Sunmountain's Log

[Peata]

post 99001 Hi Peata,

Yes, I think I'm also now recognizing that what I thought was blood sugar problems might have been stomach acid issues. Good to know that moving dinner earlier and elevating head helped you so much.

I did eat dinner earlier yesterday at 7 and didn't sleep till midnight, though I did lay down elevated on a bunch of pillows until I slept, and I slept with about 2 pillows. So perhaps a proper elevation with the acid pillow that will arrive tomorrow will help.

Thanks for sharing your Pepcid experience; it's very helpful. What's confusing in my case is that I had such a positive response to it starting the day after the endoscopy for a couple of days. It was just as Haidut described. But then since two days the reflux started, and Pepcid isn't working for reflux so far. I am still going to continue Pepcid for now, given it is still helping sleep minus the coughing.

Also I drank a lot fresh OJ yesterday, albeit with baking soda. I'm sure that aggravated things. I'm going off the OJ for now and will try clover honey for the carbs.

I'll try the Carafate today and for a few days. Damn the aluminum. I wish there was a way to chelate it or something. I do intensely dislike the thought of having to drink aluminum.

Good to know you can get back on the coffee. How did you know when your stomach healed?

Glad the dramamine is working for you. I have been taking glycine with tea or coffee, but I read a post I think by Haidut that glycine and taurine raise stomach acid. But I don't know if it's a lot or just a little, so that the benefits outweigh the costs. So I'm a bit unsure about the glycine right now.
!

I have to watch about how close or far from bed I eat. Sometimes I'm genuinely hungry and have a snack. For example, I had a small amount of leftover casserole along with some cheese and ginger ale around 9:30 last night, and fell alseep just after 11:30. I slept all night very well. So two hours seems like a reasonable cut off for food before sleep in my situation.

I knew I could have coffee again when it started to appeal and didn't hurt my stomach anymore. The thing is, I'm not sure my stomach will retain its healing due to the assaults of daily life, as it is sort of a daily thing that I have to take care of it. My GI system has always been a weak spot in my body my whole life. If I'm going to consume something that I know will be bad for it, I have to weigh whether it's worth the risk (and sometimes it is, coffee for example almost never bothers if I'm stomach is in good shape) and also take things to keep my stomach buffered, such as the glycine and/or dramamine. Just making sure to have food in my belly first is a big part of taking care of it, both to buffer the stomach and to prevent blood sugar issues and running out of energy like flooring a gas pedal while car is in park, which can result in headaches among other things.

I take glycine with muscle meat for the amino acid balance, and glycine if I'm going to have aspirin, as it seems to buffer it. The raised stomach acid if it caused it, has not seemed to be a problem. I've heard too little stomach acid is bad too. So I dunno, like all this health stuff it can get confusing.


from haidut on the iron chelation thread: "there are a LOT of studies on using thiamine for lead and/or aluminum chelation (lowering both metals Ray would recommend I think) and in fact it is approved as such chelator in some European countries."

I just started taking 500 mg. B1 today but it was for a different reason, and then I came across that info from haidut. I started B1 because of other reasons, such as reducing lactate and ammonia. I believe this is one reason B1 helped me with mental clarity and focus back when I was experimenting with high doses of it (no specific amount but in hundreds of mg daily) back in Fall 2013. As long as I took it with adequate food/sugar, I felt better with it. It's also supposed to help detox estrogen. And I think thiamin (B1) can be depleted rather easy. I do take a B multi some days, but decided to up the B1 either way.

 

[sunmountain]

So today was better than yesterday due to no OJ. A little bit of coughing or acidy feeling during the day, but not much. Hoping I'll be able to sleep through the night.

However, I'm feeling fatigued again. Not as bad as before thyroid, but definitely feeling it. My hunch is because I'm not eating enough. I've had 3-4 T honey today to sub for the OJ, but it doesn't come close to filling me like OJ does. For dinner, I had salty broth with a few veggies, and my body loved it. But then I got hungry again around 8, and had some potato chips followed by honeydew melon and a stick of cheese. And 2-3 t honey in a few sips herbal tea. Another 2 t by spoon. Still a bit hungry, but tired of looking for things to eat so going to bed.

Just when I had a diet working for me, I have to start over. With much fewer options.

Around 5pm, I got hungry and felt the acid in the stomach. It was another hour before my soup was ready, so felt a bit nauseous in the meantime.

It will take a while to get a meal plan working again. Hard to do if I'm feeling tired.

Got the carafate, 2 weeks worth for $45. Not sure when I'll start it. Just read it interferes with thyroid -- have to give 8 hours between. Very complicated.

Peata, your explanation of restarting coffee when it began to appeal again makes sense now. A couple of months ago I no longer felt like drinking coffee. I thought it was because of summer heat. I switched to tea, and that worked fine. Now I understand it...due to the gastritis, my body let me know.

I've been taking glycine for a while, but may wait a few days before reintroducing. I've been taking thiamine for quite a while now. About 200-500mg daily, usually with something sweet. Have you tried taking ceylon cinnamon for ammonia, Peata? It works like a charm for me.

 

[Peata]

Ceylon definitely did something for me when I took a large dose, maybe a teaspoon at once. But I'm not sure that much is recommended at one time. I haven't tried it like that but maybe 2 x.

Instead I have been using sprinkles of it in my coffee most mornings, but do not feel an effect, unlike when I took the large dose at once.

With the large dose, I felt my nasal passages clear up, I could breathe so easy, and I felt clear headed and focused. Can't remember how long the effect lasted, maybe some hours.

What about you? How does Ceylon make you feel and how much do you take, how often, etc.

 

[sunmountain]

By now I can tell when I need ceylon. My muscles feel stiff, and joints a bit achy or tender. I can use a pinch and it works within minutes. So that day I might take a pinch twice.

Gbolduev said ceylon cinnamon working indicates manganese deficiency. You could try supplmenting manganese. You are right about not taking too much ceylon; Haidut also cautioned against too much.

 

[sunmountain]

So today went much better than expected. Last night I slept for close to 12 hours. I was exhausted, and somewhat hungry but slept through the night. When I woke, I felt I could have slept even more, but did get up after a while and go to work.

I ate better today than yesterday, thanks to the POTATO! I ate a medium potato over lunch along with other snacks such as fruit and cheese, rice cake with cream cheese and jam and egg. And sipped rooibos sweetened with tons of honey all day. I even took my honey bottle with me -- just in case!

Then I came home and had broth with rice and potatoes and veggies. Now I'm breaking the rules and eating a few T of ice cream. The weather is beautiful this evening, so I couldn't resist a short walk just down the street and back. I can tell though that I'm not yet up to walking again, as I felt tired with the small exertion.

The reflux is better. Almost gone, just a bit now and then. But I do still feel the acid hunger if I don't eat constantly. I'm taking a pepcid morning and night. Goldenseal 3x daily, 30 drops each, which helped Jennifer get rid of her H. Pylori.

I've not started the carafate yet. For one thing it would mess up my thyroid, goldenseal, etc. I haven't ruled it out either. If my stomach feels worse, I'll start it.

I would like to take something else for ulcers that is safer. If anyone knows of anything, please let me know!

 

[charlie]

post 99204 I ate better today than yesterday, thanks to the POTATO!

 

[sunmountain]

yeah, Charlie, the POTATO! (Notice I didn't spell it as "potatoe"...are you old enough to know that's how VP Dan Quayle spelled it??)

Jk...about your age!

Anyhow. Here's what I found under natural remedies for ulcers:

- vitamin E, check
- honey, check. Can anyone comment on honey healing ulcers because it is itself acidic with a ph of 4??? Also websites say to eat raw honey for ulcers. Right now I have the non-raw.
- garlic. Can't eat raw as it's high fodmaps. But I can start the Allicin back up if it doesn't acidify. It kills H. Pylori, they say.
- licorice (DGL) -- what do you all think about DGL? The GI recommended it. Did I read a post here saying it increases estrogen??
- bananas. Maybe can eat one a day...
- Pepto bismol for the pylori: how often and how long? will it constipate me?
- Slippery elm anyone?
- cayenne pepper...go figure. But this is easy to add back!
- glycine. Will add back.
- Antacids. Is there any safe antacid that I can pop when the acid strikes?

 

[moss]

Hi SM
Just read your last post and a few thoughts;

Honey is extremely helpful on necrotic and ulcerations topically and don't see any reason why this would not be helpful internally, would use natural and not supermarket quality.

Garlic, I would think in this instance, would be like adding fuel to the fire and irritating to your gut.

Where there is Gastro-oesophageal reflux & gastric ulceration licorice supplementation can be extremely helpful, however licorice is oestrogenic and stimulates renal tubules which can then lead to increased intracellur fluids/oedema so if you were to use, would suggest using it short-term.

The drinking of milk used to be a treatment for ulcers and the rationale behind it was to counteract the increased acidity of the gastric juices.

Slippery elm powder (not capsules) with soothe and increase a protective layer and is healing to the entire GIT. If you have not already tried it - 1 teaspoon mixed in with milk or greek yogurt (it can get gluggy so don't make a long drink of it!) taken daily and in the evening, you should see some benefits quickly.

I know for some, good old Quick-Eze (calcium carbonate) is helpful in the short-term.

And as you know anything to reduce stress, improve sleep and avoiding foods/liquids which irritate you and concentrating on the foods that are the easiest for you to digest.

If you are able to tolerate the gelantinous broths they can go a long way for soothing gastric ulcerations. A bit time consuming and I am sure you are well aware how worthwhile they are.

Hope you get some improvements asap.

 

[sunmountain]

The GI's office just called me saying the H. Pylori is positive per biopsies. They are calling in:
clarithromycin 500 x 2
amoxicillin 1000 x 2
lansotrazole 30 x 2
For 2 weeks.

I did ask about tetracycline, and the nurse said she could ask the doc but it would be 4x daily 500mg, along with flagyl and PPI. I've had difficulty in the past even with low dose tetracycline so I did not insist. I hope these other antibiotics are not as bad to tolerate, though I expect things will still be rough.

If I feel nausea, is there anything to alleviate it?

The nurse said to take the PPI 30 min before meal. She said I could take the antibiotics with the meal.

Also, I've been reacting to the honey, I think.

 

[sunmountain]

Just got path report:

INTERPRETATION AND DIAGNOSIS: (kxr) 09/10/2015 @ 02:45 pm

1. DUODENUM (BIOPSY): DUODENAL MUCOSA WITH NONDIAGNOSTIC FINDINGS.

2. STOMACH (BIOPSY): OXYNTIC MUCOSA WITH ACTIVE CHRONIC HELICOBACTER
PYLORI GASTRITIS.

3. ESOPHAGUS (BIOPSY): CARDIOOXYNTIC-TYPE MUCOSA WITH ACTIVE CHRONIC
HELICOBACTER PYLORI GASTRITIS. SQUAMOUS MUCOSA WITH REACTIVE EPITHELIAL CHANGES.

 

[sunmountain]

Also I'm wondering about how the antibiotics will affect fatty liver "marked hepatic steatosis" that showed up on the ultrasound.

 

[Peata]

Good that you have some results and know what's going on for sure. Now you can treat it specifically. For nausea, you might try a little Dramamine or Benadryl or Ginger tea. The Carafate coats the raw places in your stomach so it can heal. Let us know how you do. Hope you feel better soon.

 

[sunmountain]

Second day today on Prevpak.

Doing not too badly today. Main thing is to eat before feeling too hungry. I've added in an extra "meal" around 4-5pm, which also helps.

Loose stools still on. Not diarrhea though in the sense not frequent or explosive. It actually feels good to get it all out!

Insomnia last night around 3am. It had been better on pepcid, though not resolved.

But feeling tired like I don't want to get out of bed until evening. Why is that? Not fatigued, just tired.

Interesting that I'm not feeling any endotoxemia. No joint or muscle pain. I thought the die off would be terrible. Unless they are not dying because they are clarithromycin resistant!!

Still concerned about fatty liver effect of clarithromycin. Afraid it will make it worse.

Stomach bloating has not gone down. Is that because of the inflammation?

Thinking about how to reduce inflammation. I haven't been able to bring myself to have the carafate yet. I've had the suggestion from two different people to take turmeric paste with a bit of black pepper. There's also slippery elm -- thank you for the milk recipe, Moss! I can't tolerate much milk except a bit in oatmeal or tea/coffee (no caffeine right now). I wonder if adding it to oatmeal might work. Does it have a taste?

Also I guess I should wait with inflammation supps until antibiotics are over?

I've stopped the honey because it was bloating. But last night I craved apple juice, and am having small amounts throughout the day, and it is working fine. I had to give it up some time ago because it was bloating/ high fodmaps.

I've added back wheat once a day or less. For now. Bad, I know, but it seems to be not causing symptoms so far. The reason for adding it back is hunger and nothing else seems to last as long; not even potatoes or rice.

Thanks for the confirmation of licorice as estrogenic, Moss. I'm not going that route.

The antibiotics state they also reduce thyroid working. I didn't take any thyroid yesterday; maybe that's why tired. I'll take the cynoplus today around 3pm, which would be between doses. Won't take T3 while on meds.

Thanks also for the gelatinous broth tip, Moss. I don't have time/energy to make my own, so buy the Pactific brand bone broth. Usually turkey, though they also sell chicken.

Is tiredness a form of endotoxemia?

 

[tara]

post 99770
The antibiotics state they also reduce thyroid working. I didn't take any thyroid yesterday; maybe that's why tired.

Seems very likely.

post 99228 Honey is extremely helpful on necrotic and ulcerations topically and don't see any reason why this would not be helpful internally, would use natural and not supermarket quality.

I think an important part of why they work on ulcerations is has to do with the very high concentration of sugar. They've used straight granulated sugar in difficult wounds with success too. In the stomach it's hard to get that concentration. There may also be some useful anti-biotic compounds in some honeys, and I think they are worth trying, but can't get all the same effects.

 

[moss]

post 99770 Second day today on Prevpak.

Doing not too badly today. Main thing is to eat before feeling too hungry. I've added in an extra "meal" around 4-5pm, which also helps.

Loose stools still on. Not diarrhea though in the sense not frequent or explosive. It actually feels good to get it all out!

Insomnia last night around 3am. It had been better on pepcid, though not resolved.

But feeling tired like I don't want to get out of bed until evening. Why is that? Not fatigued, just tired.

Interesting that I'm not feeling any endotoxemia. No joint or muscle pain. I thought the die off would be terrible. Unless they are not dying because they are clarithromycin resistant!!

Still concerned about fatty liver effect of clarithromycin. Afraid it will make it worse.

Stomach bloating has not gone down. Is that because of the inflammation?

Thinking about how to reduce inflammation. I haven't been able to bring myself to have the carafate yet. I've had the suggestion from two different people to take turmeric paste with a bit of black pepper. There's also slippery elm -- thank you for the milk recipe, Moss! I can't tolerate much milk except a bit in oatmeal or tea/coffee (no caffeine right now). I wonder if adding it to oatmeal might work. Does it have a taste?

Also I guess I should wait with inflammation supps until antibiotics are over?

I've stopped the honey because it was bloating. But last night I craved apple juice, and am having small amounts throughout the day, and it is working fine. I had to give it up some time ago because it was bloating/ high fodmaps.

I've added back wheat once a day or less. For now. Bad, I know, but it seems to be not causing symptoms so far. The reason for adding it back is hunger and nothing else seems to last as long; not even potatoes or rice.

Thanks for the confirmation of licorice as estrogenic, Moss. I'm not going that route.

The antibiotics state they also reduce thyroid working. I didn't take any thyroid yesterday; maybe that's why tired. I'll take the cynoplus today around 3pm, which would be between doses. Won't take T3 while on meds.

Thanks also for the gelatinous broth tip, Moss. I don't have time/energy to make my own, so buy the Pactific brand bone broth. Usually turkey, though they also sell chicken.

Is tiredness a form of endotoxemia?

Hi SM

Hope the Prevpak is helping.

Whilst this may not be RP thoughts, after you have finished the Prevpak I think going back to basics at times IF other things are not working can be very helpful and most importantly, keeping it as simple as possible otherwise very difficult to get a gauge with what is helping or not. I would keep an eye on wheat as it may be highly irritating at the moment.

A quick answer about Slippery elm. Some folks find Slippery elm unappealing and potentially a little gagging and the taste and as 'dull as dishwater'. Have not read all your log and a little pressed for time, however, I do note you are not able to take in much milk.
The suggestion was a teaspoon (or even half a tsp) which could be mixed in oatmeal or yoghurt or mashed up in a small amount of banana, mixed in with broth, whatever way works for you.
There are capsules which also work just as well, however, I prefer the powder because it coats from the oesophagus down and taking the capsule bypasses that route so to speak! The key is taking it daily (for a couple of months) because SE will soothe and increase a protective layer and is very healing to the mucosa.

Good old Chamomile is a wonderful remedy for acute and chronic gastritis and anti-inflammatory where there is ulcerative activity and can be taken in the form of a tincture or as a tea...
Chamomile is calming and soothing which may be helpful for you at the moment.

Flagy, I would stay away from, there is some info here.

https://raypeatforum.com/forum/viewtopi ... gyl#p81159

As for broth I usually have a cup a day either as a drink or in soups etc., yes it is labour intensive but worth it. I make it in batches every couple of weeks on the weekend and freeze in portions (using marrow bones and very lucky to have a wonderful supplier from a farm not far) I take broth from freezer as needed the night before and have done this for almost 3 years and aside from recently taking a break (holidays and out of routine) feel so much better for having it.
Perhaps you may have a deli/supplier who could provide you with freshly made broth? I am not familiar with the brand you mention.

Don't take this as gospel, a few suggestions, it may or may not be of help and I wish you well.

And Tara you are dead right about sugar and success on wounds.

 

[sunmountain]

Day 6 on prevpak. So far no difference in stomach bloating, though this may or may not indicate the HP is dying. Did have a bit of histamine twice (one hive, and pinprick sensations all over), which was relieved wih Benadryl. Wonder if the histamine was medicine-related, or endotoxin-related.

On the nights I took benadryl (2 nights), I woke up feeling much better, so clearly histamine is raised. I would take cypro which I've taken for long periods in the past, but don't know if it will interfere with prevpak, so not taking it.

I've also been off preg since I started prevpak and am noticing a bit of stress. I'll take preg today between doses. I've been off thyroid too except two days between doses because I read prevpak interferes with thyroid meds. I've continued progest-e most days. So today I'll do the preg-pge-thyroid trinity between doses.

Once I finish prevpak (can't wait), I'll start some coating/anti-inflammatory substances. Of course, the HP might not be dead. GI asked me to do breath test after prevpak, which I will schedule after my return from visiting my daughter early Oct.

While searching for gastric inflammation, I found this:

haidut wrote:
I'd say glycine is probably your best bet and you can get it cheaply from any vitamin store. Ray wrote about some studies (and I confirmed it) showing 100g of gelatin (or 30g of glycine) daily taken for 3 days in a row healed pretty much all ulcerations in the intestine and stomach. You can also try a compound called "zinc carnosine", which has been shown to also heal mucosal damage in animal and human models of ulcers and dysbiosis.

I came across Haidut's post after I came across a long and very interesting article at LEF about how to heal gastric ulcers and inflammation naturally. They summarize a lot of very interesting studies overseas relating to zinc and carnosine:
http://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2 ... hs/page-01

And they make a very interesting connection between zinc deficiency and H. Pylori:
Zinc is a micronutrient that has multiple functions in human biology, chiefly functioning as a coenzyme in many enzyme systems that defend against free radical damage.13,14,21,22 Recognizing that H. pylori infection causes increased oxidative stress, a group of Ecuadorian scientists wondered if zinc deficiency might cause increased inflammation in the stomachs of people infected with the organism.23 They studied 352 patients with dyspepsia (stomach pain and dysfunction) who had biopsy samples taken during endoscopy. Patients with H. pylori infections had significantly lower zinc concentrations in their tissue samples than uninfected patients. Indeed, the more severe the inflammation, the lower the zinc levels in the infected subjects.23 These results and others have led some researchers to consider zinc to be a “gastric cytoprotective” (cell-saving) nutrient.24

They quote another study in which they show zinc carnosine at least as effective as pepcid for ulcers.

I remember that on cronometer, I usually came out a bit low in zinc.

So I think I will start zinc carnosine as soon as I finish prevpak.

I also want to go back on pepcid. While it did not inhibit acid as efficiently as the PPI I'm on now, that's a good thing if I want to take pepcid for a while. While on pepcid, there was one day where I had an unmistakable feeling of wellness that felt like...joy! It was unmistakable. I remember thinking, wow, so that's what it's like. And I haven't felt that way forever. I would give an arm and a leg to feel that again.

I do remember Haidut saying they're trialing pepcid for PTSD, and I am certain I have PTSD.

Now the question is whether I should take both at the same time: Zinc carnosine and pepcid. I'm not quite sure.

And it would be great if I could add slippery elm to the mix. Thanks, Moss, for the tip about taking it in powder form, and dosage. Thanks also for the chamomile recommendation; I'm already drinking cam tea. And thanks for confirming my unease about flagyl; I think I first read about it in BigP's post and was warned. I do hope the prevpak works because if it doesn't, they may want me to take the other combination with tetracyline and flagyl. The tetracyine is very peaty, but the dosage is 500mg x 4 daily, which I nearly fainted upon hearing! I might just refuse that combo, if it comes to it. I hope the bloody HP die!

Regarding bone broth, I may experiment with it on a weekend sometime in October. The pacific brand seems fine, but then again I have no experience what fresh bone broth looks and tastes like. I'm also planning on continuing my odyssey of sourcing local chicken necks. Blossom gave a nice tip about checking the farmer's market.

 

[sunmountain]

And from the Natural Medicine Journal:

Zinc-carnosine appears to inhibit the growth of H. pylori because of the interference of zinc with urease activity. H. pylori excretes urease to enhance its own proliferation in the acidic environment of the stomach. The urease catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea to ammonia and carbon dioxide. It is this presence of ammonia and its neutralizing effect on the gastric acids, raising the pH, that allows the H. pylori to survive in the gastric mucosal cells. The now achlorhydric and neutral pH state then allows the bacteria to penetrate through the mucus to the gastric epithelium where it can survive. The urease activity is essential for the initial gastric colonization of H. pylori. When the active nickel ion center of the urease is replaced with zinc, the urease is inactivated, leading to the inhibition of H. pylori.

Ammonia! My old enemy! High protein which the liver could probably not process, histamine from days old farmer cheese (in fridge), and H. Pylori adding its share =

 

[sunmountain]

Joy is something beyond feeling motived or focused. It's a sense of connection with everything and feeling present in the moment.

That's what I felt that evening.

 

[sunmountain]

Finished prevpak last night. About halfway, I started having great poops...full evacuation, but it was/is inconsistent. With full evac once or twice a day, my stomach would go down quite a bit. So I realized that a lot of my bloating had to do with food and s**t backed up and not moving. So then I realized it was very important to keep the full evac going. I increased thyroid to 2x quarter cynoplus morning and night, and also cascara. This kept things moving, more or less.

Today is the first day after prevpak. I felt extreme hunger at lunch and ate a lot. A couple of hours later, I'm feeling a pain in the top part of my stomach and some nausea. I'm guessing it's acid. I'm back on pepcid as of this morning, but I suspect it can't solve the acid.

Does anyone have suggestions for how to adjust after prevpak with acid issues? And what's the pain/cramping in the upper stomach?

Thanks

 

[sunmountain]

AC to the rescue. The extreme bloating after prevpak was endotoxin. AC got rid of it, just a tablespoon two times. The nurse had nothing better to say than "ginger tea" for the nausea. AC took care of the nausea too, as the endotoxin was probably overloading the liver.

Yesterday for the first time since the gastroparesis started maybe 1.5 years ago, I was able to eat a full meal (large plate of food!) without bloating up or feeling full after a few bites. I was so surprised and kept eating, and finished the plate, and didn't bloat! Wow! Hallelujah!

Motility is improved, but still inconsistent, which means stomach bloating comes and goes, though much less. I'm keeping to half cynoplus a day, divided. My response to cascara seems to have changed, ie., I don't seem to respond much to it. If I'm constipated, cascara doesn't do much. I went up to 3 capsules (never had to take more than one), and it did nothing or not much on constipation days. But thyroid does help with constipation, and I can almost feel the food moving down. I just don't know if I should increase it any further right now. I'm still visiting my sister in Seattle, and when I return, I'll check pulse and temp and try to make a determination from there.

It may be that I need some motility agent for a while. I read somewhere that LDN or low dose erythromycin can help peristalsis. Does anyone have experience with these for motility?

Also, uphill walking leaves me out of breath very quickly, though I can walk flat ground for an hour. Is this just about retraining my muscles, or something else?

Adding: Many of the food senstivities seem to be resolving as well. I can eat more fodmaps without bloating.