switching from ranitidine to famotidine

[mlp3434]

Has anyone been on ranitidine for years and had to switch to famotidine because of the shortage of ranitidine? And if you did, did you have any problems?

[planetiowa]

I found ranitidine really seemed to help my vagal AFIB and had been taking it for a about a year. I did switch to famotidine when they stopped making ranitidine and it worked just as well for me. I usually try to take the lowest dose possible as infrequently as I can - which is usually right before bed.

[mlp3434 in reply to planetiowa]

Thanks. I have been on ranitidine for over 30 years. so I'm nervous about trying famotidine . My body is sensitive to drugs. Did you have any bad reactions to it?

[planetiowa in reply to mlp3434]

I was just worried it wouldn't work as well, however, it seemed to work just as well. I had no other reactions to it.

[blueyes917438 in reply to mlp3434]

How did it go when you changed from ranitidine to famotidine? I bought a 2-year supply of ranitidine when I heard it was being voluntarily removed by stores. I have used it as an H2 blocker for 15+ yrs and like you, I am nervous about changing to famotidine. I suppose the method for transitioning is to just start famotidine the day after I run out of ranitidine? My doctor thinks famotidine will work fine but I’ve read it isn’t as strong as ranitidine. I don’t understand why they can’t make ranitidine without the NDMA? I’ve read there’s nothing dangerous about ranitidine itself, it’s just the NDMA being the problem when the drug is heated to 1000+ degrees.

[Mugsy15 in reply to planetiowa]

I'm interested in what you wrote here planetIowa - most of us on the forum agree that there is a very definite direct connection between cardiac rhythm and gut health. It seems that some medics aren't so keen on the idea, but I personally am in no doubt whatsoever. You are the first person I've seen on here, though, saying that you take a drug which is designed to settle the stomach/digestion to combat AF.

Did you find this out by accident while self-treating an upset tummy? Or do you have a prescription issued by an enlightened doctor? Or perhaps both?

Thanks.

[momist in reply to Mugsy15]

I've had years of poor gut health, followed by tests for coeliac disease which showed negative. I use gluten free foods anyway to regulate my bowel problems with some success. With the onset of AF my problems got worse and then when using the medications bisoprolol and apixaban worse again. Eventually they tried lansoprozole, but that gave me all the symptoms of gastroenteritis with fluids pouring out both ends. I ended up on ranitidine, until it was banned when I was changed to famotidine. It works for me.

However, since I had my ablation at he end of June last year, my digestion has been much more comfortable (as long as I don't eat real bread or too much cake/pastries/pasta). I'm still on the famotidine and the AF drugs so far though.

Time will tell.

[mlp3434 in reply to momist]

Hello. May I ask, since your ablation last year did you have problems with recovery? I'm almost 3 months out and my heart flutters after I eat and still get tired if I do things. Sometimes it tries to go into afib. And stomach wise I have been very nauseous. I've had stomach problems since I was young but after the cryoablation it has gotten worse.

[momist in reply to mlp3434]

mlp3434 Yes, you could say I had problems with my recovery. It is often said that there is a three month 'blanking period' after the ablation during which any further problems should be disregarded as your heart is still to heal from the damage. I had some runs of AF during the first few days after the procedure, which an extra dose of flecainide seemed to suppress. I followed the guidance of the recovery sheet which you can get from this site, and did absolutely nothing for the first couple of weeks, just reading and watching videos. I then started walking short distances, and pottering about doing small jobs very carefully and resting afterwards. I did feel very tired very easily. Once the bruising on my leg had started to dissipate, leaving a kind of brown shadow effect where it had been, I thought it time to attempt a bit more and went back to working at my hobby of hand tool woodworking, as I was part way through a project of building furniture for my new garden cabin. The runs of AF had petered out by then, and I was feeling much better and less tired.

I took a holiday at about eight weeks after the op. and managed a couple of 2 - 3 hour walks which involved hill climbs of up to 500 feet or so, and had no repercussions from that. I felt very positive about that.

At 12 weeks after the ablation, I suddenly went into tachycardia mixed with AF and for the first time ever, it was still there after a nights fitful sleep. My AF had always self reverted after eight to 16 hours, but this time it continued. In the third day of it, I was feeling so wretched and worried that I sent for medical help and ended up in the hospital emergency facility. They could do nothing for me, except taking ECG traces and leaving me under observation on a heart monitor. I've described this in earlier posts. I self reverted after about 12 hours, but was kept under observation for many hours afterwards before being sent home.

This was so disappointing when I had already completed the three month blanking and I was worried that the ablation must have failed. I had a couple of runs of tachycardia and AF after this, but none as long as that 72 hour event, and then I have had nothing since. After a while I resumed my recovery progression with more and more exercise, and I've now stopped worrying about the problem entirely. I am still not counting myself 'cured' as I'm aware that AF usually returns eventually, but I'm hopeful that I might get 'signed off' in March and can then discontinue the drug regime.

I will still keep taking the famotidine though, and also the apixaban.

[mlp3434 in reply to momist]

Oh my. I'm sorry you went through that. I hope I don't. My nerves can't handle much more.

[mlp3434 in reply to Mugsy15]

I always have had stomach issues since I was young. Been on ranitidine for over 30 years and was prescribed by my doctor. It's hard to get these days. I order mine through a canada pharmacy since I can't get it here in the US. They have been out for the past 3 months and just got some in stock again. The demand for it there is great so I can only get 1/2 of my prescription ,but half is better than nothing.

[Mugsy15 in reply to mlp3434]

What I'm interested in though, is the concept of calming one's arrythmia by calming one's gut. Do Ranitidine, Lanzoprazole etc have this effect for you?

[Sacha27]

I was on Ranitidine for years it was brilliant but GP said they have stopped getting it because of related cancer scares. I was swapped to Lansoprazole no where near as good but have to put up with it.

[mlp3434 in reply to Sacha27]

Yes I don't do well on PPI's either. I think that they contribute to heart flutters

[momist]

Yes, and no. I had to switch from ranitidine to famotidine over a year ago. No problems, although I had a little digestive discomfort at the beginning and was suspicious that the famotidine wasn't as effective. That settled down though, and Ive been fine since.