I of course woke up after four hours of sleep, which is my norm unfortunately. I have to go to work in bit and don't feel like researching the archives.
How do you know if you need to supplement for stomach acid issues?? I never thought about this much but lately no matter what I eat or don't eat I am bloaty and gassy. And believe me, my diet is crazy restricted. Betaine HCL??? Apple cider vinegar??? I have apple cider vinegar here since I use a little in my lamb bone broth. Again, I never have given this topic much thought. I mean, why worry about something when you are worrying about a dozen other things? And with the bloaty and gassy is the rumbling/gurgly/diarrhea component despite immodium.
Sitting here I am just rumbling, it is SO disheartening....
Laine
Stomach acid issues?
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Stomach acid issues?
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are"-Teddy Roosevelt
I wonder if this truly is one reason that I just cant gain any weight despite eating a ton of meat???? I'm not sure if this has always been a problem or not, anyone/anyone??
Just trying to figure this puzzle out. I truly have just felt awful lately and have been trying to figure out why. Don't really think it was a UTI...am getting this hormone eluting IUD out today (think that is causing irritation and back pain in general..). The gassy bloaty thing despite eating way way way basically has been going on for awhile...
Laine
Just trying to figure this puzzle out. I truly have just felt awful lately and have been trying to figure out why. Don't really think it was a UTI...am getting this hormone eluting IUD out today (think that is causing irritation and back pain in general..). The gassy bloaty thing despite eating way way way basically has been going on for awhile...
Laine
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are"-Teddy Roosevelt
If you're going to try it, Betaine HCL is the way to go. ACV is pretty weak. I think it's pH is around 4.5, and you need to get down to around 1.5 or 2 to digest meat effectively. The website at the following link explains how to figuire out how much Betaine HCL you need to be using.
How to Supplement with Betaine HCL for Low Stomach Acid
Good luck. I hope it works for you.
Tex
How to Supplement with Betaine HCL for Low Stomach Acid
Good luck. I hope it works for you.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Thanks Tex-
I checked that website (and a whole lot more!!) before deciding to try this. I bought a bottle of Doctors Best Betaine HCl, Pepsin and Gentian Bitters yesterday and have been taking them. I just have gotten more worried about myself and possible malabsorption issues lately. I know that I live in Colorado and it is dry, but my skin looks horrible as far as looking like I need lotion all the time. Not just that but I feel crappy in general and have for awhile. Shakey is back...like I need sugar or something (like I'm a diabetic or something....just feels like that to me). And despite all the meat I am eating, I really just am not gaining any weight. At the gyno's yesterday they were like, "oh, you've lost 13 pounds since we last saw you in December". And believe me, 5'6" and 107# is not pretty, nor does it feel good. Y'all just say eat more of what you can eat, but I really can't eat more meat!!! I feel like I start going in the right direction then somehow run off the track!!! It's like that Whack A Mole game, beat one of them down and another pops up somewhere else...
Don't worry, I work this all around my cholestyramine 2x/day. Which is another question I have. I'm not even really sure that I need the cholestyramine, but the 2x I have tried to cut down on it, things have gone bad....attributed one of those times to out of control hormones/menstrual stuff last fall and then this bad gut infection or whatever it was in May. I take 2 packets a day of the stuff and am just wondering if this is contributing to malabsorption issues?? Floaty poop again this morning. The floaty poop stuff is really off and on but had never had it before a few weeks ago. Am I causing malabsorption issues just by taking the cholestyramine?? I really thought it was the miracle drug when I ramped up on it last fall, but have been up/down with everything since then and am not sure if it is part of the cure or part of the problem at this point. I take fat soluble vitamins to counteract the cholestyramine...
Reading up on low stomach acid, I understand that Gerd seems to be a biggy with this. Can't say I ever have Gerd/heartburn stuff. But I am willing to give it a shot. Because at this point I just really can't rule anything out and it seems like so many people reviewing the stuff say they feel better using it as far as being able to get food digested/nourishment from that food. And with my meat with every meal thing...thoughts????
Happy 4th of July!!!
Laine
I checked that website (and a whole lot more!!) before deciding to try this. I bought a bottle of Doctors Best Betaine HCl, Pepsin and Gentian Bitters yesterday and have been taking them. I just have gotten more worried about myself and possible malabsorption issues lately. I know that I live in Colorado and it is dry, but my skin looks horrible as far as looking like I need lotion all the time. Not just that but I feel crappy in general and have for awhile. Shakey is back...like I need sugar or something (like I'm a diabetic or something....just feels like that to me). And despite all the meat I am eating, I really just am not gaining any weight. At the gyno's yesterday they were like, "oh, you've lost 13 pounds since we last saw you in December". And believe me, 5'6" and 107# is not pretty, nor does it feel good. Y'all just say eat more of what you can eat, but I really can't eat more meat!!! I feel like I start going in the right direction then somehow run off the track!!! It's like that Whack A Mole game, beat one of them down and another pops up somewhere else...
Don't worry, I work this all around my cholestyramine 2x/day. Which is another question I have. I'm not even really sure that I need the cholestyramine, but the 2x I have tried to cut down on it, things have gone bad....attributed one of those times to out of control hormones/menstrual stuff last fall and then this bad gut infection or whatever it was in May. I take 2 packets a day of the stuff and am just wondering if this is contributing to malabsorption issues?? Floaty poop again this morning. The floaty poop stuff is really off and on but had never had it before a few weeks ago. Am I causing malabsorption issues just by taking the cholestyramine?? I really thought it was the miracle drug when I ramped up on it last fall, but have been up/down with everything since then and am not sure if it is part of the cure or part of the problem at this point. I take fat soluble vitamins to counteract the cholestyramine...
Reading up on low stomach acid, I understand that Gerd seems to be a biggy with this. Can't say I ever have Gerd/heartburn stuff. But I am willing to give it a shot. Because at this point I just really can't rule anything out and it seems like so many people reviewing the stuff say they feel better using it as far as being able to get food digested/nourishment from that food. And with my meat with every meal thing...thoughts????
Happy 4th of July!!!
Laine
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are"-Teddy Roosevelt
Can you get an RBC Magnesium Test? I suspect you're not absorbing magnesium. Magnesium deficiency is documented to cause insulin resistance, prediabetes, diabetes, etc. Your symptoms are a match for mine about three years ago when I still had a chronic magnesium deficiency. I had prediabetes symptoms and I continued to lose about 2 pounds every week no matter how much I ate. Once you get to that stage it's very, very difficult to absorb magnesium to correct the problem because you no longer have adequate insulin available to be used to transport the magnesium out of the bloodstream to take it to where it can do some good, even if you are able to absorb it. So if you take a magnesium supplement, you overwork your kidneys removing the magnesium from your blood so that the level doesn't get too high and cause cardiovascular issues.
Tex
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
I go see my internal medicine Dr next Monday Tex. He did a TON of blood work that we will review. Not sure what all of it was. I truly don't think this has been an issue the whole past year. I was gaining weight and was feeling good up until that devastating gut bug thing in May. I have never had the RBC magnesium test run to my knowledge. I can look at my last PCP blood draw from January and see if it is part of the routine stuff...
I do about 330 mg of topical mag ,am up to 300 mg of ReMag a day and have been doing sunflower butter which has alot of magnesium in it. Like 4 tablespoons of that a day (which supposedly is another ~200 mg..). I'm not sure how to get more magnesium in my life. I really cant slather any more on my body because it gets too irritating and I start breaking down skin wise!!! I was taking one 100mg Doctors Best mag glycinate daily with the ReMage until the gut bug thing hit, but haven't had the nerve to add that back in (had lightened up on the topicals when taking that..).
Anyway, I never did feel like I had a malabsorption issue but now I think I do. So, if increasing my stomach acid will help, then I'm all for it!!! I really can't think of much else to do... again, see it mentioned every once in awhile here on the board but never thought is was my problem until lately when I started getting wierd and bloaty/gassy/diarrhea again. I was prone to blame this stuff on the hormones and irritating IUD...who know, maybe with that being gone things will settle down some.
Laine
I do about 330 mg of topical mag ,am up to 300 mg of ReMag a day and have been doing sunflower butter which has alot of magnesium in it. Like 4 tablespoons of that a day (which supposedly is another ~200 mg..). I'm not sure how to get more magnesium in my life. I really cant slather any more on my body because it gets too irritating and I start breaking down skin wise!!! I was taking one 100mg Doctors Best mag glycinate daily with the ReMage until the gut bug thing hit, but haven't had the nerve to add that back in (had lightened up on the topicals when taking that..).
Anyway, I never did feel like I had a malabsorption issue but now I think I do. So, if increasing my stomach acid will help, then I'm all for it!!! I really can't think of much else to do... again, see it mentioned every once in awhile here on the board but never thought is was my problem until lately when I started getting wierd and bloaty/gassy/diarrhea again. I was prone to blame this stuff on the hormones and irritating IUD...who know, maybe with that being gone things will settle down some.
Laine
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are"-Teddy Roosevelt
It might be low stomach acid. If so, betaine HCL may solve your problems. But if you are not absorbing magnesium (or transporting it out of the blood, which is a separate issue from absorption) then no matter how much you slather on your skin, or swallow, you're not going to be able to utilize it. You might have to resort to IV administration to sort of "prime" the absorption process for magnesum (if malabsorption is the problem). But let's see if the betaine HCL works, first.
Tex
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
You know what is funny Tex?? The internal medicine doc that I am seeing again next week for a follow up is real, real big on magnesium. He was the reason (one of his lunch and learns for the hospital staff) I actually started supplementing with mag glycinate (and made husband and son do it also...son takes meds for epilepsy which I guess deplete mag..) years ago. I just didn't take alot of it, 200 mg a day when things were fairly stable with me. Reading his notes on my hospitalized orthopedic pts, he's big on IV magnesium for helping with pain control after surgery too..
Looked at my blood tests online, no Magnesium RBC test.
I hope you continue to feel better daily in your recovery. You mean so much to all of us with your wisdom and patience!!! I'm sort of one of those "just the facts ma'am sort of people" with some things...that said, being a Physical Therapist makes you believe that the world is really shades of gray with little black and white. Progress, not perfection as Gabes says. I just am hoping for some progress!!! This past year has been so frustrating....
Laine
Looked at my blood tests online, no Magnesium RBC test.
I hope you continue to feel better daily in your recovery. You mean so much to all of us with your wisdom and patience!!! I'm sort of one of those "just the facts ma'am sort of people" with some things...that said, being a Physical Therapist makes you believe that the world is really shades of gray with little black and white. Progress, not perfection as Gabes says. I just am hoping for some progress!!! This past year has been so frustrating....
Laine
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are"-Teddy Roosevelt
That is kind of funny, or ironic. But it doesn't surprise me. One of the unwritten rules that physicians apparently are required to follow (IMO) is to never, ever recognize a magnesium deficiency in a patient, no matter how obvious the symptoms. I'm not sure why they have that rule, but they all seem to follow it religiously, even in the ER. LOL. And to guarantee that they don't accidentally stray from that requirement, they invariably either don't test for magnesium deficiency or they use a useless test.
Tex
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Hi,
The more I read this conversation, the more and more it is sounding like the magnesium isn't doing its job. 600-800 mg of Mag should be getting you into an operational mode with everything you are doing to help yourself, and for how long you have been taking it.
I had the gassy, bloating, acid stomach a LONG time ago.....I haven't had it back since the Gluten, and Dairy have been gone and I kept up with 50mg of Zinc plus keeping adequate essential fatty acids in my diet (proteins, coconut oil, Omega 3 and a little Omega 6). I have been religious with the VitD3 and Magnesium too, so I suspect they have been working in tandem like they are supposed to, this is where I feel your body isn't quite speaking to one another.
Like Tex suggests....if insulin is an issue that needs to be addressed soon.
The cholestyramine is a binder and perhaps thought of in that manner when too much enzyme leaves the gall bladder/pancreas. I did not have any issues with it escorting my supplementation from me while on it. I felt it helped me heal just that much more during the 7 months I was on it. I currently have floaty poops, sometimes they are brown sometimes they are yellowish/white but I am sure it is based off what I ate 16 hours before, lol. I don't worry about floaters persay, for me that is much better than super soft/sloppy kind.
I hope you find that next piece of your puzzle soon so you can start feeling that much better
Erica
The more I read this conversation, the more and more it is sounding like the magnesium isn't doing its job. 600-800 mg of Mag should be getting you into an operational mode with everything you are doing to help yourself, and for how long you have been taking it.
I had the gassy, bloating, acid stomach a LONG time ago.....I haven't had it back since the Gluten, and Dairy have been gone and I kept up with 50mg of Zinc plus keeping adequate essential fatty acids in my diet (proteins, coconut oil, Omega 3 and a little Omega 6). I have been religious with the VitD3 and Magnesium too, so I suspect they have been working in tandem like they are supposed to, this is where I feel your body isn't quite speaking to one another.
Like Tex suggests....if insulin is an issue that needs to be addressed soon.
The cholestyramine is a binder and perhaps thought of in that manner when too much enzyme leaves the gall bladder/pancreas. I did not have any issues with it escorting my supplementation from me while on it. I felt it helped me heal just that much more during the 7 months I was on it. I currently have floaty poops, sometimes they are brown sometimes they are yellowish/white but I am sure it is based off what I ate 16 hours before, lol. I don't worry about floaters persay, for me that is much better than super soft/sloppy kind.
I hope you find that next piece of your puzzle soon so you can start feeling that much better
Erica
To Succeed you have to Believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a Reality - Anita Roddick
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Thanks Erica-
I just don't know what to think anymore. I stopped taking the cholestyramine a couple days ago thinking maybe it's working against me at this point. I hate to hang onto something just because I believed it helped initially. I can't really tell you that I have an ACID stomach, not gerd, not heartburn. Bloaty yes, horrible smelling gassy LATELY yes...but that sort of comes and goes. It's definitely a recent thing though. And the floaty sort of icky poop is definitely a recent thing.
And I am playing around with the Betaine HCL and digestive enzymes. Interesting reading anyway. I am up to 3 of the Betaine capsules per meal (650 mg each..), and don't have any indication that that is too much ("burning stomach stuff") like the information on the web says. Is anyone else here taking this stuff with improvement of symptoms?? I have felt some better this week, felt great yesterday actually, but crappy in general again today. I bought Pancreatin 1300 by Solaray tonight after work. Will add that to dinner.
I just want to figure out what is going on. Truly, I have felt just icky the past 6 weeks or so. In general. Poop up/down, but mostly not great. I have been gluten/dairy and soy free since late 2011, and I have been eating a crazy restricted diet since last fall. Really, inflammation should be settling down by now. I supplement with mag, Vit D, zinc and the important B's. Stress has gone down in my life in general.
Anyhoo, thanks to everyone for all their input. Like I said, see the Dr on Monday so will bring up all these issues and see what the blood work reveals. I really wonder what my blood sugar levels look like though.
Laine
I just don't know what to think anymore. I stopped taking the cholestyramine a couple days ago thinking maybe it's working against me at this point. I hate to hang onto something just because I believed it helped initially. I can't really tell you that I have an ACID stomach, not gerd, not heartburn. Bloaty yes, horrible smelling gassy LATELY yes...but that sort of comes and goes. It's definitely a recent thing though. And the floaty sort of icky poop is definitely a recent thing.
And I am playing around with the Betaine HCL and digestive enzymes. Interesting reading anyway. I am up to 3 of the Betaine capsules per meal (650 mg each..), and don't have any indication that that is too much ("burning stomach stuff") like the information on the web says. Is anyone else here taking this stuff with improvement of symptoms?? I have felt some better this week, felt great yesterday actually, but crappy in general again today. I bought Pancreatin 1300 by Solaray tonight after work. Will add that to dinner.
I just want to figure out what is going on. Truly, I have felt just icky the past 6 weeks or so. In general. Poop up/down, but mostly not great. I have been gluten/dairy and soy free since late 2011, and I have been eating a crazy restricted diet since last fall. Really, inflammation should be settling down by now. I supplement with mag, Vit D, zinc and the important B's. Stress has gone down in my life in general.
Anyhoo, thanks to everyone for all their input. Like I said, see the Dr on Monday so will bring up all these issues and see what the blood work reveals. I really wonder what my blood sugar levels look like though.
Laine
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are"-Teddy Roosevelt