Can Pepto Bismol be taken on a regular basis? After meals?!
Question: Bismuth subsalicylate is recommended for overeating and drinking excessively. Bismuth also has some antibacterial effect. The product, sold as Pepto-Bismol and generic brands, may cause a temporary, harmless darkening of the tongue or stool.
FDA has proposed that products containing bismuth subsalicylate have labeling warning not to give the drug to children and teenagers who have or are recovering from chickenpox, flu symptoms (nausea, vomiting or fever), or flu. The warning is needed because, like aspirin, bismuth subsalicylate is a salicylate and may be associated with an increased risk of Reye syndrome, a rare but serious illness that can occur in children and teenagers with those illnesses.
Other proposed warnings advise users not to take the drug if they're allergic to any salicylate, and to consult a doctor first if they have diabetes, gout or arthritis or if they take blood-thinning medicine.
Users are also advised to stop taking the drug if they have ringing in the ears. This may happen when too much drug is taken or when another salicylate, such as aspirin, is taken at the same time."
Answers: Bismuth subsalicylate is recommended for overeating and drinking excessively. Bismuth also has some antibacterial effect. The product, sold as Pepto-Bismol and generic brands, may cause a temporary, harmless darkening of the tongue or stool.
FDA has proposed that products containing bismuth subsalicylate have labeling warning not to give the drug to children and teenagers who have or are recovering from chickenpox, flu symptoms (nausea, vomiting or fever), or flu. The warning is needed because, like aspirin, bismuth subsalicylate is a salicylate and may be associated with an increased risk of Reye syndrome, a rare but serious illness that can occur in children and teenagers with those illnesses.
Other proposed warnings advise users not to take the drug if they're allergic to any salicylate, and to consult a doctor first if they have diabetes, gout or arthritis or if they take blood-thinning medicine.
Users are also advised to stop taking the drug if they have ringing in the ears. This may happen when too much drug is taken or when another salicylate, such as aspirin, is taken at the same time."