Sucralfate and Choking: What Users Say

• bev...
• September 6, 2016

For Duodenal Ulcer "Very effective for duodenal ulcer flare-up. My only criticism is that they dissolve in your mouth before you can swallow any water to wash them down, and I have almost choked on them, which is very scary. The company needs to provide a thicker coating, even if it delays the quick effectiveness. I just coated one with butter, and it went down more smoothly, with lots of ice water, but I still felt it hang up in my esophagus, which almost made me gag. I think this could be dangerous. The other night it really scared me, as it got stuck on the way down, and I coughed and gagged and drank water, but it was stubborn."

• Mel...
• April 29, 2017

For Stomach Ulcer "MAJOR CHOKING HAZARD! I've been taking the pill version instead of the liquid for a few months. I literally almost died twice from choking on this pill. What they don't tell you is that as soon as you put the pill in your mouth and it hits moisture, it swells. Put it in water and watch. Because there's no coating, it's hard to get down. This leads to choking until it starts to dissolve. DO NOT take this while you're alone! Other than that, it works well, lol. Dissolve it in a cup of warm water, then chug it. I wouldn't split it in half because it's more likely to get stuck because of the sharp corners."

• Kal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 15, 2019

For Duodenal Ulcer "I was diagnosed with a very large ulcer about 2 months ago. My Dr. prescribed the liquid Carafate for the first few weeks, but it is extremely expensive. They then prescribed the pill form. This medication has helped so much with my stomach pain and bloating! However, I have had issues with choking on the pill. I don't know why, I have taken pills a lot larger than this one and have had no issues. Be careful when taking this pill, I have ended up getting sick because of it lodging in my throat and causing me to choke."

• Adr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 13, 2019

For Stomach Ulcer "I choked on these. Be careful because it will get stuck in your throat. However, it did give me relief from my ulcers and I felt better after six weeks of taking this medication. I refilled another prescription if I had to use it again. Good luck and be careful!"

• Cja...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 17, 2018

For Stomach Ulcer "First time I took this medication, I nearly choked to death! It did help my stomach pain, but I got to the point where I didn't want to take it because I was scared of choking. After I found out I can dissolve it in water, it's much better. It does help with GERD and my ulcer."

• MWa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 14, 2020

For GERD "Sucralfate, even cut in half, makes me choke. I have had several major choking episodes and am afraid to take it anymore. I have the liquid form, which works fine. Am going to see my PA this week to discuss. Not sure if I'm afraid because I've choked or I choke because I'm afraid it will happen again. Either way, it's very scary! I'm being treated for an 'esophageal hernia.'"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 5, 2020

For Duodenal Ulcer "I actually have the liquid and the pills, and both were bad for me. I want this ulcer to heal, but this sucralfate medicine is horrible. I had several side effects, so I stopped taking the liquid. I recently got the pills, and again I had a couple of side effects, but it wasn't as bad as the liquid, so I'm at a crossroads right now. I'm not sure if I will continue. Oh, the pill is about the size of an 800 mg ibuprofen, but I was advised to crush it because it could possibly cause choking."

• cam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 18, 2022

For GERD "I've been literally choking on this pill twice a day for a week now. I’ve heard you’re supposed to just crush it into a slurry, but I don’t always have a lot of time in the morning, so I’ve just been swallowing it. I take HUGE drinks of water with the pill to try and ease it down, but it gets stuck in my throat EVERY TIME. It is so scary and painful and has made me throw up twice now. How have they not changed this? There are people out there who have much more difficulty swallowing than me, and I can’t even imagine what it’s like for them to try and take this pill. If you get prescribed this pill, DO NOT TRY TO SWALLOW IT. Just listen to everyone else and crush it and mix it into a slurry. It’s absolutely ridiculous."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 5, 2019

For GERD "I would say 6 out of 10 of these pills swell up in my throat, making it next to impossible to get it down. Then I start to panic and wind up choking it out. I hate these pills."

• Wdh...
• September 3, 2022

Sucralfate for GERD "Unable to take the med. It wouldn’t go down. Would start to crumble/dissolve in the mouth and caused choking."