Table of contents:
- Various conditions can be overcome by taking an antacid type ulcer medication
- When is the best time to take ulcer medication?
- Why should ulcer medicine be taken before eating?
If most drugs must be taken after you eat, ulcer medicine should be taken before you eat. According to experts and health workers, taking ulcer medication while eating or afterwards is redundant and does not have any effect on your digestive system. Why is that, huh? Immediately see the reasons why you should take ulcer medication before eating below.
Various conditions can be overcome by taking an antacid type ulcer medication
Ulcer drugs, which are known in the medical realm as antacids, are actually drugs that are useful for neutralizing stomach acid. So the uses also vary. The reason is, ulcer itself is not the name of a disease, but a series of symptoms that indicate indigestion.
Here are some examples of conditions that can be helped by taking ulcer medication.
- Gastric acid reflux. Symptoms include stomach pain, nausea, sour or bitter mouth, dry cough, and pain when swallowing.
- Hot or sore throat (heartburn). Usually because stomach acid rises into the esophagus.
- Stomach bloating and bloating.
Ulcer medication is usually available in liquid or chewable tablet form. The reason is, this drug must have been digested properly when it entered the stomach. So, if you buy or are prescribed a tablet ulcer medication, you should first chew it until it is completely crushed in your mouth and then swallowed.
When is the best time to take ulcer medication?
Antacid-type ulcer drugs should be taken before meals, unless your doctor and pharmacist recommends otherwise. According to an internist from the University of Southern California, dr. John C. Lipham, you should take ulcer medication 30 minutes before eating.
However, for the best effect on your stomach and digestive system, try to take the medicine an hour before eating. Especially if you already feel symptoms such as stomach pain, hot throat, and nausea.
Why should ulcer medicine be taken before eating?
According to a study in The American Journal of Gastroenterology in 2014, only one-third of ulcer drug users take this drug according to the correct rules. Most people actually take ulcer medication after eating. In fact, taking ulcer medication after eating has no effect on your digestive system.
Furthermore, the study also proved that the new ulcer drug would work effectively in 71 percent of study participants who took this drug correctly. Meanwhile, participants who did not take medication according to the rules still felt the symptoms of previous digestive disorders.
Ulcer medicine works by neutralizing stomach acid (enzymes) which will only be produced more when the stomach digests your food. So, in order for it to work properly, this drug must already be absorbed in the stomach to neutralize the acid that is later produced when you eat.
If you take this medicine after eating, the acid in your stomach has been overproduced and eventually rises into the esophagus. Even though this drug takes a long time to be absorbed by the body and neutralize acid in the stomach. So, it's too late if you just take ulcer medication after eating or the appearance of symptoms.
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