Low stomach acid

[Nic878]

Very random question but could those of you with low stomach acid tell me what this feels like please

[Nackapan]

NauseaReflux

Slow digestion

I m generally okay presently

[Nic878 in reply to Nackapan]

If I said "dry belly" would that sound weird or do you get me, my partner wakes up every morning like that, he has reflux and nausea aswell we always thought it was gerd. I get what he means by dry belly I think of it as like when your on antibiotics it's hard to describe because when you try to explain to a Dr they look at you like your nuts. We always thought it was caused by too much acid but until coming on this forum neither of us had heard of too little acid

[Maypo in reply to Nic878]

Would he say that feels sort of like a hollow feeling in his stomach? Am curious because I have heartburn and reflux symptoms, but also this strange stomach feeling I can't find the right words for.

[Sissiotto in reply to Maypo]

This information fits to me. I feel like I would have a hole instead of a stomach and never can full it up. But my appetite has completely gone and I taste only the basic sweet salt acid.

[Maypo in reply to Sissiotto]

Yup, that's exactly what I get. Better now that I've stopped the PPI to get an H pylori test

[Sissiotto in reply to Maypo]

I stopped PPI a year ago. But took it about 20 years because was on anti inflammatory drugs. But this horrible feeling in stomach doesn’t go away. Had a gastroscopy investigation 3 days ago. No results now.

[SunnyWorld in reply to Nic878]

Totally understand dry belly! I didn't know I had low stomache acid either. Not sure if I had H Pylori then as well but I came off PPI's what I had been on for years and it's been so much better

[wedgewood]

Anyone with Pernicious Anaemia will have either low stomach acid (hypochlorhydria) or no stomach acid ( achlorhydria)

This is because the Intrinsic Factor Antibodies that are produced by P.A. destroy the parietal cells in the stomach. These cells produce both the intrinsic Factor and stomach acid . The degree of loss of stomach acid varies from patient to patient .

Many Pernicious Anaemia patients also have an autoimmune thyroid condition which also causes low/no stomach acid

[MindfulSquirrel]

I haven’t had low stomach acid confirmed yet but the more I read about it, the more it fits. The main thing I notice is a an intermittent, really manky acid like taste in my mouth but with relatively little oesophageal pain. Also I regularly see bits of undigested plant based food in my poo, like fruit skins, sweetcorn and possibly nuts.

When I do get stomach pain it tends to be on an empty stomach, so much so that I’ve started snacking on popcorn in the morning. And I have bloating.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

For me symptoms are: very bad heartburn relieved by drinking something acid, feeling bloated at times ... but the clincher (and sorry if this is too much information) I suffer from bad migraines that involve violent gut spasms - in the past the bile would burn my throat on the way out but these days it doesn't.

[EyesWideNow in reply to Gambit62]

That’s exactly what my mum had-she’d been on PPIs for years too. I always thought her to be quite brave to come off them and try lemon water for me but so glad it worked for the remainder of her life. That was before PA diagnosis-I just wish the GP’s were better trained and did the history and diagnosis themselves instead of being forced to being a data processor. Technology is great but it’s dumbing down people too and I think 🥴

[Rexz]

I have no stomach acid (achlorhydria) so if I don't take my betaine HCI capsule and digestive enzymes before a meal I know I've made a mistake. I feel very heavy in my gut sort of like I've overeaten. This is almost immediate as the food just sits there and cannot be processed. Then I get nauseous and I know I just have to wait about 30 minutes or so and I vomit all what I ate. It is dry as there was no pool of gastric juices for it to mix with. Sorry may be too graphic?It is much worse if I eat a heavy protein meal.

When I had had low stomach acid I remember I had a lot of acid reflux and also some vomiting. I was prescribed a PPI for the acid reflux but knew NOT to take it since I was aware of my condition. I lost 90 pounds before we finally figured things out.

I had my stomach acid tested during one of my endoscopic cancer screenings and it was a PH of 6. So basically none. Nirmal very acidic environment it should be around a PH of 2.

I never really had a lot of pain but rather a sick fullness.

Hope this helps, Rexz

[Rexz]

The other thing those with low/no gastric acid need to be aware of is they have a much greater susceptibility to food poisoning or other pathogen caused illness. One of the primary roles of gastric acid is to sterilize the food that you just ingested. So beware of eating raw or semi raw meat or leftovers. I've spent a few visits by ambulance to the ER for food poisoning that normally would not have occurred.

[SunnyWorld in reply to Rexz]

😳 I didn't know that

[Wheat in reply to Rexz]

Thank you, now I'll be careful, forewarned is forearmed. Wonder if an acid like ACV sterilizes a bit.

[Rexz in reply to Wheat]

You know that's a good question. I also wonder if Betaine HCL that I take functions the same? I'm just much more careful about what I shoval into my mouth...😊

[Wheat in reply to Rexz]

I must do some research on this, but I would think so......maybe 🤔

[JHEW0836]

I have done a lot of research on my digestive issues and believe that I have low stomach acid based on my symptoms. What everyone describes here sounds exactly like what my stomach feels like. My symptoms fluctuate depending on what I eat and how much I eat. I also have food intolerances that I never had before. I am in the States and would love to see a functional medicine specialist for this because I definitely think my gut biome is off and that I could possible have more vitamin deficiencies other than just low B12.

[Rexz in reply to JHEW0836]

Hi JHEW0836, yes proper gastric acid plays a huge role in the health of your gut microbiome. Low stomach acid causes a whole host of digestive issues from SIBO, IBS, constipation, diarrhea, acid reflux and gallbladder issues. With food sensitivities you may have a condition called "leaky gut" where the walls of your small intestine has microscopic gaps where microscopic food particles "leak" through directly into your blood vessels. This drives your immune system haywire as it's developing antibodies for all those foreign bodies that it does not recognize. It's really not clear what comes first, leaky gut as a result of autoimmune disease or the autoimmune disease is a result of leaky gut.

Best wishes, Rexz

[doityourself]

It would appear low/no stomach acid goes with PA. So what do people do about it? Surely this means other nutrients are not absorbed/digested properly

Sorry about underline, can't seem to click it off!

[Rexz]

I take betaine HCl and digestive enzymes before each meal. Iron Deficiency is an issue I have as I cannot absorb iron. I have iron infusion IVs periodically to keep my iron levels above 100. Iron is not water soluble like B12 and too much iron can be very toxic as your body has no good way to get rid of any excess. So supplementing iron via IV must be managed very closely.

Rexz

[prillyb12]

For me it's most noticeable with meat protein. Years ago my stomach would turn upside down, like I had the stomach flu.....right after eating a fish meal. Now it's a matter of if I took enough betaine Hcl. Often at night I'll lay in bed and my stomach is uncomfortable. So I finally get up and take more betaine Hcl. That usually solves the problem. If it happens that I have too much acid, a small amount of baking soda in water will neutralize that and the bloating and discomfort goes away. It's all about experimenting.