Posted on 04/27/2020 10:30:00 AM PDT by rxsid
Is a common heartburn drug a treatment for the COVID-19 virus?
A common heartburn drug being tested by a group of New York hospitals may show promise in treating the COVID-19 virus, according to a story from ABC News.
The hospitals, which have only just made the study public, have been testing the effectiveness of famotidine, the active ingredient in over-the-counter heartburn medications like Pepcid.
Hospitals in the Northwell Health network in the New York City area have been using large doses of famotidine in IV form to treat patients critically ill with the COVID-19 virus. The 187 patients in the study group have been given daily doses of famotidine roughly nine times the dose prescribed for heartburn.
The medicine is given in combination with the drug hydroxychloroquine
No results have been announced from the study yet.
According to reports from China, famotidine appears to bind to a key enzyme in the COVID-19 virus. Researchers hope the drug will act as a decoy, ABC reports, keeping COVID-19 busy, preventing it from spreading throughout the body.
(Excerpt) Read more at whio.com ...
LMAO!
Good news. I take gema to dine daily anyway
I have been suffering from GERD for 20 years, taken all the acid reflux medication to help, we have Protonix, Prilosec, and Pepcid in the house..I used to take Zantac but they took it off the market due to one of the ingredients having a cancer link so I stopped taking that. Bought a bunch of Pepcid at Costco a while back but ran out so got another order in from Kaiser 200 pills so we have plenty for my Mom and I both suffer from bad gerd
50 count Publix fematodine is already scarce. Have to but two 25 count packs
There’s a run on Pepcid! Hard to find.
I’ve also seen speculation that Omazaprole actually has harmful traits related to the virus.
> So, my Mexican Beer Virus cocktail...
I’ll stick with gin and tonic for now.
Pretty wimpy flu. Seems like there are all kinds of things that can knock it out.
Already is. Better jump quick; ranatodine was just recalled at least the official zantac version, which left Omazaprole and Famotidine as the only choices, so it already was being bought more than usual.
... hydroxychloroquine ... there’s that word again.
NASTY Side effect riddled crap.
I was on Zantac/ranitidine until they banned that due to cancer concerns. Switched to Pepcid recently and it works fine.
When I went on Prilosec, if I stayed on it for more than the recommended 14 days I would start getting vertigo. And if I stopped it, I would have the worst acid reflux ever.
So I guess I’m gonna have to fight for my share of what’s left of Pepcid.
*****
Same with me. I almost didn’t turn in my Ranitidine because I wanted to make sure there was another option beside Prilosec. I don’t have the issue all the time, but often enough. And my doctor warned me about potential long term side affects from Prilosec.
Been using the Famotadine and it works the same for me as Ranitidine did.
Prilosec is a PPI and Pepcid/Zantac are H2I/A.
I don’t like that we seem to be down to only one, single H2A. Not just Zantac forced off, but years ago Tagamet seemed to disappear.
They are not the same class of drug.
So we are left with ONLY Pepcid for H2-inhibitors.
In my own case if I could give up caffeine then I would have far fewer acid reflux incidents. Spicy foods, tomatoes, etc. don't seem to be a factor for me. Just caffeine.
However because of the recent pandemic I am finding it hard to get a good night's sleep and am back on the caffeine train in order to be able to function.
In the long run it's probably best to improve diet and exercise regimen to limit acid reflux rather than depending on drugs that may or may not contain what they claim and may or may not have unreported side-effects.
I was buying my generic ranitidine at Walmart for a really low price. So I was probably buying the most cancerous version...
So long pancreas, it was nice knowing you.
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