Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Help! Does Pepto Slow Healing?

GFshay

By GFshay
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

GFshay Apprentice
GFshay
Posted

I was CC'd on Thanksgiving after allowing a hostess to do her very best to cook gluten-free foods for me. Ever since then, I have had lots of pain in my upper and lower intestines (burning, throbbing & cramping), occasional D and nausea. I spent several days eating all my own, totally gluten-free foods which were easy on the stomach (rice, bananas, applesauce etc) with no real improvement. But I feel okay after I have sufficiently digested the food and if I fast for a while before my next meal. As soon as I eat, it all comes back again.

So I was trying to let my system do its thing on its own, with just some candied ginger, peppermints, and tea to help out. But finally I broke down after reading about the miracles of Pepto (which I used to live on), and started taking it. Immediately, I felt relief from nearly all the symptoms. The problem is, it's been a week since the CC (I wasn't even heavily glutened), and no improvement. The symptoms come back as soon as the pepto wears off.

Sorry for the long description...My question is: Is it possible that Pepto Bismol doesn't allow your body to heal itself on its own? Or should I keep taking it till the symptoms stop coming back? I'd try enzymes or probiotics but don't wanna mess with anything too much (I'm in grad school and need to get through the end of the semester).

Help!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


emaegf Newbie
emaegf
Posted

Are you sure it was CC? Since you have the same symptoms after eating gluten free foods it sounds more like food poisoning or gastritis.

You should get in to see your doctor as soon as possible for treatment so you don't miss more classes.

No Pepto doesn't affect your body from healing.

starrytrekchic Apprentice
starrytrekchic
Posted

It's common after you've been glutened for your body to get upset after every meal. For some people it only lasts a day or so, but for some it lasts up to two weeks. It can also depend on the amount of gluten you consumed.

Pepto-bismal may slow down your ability to get rid of the gluten. If you have diarrhea and have no other health concerns that diarrhea would complicate, it's better to get it out of your system as quickly as possible. However, after several days, the gluten should already be out--it's just a matter of your system calming down, in which case the pepto-bismal is fine.

GFshay Apprentice
GFshay
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for the input-- maybe it would help if I give you more info.

I didn't get really ill after Thanksgiving, but I just started feeling nauseous and had lots of cramping/bloating. I didn't have full-blown D and didn't vomit. So I don't think it was food poisoning and doesn't make me think the doctor would have much to say about it except to rest and take it easy, which I can't afford to do for another week or so.

I also didn't take Pepto to stop D... in fact, I didn't take anything except some Benadryl (which I heard can relax muscle cramping and reduce nausea) for several days after being exposed. I just allowed myself to feel the discomfort. But finally I was considering missing my last week of school and that's when I took Pepto (4-5 days after Thanksgiving). I've just been finding that it's very uncomfortable after eating, unless I take Pepto... but I hate depending on that.

So should I just keep taking it till the issues start to resolve? I've been trying to take it as infrequently as possible... which is about 3-4 pills per day (2 doses spread throughout the day). But is that bad?

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

You need to talk to a doctor about safety.

I doubt it would keep you from healing, and obviously you need to do what works to finish the quarter. I find Pepto tremendously helpful to deal with being glutened but I've never needed it for more than 4 or 5 days.

If it's always eating that hurts, I wonder if you would get relief from taking an acid blocker like Nexium for a time? That's another question for your doctor.

quincy Contributor
quincy
Posted

I was CC'd on Thanksgiving after allowing a hostess to do her very best to cook gluten-free foods for me. Ever since then, I have had lots of pain in my upper and lower intestines (burning, throbbing & cramping), occasional D and nausea. I spent several days eating all my own, totally gluten-free foods which were easy on the stomach (rice, bananas, applesauce etc) with no real improvement. But I feel okay after I have sufficiently digested the food and if I fast for a while before my next meal. As soon as I eat, it all comes back again.

So I was trying to let my system do its thing on its own, with just some candied ginger, peppermints, and tea to help out. But finally I broke down after reading about the miracles of Pepto (which I used to live on), and started taking it. Immediately, I felt relief from nearly all the symptoms. The problem is, it's been a week since the CC (I wasn't even heavily glutened), and no improvement. The symptoms come back as soon as the pepto wears off.

Sorry for the long description...My question is: Is it possible that Pepto Bismol doesn't allow your body to heal itself on its own? Or should I keep taking it till the symptoms stop coming back? I'd try enzymes or probiotics but don't wanna mess with anything too much (I'm in grad school and need to get through the end of the semester).

Help!

after my diagnosis in april of this year the main things that improved my healing was a good digestive enzyme, probiotics and something called GI Revive. you can order it online. also, stay away from dairy based on your level of intestinal damage. all dairy, including dairy in processed foods will cause you alot of distress. It seems I felt worse for the first month or 2 after the dx, so hang in there.

emaegf Newbie
emaegf
Posted

Also you can try drinking Tonic Water sipping it throughout the day. I have talked with many who swear by it to reduce or prevent problems after getting glutened. Tonic Water contains quinine and helps relieve symptoms. Some even drink it after eating at a restaurant or any place outside their own home where they may get CC.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


GFshay Apprentice
GFshay
Posted
  • Author

Thanks, those suggestions are great. I stopped the pepto 2 days ago and also cut out dairy. I'm feeling much better! I hate the idea of no dairy, but you're probably right that my amount of damage is too much for even the best Lactaid pills. I hope to return to it soon...

Tonic water, eh? That explains some of why I always felt better after having a vodka tonic. I just thought it was the alcohol relaxing my gut or something, but I'll have to try just the tonic. Thanks for the tip!

I've been looking into enzymes or probiotics but don't know what to try first. There are so many out there and I'm scared to make anything worse rather than better. Any suggestions for a newbie?

emaegf Newbie
emaegf
Posted

When my stomach gets bad like yours has been my doc tells me to use a probiotic made for kids. It's easier on the system.

This is the one I use Open Original Shared Link

even though it states it may have milk residue I have never had a problem with it. Start with a 1/4 tsp once on day one then 1/4 tsp twicw a day on day 2 upto 1/4 tsp 3 times a day. When you first start taking it you may end up in the bathroom with D but that will go away in a few days. Your body has to get back to normal levels of good bugs in your system.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,955
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    AnnaLousGFBakery
    Newest Member
    AnnaLousGFBakery
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Jacki Espo
      Covid caused reoccurrence of DH without eating gluten

      By Jacki Espo · Posted

      This happened to me as well. What’s weirder is that within a couple hours of taking paxlovid it subsided. I thought maybe I got glutened but after reading your post not so sure. 
    • Mari
      New Celiac Mama in My 30s

      By Mari · Posted

      Hi Tiffany. Thank you for writing your dituation and  circumstancesin such detail and so well writte, too. I particularly noticed what you wrote about brain for and feeling like your brain is swelling and I know from my own experiences that's how it feel and your brain really does swell and you get migraines.    Way back when I was in my 20s I read a book by 2 MD allergist and they described their patient who came in complaining that her brain, inside her cranium, was swelling  and it happened when she smelled a certain chemical she used in her home. She kept coming back and insisting her brain actually swelled in her head. The Drs couldn't explain this problem so they, with her permission, performed an operation where they made a small opening through her cranium, exposed her to the chemical then watched as she brain did swell into the opening. The DRs were amazed but then were able to advise her to avoid chemicals that made her brain swell. I remember that because I occasionally had brain fog then but it was not a serious problem. I also realized that I was becoming more sensitive to chemicals I used in my work in medical laboratories. By my mid forties the brain fog and chemicals forced me to leave my  profession and move to a rural area with little pollution. I did not have migraines. I was told a little later that I had a more porous blood brain barrier than other people. Chemicals in the air would go up into my sinused and leak through the blood brain barrier into my brain. We have 2 arteries  in our neck that carry blood with the nutrients and oxygen into the brain. To remove the fluids and used blood from the brain there are only capillaries and no large veins to carry it away so all those fluids ooze out much more slowly than they came in and since the small capillaries can't take care of extra fluid it results in swelling in the face, especially around the eyes. My blood flow into my brain is different from most other people as I have an arterial ischema, adefectiveartery on one side.   I have to go forward about 20 or more years when I learned that I had glaucoma, an eye problem that causes blindness and more years until I learned I had celiac disease.  The eye Dr described my glaucoma as a very slow loss of vision that I wouldn't  notice until had noticeable loss of sight.  I could have my eye pressure checked regularly or it would be best to have the cataracts removed from both eyes. I kept putting off the surgery then just overnight lost most of the vision in my left eye. I thought at the I had been exposed to some chemical and found out a little later the person who livedbehind me was using some chemicals to build kayaks in a shed behind my house. I did not realize the signifance  of this until I started having appointments with a Dr. in a new building. New buildings give me brain fog, loss of balance and other problems I know about this time I experienced visual disturbances very similar to those experienced by people with migraines. I looked further online and read that people with glaucoma can suffer rapid loss of sight if they have silent migraines (no headache). The remedy for migraines is to identify and avoid the triggers. I already know most of my triggers - aromatic chemicals, some cleaning materials, gasoline and exhaust and mold toxins. I am very careful about using cleaning agents using mostly borax and baking powder. Anything that has any fragrance or smell I avoid. There is one brand of dishwashing detergent that I can use and several brands of  scouring powder. I hope you find some of this helpful and useful. I have not seen any evidence that Celiac Disease is involved with migraines or glaucoma. Please come back if you have questions or if what I wrote doesn't make senseto you. We sometimes haveto learn by experience and finding out why we have some problems. Take care.       The report did not mention migraines. 
    • Mari
      My only proof

      By Mari · Posted

      Hi Jmartes71 That is so much like my story! You probably know where Laytonville is and that's where I was living just before my 60th birthday when the new Dr. suggested I could have Celiacs. I didn't go on a gluten challange diet before having the Celiac panel blood test drawn. The results came back as equivical as one antibody level was very high but another, tissue transaminasewas normal. Itdid show I was  allergic to cows milk and I think hot peppers. I immediately went gluten free but did not go in for an endoscopy. I found an online lab online that would do the test to show if I had a main celiac gene (enterolab.com). The report came back that I had inherited a main celiac gene, DQ8, from one parent and a D!6 from the other parent. That combination is knows to sym[tons of celiac worse than just inheriting one main celiac gene. With my version of celiac disease I was mostly constipated but after going gluten-free I would have diarrhea the few times I was glutened either by cross contamination or eating some food containing gluten. I have stayed gluten-free for almost 20 years now and knew within a few days that it was right for me although my recovery has been slow.   When I go to see a  medical provide and tell them I have celiacs they don't believe me. The same when I tell them that I carry a main celiac gene, the DQ8. It is only when I tell them that I get diarrhea after eating gluten that they realize that I might have celiac disease. Then they will order th Vitamin B12 and D3 that I need to monitor as my B12 levels can go down very fast if I'm not taking enough of it. Medical providers haven't been much help in my recovery. They are not well trained in this problem. I really hope this helps ypu. Take care.      
    • knitty kitty
      Does anyone here also have Afib

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Fascinating.
    • DebJ14
      Does anyone here also have Afib

      By DebJ14 · Posted

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.