• Basic Info
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What is sucralfate?
Sucralfate is an anti-ulcer medication. Sucralfate is not greatly absorbed into the body through the digestive tract. It works mainly in the lining of the stomach by adhering to ulcer sites and protecting them from acids, enzymes, and bile salts. Sucralfate is used to treat an active duodenal ulcer. Sucralfate can heal an active ulcer, but it will not prevent future ulcers from occurring. Sucralfate may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

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What is the price of this medication and similar alternatives?

This pricing information is subject to change at the sole discretion of DS Pharmacy. For the most current and up-to-date pricing information, please visit drugstore.com.

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What are the possible side effects of sucralfate?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Less serious side effects may include:

• nausea, vomiting, indigestion;

• stomach pain;

• constipation, diarrhea;

• mild itching or skin rash;

• sleep problems (insomnia);

• dizziness, drowsiness, spinning sensation;

• headache; or

• back pain.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

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How should I take sucralfate?
Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take it in larger amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Take sucralfate with a full glass of water. Take sucralfate on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal. Shake the oral suspension (liquid) well just before you measure a dose. To be sure you get the correct dose, measure the liquid with a marked measuring spoon or medicine cup, not with a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.

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What is the most important information I should know about sucralfate?
Before taking sucralfate, tell your doctor if you have kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis). You may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take sucralfate. Take sucralfate on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal. Take sucralfate for the full prescribed length of time. Your symptoms may improve before the ulcer is completely cleared. Avoid taking any other medications at the same time you take sucralfate. It is best not to take other medicines within 2 hours before or after taking sucralfate.

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What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then to take the medicine and skip the missed dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

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What other drugs will affect sucralfate?
Taking sucralfate can make it harder for your body to absorb many other medications, especially: cimetidine (Tagamet); digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin); levothyroxine (Synthroid); phenytoin (Dilantin); quinidine (Quinaglute, Quinidex, Quin-Release); ranitidine (Zantac); tetracycline (Brodspec, Panmycin, Sumycin, Tetracap); theophylline (Elixophyllin, Respbid, Slo-Bid, Theo-Dur, and others); a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin); or certain antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro), levofloxacin (Levaquin), lomefloxacin (Maxaquin), ketoconazole (Nizoral), and others.

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Can I take this if I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant or if I am breastfeeding?

Sucralfate has been assigned to pregnancy category B by the FDA. Animal studies failed to reveal evidence of fetal harm. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy. The manufacturer recommends that caution be used when administering sucralfate to nursing women.

There are no data on the excretion of sucralfate into human milk. The manufacturer recommends that caution be used when administering sucralfate to nursing women.

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Who should NOT use this medication?

• Manufacturer states that there are no known contraindications to use of sucralfate.

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What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. An overdose of sucralfate is not likely to produce life-threatening symptoms.

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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking sucralfate?
Before taking sucralfate, tell your doctor if you have kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis). You may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take sucralfate. FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether sucralfate passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

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Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
As a general rule, you should always take your medications exactly as prescribed and do not change the dosage or stop taking the medication without first discussing it with your healthcare provider.

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I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.

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Where can I get more information?
More Information

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