What have people done to control the acid reflux while trying to sleep while you are on Cholestyramine? Thanks
Posted by GiGi (Member # 259) on :
We took it one time (years ago, before I knew you) and tossed it. It's a negative all the way around, in my opinion. Dr. K's opinion does not differ much from mine as I gathered from more of his recent comments.
Scot, I do not know if this will help you, since I do not take CSM. CSM, Tricor and Welchol all double me over with screaming cramps for hours. They make me feel like my guts are going to burst right out of my abdomen.
I have bile reflux at night, rather than acid reflux, but I have found something that stops the reflux. Bile reflux is far more dangerous than acid reflux, so I was willing to try anything. Ursodiol plus Librax plus Sucralfate had failed to stop it.
I now take 5 grams of L-glutamine powder in a cup of water before bed and another 5 grams when I wake up around 3 am, and it eliminates 95% of my reflux. It worked the very first night.
Yes, I know it converts to glutamate at high doses in some people. You will know right away if you are one of those people, because your brain fog will dramatically increase. If not, you can tolerate doses as high as 20 mgs. daily with no bad effects.
Glutamine increases the protective mucus in the stomach lining, among other things. It helps leaky gut too.
You may find that acid reflux does not require a dosage as high as mine either, and one dose at bedtime may be all you need. (Bile reflux tends to occur around 5 am).
Thank me later
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
Scott - Slippery elm bark (powdered in water) is helpful for healing the lining of the esophagus and sleeping with your head elevated helps keep the acid out of your esophagus. Also, don't eat anything for several hours before you lay down.
You can use a foam wedge under your pillow to elevate your head.
Are you sure cholestyramine is causing the refulx? I don't see reflux listed anywhere as a side effect. I don't get reflux with cholestyramine but taking anything that is supposed to treat h. pylori will often bring on reflux for me.
I was treated for h. pylori and that made my long standing reflux go away. It came back when I stopped taking monolaurin. I think my husband is passing it back to me.
GIGI wrote: It's a negative all the way around, in my opinion. Dr. K's opinion does not differ much from mine as I gathered from more of his recent comments.
Can you be more specific about why you think it is negative?
Is there any current written material from Dr. K that explains why he has changed his mind?
Thanks, Terry
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
Are you still drinking kombucha? It seems to help my husband's reflux.
Posted by hiker53 (Member # 6046) on :
Scott,
Is it possible to raise the head of your bed to the acid does not back up? I suppose sleeping in a recliner would do the same thing, but would not be comfortable.
Also, sleeping on your left side is better than the right side.
One more thing that has helped me some is orange peel extract. I bought it in capsule form at the health food store and the brand I bought was Enzymatic Therapy (of course, I have no affilitation with this company nor do I make money endorsing the product).
Good luck. Hiker53
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
Interesting that you bring up orange peel extract. I've been taking D-limonene (citrus peel extract) in the hopes of disolving some salivary gland stones and it is also reported to help control h.pylori. It actually stirred up my reflux.
D-limonene may dissolve gallstones too. Using the oil topically on my neck where the stone is has helped a lot.
My husband and I went to the fabric store and bought a large piece of foam and used an electric kitchen knife to cut it into the proper shape to raise the mattress. It did help but not a lot. I've also tried raising the head of the bed in various other ways but still got no real relief.
Sleeping with my head propped up on the arm of the couch helps the most but I also sometimes use a wedge pillow under my regular pillow to get relief. When I use the couch arm, I put a big pillow under my shoulders and neck to support my neck.
Hope you find a way to get it under control since I'm sure you know, GERD increases the risk of stomach and esophogeal cancer.
Terry
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I could not take the CSM .. nearly did my gallblader in.
Posted by pryorka (Member # 13649) on :
I had acid reflux for a while as well and like hiker said raising the head of your bed is the best way to go. Nothing else I really did was a sure thing except that.
Posted by canefan17 (Member # 22149) on :
I got rid of acid reflux with diet.
I don't use any condiments anymore.
No more wheat or gluten
Posted by SForsgren (Member # 7686) on :
This is not a general problem with acid reflux. This is a problem / side effect of CSM. Thanks everyone for the insights and thoughts.
Posted by GiGi (Member # 259) on :
To answer TerryK:
The sites that you posted are protocols dating back to 2002. Dr.K.'s protocols have changed since then, because we know a lot more about Lyme and the problems that are part of Lyme. Time has not stood still for him and he is adjusting to what works best for his patients and his students all the time.
His basic philosophy has not changed, i.e. cleaning up the terrain/body, but he constantly finds better ways to accomplish this. Cleanup for him has always taken priority.
Cholesterol levels fluctuate during treatment and when "toxins are on the move" (usually rising and then dropping down again) and there are better choices available for binders without these side effects. That is why I chose not to take it years ago and the subject was raised by him expressing the same as he has done earlier.
I try to make it to these Conferences because I can learn, for myself, help my husband, and share with friends. It is stimulating but also very demanding. There are DVD's available of every conference. I am not aware of any up-to-date written material by him on this subject without searching the internet. Maybe you can find it. There is a lot of info pro and con on statins in general.
Hope this explains.
Take care.
Posted by Lee (Member # 23768) on :
Cholestyramine is not a statin, although I agree there is a lot of controversy about statins such as Lipitor etc. Cholestryramine works by converting bile acids in the body to be excreted by the intestines. When this happen blood cholesterol is changed into bile acid to keep the bile acid constant. This then lowers the plasma cholesterol.
Statins work by blocking a key enzyme that helps form cholesterol.
I fully admit I don't know what Dr. K's current thinking is on cholestyramine.
Lee
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
Hope you got your problem solved with reflux Scott.
This information from Dr. K is dated October 2009. He does list cholestyramine for herx support on page 73.