I’ve been having some digestive issues for a while now, bloating, burping, oily stools, and over the last few days tummy ache.
I’ve been taking betaine HCL and digestive enzymes and my stools are better, less undigested bits and the burping reduced but the cramping and nausea is still there. Also having trouble finishing a meal without feeling full and sick pretty quickly.
Went to see the GP today and she ordered a stool sample to rule out infection (I’m thinking h pylori?) but also prescribed omeprazole, which is a PPI. My gut instinct is not to touch it as I’m pretty sure most of my problems stem from low acid and a PPI would just make that worse?
Any advice on how to improve my digestive health much appreciated. I never suffered with digestive issues before my thyroid went haywire!
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Newmummy82
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I totally agree with your thinking on the undesirability of taking PPI. It is contraindicated with hypothyroid, would certainly ‘neutralise’ your HCl and you would be back to square one with your digestion! Have you considered taking digestive enzymes after meals? If I feel sick after some foods, I find this helps.
Thank you for your reply, yes I’m taking Bretaine HCL tablet which has digestive enzymes included after every meal, I’m wondering if it could be h pylori or SIBO?
What digestive enzymes do you take? Can’t take betaine hlc because I have serious GERD problems (was prescribed PPIs by gastro a long time ago to protect my eosophagus from cancer) and have gastritis. However I do have digestive problems...
My apologies to newmummy82 for hijacking her post.
I’m sorry to hear of your digestive problems. I am not medically qualified so can only offer my own experience and what I have read/learned, one way or another! I use Essential Enzymes by Source Natural. I understand it’s best to take one or two capsules an hour after a meal, as required.
Many thanks for replying so promptly. I appreciate it.
Will research the enzymes you suggested and if there’s no counter indication with the medicine I take I shall try them and see what difference it makes.
I know it sounds simplistic, but do you chew your food well? If I scarf something down watching TV I do suffer for it - despite taking betaine & pepsin.
Hi, before you get on any prescription drugs you might check out a supplement called mastic gum. It is available (here in the states over the counter) at vitamin shops etc. It is supposed to kill h pyloric and address other stomach issues and has been used for centuries as a stomach 'cure-all'.
Here are some links. As always, do your own due diligence and research. There is plenty of information 'out there'.
Thank you, sounds interesting! If I can clear the h pylori without antibiotics more the better! I’m taking Manka honey at the moment, which I’ve heard is good for getting rid of h pylori.
Low stomach acid is common problem when still on too low a dose of Levothyroxine
Are you still only on 75mcg Levothyroxine?
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if Thyroid antibodies are raised
See you had low ferritin. Has this been retested?
Had other levels tested?
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)
Last Levothyroxine dose should be 24 hours prior to test, (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).
Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or all vitamins
Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random
Medichecks currently have an offer on
The aim of Levothyroxine is to increase the dose slowly in 25mcg steps upwards until TSH is under 2 (many people need TSH significantly under one) and most important is that FT4 in top third of range and FT3 at least half way in range
All four vitamins need to be regularly tested and frequently need supplementing to maintain optimal levels
NHS guidelines on Levothyroxine including that most patients eventually need somewhere between 100mcg and 200mcg Levothyroxine.
Yes I’m still in 75mcg, i had a well woman Medichecks test a month ago and my results were TSH 1.71 (0.27 - 4.2) FT3 41.3 ( 3.1 - 6.8) free thyroxine (T4?) 16 (12-24) these results look slightly worse than my results in January when T3 abs T4 were higher at 5.4 and 19.2 respectively (but my TSH was 3.64 then??) but I actually feel better generally. I’m improving my vit d and my ferretin has increased from 36 to 48 and all my other iron results are now well within range.
Everything in the test came back normal apart from basophils being slightly high at 0.11 (should be less than 0.1) and my vit d being back at 48 ( my own fault I stopped supplementing thinking the sunny weather would be enough, lesson learnt there!)
I have experimented with increasing my dose of Levo, taking 100mcg one day of the week but found that 7 days later I got uncomfortable hyper symptoms so I’m a bit reluctant to do it again. I do think that my stomach issues must be linked to my thyroid not being optimally treated though.
Any tips on how I can get more thyroxine into my system without feeling all jittery? Would taking half a 25 pill be worth trying maybe?
I would suggest, as a first step, stick with the Betaine HCL and digestive enzyme product you are currently taking but experiment with the time you take it. For example :
Take it immediately before eating.
Take it after a couple of mouthfuls.
Take it quarter of the way through your meal, or a third of the way through, or a half etc.
Also be aware that Betaine HCL should only be taken with certain types of meal.
This is personal choice, but I would prefer to take Betaine HCL + Pepsin as one supplement, and digestive enzymes as a different supplement. I don't think you will have enough control over what you are taking with a combined supplement.
Having said that, I can't take Betaine HCL at all - I have gastritis, and I also take NSAID painkillers.
Thank you for the info! I have found the betaine a bit of a life saver tbh. Will try varying the time I take it, I generally take it 10 mins after eating at the moment.?
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