Ulcer patients may need medical check-up after 3 weeks of fasting

Islamabad: Many of the ulcer patients while fasting regularly in the month of Ramazan may require a complete medical check-up after 20th of Ramazan as they may suffer from complications including recurrence of the disease and ulcer bleeding after regular fasting for three weeks or so.

The public and private sector healthcare facilities including Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Islamabad and allied hospitals in Rawalpindi have already been receiving significant number of stomach ulcer patients with mild to moderate and few with severe complications.

Health experts say that the patients with stomach ulcer while fasting regularly without taking extra care may develop life-threatening complications including haemorrhages yet the ulcer patients need not to worry instead should seek proper medical guidance and advice regarding medication.

Experts say that patients with stomach ulcer must undergo complete medical check-ups at least once before and once during fasting in the month of Ramazan.

It is important that elected councillor and Regional Director of College of Physicians and Surgeons Islamabad/Rawalpindi Chapter Professor of Medicine Dr. Muhammad Shoaib Shafi had conducted a research on complications of ulcer during fasting with the help of surgeons some 13 years back. The study found that patients with severe ulcer when fasting without taking effective medication have to undergo complications like bleeding, pyloric obstruction and or perforation of ulcer.

Studies reveal that stomach ulcer (also called a peptic ulcer) is small erosion (hole) in the gastrointestinal tract. The direct cause of peptic ulcers is destruction of the gastric or intestinal mucosal lining of the stomach by hydrochloric acid, an acid normally present in the digestive juices of the stomach. Excess secretion of hydrochloric acid, genetic predisposition, and psychological stress are important contributing factors in the formation and worsening of duodenal ulcers.

Professor Shoaib, however, believes that with the help of modern and latest medicines which are available in markets now, the effects of fasting on an ulcer patient can be minimized as modern medicines are effective for longer period of time.

Use of anti-inflammatory medications, such as aspirin and cigarette smoking may contribute to ulcer formation and ulcer treatment failure in patients. Dr. Shoaib had found through the research that chance of bleeding in a smoker patient of ulcer during Ramazan is 100 times greater than that of a non-smoker. He advised that all patients having complaints of ulcer should completely avoid smoking during Ramazan and should use plenty of fruits and lemon to avoid complications.

Studies reveal that stomach ulcer affects the nerves surrounding it. The nerves become agitated and cause a great amount of pain. In a good number of fasting patients, the stomach ulcers can cause haemorrhages from the erosion of a major blood vessel; a tear in the wall of the stomach or obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract because of spasm or swelling in the area of the ulcer.

Deputy Director at PIMS Dr. Waseem Ahmed Khawaja who is a gastroenterologist said the ulcer patients while fasting should take extra care in diet and must limit intake of oily and spicy food. It is a must for ulcer patients to have proper medication while fasting and should not take complications if occur lightly, he said.