it down fast because it will start to dissolve immediately. Best wishes, everyone."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 25, 2022

"Husband experiencing terrible pain when taking small amounts of sucralfate. Thought it was to help, not make him feel even worse. Was in hospital several times since April, rehab center who over-drugged him, and stomach issues up the kazoo since coming home. Every time he attempts to eat anything small, he needs to spit up or vomit. What is going on... it’s not helping him and he wants to eat. Has not eaten in nearly two months of anything substantial."

• Gin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 13, 2025

Sucralfate "I have a lot going on. I have GERD, IBS, stomach ulcers, hiatal hernia. I had an upper GI, and the doctor put me on Carafate. At first, I’ll be honest, it took me over a year to go forward with taking this medication, and I’ll tell you right now it’s a miracle drug! The fact that it makes you constipated is a plus for me, my diarrhea was insane since my gallbladder surgery, and because I’m on this medication, I have no diarrhea. It’s been 3 weeks! So it’s helping me in all areas of my issues. I don’t get any side effects as of yet, and hopefully, I will not!"