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Posted 5/31/2007 1:39 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Cathy,
Glad your ears look good and nothing is wacky with your equilibrium (causing the nausea).
Ya, Target doesn't have Culturelle. If I need it ASAP I go to Walgreens, otherwise I order it online at a lower cost.
Funny because the Activia is supposed to help move things along, not make it stop. You must just be getting too much calcium between the supplements and the yogurt. Can you cut the calcium pill in half?
Gosh, I hope you can find something to help you real soon. Maybe sticking to ginger tea might help in the meantime. ???
Posted 5/31/2007 2:16 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Lil,
I had forgotten about Walgreens carrying it.........I'll check there tomorrow.
I'll try cutting the calcium in half........but the full dose seems to keep me from having ectopy and some other funky GI symptoms, that the Culturelle doesn't. I guess I'll play it by ear. Maybe I can increase the magnesium, to stop the stopage....lol!
I'm still taking the candied ginger. Its weird.....sometimes eating takes the nausea away and sometimes it causes it.
I'm wondering if people who have compromised GI tracts to start with, are the ones who have the trouble after a colonoscopy??
In the past, the probiotics just never seemed to make a difference to my GI tract. But I'll sure give them another try.
I'm seriously considering buying some real Kefir grains soon too.
Thanks Lil!
Posted 5/31/2007 4:07 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Cathy,
What about trying ginger that isn't candied? Could be that the sugar is adding to the nausea. You can find fresh ginger root in most markets (or at least upper scale markets)... You can cut up a few pieces and boil it; make your own tea. That's what I do mostly with mint. It is so much better for you than anything sweetened or preserved. Could be worth a try.
Hmmm... good point about the calcium. Guess you should stick to what works. Don't go too crazy with experimenting because if something works then you won't be able to pinpoint what exactly helped. Change 1 thing at a time.
Good luck! I really do hope you can get this under control soon.

I forgot to ask about the Kefir.  I had heard it was a milk-type drink.  I haven't heard of the grain... Where do you get that?  How does it work?  I will have to look it up...

Posted 5/31/2007 11:32 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Lil,
When you make your tea, do you just make one cup at a time, or a larger quantity? I have some ginger root.
about the Kefir. I've been buying some kind of "kefir" at the grocery store for a long time, but I'm realizing its just a sugared imitation. I've been reading about real kefir. The real stuff is called "kefir grains", but isn't really a grain. I guess its a combination of good bacteria which has grown in milk. Supposedly you keep it refrigerated and just use a little bit of the "grain" and add it to milk and over a few days, it thickens the milk up with the cultured stuff. It sounds so much healthier than store-bought yogurts. I've found a couple sites online that sell it, but haven't bought any yet. Just google "kefir" and you'll see places that sell it. There's one site (forget the name)......but its something like "Dom's" who is supposedly THE expert in kefir.
Some people buy it on ebay. I'm a little hesitant buying something like this from someone who doesn't have a lot of good references.
Posted 5/31/2007 11:38 AM (GMT 0)
Here's that site Lil. Its pretty informative.
http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html#*
Posted 5/31/2007 3:48 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the link! Wow, that stuff looks like a goopy mess.... Very interesting. Have you tried any of it (the non-grocery sugar kind)? I wonder how it tastes and how people react to it. PLEASE keep us posted if you get your hands on some. By the way, I totally agree... I would NOT trust buying it off eBay. Doesn't it need to be refrigerated and packed in dry ice for transport?
When making tea I usually make more than 1 cup at a time. I save it and just heat it up later or the following day. Tea is so good for you I've gotten used to drinking it even when I'm not feeling bad.
Posted 5/31/2007 6:48 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Lil,

   Yes, it looks a little scary, doesn't it?  lol!   .....like it could grow overnight in your fridge into something dangerous!  lol!

    I was just thinking about the transport this time of year.  Its really hot now, so I'm not sure how they would mail it, and how high of a heat it could survive.  I'd sure hate to end up with a dead blob.

   I thought we were eating real Kefir for a long time, but I guess its just an imposter.   Real kefir is supposed to be sooooo healthy for you.   I'm still deciding where to order it from, but I'll let you know if I ever buy it and make it.  It  sounds like once you mix it with milk, it really reproduces quickly, into a thickened drink with lots of good bacteria.  And I'm sure you're not supposed to add tons of sugar to it........like the fake kefir.

   Supposedly, the "grains" you buy last forever.  Sort of like a sourdough starter.  You just use a little to grow more and more and more.

   I bought some Culturelle today at Walgreens.  It was several dollars more expensive than at Walmart, but I don't like to give Walmart all my business all the time.   I also got some ginger capsules.  While I was out running errands, I got dizzy and nauseous, so I just took a capsule in the car with some water, and YOWSER......did that thing burn in my stomach!   It must be pretty potent.   It does say to take with food, but I didn't have any.  So I substituted heart burn for my nausea/dizziness............which was fine with me!  :)

    I'll try the tea sometime too.  I do try to keep gingerroot around for various things.   I've also made some fennel tea in the past for bloating, etc., but I can't honestly say that it helped.   I really would like to become more natural herb remedy knowledgeable.

Posted 5/31/2007 10:28 PM (GMT 0)
Cathy, you are a breath of fresh air. LOL   tongue   Thank you for the afternoon giggle. I am curious to know more about the "blob."
Ya, Walgreens sells Culturelle for $19.99 (at least in my area it is). Expensive!! But I usually buy it online for almost $5 less. I didn't know Walmart had it... I refuse to shop there. That place is such a mad house that my blood pressure skyrockets as soon as I step foot in there. The aggravation isn't worth the $$$ to me.
I'm with you, I'll sub heartburn for nausea any day. Stick with the ginger and you should feel better. Although, next time do remember to take it with food. LOL You are too funny.
If the fennel doesn't do much for you, maybe you can try mint. It grows like weeds so if you like it you can have a lifetime supply. If you've never tried fresh mint tea before, you'll be in for a pleasant surprise... It doesn't taste as minty as those Mint Medley teas. It is super suave and tasty, very soothing.
Posted 6/1/2007 12:26 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Lil,
I have a huge area of mint in my backyard! I can't believe I do this.........I grow all these herbs and then never use them! I have all sorts of energy in the early spring......but then it quickly fades in the heat of summer. Do I just take a few leaves and steep them in boiling water? I'll give it a try. I bought some peppermint tea when I was bloating alot.....but that was just too strong. So maybe the fresh stuff will be milder. Thanks for the idea!
Posted 6/1/2007 1:40 AM (GMT 0)
Lucky you, Cathy!!! I am dying for an herb garden but haven't gotten my lazy butt around to doing it. I'd probably kill everything anyway. Yes, take a handful (maybe 7 or so) of leaves and boil them. The longer you boil the stronger the tea (the darker too!). You know the taste of mint gum? The tea DOES NOT taste like that. Thank goodness. I don't add sugar (for fear of messing with my IBS), but I'm sure it is just as yummy with sugar if you prefer. When/if you try it, let me know what you think.
Posted 6/1/2007 12:54 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Lil,
Well, I started back up using my CPAP machine the other night, and I'm dizzy again!! And my nausea is alive and well. :(
The doc who did the colonoscopy called this morning, and said that Probiotics were a good place to start. He said Activia wasn't one of his favorites and suggested "Flora-Q" which pharmacies should have.......or go to a Good Earth Store for some others.
I'm getting a little concerned about all this nausea. I'm wondering if it isn't something all-together different going on with me. I guess I'd better go back and see my Internist. Bummer. I just can't seem to get all the different parts of my body feeling good at the same time!
Posted 6/1/2007 5:47 PM (GMT 0)
Oh Cathy, I am so sorry you're going through all this. Try the Flora-Q and we'll keep our fingers crossed for you. Let us know how it goes.
I hope the Internist will have answers for you. Hope you feel better soon...
Hang in there!
Posted 6/1/2007 6:05 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Lil,
I guess this is just one of those rough spots in the road! To top it all off, I got a migraine today! I'm still wondering about those crazy hormones of mine too. I used to get migraines with hormone fluctuations. I'm 57 and haven't had a period in 3 years, but those hormones are still chugging along!
Its times like this that make those good days seem soooooooo wonderful!
Thanks for the encouragement Lil. I really appreciate it!
Posted 6/1/2007 6:09 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Cathy,
Have you checked on the Migraine board? I bet they have some great idea about how to surpress the migraine. I've never had one so I can only imagine how bad they get. I do know, however, know that hormones do play a role in headaches... I get headaches when I have to double up on my birth control pill. I remember taking Zelnorm and that gave me headaches at first too. Anyway, maybe you could ask your doc to help stabalize your hormones. I'm not sure who would be best for this - either an Endocrinologist or the Gyno? Also, hormones play a large role in our intestines too... Could there be a connection?
Posted 6/1/2007 6:48 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Lil,

    Things in the past 10 years are sort of all mixed together and hard to sift out.  When I was 45, I got terrible flu and pneumonia, and ear infections and was on antibiotics for 2 months.  After that, I developed IBS and fibromyalgia.  I also began perimenopause around age 46, which gave me tons of problems.  I was on HRT for 6 years, and it did seem to worsen my IBS.   I think its real possible that my hormones are causing lots of problems......but I can't seem to find a doctor who can put all this together.

   I had MAJOR migraines for all those years too.  In fact, I went through a year and a half with daily migraines.  But....as I said somewhere else on another post, I am now also suspecting the aciphex as causing alot of those headaches.    I went to a reproductive endocrinologist at that time, and when I told her I thought my hormones were causing headaches, she looked at me like she'd never heard that before!  That's when I knew she was the wrong person to see!    I've been on a couple headache forums in the past, and they have been very helpful.  I was just thinking of posting on one of them today, with a few questions!

   I was on Toprol  (beta blocker) for 6 years too, which was a miracle for my headaches.  I barely had just a couple mild ones.  But it had some side-effects that I was tired of......like not being able to think clearly, eating all the time, no motivation, etc.  So I stopped it last December.  But now I'm realizing it was doing some good for me too.........so I'll have to rethink that.   Besides, who needs a brain, motivation, or needs to not be 50# overweight?   ;)

   Plus, my brain still isn't working very well and its really hard for me to sort all this out  myself.

   What a whiner I am today!!

Posted 6/1/2007 6:56 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Cathy,
Seems like you need to keep looking for the right doc. It sucks big time but what other option is there? Sounds like you get 1 thing fixed then something else goes wrong. It's a never ending struggle. At this point you're weighing to see if the side effects of medication is worth the trade off.
I don't have any words of wisdom for you on this... I'm sorry. All I can suggest is to keep looking for a doc that will listen to you and consider all your issues. I wonder if the Mayo Clinic would be a good place to visit. Have you looked at high profile institutions?
Posted 6/1/2007 7:44 PM (GMT 0)
I've had a number of friends who went to those big places and got nothing out of them.....so I'll just hang around here. Actually, I DO like my most recent Internist. He's smart and trusts his judgement about things, and he has good judgement. I just have a funky body that doctors aren't used to coming up against, and they don't know what to do. Plus........I guess I have a trust issue with alot of docs, and I have to be feeling pretty bad to go to one, and then trust them.
I find that docs only look at their system of "expertise". And the body is much too complicated to be that tunnel-visioned.
I did find a holistic doc last year, but he just did some voodoo stuff on me that didn't help at all.
I think our GI tracts are sooooooo important to our overall health. I just wish docs realized that.
I guess you could say I also have an eating problem. I've been hungry my whole life, so I'm sure I'm not nearly as nice to my GI tract as I should be. Since alot of this started after being on antibiotics for 2 months, it makes me wonder if the whole thing is just out of whack now. I've tried probiotics before, but I need to stay on them longer, and switch around, to see if one helps me more than another.
The GI doc on the phone this morning recommended Flora-Q, which no one carries in my little town. But.....I found a bottle of a probiotic I had in the fridge from awhile back, and it has all the same bacteria in it, so I'll give it a try.
Plus, one of my chickens is sick and she's probably dying.......so that doesn't make me feel much better!
At least my headache is doing better. They aren't as bad as they used to be. But that visual aura at the beginning is still pretty scary.
Posted 6/4/2007 9:28 PM (GMT 0)
Hi again,
I went to my Internist today. He's a really good doc. He has good sense, and does things in the right order.
He said he really doubted it was the CPAP (although I DID get incredibly nauseous when I went back on it). He's having me try another PPI (Nexium), and had me take a breath h. Pylorii test. Then I'm going to have a gall bladder ultrasound. If that shows nothing, he'll order a hidascan. I'm still too scared to start that CPAP up again yet though. I still haven't ruled out an ear/sinus problem. We'll see........
Posted 6/4/2007 10:34 PM (GMT 0)
I had a problem after my colonscopy with Nexium. I went on just Tagamet for a couple months, 400 to 600 a day and that plus the probiotics got me back on track. Those PPI's turn off the acid pumps and it is debatable whether that is the best thing longs term. We do need some acid to digest food so sometimes I think the acid relivers like Tagamet(Cimetidine) and Pepcid do a better job for digestion.

If you were on the PPI when you took the breath test it will be invalid. You have to be off all PPI's for at least 2 weeks for valid results. That I know for sure cause I had trouble coming off them until they told me I could take Pepcid or Tagamet, just no PPI. I still think the ear thing is a possibility also. We have crystals in our ear canals that can move around and affect us.
Posted 6/4/2007 11:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Canyonbabe,
I'm very hesitant to go back on a PPI too. I was on Aciphex for about 6 years and was so happy to get off it. I was on HRT at the same time, and I think it made me produce too much acid, so the aciphex was probably useful. Who knows. I'm very hesitant to get on any meds. I think too many people are on too many meds. Acid relievers don't seem to help me.
I'm going to just do a test run on the PPIs to see if it gets rid of my nausea. He gave me Nexium and Protonix. Have you heard that one is better than the other? I just know that aciphex gives me bad headaches.
No, I wasn't on a PPI when I took the test......but they didn't even ask!
Yeah, I'm still thinking the ear too........but it won't hurt me to have my gall bladder checked out. Sometimes I wonder if its been my gall bladder all along, even though they've been calling it IBS. We'll see. Thanks for your reply.
Posted 6/5/2007 5:23 AM (GMT 0)
I didn't have any luck with Protonix. They gave it to me after my first endoscopy and I had heartburn big time so I switched to Nexium. Then after the colonscopy I had trouble with the Nexium like I said. When Tagemet and Pepcid went over the counter they cut down the dosage so I have to double it which my Dr. said was fine. He even said I could triple it. But I was taking it for acid not for nausea. The only thing that helps my nausea is the ginger capsules. The prescription stuff works but I can't function. Once I get my stomach back in balance the nausea stops. Nexium is suppose to heal erosion but who knows. well, at least you were not on the PPI at the time of the test. I tested negative for h. Pylori but when they did the endo my Dr. said "you have h.pylori" and I was treated for it and it did help. Because of my meds for lung problems i have more acid reflux than most. If I were younger I would have surgery but not at my age with my lung problem.

There is a test with a very long name that they can give to see if you are having problems with the inner ear. I don't know if that would help in your case. It seems to me that pressure would affect some people. I would have the GB checked out too as that can definetly cause nausea.
Posted 6/5/2007 10:52 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks CB,
I doubt I have h.Pylorii, and I probably don't even need to be on the PPI.......but I have to act like I want to do what the doctor tells me too! lol! Unless it clears up my nauea quickly, I'm just not going to be on the PPI. The only reason I'm considering it is because back when my GERD was its worst, I did have alot of nausea........but not all day long. I always feel the need to figure out what's going on with me, I guess because I have such little faith in doctors figuring things out! Plus, I have a strange body. My symptoms are different from most people's. For example, I've had a pain on my left side for months...........and I'll bet that its from my gall bladder. the usual pain is over the gall bladder or in the back.......but I'm having pain on my left side! So I can be an enigma to figure out!
One thing I've read about h. Pylorii is that, strangely enough, you can get really bad heartburn after it gets cleared up. I haven't had much heartburn in a long time, and don't miss it! I think the HRT I was on for a long time really gave me alot of GI problems.
I don't hear of many people being on Aciphex. It worked wonders for me a few years ago. Took away my heartburn, nausea and diarrhea. But in retrospect, I think it gave me years of bad headaches too. I tried to take it a few weeks ago, and those headaches started back up. I never suspected the Aciphex! How sad to think I struggled for years with horrible headaches, not even considering the Aciphex!
Sorry to ramble. I'll give the PPI a week, and I'll not use my CPAP for about another week. If my nausea/dizziness clears up, I'll restart the CPAP and see what happens. I know it doesn't make sense to all the doctors, but I'm pretty sure its the CPAP that's causing my problems......or at least exacerbating them. I sure miss that CPAP though. My sleep is bad again.
Like they say.........Growing older ain't for sissies! lol! Thanks Canyonbabe.
Posted 6/5/2007 6:07 PM (GMT 0)
the only problem I had with INS I was in the bathroom all the time.I get some bloating & cramps but it was no biggie for me.I just keep trekking on.
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