Patient's question:
I have a stomach ulcer and have been taking medication for two months. When I was taking the medicine, I felt fine, but after stopping it, I'm feeling uncomfortable again. Hello, can I continue taking this medicine indefinitely? Are there any side effects if I take it long-term?Doctor's answer:
Gastric ulcer is generally treated with standard therapy for one month, typically involving a month of acid-reducing medication, antibiotics such as amoxicillin and clarithromycin for a week, and later only acid-reducing medication. If you take the medication regularly and follow the prescribed course, it should be fine within one month. Gastric ulcer is a chronic condition and prone to recurrence. To ensure complete healing, it is necessary to adhere to long-term medication. Never stop taking the medication abruptly once symptoms improve slightly, and never switch medications frequently—such as taking a certain drug for a few days, seeing that symptoms are not stable, and then switching to another. Generally, a course of treatment requires 4 to 6 weeks of medication. Even after pain relief, stable treatment for 1 to 3 months, or even longer, is needed.