Fasting ulcer patients may face problems after 20th of Ramazan

Islamabad: The patients with stomach ulcer while opting for regular fasting in the holy month of Ramazan must undergo complete medical check-ups at least once before and once during Ramazan as it is observed that majority of patients face complications including recurrence of the disease and ulcer bleeding particularly after 20th of Ramazan.

The patients having severe ulcer when fast for more than 16 hours a day regularly in Ramazan, they may develop complications after mid Ramazan if they are not following medical advice of a qualified doctor.

Regional Director of CPSP Islamabad Professor Mohammad Shaoib shafi who had conducted a research on complications of ulcer during fasting expressed this while talking to ‘The News’ on Wednesday.

Professor of Medicine Dr. Shoaib conducted the study in 2006 with the help of surgeons including Professor of Surgery Dr. Jehangir Sarwar and found that if patients with severe ulcer do not take proper medication while fasting, they have to undergo complications like bleeding, pyloric obstruction and or perforation of ulcer.

He said the study also revealed that a fasting ulcer patient may develop life-threatening complications of the disease including haemorrhages if he or she does not take effective medication from a qualified doctor.

He, however, added that much effective medication for ulcer is now available in the market and a patient after using these medicines may fast for a whole month in Ramazan without facing any problem. Actually, these medicines are effective for 24 hours and ulcer patients can fast easily after taking advice from their physicians, he said.

He added the ulcer patients should get themselves diagnosed through endoscopy to avoid any complications. It is observed that the number of ulcer patients experiencing blood vomiting gets on the extreme rise in Ramazan and it is so because of carelessness and unawareness among patients, he said. 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.

Health experts believe that another major cause of ulcers is the chronic use of anti-inflammatory medications, such as aspirin and cigarette smoking is also an important cause of ulcer formation and ulcer treatment failure.

Dr. Shoaib said that in most of the severe cases of ulcer, complications in a fasting patient occur after 20th of Ramazan but if the patient undergoes proper medication before the advent of Ramazan, he would not have any problem throughout the month.

He explained that stomach ulcer affects the nerves surrounding it that become agitated and cause a greater amount of pain. 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, he said.

Chance of bleeding in a smoker patient of ulcer during Ramazan is 100 times greater than that of a non-smoker and it is advised that the patients having complaints of ulcer should completely avoid smoking during Ramazan if fasting regularly, he said. Ulcer patients should use plenty of fruits and lemon during Ramazan, he said.