I am still trying to recover from a virus. I first got sick on Christmas but I was feeling bloated and gassy for at least a week before. Then I had a bad relapse on New Years Day with a lot of vomiting.
My stomach still hurts and burns, not all of the time, but often. I have taken a lot of Gaviscon for indigestion and acid reflux but I can't get rid of it.
I was off abx all of this time. Finally I realized the dizziness I have been having is probably babesia in full swing and not the virus. I also had pain in my knee last night - the return of borellia.
So I started the meds this morning, taken with a lot of food. I took doxycycline and malarone, both of which are really bad for acid reflux and indigestion (in fact I ended up in the emergency room last year from mepron).
i also started prevecic to try to get this burning to stop. I am watching my diet carefully (no acidic or fatty food) and not lying down after eating and/or taking the meds. I also have some diarrhea.
Anything else I can do? I just took Gaviscon again but it is not helping yet. I am also extremely tired and don't know if it is leftover from the virus or babesia. I had practically no symptoms of babesia three weeks ago.
Posted by JCarlhelp (Member # 15957) on :
Ginger chews and a product called Glutagenics by Metagenics. In addition my favorite anti-inflammatory of all is a rather expensive powder by Ortho Molecular called Inflamacore.
Posted by Kramberry (Member # 34032) on :
Aloe juice helps
Posted by Dogsandcats (Member # 28544) on :
What brand of ginger chews do you recommend JCarl?
Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
Thanks for the ideas. When I go to town this I will check out the health food store for those things.
Would probiotics help? I will take some with some kefir. Although yogurt is not supposed to be good for acid reflux it seems like getting some good bacteria back might be what I need. Maybe that virus was just the last straw for my gastro intestinal tract.
Posted by willbeatthis (Member # 31111) on :
Can anyone explain about the aloe juice. Does that interfere with anything?
I am on a starch free (for the most part) aside from vegis and chicken soup to heal my gut right now... you can read about the GAPS diet online. The only thing I am having trouble with is getting my meds down without stomach issues. Which to me -- I would think anyway- would hamper my progress on the diet. So, I have been sneaking coconut yogurt (it has sugar in it- a no no but it coats my tummy). Doe anyone know of what else I can take to coat my stomach for meds-- I am allergic to dairy so it needs to be something like Aloe if that works or any other suggestions... Thanks in advance. Sorry about your tummy trouble!
Posted by jackie51 (Member # 14233) on :
I drink plain kefir and eat coconut oil when I get the symptoms you are describing.
Posted by Dave6002 (Member # 9064) on :
Please see above link Topic: To those who have stomach/GI problems
Posted by JAC (Member # 34240) on :
My acupuncturist has me boil fresh ginger in water and drink that. That calms my lower gasto problems right away but not so much on the upper gastro with heartburn.
Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
I just took my meds and had to take the gavescone again. I have not had this problem before this virus.
I think I will try apple cider vinegar with water. I remember reading it helps heartburn and it is something I already have.
Wow, what a burp! That was great.
Posted by kidsgotlyme (Member # 23691) on :
Have you ever tried digestive enzymes? Since starting them, my stomach pain and heartburn has almost completely went away.
Also, if you are taking abx you need to be on at least 100 billion probiotic daily.
Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
I haven't tried enzymes. I was always fine before this virus except when I was on doxy in the beginning of treatment and I made the mistake of lying down after taking it. Also last year with the mepron but that was isolated, not every day.
I think the vinegar helped some.
Posted by Elaine G (Member # 20735) on :
Nefferdun, Have you tried putting your meds into gel caps.
It saves your stomach and dissolves in the small intestine where there is more room to absorb.
I have to split Malarone in half and put in a size 0 capsule. All of my other meds fit into 00 or 000 gel caps.
Never had a problem except for Biaxin which I had to double gel cap.
Elaine
Posted by willbeatthis (Member # 31111) on :
Elaine --that is some GREAT information. I will be on to this like no other... my stomach can't take this anymore... Bless you for this... Thanks again!
Doryx is killing me as is Rifampin ....and tindamax. Does anyone know the sizes for these or do you just call a pharmacy... thank you...
Posted by Elaine G (Member # 20735) on :
Usually a compounding pharmacy will have the gel caps. I hear Fresh Market has them, also.
You can also find them on Ebay.
Mostly everything will fit in a 00 or 000. I don't know about the other two meds.
0 is smaller than a 00. 00 is smaller than a 000. # 1 is larger than a 3 or 4. The smallest size I ever used is a # 1 for mino.
Mino is a # 1. Tindamax is a 0.
Let me know if it works for you. Three in my family have TBD. We all use the gel caps and never had a stomach problem, except for the Biaxin which I have to double gel cap.
If you get them from a compounding pharmacy just bring you pills with you and they can size them.
Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
Aloe vera is an irritant to the mucosal lining of the GI tract.
Aloe is excellent on burns and other skin wounds, but NOT for internal use, especially if one already has gastrointestinal irritation or inflammation.
Better options:
Flax or chia seeds - soothing to the lining of the bowels, and also provides bulk and fiber to keep things moving more regularly (good for both diarrhea and constipation).
Marshmallow Root, Slippery Elm Bark, DGL - excellent for soothing and healing stomach irriation and inflammation. DGL helps with acid reflux. Do not use regular Licorice root, make sure it is DGL.
L-Glutamine - do NOT use if you have seizures. This amino acid is very healing to the gut, but can cause neuro-excitotoxicity and thus trigger seizures in those who are sensitive or already have a seizure disorder.
Digestive enzymes - Acid Soothe by Enzymedica is one of the few safe enzyme formulas available for those with stomach ulcers, because it does not contain a large amount of protease (protease digests proteins, and a stomach ulcer is aggravated by protease enzymes). I'd start with that one and then maybe add or change to a different more comprehensive enzyme product as your symptoms calm down.
Probiotics are usually always a good idea, but make sure you drink water with them, and don't go from a tiny amount to a huge amount too quickly or it could lead to further discomfort if you already have a gut flora imbalance/Candida.
I would not use both Prevacid (lowers stomach acid) and the apple cider vinegar (promotes increased stomach acid)...these things do opposite things as one another and are counterproductive to use both in one day.
Gaviscon coats the stomach, and lasts a long time, so may interfere with absorption of other nutrients, medications, etc.
Ginger root and peppermint tea are very good, but be careful with the peppermint, as it can increase acid reflux.
Also, spicy foods, garlic, onions, chocolate, caffeine (coffee, chocolate, black/green tea, some sodas), tomato products (especially if cooked or canned), fried or high fat content foods, citrus, foods containing vinegar (pickles, salsa, salad dressings, etc.) and anything you are allergic to may need to be avoided while your stomach is on the mend.
These foods promote acid reflux and irritate the lining of the stomach more than most other foods.
Homeopathic Nux V. may help with diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, reflux, and general gi discomfort (it is the "Pepto-Bismol" of Homeopathy in my opinion).
Nux V. is also very good for supporting liver detox and I have used it to help with medication side-effects (especially those that affect the GI tract) successfully.
Homeopathic Lycopodium may help with indigestion symptoms, abdominal distention and gas.
If your nearest health food store does not carry herbs or homeopathy, you can get them online at http://www.supersup.com/ for a decent price, and they ship for free if you order at least $49 worth of products.
I have no financial connection with this website/company, just am a satisfied customer...