How can I reduce the risk of an upset stomach while taking medication?

Some medications for skin conditions and infections can cause irritation of the stomach. This is usually easily avoided by following simple measures.

We frequently prescribe medications to manage rosacea and acne and to reduce the risk of non-melanoma skin cancers and solar keratoses. One of these medications’ more common side effects is irritation of the stomach (gastritis) or oesophagus (oesophagitis). Symptoms include a burning pain in the chest and upper abdomen, and sometimes nausea.

To reduce the risk of these symptoms, we recommend the following:

• Take your medication with food. It’s best to have some food in your stomach before taking the tablet or capsule, and then swallow some more food and some water after taking the medication.
• Don’t lie down for 20-30 minutes after taking medication.
• If you have been taking a large dose at one time (for example, two 500mg tablets of nicotinamide as a single dose), try splitting the dose to half the amount, twice daily (i.e. one 500mg tablet of nicotinamide, twice daily).