\u201cAnd you\u2019re supposed to take all of this medication with food because … they can be hard on the stomach or the intestines,\u201d he said in the video. <\/p>\n
Hilton said that he developed an ulcer<\/a>, which progressed to a perforation. The Cleveland Clinic states<\/a> that a perforation is a \u201chole in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract\u201d and that it requires \u201cimmediate medical care.\u201d <\/p>\n The gossip blogger said that he experienced severe stomach pain the day before he was hospitalized and that he was taken to the hospital by ambulance the following morning when he got to the point where he \u201ccouldn\u2019t walk.\u201d He said he also developed sepsis. <\/p>\n When Hilton arrived at the hospital, he said he was given several tests, including an X-ray, CT scan and ultrasound to find the perforation. He said doctors initially were unable to locate the perforation and that he eventually underwent Laparoscopic surgery<\/a>, which uses a camera to look inside the abdomen. <\/p>\n \u201cAnd then I still had so much infection that I had to have another major procedure,\u201d he said, before adding that he later developed another infection while staying at the hospital. <\/p>\n Hilton\u2019s experience brings up important questions about best practices when taking medication. Dr. Jason Korenblit<\/a>, a gastroenterologist and digestive health expert on JustAnswer, told HuffPost that it\u2019s first important to note that Hilton did not name the medication he took, so therefore \u201cno one should assume exactly which drug caused this.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat matters, because the two main FDA-approved prescription antivirals commonly used for influenza, oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and baloxavir (Xofluza), can both be taken with or without food,\u201d he told HuffPost. \u201cWith oseltamivir, food is often recommended simply because it may reduce stomach upset, not because taking it on an empty stomach is known to commonly cause an ulcer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBaloxavir can also be taken with or without food, although patients are told to avoid taking it with dairy products or supplements containing minerals like calcium or iron because those can interfere with absorption,\u201d he continued. <\/p>\n Korenblit said that based on Hilton\u2019s video, it\u2019s possible he may have taken something with NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication) such as ibuprofen or naproxen. <\/p>\n \u201c[Oftentimes] cold and flu medications, even over-the-counter ones, contain NSAIDs to help with muscle aches and fever, and it is easy to take too many if you don\u2019t pay attention to what\u2019s in it,\u201d he said. \u201cOr if you have a very sensitive stomach.\u201d <\/p>\n He later noted that \u201cthe most common medication-related culprits for peptic ulcers are NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThose drugs can injure the stomach lining and increase ulcer risk whether or not they are taken with food, although taking them with food may reduce short-term irritation and discomfort,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Korenblit said he \u201cwould not say it is universally true that medications used to treat the flu must be taken with food.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSome are prescribed that way to reduce nausea or stomach irritation, but that is not the same as saying that skipping food commonly leads to a gastric ulcer,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n But Korenblit said that it is important to note that \u201ctake with food\u201d instructions are there for a reason. \u201cPatients should follow them exactly, even when the reason is \u2018only\u2019 to reduce irritation or improve tolerability,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n Korenblit said that while, generally speaking, it\u2019s \u201cabsolutely important\u201d to take certain medications with food when instructed, \u201cdeveloping a true peptic ulcer from taking a medication without food is not something I would call common in the average patient.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe most common overall cause of peptic ulcers remains H. pylori infection<\/a>, with NSAID use another major cause,\u201d he continued. Helicobacter pylori infection is a stomach infection. While most people don\u2019t have symptoms, the infection can cause stomach pain, bloating and gas, the Mayo Clinic states<\/a>.<\/p>\n Korenblit said that Hilton\u2019s reported sequence of having an ulcer, then perforation, then sepsis is \u201ca recognized medical pathway, but it is not common.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a complication pathway we worry about because it is dangerous, not because it is routine,\u201d he said. \u201cThe vast majority [of] people who take prescription flu medication do not develop ulcers, and most ulcers do not progress to perforation and sepsis.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Taking](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/69c43a29170000190476e25c.jpeg\")
Taking medication without food can lead to severe gastrointestinal issues. <\/p>\n