Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: Marchlove on June 29, 2022, 09:33:19 AM
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Hi Ladies
Following getting Covid in early May, along with the usual symptoms I also got nausea and acid reflux.
Once the main symptoms subsided I continued with the nausea and reflux.
I contacted my Gp and requested bloods to check my liver and kidney function. She readily agreed and suggested I take omeprazole to control the nausea. I told her I was reluctant to do that as having been a past user I ended up with magnesium and vitamin B12 deficiency and goodness knows what other mineral and vitamin deficiencies.
Her response to this was that they are renowned for doing that, and persuaded me to try a different one which did not seem to have so bad an effect! I agreed just to get the blood work done but after I picked them up i through them promptly into the bin!
Well, I’ve just come across this BMJ study (worth reading in full) with the finding that current use of PPI’s significantly increase the
risk of severe outcomes in people with Covid 19.
https://gut.bmj.com/content/70/1/76
So I did the exact opposite of what my doctor recommended and have been using supplements to increase my stomach acid and improve my GI health, so far I’ve seen an improvement of 95%
Still awaiting blood results so keeping fingers crossed they’re all ok.
X
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Hi Marchlove
I have Covid, and the thing that’s doesn’t seem to be going away is the low level nausea. I don’t have acid reflux though. What supplements are you taking?
I find that tea especially makes me feel queasy,
Thanks
Rumbaba
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Hi Rumbaba
If it’s just nausea you can try
coq10 - 100mg 2-3 times a day with food.
Or Ubiquinol Qh - as it’s better absorbed than coq10 it’s probably a better option. One tablet with breakfast. Jarrows do a good one
I’m also using Thiamine (Vitamin B1).
Benfotiamine is better absorbed that Thiamine HCL. Life Extension do a good one called Mega Benfotiamine
Hope this helps you too xx
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Hi Marchlove. I'm glad that you are feeling better than you were. Can I just ask how the magnesium and B12 deficiencies made you feel? I've been on omeprazole for four years now because, if I don't, the acid reflux from my hiatus hernia causes such ulceration in the oesophagus that I end up at risk of oesophageal cancer. My doctor seems to think that I shouldn't need blood tests to check my levels but all of my research says the opposite and even on the leaflet it is shown as something that needs to be done if you are on it longer than three months and definitely if on it for over a year. In the last two months my hair as become really brittle, I've also got pitted and splitting nails, skin rashes, fatigue and strange heart palpitations. I had full blood tests last September and my GP thinks that's recent enough but I disagree so am trying to gather more info to present to him. :)
I've also read that low stomach acid can cause lots of problems and it's difficult to know which way to turn!
Taz x
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I have to take a PPI due to a hiatal hernia. I find it helpful to take B12, magnesium and Calcium supplements along side it.
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It’s a real difficult one lovely ladies to get one’s head around and something I’ve struggled with for many years.
On first giving up omeprazole you experience a rebound effect and the acid reflux becomes worse, so you should always reduce slowly.
The same thing happens when you try and increase stomach acid, initially you get more acid reflux but this does settle down and the increased acid enables you to digest you food and absorb the important nutrients that you need from them.
PPI’s reduce the symptoms for sure but they don’t address the root cause.
I admit I’m no expert on hiatal hernia’s and I would advise some thorough personal research regarding this aspect. But certainly as Flossie says if you do continue with the PPI’s it’s definitely necessary to supplement irrespective of testing.
There are many symptoms of magnesium and B12 deficiency.
Magnesium (the bodies master mineral) in my experience the main symptom is anxiety and for B12 energy, although there are many many others.
A great supplement to take for acid reflux is
Zinc-L—Carnosine which you take about 15 mins before a meal. I’ll see if I can find some papers about it and post on here.
If I could just get my hormones to behave themselves likewise I’d be on a winning streak! But that’s still work in progress…..
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Here’s one
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7146259/
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This was a clinical trial which is worth reading. The trial is finished but can’t find the results at the moment
https://ichgcp.net/clinical-trials-registry/NCT03467438
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Oh this is better, a video by Dr Berg
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9Xgdm_H876o
Hope this helps someone x
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I have to take a PPI due to a hiatal hernia. I find it helpful to take B12, magnesium and Calcium supplements along side it.
My gastric consultant said that the ppi interferes withabsorption/transportation of magnesium and calcium so supplements might not be effective. It's all very confusing but I'm trying to understand it all
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Thanks Marchlove. I will have a proper look later. I always have anxiety but that might just be me! It makes sense to me that if the reason for depletion is the ppi interfering with the transportation mechanism then no matter whether you take supplements or increase dietary intake the absorption will still be prevented.
Taz x
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Yes that makes sense Taz.
The only way is to somehow stop taking them. x
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Last one hopefully, this is the one I wanted to find. You can just read the conclusions
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2210740122000912
Today I didn’t take it before lunch and bang reflux returned.
I don’t think I’ve been taking it for long enough for it to have done enough healing so will continue for a few more months.
Happy reading x
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I have to take a PPI due to a hiatal hernia. I find it helpful to take B12, magnesium and Calcium supplements along side it.
My gastric consultant said that the ppi interferes withabsorption/transportation of magnesium and calcium so supplements might not be effective. It's all very confusing but I'm trying to understand it all
I have to take lanzaprazole 30 minutes before breakfast. After my breakfast I take one of my supplements. I figured the gap is enough. I then take another supplement with lunch. Etc.
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:'(. but after I picked them up i through them promptly into the bin! :'(. what a waste. Why bother changing up the script if you had no intention of using it?
I've never been told to avoid anything with omeprazole, we do have an annual blood test as we take statins. Never been suggested for any other drugs that we swallow :-\
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I have to take a PPI due to a hiatal hernia. I find it helpful to take B12, magnesium and Calcium supplements along side it.
My gastric consultant said that the ppi interferes withabsorption/transportation of magnesium and calcium so supplements might not be effective. It's all very confusing but I'm trying to understand it all
I have to take lanzaprazole 30 minutes before breakfast. After my breakfast I take one of my supplements. I figured the gap is enough. I then take another supplement with lunch. Etc.
The lanzaprazole will still have worked on preventing the stomach acid (I think) so even though you've left some time between the two the acid level will still be the same. That's how I understood it. I did find one study where they stopped the ppi for a certain time then supplemented the missing vitamins and then restarted the ppi once levels had risen again. The ones who were given the supplements without stopping ppi were unable to raise their levels. Not sure where I found it now. It is interesting too that low acid leads to the same symptoms as high acid. Not an easy fix. If it's working for you though dont change it.
Taz x :)
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I have to take a PPI due to a hiatal hernia. I find it helpful to take B12, magnesium and Calcium supplements along side it.
My gastric consultant said that the ppi interferes withabsorption/transportation of magnesium and calcium so supplements might not be effective. It's all very confusing but I'm trying to understand it all
I have to take lanzaprazole 30 minutes before breakfast. After my breakfast I take one of my supplements. I figured the gap is enough. I then take another supplement with lunch. Etc.
The lanzaprazole will still have worked on preventing the stomach acid (I think) so even though you've left some time between the two the acid level will still be the same. That's how I understood it. I did find one study where they stopped the ppi for a certain time then supplemented the missing vitamins and then restarted the ppi once levels had risen again. The ones who were given the supplements without stopping ppi were unable to raise their levels. Not sure where I found it now. It is interesting too that low acid leads to the same symptoms as high acid. Not an easy fix. If it's working for you though dont change it.
Taz x :)
Once I did try to stop taking a PPI and the acid reflux was so bad and did not improve. I have had many blood tests since being on PPIs and none have shown I lack anything which is odd. I remember before I took B12 I had nerve pain in my hands and feet. That went after taking B12 so maybe we do absorb some vitamins just not all.
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I don't think everyone develops deficiencies so it sounds as if you are ok Flossieteacake. :)
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I don't think everyone develops deficiencies so it sounds as if you are ok Flossieteacake. :)
Thank you Tax2 :)
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Good they’re doing the blood tests Flossie, must be reassuring for you x
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Good they’re doing the blood tests Flossie, must be reassuring for you x
Thank you Marchlove. :)