Anyone on Suralfate (Carafate)? Experiences? Please. Please. Please share them.

Ah, the Carafate conundrum.  It's a wonderful concoction that really helps my poor reactive stomach when I need it, but yes, it's a challenge.

Do you, by any chance, get up to use the bathroom in the wee hours?  That would be a good time for a dose.  It sounds as if you're taking the tablet form, putting it in a medicine cup and stirring it with a little water.  The point of that is so that the Carafate can coat your esophagus as well as your stomach.

IF you have great prescription insurance, it's worth getting the Carafate suspension form, as it's much easier and more effective in coating evenly.

After you take the Carafate, don't drink anything for about 10 minutes, as it takes about that long for it to adhere nicely to your esophagus (at least that's what my GI doc said.)

The rule of thumb is take it an hour before eating and wait two hours after eating.  If you're taking meds be sure to leave two hours between the Carafate does and the meds.  

I did see a pharmacist who said if you take the other med first, it's probably out of your stomach well before the two hours, but if you take the Carafate first, be sure to wait the full two hours, or you'll loose some potency of the med you're taking as the Carafate coats that as well and doesn't allow it to absorb as well.  I stick with the two hour rule, just to be safe.

I find that if I take it in the wee hours (4AM or so), then late morning, then mid to late afternoon, (with the tricky part being that any meds needed before dinner have to be taken 2 hours after the Carafate), then if your nighttime meds can be taken well before bedtime, you can take another dose before bed.

I don't know if that helps at all.  Hey, if have to miss a dose here and there, that's life.  It's a tough drug to take, but worth the effort if it makes your stomach/esophagus more comfortable.  It certainly works well for me.  I keep the suspension form around all the time, just in case I get into a problem, which I do from time to time.

Good luck!  Just do the best you can.  It does take some planning.

Take care,

Denise

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, but I was asleep!  LOL.  If you put the tablet in a medicine cup and cover it with water, it should dissolve quickly.  Just stir it with a toothpick.  And yes, add a little water to get the extra out.  (I used to take those tablets, so I know exactly what you're saying.)

When I say don't drink water after, I mean a lot of water--like a glassful.

Take the Carafate 2 hours after eating, or 2 hours after taking meds.  I've never taken Aciphex, so I don't know what the rules are, but with Protonix, Prilosec, and Nexium, you need to take it an hour before eating, on an empty stomach.  The reason for this is it gives the medication time to shut off the acid pumps before food enters your stomach.  If you don't take it that way, you only get a fraction of the effect.  Here's a link to an article that discusses how to take PPIs properly:

http://www.practicalgastro.com/pdf/January07/Jan07FrankArticle.pdf

And yes, wait an hour to eat after taking the Carafate sludge/slurry.

Good luck with your CT.  Let us know how it goes!

Best wishes,

Denise