Ranitidine {150mgs} for reflux

[anjh-blue]

my daughter has Hashi's and suffers from reflux. She is on the Paleo AI diet and sticks to it religiously, she has been making brownies with tapioca flr, coconut, flower, butter, sugar, milk, organic chocolate power and she also adds cinnamon. I am wondering if the Cinnamon is causing the reflux. Just wanted to know has anyone tried Ranitidine for reflux?

[donna8077]

Are you sure she is using milk in her brownies? Technically that isn't AI Paleo and I would start there for the reflux. If she can stay off the tablets that would be a good idea. It may well be that they give her a whole new set of side effects. Dairy in particular is known to cause reflux problems so I would start there.

Also does she take any other medication that has lactose in it? I have found since cutting out the lactose last August that my reflux is almost gone, least it was till I had to try taking a tablet with lactose in it?!!! Grrrr

[anjh-blue in reply to donna8077]

all coconut = milk, sugar, butter, flour

[anjh-blue in reply to anjh-blue]

might tell her to leave out the Cinnamon as its a spice

[donna8077 in reply to anjh-blue]

It's not from a seed though so I doubt very much that it's that causing the reflux. If anything it may well be the chocolate as that is from a bean so the same issues as soya.

Edit: Wait! Just had a thought is it cinnamon from grated cinnamon or is it powder? Sometimes spices are bulked with flours from wheat or soya to keep them dry.

[mstp in reply to anjh-blue]

Surely not? Where did you learn this from please? I'd like to read more about it.

[donna8077 in reply to mstp]

This isn't where I found it but I don't seem to have the orriginal link sadly. When I was researching gluten free I found out that quite a few spices use gluten containing flours to prevent clumping, if you go down to the bottom of this list it shows you a list spices that may have this issue.

drgourmet.com/gluten/contai...

[Clutter]

Anjh, I don't like the taste of cinnamon so avoid it but it is a spice so may be causing indigestion/reflux. Ranitidine is an H2 antagonist similiar to PPIs and will lower stomach acid which is often already low in hypothyroid and Hashi patients. I find Ranitidine helpful for occasional severe heartburn and indigestion which cause reflux but wouldn't recommend taking them regularly.

Your daughter might try Betaine Pepsin or a tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar in fruitjuice or honey sweetened water before meals to raise stomach acid and aid digestion.

[anjh-blue in reply to Clutter]

She keeps burping so I'm guessing her stomach acids are OK. Think it's a matter for leaving out the chocolate and cinnamon

[mstp in reply to anjh-blue]

Sometimes the symptoms of low and high acid are similar. So it might be worth her looking into low stomach acid. She can test it by drinking water and baking powder first thing in the morning. I seem to recall that if there is a delay before she burps that means she has low stomach acid. It would be a good idea to look it up online to find out the exact details.

[humanbean in reply to mstp]

The thing to use for the burp test is sodium bicarbonate (otherwise known as Bicarbonate of Soda), which is not the same as baking powder. Take a look at the ingredients of baking powder here - this is not what you want :

tesco.com/groceries/product...

I bought sodium bicarbonate from Boots for the burp test.

[Rosy_Holly]

I have taken ranitidine for some time. Now trying to come off them. Reducing slowly over months. Regret ever having taken them. Especially after joining HU and discovering that being hypothyroid you are more likely to have low acid.

[shaws Administrator]

This is a link re low acid. My GP gave me antacids and I only took it twice as the pain was so bad. I now take Betaine/pepsin tablets with meals (protein in particular) or Apple Cider Vinegar and have had no problems since.

sott.net/article/265343-The...

This is an excerpt from the following link:

How hypothyroidism negatively affects your stomach acid levels

Just as hypothyroidism can result in the drying out of your skin and hair, it also seems to lower the levels of stomach acid in many thyroid patients, possibly by lowering your amount of parietel cells or lowering their ability to produce gastric acid. The result? The absorption of important nutrients is reduced, and you can find yourself with non-optimal or low levels of iron, B12, Vitamin D and more. And you won’t have the protection you once had against bad forms of bacteria, causing their over-growth (dysbyosis). Symptoms can include delayed excessive gas as that bacteria enters your intestine. (Long term antibiotic use can also cause the same overgrowth.)

stopthethyroidmadness.com/s...

[dina7]

I was just beginning to wonder if it's sugar that's causing my acid reflux as I'd not had it at all for a few weeks until last Saturday when I ate some icing sugar, marshmallows and sweets off the birthday cake, but didn't touch the gluten! But maybe I've been eating less cheese ... back to the drawing board!

[asmile4u]

I have not had heartburn since cutting out chocolate, and I used to get severe heartburn, so it might be that as well. The best thing to do, is to cut one thing out at a time and give it a couple of weeks to see if it settles down. I would start with cinnamon and then the chocolate. I was very sad about the chocolate. It is better to solve the problem then cover it up.

[anjh-blue in reply to asmile4u]

Thanks Asmile looks like no chocolate for my poor daughter. Any suggestions on carob is that ok?

[asmile4u in reply to anjh-blue]

Sorry, I haven't figured anything out yet. I just avoid chocolate.

[donna8077 in reply to anjh-blue]

Carob can cause a racing heart. I cut out chocolate and resorted to carob but I think it just is a bad idea.

[anjh-blue in reply to donna8077]

I'll give it a go and see. Do you have any other preferences than choc or carob?

And thanks again

[donna8077 in reply to anjh-blue]

I tend to make my own macaroons out of dates and unsulphured coconut, I got the recipe from Mickey Trescott's recipe book The Auto Immune Paleo Cookbook which is my go to cookbook on AI Paleo. It's useful as it has lists of what you can and can't eat whilst on the protocol.

I also have some documents about how to try to reintroduce foods once you have done the protocol for a time. They usually say a minimum of 30 days but I'm going to let my gut heal for a while longer as I've had some setbacks thanks to my own mistakes.

[anjh-blue in reply to donna8077]

Thanks Donna - I need to get that book ASAP. I've been buying organic coconut flr, butter, milk etc so I hope none have that unsulphured stuff

[donna8077 in reply to anjh-blue]

They sometimes sulphur coconut flakes as a way to preserve them. You should be fine with the flour butter and milk.

I really like Tiana flour and butter I just have an awful time getting hold of it at times, I was due to start making my own recipes this month but my usual supplier let me down.

[anjh-blue in reply to donna8077]

Tiana flour is the one I use not sure if you have a Planet Organics near you but they always have plenty this flour in. I need to get some tonight funnily enough. Just ordered Mickey Trescott's book online so my daughter will be pleased.

[asmile4u in reply to anjh-blue]

I can't do carob either, so I am no help there. I read that you can replace powdered cocoa in a recipe with 1/4 less of additional flour (whatever kind you use) so if it called for 3/4 cup cocoa powder then use 1/2 cup flour and add a natural flavoring like natural coconut or lemon extract. I am not sure about chocolate extract since it is made from cocoa. She might like experimenting with it.

Interestingly enough, I stumbled across this study on treatement for chocolate related GERD , but it does involve taking a synthetic medication...sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

[Chancery]

Hi Anjh, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the culprit is almost certainly cocoa/chocolate, no matter how quality it is. It's exceedingly irritant to GERD. I've had the condition (with oesophagitis) for over fifteen years and all the GERD books ban it outright. If she's been eating it previously, I am frankly amazed. It crucifies me!

[anjh-blue]

Thank you Chancery you have save my daughter from more misery. Can you recommend any book on GERD.

Sending you lots of luck

[Kaz2Wil]

I'm new to this forum hence the late reply! I don't know how things are for her now, but I take Ranitidine as and when needed as I have had reflux for the last 2 and a half years since I had 'flu, and I also have a hiatus hernia. I only take Ranitidine when I'm having a really bad bout of it, and it is the only thing in the way of medication that helps. I tried Omeprazole and Lansoprazole but they made me feel very bad. I don't know if your daughter has intolerances to food, but I have digestive Candida and I can't have any sugar at all now or wheat /flour of course as these feed the fungus and make they make the reflux worse too. Maybe if she can, she could try and cut out sugar for a while just to see if this helps - the cinammon shouldn't be making her worse I don't think. Maybe she is better by now though after 7 months and I hope that's the case.

All the best.