Famotidine
Famotidine is an H2 blocker that reduces stomach acid to ease heartburn, indigestion and reflux. It is sold here as Pepcid tablets in 20mg and 40mg.
What famotidine is used for
Famotidine lowers the amount of acid your stomach makes. It settles the burning behind the breastbone that comes with heartburn and indigestion, and it is used for acid reflux that keeps returning. It also helps where acid has already caused damage: stomach ulcers, duodenal ulcers and inflammation of the food pipe (oesophagitis). Some people produce far more acid than normal, in conditions such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, and famotidine is part of that treatment as well. It is taken both for short spells when symptoms flare and for longer stretches while an ulcer or an inflamed food pipe heals.
How it works
Acid release is switched on partly by histamine, which docks onto H2 receptors on the cells lining the stomach. Famotidine blocks those receptors, so the cells receive less of that signal, make less acid and make it weaker. A tablet begins working within about an hour and holds acid down for most of a day or a full night, which is why a single dose at bedtime is such a common pattern. Food makes little difference to how well it is absorbed.
Taking famotidine tablets
Someone with an ulcer or reflux that will not go away typically takes 20mg twice a day, or 40mg as one dose at night. Someone who only gets heartburn now and then takes a single 20mg tablet on the bad days. Both strengths are in the Pepcid range, and each tablet is swallowed with water. Ulcer pain usually eases within a few days, but the ulcer itself needs weeks to heal, so a course is finished even after the pain has gone. Because the kidneys clear famotidine, people with reduced kidney function are given less.
Side effects
Most people notice nothing. Headache and dizziness are the ones that turn up most often, along with constipation or diarrhoea in some. Confusion or agitation can develop in older adults and in people whose kidneys work less well; it builds over days of treatment rather than arriving suddenly, and it clears once the medicine stops. Rarely, a tablet triggers a reaction with swelling around the mouth or throat, or trouble breathing, and that needs emergency treatment.
Buying famotidine tablets
Famotidine sits with the other acid remedies in digestive health, and the packs sold here are the 20mg and 40mg Pepcid tablets. Keep them in their blister strips somewhere dry and out of direct sun; the fridge is not needed.
Sources
- Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) - Healthdirect — Healthdirect Australia
- Definition & Facts for GER & GERD - NIDDK — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Where can I order Famotidine for delivery in Hong Kong?
Famotidine can be ordered online for delivery to Hong Kong. The page shows generic Pepcid tablets in 20mg and 40mg, also sold as plain Famotidine tablets. A parcel that does not arrive within the delivery window, or arrives damaged, is sent again free, and where that is not possible the order is refunded.
How are Famotidine prices shown?
The famotidine product has its own price per pack, shown on its page in HKD or your selected currency; larger packs usually cost less per unit.
Do I need a prescription to order Famotidine?
PockDose does not ask you to upload a prescription when you order famotidine. See the ordering FAQ for details.
What brand names does famotidine have?
Pepcid is a brand name of famotidine, which is also sold as Famocid and Pepcidine. Here, famotidine can be bought online as generic Pepcid. These are generics, not the original brand.
Is famotidine the same as an antacid?
No. Antacids neutralise acid that is already in the stomach, giving relief in minutes that fades within an hour or so. Famotidine works further back, cutting how much acid the stomach makes, so it suits symptoms that keep coming back rather than a one-off bout of indigestion. The two are sometimes used together.
Can I take famotidine every day?
Yes. For reflux or an ulcer it is usually taken daily for several weeks, and it can continue for as long as the problem lasts. A regular schedule keeps acid low around the clock rather than only in the hours after a tablet. Occasional heartburn does not need a daily routine.
Does famotidine interact with other medicines?
It can. Less acid in the stomach means some medicines are absorbed less well, including itraconazole, ketoconazole and the HIV drug atazanavir. Famotidine does not block the liver enzymes that clear most other drugs, so it has fewer interactions than the older H2 blocker cimetidine.
Can I take famotidine with ibuprofen or other painkillers?
Yes. Famotidine does not interact with paracetamol or with anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen and naproxen, and it is often taken alongside them to reduce the stomach irritation they cause. It eases that irritation rather than removing it.
How does famotidine compare with omeprazole?
Both cut stomach acid, but in different ways. Omeprazole and other proton pump inhibitors switch off the acid pumps themselves, which gives a stronger and longer effect, often a full 24 hours, and they are the usual choice for healing ulcers and severe reflux. Famotidine acts on the histamine signal instead, works sooner and wears off sooner.