Can Pepcid AC Be Dissolved And Taken For Severe Vomiting?

Posted on Tue, 9 Feb 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 9 Feb 2016 Answered on

Tue, 12 Apr 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : My husband has had a repair to his hyatel hernia. It left him with an esophagus that does not work. He is a tube feeder now. He has been suffering from diarrhea for months. We have stopped some of his meds to try to figure out which on was the cause of diarrhea. We stopped his omeprazole a week ago the diarrhea stopped. We went to his dr. yesterday. The dr. said to take an over the counter medication to replace the omeprazole. We went to the pharmacy late yesterday after my husband started vomiting. Now I'm trying to figure out where to go from here. We bought Pepcid ac, I could crush the pill and put it down his tube (because I don't think anything is going down his esophagus). He vomited twice last evening and about 5:30 this morning. Can I crush the Pepcid ac and put it down his tube to get him by for now?

Answered by Dr. Noble Zachariah (34 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Try to get the dispersible type which dissolves in water.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Welcome and thanks for your query.
Sorry to note that your husband's hiatus hernia repair was not successful.
There is a dispersible brand of Pepcid RPD. This dissolves well in water and you can give it easily through the tube. Pepcid AC is meant to be swallowed and is not dispersible and is not to be chewed. Crushing and giving it through the tube is not advisable and may block the tube.
Pepcid is Famotidine. Your pharmacist would be able to advise you about other generic brands of Famotidine which can be dissolved. If Famotidine dispersible is not available in your locality, another medicine in the group of H2 blockers like Ranitidine may be used in its place as it would be as effective as Famotidine.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar