What are the risks of taking famotidine (Pepcid AC)?

What should I tell my doctor before starting famotidine (Pepcid AC)? 

Please tell your doctor if you have previously had an allergic reaction to famotidine (Pepcid AC), cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), nizatidine (Axid), or any other medication. Your pharmacist can give you a list of active and inactive ingredients in famotidine products. 

Also, give your doctor a complete list of your medications, including over-the-counter and prescription drugs, dietary supplements, and vitamins, as well as herbal products. This can help avoid serious interactions between famotidine and other medicines.

Tell your health care professional about all your medical conditions. Famotidine may not be suitable for people with certain health conditions. For example, be sure to tell your doctor if you have ever had trouble with swallowing, kidney disease, or have a condition called phenylketonuria.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, could be pregnant, plan to get pregnant, or breastfeeding. 

What precautions should I take while on famotidine (Pepcid AC)?

Keep all your appointments with your doctor if you are on prescription famotidine. If you are taking over-the-counter famotidine, do not take this medicine for longer than two weeks. If your symptoms do not get better, are worsening, or keep coming back, please seek care from a medical professional. Heartburn and GERD can be warning signs of more serious medical conditions.

Stop taking famotidine and call your doctor immediately for medical advice or go to the emergency room if you experience itching, hives, rash; swelling of the face, tongue, lips, throat, hands, or feet; or difficulty breathing or swallowing. Also, if you get black tarry stools or vomit up what looks like coffee grounds, contact your doctor immediately - these can be signs of a bleeding ulcer.

What are famotidine (Pepcid AC) interactions?

Taking famotidine with other medications may affect how the drug works or increase the risk of severe side effects. Your physician may choose a different medication for you, change the dose or frequency of one or both medicines, and/or monitor you carefully for side effects if there are known drug interactions. 

Using famotidine with the following medications is not recommended:

• Sparfloxacin
• Piperaquine
• Mesoridazine
• Bepridil
• Cisapride
• Pimozide
• Ziprasidone
• Terfenadine
• Dronedarone
• Saquinavir
• Thioridazine
• Dofetilide

There can be drug interactions between famotidine and the following medications:

This list does not describe all possible famotidine interactions. Give your health care provider a complete list of your medications, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements, vitamins, and herbal remedies. Also, tell your health care provider if you smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs because some of these substances can cause serious health complications when used with famotidine.