Received a call this morning from my GI with more results on my colonscopy and endoscopy. She said my colon was normal, but on the endoscopy I have gastritis and inflamation. I'm doing research on gastritis now.

I just wanted to update you all because I feel that we are all "probably" suffering from the same thing.

Had my doctors appointment today- i am so proud of myself, didn't get too nervous or worked up. He was lovely with me, very understanding and sympathetic. He said i had IBS (which i guessed he would!) He's prescribed me anti-spasmodics to take before meals so i'll give them a go (although not getting my hopes up as he said it wasn't a miracle cure). He also told me to try cutting things out of my diet and then re-introducing them (which i've been doing for a year already-der!)

He also suggested it could be a side effect from one of the meds im on (for crohn's disease) but i dont think it is. However, what growlgurl has said about the acid thing has really struck a cord as one of my meds increases stomach acid and can cause indigestion which i get occasionally (but not often) so maybe there's something in that. But then i've been getting these noises for longer than i've been on that tablet, but still very interesting! I might be coming off that tablet in a couple of months so we shall see-i'll keep you posted!!

Sympathy silhoutte-we all know what you're going through and how hard life is and im sure we'd all admit to having negative thoughts because of it but we have to try to stay positive. We're all in this together and eventually we will find a solution or we'll learn to adapt out lives so that we can cope with this. My life now is very different to how it was say, 5 years ago. I work part time, which has helped massively, i know which situations i can and can't cope with and i try not to beat myself up with guilt when i do miss out on something. We'll get there xx

Hi growl girl-wow we're logged on at the same time!

"waves madly" "hello!"

Hi Jen **waves back****

I've been doing a lot of research on this GERD and Gastritis. It seems for some reason when we eat foods or eat in general it increases stomach acid. Our bodies for whatever reason, could be, h.pylori, parasites, etc causes too much stomach acid which irritate the stomach lining and cause the growling. I didn't realize people that have acid reflux also have the stomach noises, but they do! The doctors prescribe PPI(proton pump inhibitors)like prisolec, aciphex, nexium, etc... to help heal the stomach lining. These meds stop stomach acid, which in my opinion couldn't be good in the long run. We need some stomach acid to fight off bacteria.
Therefore, I'm going to take zantac to reduce the acid and try to heal my intestinal lining.

Sorry guys that I have not written in a bit either.

Good to hear from you Eric, I'm planning on taking the Activia yogurts again. And probiotics I guess.. and i have not been able to keep up with my paragone, it's just getting so difficult to even want to eat the bland food that I can.. if even. I'm gad you are doing better though, I understand how much you are trying to fix this, I feel like I'm insane with all the pills and tablets that I'm trying to take too...

Growlgurl, when I went to my family doctor, the one who said 'it was normal', 'stress', 'regular digestions', she DID prescribe me a small pill that are sometimes given to those with acid reflux. Interesting coincidence.

Haha, and Jen, that made me laugh, you and growgurl!


Sympathy,

I get the SAME noises, that I know a lot of people have mentioned in their stomach, but mine is always abdomen. Like, left intestinal side that I can FEEL depressurizing and just MOVING hardcore... I get the same rumbles down near my bottom, and just ... it IS terrible. And you know? I've felt the same way. What would be the point of living an existence when you cannot interact on a normal level? But... you know.. when I've felt down and had a terrible day, it's a relief to know that there are people like you guys out here, like Eric who is trying everything possible to figure it out and struggling, and jen who is optimistic no matter what, and Growgurl who always comes back to help the hopeless, and marre whose been dealing with it for so many years... we're all here, and we're all suffering. And we're all ready to talk to you.

The best we can do is keep trying. If things in your stability get shaky, it's understandable. But there's other people, and we WILL find something because medicine is always expanding. I guess, I'd like to ask you what you are doing diet wise, other than the flaxseed and digestaway? Really, good luck. We all understand.

Eventually I'd like to see a GI, and if I do, I'm going to have to ask all of you to make me a description and bullet-point list of your symptoms and attempts to solve, etc. And I'm going to bring it to them, smack them with the file (it should be pretty hefty!) and say FIX THIS. Ha.

Oh, and Jen, congrats on going to your GI! I know that was stressing you out.. but see? You got through it

Keep trying guys, we'll figure something out.

Hey all...growl gurl its interesting that you mentioned GERDs because after a doctors visit who thinks its ibs--(so I should cut stuff out and see which foods are triggers--which I have been doing) ...My mother who is an MD (retired but she still knows her stuff) mentioned that she thinks it might be GERD and has recommended that I ask my doctor about that next time...and in the meantime that I try an OTC medication that reduces or inhibits the production of acid in the stomach--Tagament (which is an H2 blocker --google it) along with trying Prilosec OTC until I can get another appt to ask about it ..even though he didnt really feel the noises were (I guess) a major concern. Anyways perhaps some of us could try this...plus following the "GERD's Diet" which is probably similar to what I have been eating--avoiding anything that might be acidic or irritating to the stomach.

Hey all...growl gurl its interesting that you mentioned GERDs because after a doctors visit who thinks its ibs--(so I should cut stuff out and see which foods are triggers--which I have been doing) ...My mother who is an MD (retired but she still knows her stuff) mentioned that she thinks it might be GERD and has recommended that I ask my doctor about that next time...and in the meantime that I try an OTC medication that reduces or inhibits the production of acid in the stomach--Tagament (which is an H2 blocker --google it) along with trying Prilosec OTC until I can get another appt to ask about it ..even though he didnt really feel the noises were (I guess) a major concern. Anyways perhaps some of us could try this...plus following the "GERD's Diet" which is probably similar to what I have been eating--avoiding anything that might be acidic or irritating to the stomach.

Have you tried Zantac 750? I think our instestinal lining needs to heal.

I do like the Aciphex that the doctor prescibed but I'm afraid of PPI's.

Thank you jen and coheed for raising my hope. I cannot repeat this enough but I want you all to know how happy I am to have found a forum like this and a group of people who go through life with this same problem that I have. I always felt left out before but now I am seeing that there are others like me.

And Growlgurl, big thanks to you as well for trying all these products. I will take your suggestion and get Zantac.


On my progress so far, well it was going well for like 2 days but then all of a sudden again I got those growling noises and a general discomfort in the abdomen. I think my problem is far serious than what digestaway or flax seed oil can cure.
I truly believe that I have parasites in my intestines and I have started taking ParaGone today. I am so nervous about this because just the thought of imagining these things in my body, sucking away at my intestines is a chilling though, and then passing these things out freaks me out even more.

GrowlGurl, how long after you took the ParaGone did you notice worms in your stool?? Also how long after taking it did you feel better??

Oh my lord, this makes perfect sense. I traveled to an Asian country 2 years back and exactly at that time I got sick eating some food and then the growling, weight loss, fatigue started exactly after that trip. How stupid I am to realize this now but the puzzle seems complete to me. It has to be parasites in my case. I even consulted with my general doctor and he took x-ray and blood samples but he said it was just stress. That was a year back and I was 140 pounds. In 2006 before the trip, I was over 175 and then rapidly, my weight decreased. I started eating a lot a year back and I gained like 9 pounds but ever since then I have been the exact same weight and my caloric intake is 3X higher than it was a year back. I cant believe I did not see this before.

I have an appointment with my G.I next Wednesday, but until then I will be taking ParaGONE. I pray to god it works somehow, although I know it will take a long time to fully rid my body of parasites, but something is better than nothing.

OMG I just went to the bathroom and low and behold I saw some stringy white thing, cloudy looking stuff and some things that looked like dried up rice.

I just researched this and it seems to be worms, specifically the tapeworm, the rice looking things are its dried up body parts that break off time to time.

I am freaking out here, OMG, but I feel much better as well. I am nervous though, will these parasites be alive when I expel them??

I am going to try the zantac... I have made a second appt with the doctor .. I couldn't get one till next month so I will have to wait till talking to him and trying a prescription...but after talking to my mom about the symptoms she though it might be GERD's and said one major indicator is burping (which I have recently noticed an increase in--its almost abnormal) along with my other symptoms...She mentioned that GERD when untreated can cause irritation and inflammation of the stomach thus the idea of gastritis..so I will try the zantac..and avoid acdic items plus any other common irritants. I don't think I would try a PPI, but the Tagamet which is over the counter is ver low grade and safe..and is considered an alternative to PPI's or so I have read. How has the zantac and aciphex helped you? Have you noticed a change in the noises?

Thanks for writing back. Hopefully we are getting to the bottom of this.

I started seeing results after day 5. It took me about 7-10 days to see a huge difference in the noises. The first week I felt a lot of movement/noises though.

Also, keep taking the Paragone if you are getting good results. It's good that you are looking at what's coming out. It seems that you are getting the same results that I got. Also, if you can afford it, buy another box and continue the cleaning.

Also, do research on parasites. Google "Parasite Menance" I purchased the book, but there is a preview of the book online.

Good luck and keep us updated.

I'm having good results as far as the noises, but I had a lot of gas today. I haven't taken these medicine constantly though. I've taken each one maybe twice.
Also, I went and bought George's Aloe Vera Juice. I'm looking for the natural route as opposed to the prescription drugs.

Another thing that I notice that bananas seem to soothe my stomach. I read some where that bananas neturalize the stomach acid.

They shouldn't be alive. Are you taking the full dosage or half?

Helpful Hints from Drs. Ralph & Lahni DeAmicis


The Importance of Acid Alkaline Balance

Many of you have heard of acid/alkaline balance but few fully understand how important this concept is. In fact, it might just be the most important concept in health and nutrition.

Here's a profound concept: "The human body is alkaline by design and acid by function." That means that the physical make up of the body relies on being as alkaline as possible while every function that the body performs creates acids. When a baby is born, they are completely alkaline and they become acidic with their first tear.

We all learned a bit about acid in chemistry in high school, right? Acids are strong substances that can eat their way through things. Well, that hasn't changed. Acids are useful for many functions. One example would be for breaking down foods into their component nutrients so we can absorb and utilize the vitamins, minerals, etc. This is the reason that we have stomach acid known as HCl, or hydrochloric acid. Of course, drug companies tell us that this acid is bad so we have to eliminate it.

Now we have a population that lives on Zantac and Prilosec and have no means to break down that steak dinner they ate yesterday! While it slowly rots in our digestive tract, all sorts of toxins and building up and spilling over into our bloodstream ready to poison our entire body. A couple of natural Stomach Comfort chewables should calm over-acid conditions caused by stress or excitement without turning off your body's ability to produce acid when needed for digestion.

Our point is that acids have their place and function in the maintenance of good health but cause problems when they get out of control. We're designed to eat a diet that consists of 80% alkaline foods and 20% acidic foods. The Standard American Diet is 80% acid and 20% alkaline foods. Now you see the problem.

Which foods are alkaline and which foods are acidic? Here is a general list: vegetables and some fruits are alkaline while meats, nuts, dairy, grains, sugars and some fruits are acidic. Whoops! Guess we need to be eating a lot more salads and veggies, huh?

There are a few exceptions such as oats and millet which are alkaline grains and almonds which are alkaline nuts. Most berries are alkaline while citrus fruits are the most acidic. Remember, acids eat through anything, even bones. Consumption of tomatoes and orange juice is a large contributor to the high incidence of arthritis in America today.

If you want to live longer and more healthfully, increase the alkalinity in your body. Eat more alkaline foods and counteract the acidity from other foods by adding Coral Calcium Powder to them. It will not change the taste or texture of the food and is about 9 on the pH scale. (The pH scale goes from 1 to 14 with 1 being the most acidic and 14 being the most alkaline. 7 is neutral and we should aim for our pH to be around 5.6 as measured in our saliva. [In the blood it should be 7.2 to 7.4])

Liquid chlorophyll is another great alkalizer, providing a concentrated serving of alkaline food. After all, chlorophyll is the 'blood of the plants'. Squirt some of this spearmint flavored green liquid into every glass of water you drink and you will lubricate stiff joints while raising the pH of your body to a healthier level. Chlorophyll is also available in capsule form.

Kelp is a great alkalizing supplement with more than 30 minerals to boot. Take 6-8 daily and you will enjoy great benefits. Combination Potassium contains Kelp and more to balance electrolytes, an extremely important thing with the summer approaching. Electrolyte imbalance, particularly low potassium levels, contributes to heart problems in the summer heat when we lose much of this important mineral through our perspiration.


Copyright 2005 Ralph & Lahni DeAmicis

Growlgurl, that's amazing research. It seems to make a lot of sense, and it's healthy.

I have been attempting to go that route anyway, as it is the easiest for me to eat, along with Salmon and such... but I have also lost two pounds unintentionally. And I'm not sure if it's good if I lose much more. So I'm a bit worried about that.

Does anybody have any safe foods that are ... I don't know, foods that actually make you feel like you ate something?

Thanks again for your research and sharing.

Good question coheed, i've lost a little weight too and i really don't want to as i'll end up skin and bone-not a good look! I've been making hearty stews which are nice:

-brown some diced chicken in a little oil with onion, celery and carrots

-add stock to cover or water with lots of dried herbs, pinch of salt pepper, tomato puree and garlic

-i then add swede (i know this is carb but it doesn't seem as starchy as potato) you could also add butternut squash or celeriac

-cook it all down for 30mins or until everything's soft

-you can also add barley to bulk it out (this is meant to be very soothing to the bowel)

I've also been experimenting with quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), it's very similar to cous-cous except it's a protein and contains all 8 amino acids so very good for you. Not sure if i'd class it as 'safe' yet though. Had it a couple of times at the weekend, not braved it mid-week yet! It's lovely mixed with tinned tuna or salmon or chicken or mixed salad, again, it bulks it out a bit.

Thanks for the research growlgirl

Yeah I am getting a lot of noise now. Also today I passed out some small wormy looking thing.

You passed out a tapeworm right Growlgurl. I have heard that it takes a long time to be fully free of them so maybe your problem is still tapeworms. I also heard that they form cysts in your bodies which need to be operated which is very dangerous for the liver. I get so scared thinking bout this, I know a guy died because he was playing football and he got tackled and he just died. Later they discovered that cyst had exploded and the antibodies went crazy and it caused a huge allergic reaction in his body.

GrowlGurl you should have shown that tapeworm that you passed out to your doctor so he could have given you proper medication.

Actually, I found out later after further research that what I was seeing could have been the skin of the tapeworm, not the tapeworm itself.

I have not given up the fact that I could have parasites. I'm waiting maybe another 3 months or so to do another cleanse. I did 3 boxes.

I took a parasite culture to my old GI office. When I asked for the results, they couldn't find them. You noticed I said "OLD" GI. I was incensed! I never followed up with them and switched to a new doctor for other reasons as well.