Symptoms of peptic ulcers may vary greatly from person to person. Children and the elderly tend to have symptoms that do not follow the usual patterns or no symptoms at all. Patients who are very ill or taking corticosteroids may have less intense symptoms. When symptoms are absent, peptic ulcers may only be discovered when complications, which can be potentially life-threatening, arise. However, most peptic ulcers are cured without the development of complications.

The most common symptom of peptic ulcers is pain just below the breastbone. It is usually a steady, burning or gnawing sore pain or dull pain. It generally only lasts for minutes but may wake the patient up at night. The pain often occurs once or a few times daily, typically two to three hours after eating and usually lasts for one to several weeks. In some cases, pain may disappear and recur. Drinking or eating generally relieves the pain briefly because it helps buffer the stomach acid. However, it may actually make the pain worse over time.

Some other symptoms associated with peptic ulcers include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Hunger or loss of appetite
• Weight loss or gain
• Fatigue

These symptoms, especially nausea and vomiting, may occur after eating.

Peptic ulcers with complications such as bleeding or perforation may produce other symptoms. Some of these include:

• Bleeding ulcers may cause hematemesis (vomiting blood), melena (black, tarry stools), dizziness and fainting. When vomiting blood, the blood may be bright red or there may be reddish brown clumps of partially digested blood resembling coffee grounds.
  
  
• An ulcer that penetrates to another organ may cause pain that radiates to other areas and worsens with motion.
  
  
• A perforated ulcer that spills stomach contents into the abdomen can produce radiating pain, difficulty breathing and fever.
  
  
• An ulcer that obstructs the opening to the small intestine may cause vomiting. Patients often vomit large volumes of food eaten hours before. Prolonged obstruction with frequent vomiting may lead to weight loss, dehydration and an imbalance of electrolytes. Obstruction may also result in pain and cramping, feeling unusually full after eating small amounts, bloating, loss of appetite, constipation or diarrhea.