acid blockers

JenniferS · Post by **JenniferS** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 8:28 am

My GI thinks my nausea could be related to too much stomach acid and suggested over-the-counter blockers. Reading online it appears too much acid is rarely a problem and acid blockers can do more harm than good. Is this true?

It seems I can:

Deal with nausea w/ a grin & bear it attitude and no meds (I still eat and am not currently losing weight).

Take acid blockers

Take a stomach acid supplement to increase my acid

I'm also considering aloe vera juice and wondered if anyone has tried this and what results they've seen.

Thanks!

jgivens · Post by **jgivens** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 10:06 am

My vote for what it is worth, is to follow Gabes' idea of taking extra doses of Vitamin D3 when you are nauseous. I have been a PPIs for years and am trying to get off of the one I am on now. Not an easy task. Doctors LOVE PPIs and prescribe them with no thought at all to the consequences. I don't know about taking stomach acid supplements because I have no experience with that, but I have taken aloe vera ( 2 oz twice a day) and felt that it was neither helpful nor unhelpful for me. I think it may be a waste of money, though in theory, it is healing so it could work, I suppose.

I would think that the nausea will dissipate soon if you do nothing,but you might try D3 to see if it makes a difference. Hope this helps!

JenniferS · Post by **JenniferS** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 10:21 am

Thanks, Jane. The nausea has been pretty much chronic since Dec, although I still eat three meals a day and have managed to keep my weight steady for the most part.

I will try to up the D3. I'm low in that anyway. I agree, it seems like drs like to give patients meds, and I've found, often the med to deal with x then causes problems with x and y.

I hope you can get off your PPI's soon! I'm sorry to read you are having trouble with that!

desertrat · Post by **desertrat** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 12:28 pm

Whenever I feel nauseous, I warm some water, add some Bragg's apple cider vinegar, and a dollop of Manuka honey. Works every time. Sip like a tea. If you don't have the honey, just try the apple cider vinegar. It's a godsend for me.

Mandy

JenniferS · Post by **JenniferS** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 12:59 pm

Thanks, desertrat!

JenniferS · Post by **JenniferS** » Thu Feb 07, 2013 1:44 pm

Ugh! I mean, thanks Mandy! Sorry! (Us midwesterners can be so rude sometimes!

)

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Fri Feb 08, 2013 8:37 am

Jennifer,

I would recommend OTC histamine blockers, like Claritin or Zantac, instead of acid blockers. Quite a few of us have found them helpful, me included. They help to prevent the mast cell degranulation that so often goes along with MC.

Good luck.

Polly

JenniferS · Post by **JenniferS** » Fri Feb 08, 2013 8:42 am

Thanks, Polly. I am taking an antihistamine at night, but should probably up the dosage. I've also changed my eating habits so that I don't eat after five (as the GI said eating later can cause problems as food stays in our stomach longer because digestion slows.) This has helped with the nausea some but has made it more difficult for me to keep my calories up as before I spaced my eating times out. But I'll work that out. ;)

Have a blessed day.

wmonique2 · Post by **wmonique2** » Fri Feb 08, 2013 7:47 pm

Jennifer,

I had debilitating nausea for months. I was unable to perform or lead a normal life. Elavil is what saved me. It is an anti-depressant used in small doses (10 mg) to treat GI issues. It calms the GIT. It saved me.

I stopped taking it recently when I saw that Polly and others on the board were taking Claritin. I switched and I am doing great with it. It does the same as Elavil without the constant sleepiness and hunger I felt.

Best,

Monique

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Fri Feb 08, 2013 9:41 pm

Is anyone concerned about the body getting accustomed to antihistamines? I've been trying to lower mine because I'm worried that when summer comes and I start getting the head sores, etc., I'll need an even higher dosage. Recently I've eliminated my bedtime Zyrtec and have been taking 1/2 a Claritin RediTab in the morning. So far, no rash. Stool is a little degraded, but I tested canned apricots, too. It seems to be a balancing act with mast cells.

Gloria

wmonique2 · Post by **wmonique2** » Sat Feb 09, 2013 11:53 am

Gloria,

How about changing the kind of histamine you take? Would that make any difference? I mean they all block histamine but they are not all equal. Claritin is different from Zyrtec and others...I have wondered about that too, but it still is too soon for me to know. I've been just month or so on it.

Just a thought...

Monique

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Sat Feb 09, 2013 1:54 pm

Gloria (and others)

this time 12 months ago i was having H1 and H2 blockers daily. i kept a journal, figured out what the histamine triggers were and minimised them as much as possible. (not just food related but the external triggers as well)

i have monthly chiro/kinesiology appointments that are like acupuncture

Now i only take a H2 blocker mmm once a fortnight.
a H1 blocker about once a month (weather, change in season etc)
take H1 & H2 blocker before any dental work

the moving house event has multiple triggers (stress, dust, physical fatigue) and did cause some symptoms so i was taking them daily during the height of that activity.

As much as possible i try to elminate/minimise inflammation by not causing it - but when it is occuring due to situations out of my control i use the meds.
the more i read the more i realise what a toxin the inflammation is and the damage it is doing to our bodies - taking meds to minimise/eliminate it is better than the long term outcomes of letting it occur
Especially once something like MC is active in our bodies

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Sat Feb 09, 2013 2:10 pm

Jennifer

i was taking about 5000-8000iu of Vit D3 when the gerd was at its worst
I use a sub lingual Vit D3, so it is absorbed through the tongue.

whereas other tablets and liquids have to be processed by your gut and then your liver. You need Vit D3 in your cells to be able to process and absorb all nutrients from your gut (namely calcium)
if you are Vit D3 deficient and/or your motility is fast, having high doses of VitD3 tablets you may not be absorbing the full dose from tablets and liquids.

if you are having tablets/liquids, try to spread the doses across the day (ie 4-6 small doses through the day) this will optimise the chance to absorb more of the Vit D3.

Also for the Gerd i have a magnesium/potassium powder that i would add some calcium carbonate to. taking this with the Vit D3 would work within 10 minutes of any high pain/vomitting episode that i could return to sleep pain free

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Sat Feb 09, 2013 9:09 pm

Gabes wrote:this time 12 months ago i was having H1 and H2 blockers daily. i kept a journal, figured out what the histamine triggers were and minimised them as much as possible.

Yep, it's food or meds. So many wonderful foods are high in histamines: banana, chocolate, tomatoes, avocado, pineapple, citrus fruits, strawberries, pears, fish, vinegar, and the list goes on.

Monique,

I think changing the type of histamine periodically is probably a good idea, if one can tolerate them. I began to react to Benadryl and Allegra, so I had to stay with Zyrtec and Claritin. Most people with a mast cell problem take a variety of medications and antihistamines. I'm not on their boards enough to know if they eventually become ineffective.

Gloria

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Sat Feb 09, 2013 9:18 pm

Gloria
i have been eating pretty much the same foods for 3 years.... only just started having some apple.
and dont have most of the foods you mention in your list
yes my eating plan is probably bland or boring to some, in my case i see it as the best option, it is low inflamation, gut nuturing, low histamine therefore it minimises the need for medications.

i do a bit of a balance with the histamine foods, ie the days I have fish, i dont have eggs

nutritionally the benefit of having some fish (omega's) and having some eggs (for the B9) is better than not having them
so long as i have all things in moderation and dont go overboard it works pretty well.