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Suggest Alternative Medication In Place Of Pepcid AC

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Posted on Mon, 25 Jul 2016
Question: HI,I'M A SENTY YEARS OLD WOMAN WHO,UNTIL NOW, HAS BEEN PRETTY MUCH IN SHAPE. i DO NOT TAKE ANY MEDICATIONS AND I'M VERY SENSITIVE TO CHEMICALS, SO I HAVE REACTIONS AND I STOP THEM. LATELY I HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH H PILORI.. IN ADDITION I HAVE, ACCORDINGLY TO MY GI DOCTOR GASTRAITIS AND COLITIS. WHATEVER I EAT IT GIVES ME DIARRHEA. HE PRESCRIBED BENTYL 10 MG TO BE TAKEN BEFORE THE THREE DAILY MEALS AND 20 MG OF PEPCID AC AT NIGHT. UNFORTUNATELY I HAD THE SIDE EFFECTS OF THE HEART IRREGULARITY AND I STOPPED IT. HE GAVE IN ALTERNATIVE IMODIUM AD LIQUID THAT I DIDN'T TAKE BECAUSE MY GOAL IS TO CURE MY INTESTINE NOT TO REDUCE ITS ACTION. PLEASE CAN YOU HELP ME? I LOST WEIGHT AND I'M WORRIED. I CANNOT TAKE ANTIBIOTICS TO GET RID OF THE HPILORI FOR OBVIOUS REASONS AND I'M A MESS,
doctor
Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (4 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Some suggestions:

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,

I am sensitive to many things too, so I can relate to your situation.

Perhaps you can take the antibiotic regimen along with a probiotic to prevent loss of your good gut bacteria (although don't take the antibiotic within a few hours of each other). This may help you to tolerate the antibiotic without problems.

If you absolutely cannot take any antibiotics, consider taking Pepto Bismol. This is usually part of the H Pylori treatment regimen, but Pepto Bismol is usually well tolerated and can help with the diarrhea too. Note that it can make stools look black (but not tarry black like happens with stomach bleeding). Pepto Bismol may help eradicate the H Pylori although I am not aware if it can without the antibiotic. But it is worth a try.

If you are unable to take Pepto Bismol, although other than the risk of constipation, it is pretty easy to take, then eat more rice. This will not eradicate the H pylori, but it can help decrease diarrhea. Cook the rice, such as Basmati brown rice (which has more nutrition than plain white rice) in extra water for over an hour. This will help make it more easy to digest.

Eat smaller amounts of food but more often. This will be less taxing on the digestive system.

I hope this information helps.


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (14 hours later)
Thank you so much for your answer: I didn't know about the Pepto Bismol.
I opted for a natural cure of the diarrhea with probiotic and enzimes. My bowel movements were only two this morning and the stools more formed. I got though a little pain in my right kidney, that was less evident during the previous days. I'm following a diet called SPECIFIC CARBOHYDRATE DIET, since yesterday because the rice hasn't been working for me. The diet completely escludes sugar, grains potatoes etc.
I hope I can resolve the diarrhea in order to start the antibiotics...can I add the Pepto Bismol to the natural remedies. A final question, is the HPILORI doing this to my digestive system, I mean the diarrhea? Can I have tea with a lot of lemon to help stop the diarrhea or isn't good for the HPilori?
Thank you for you help..
doctor
Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (7 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Some information:

Detailed Answer:
I'm glad that your diarrhea is decreasing.

Yes, you can add Pepto Bismol to the probiotic and enzyme regimen. I generally recommend not taking an antibiotic or Pepto Bismol at the same time as a probiotic as we don't want anything to kill the probiotic. A broad spectrum antibiotic will. I'm not sure if Pepto Bismol will. But just to play it safe, take the two a couple hours apart.

H. Pylori can cause all sorts of digestive problems: bloating, burping, abdominal pain - especially when your stomach is empty, and burning or aching. But diarrhea is not a typical symptom for it. I am going to speculate that the diarrhea is either from problems with a gut infection, the normal bacteria of the gut is off, or intolerance to certain foods.

I'd avoid lemon and citrus or other acidic foods until the H. Pylori is cleared up as it can irritate the stomach lining.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (48 hours later)
Dear Doctor,

what kind and dose of antibiotic would you prescribe for me. I had a bad reaction with eritromycine so I wouldn't be able to take it. Do I need to take anti acid together with and how do I combine antibiotics and probiotic.
Can I start with lower doses and take them for a longer period of time?
Please, let me know. As far as the diarrhea as a side effect of the HPilori, I had
a chance to read that is one of the symptoms too. I have a lot going on and I'm really uncomfortable. I also have a rash in the back of my neck,at the bottom that aggravates me,not to talk about the fact that I can't eat.
The GI doctor did check my stool and didn't find any other bacteria.
I'm looking forward to hearing from youand thank you so much.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Standard treatment regimens for H.pylori.

Detailed Answer:
The recommended treatment regimen options are any one of the following:

Omeprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin (OAC) for 10 days;

Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto Bismol), metronidazole, and tetracycline (BMT) for 14 days;

Lansoprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin (LAC), which has been approved for either 10 days or 14 days of treatment.

Regarding taking a probiotic during a treatment regimen, best to not take the probiotic within a couple of hours of the antibiotic.

I'm sorry about the task on your neck - without seeing it, I can't say what it is. Can you upload a picture of it?

If you have unlimited questions on this site, you can repost a new question and ask for a gastroenterologist (by writing FOR GASTROENTEROLOGIST ONLY) at the beginning of your question and ask which of the regimens is easiest to tolerate for someone who already has diarrhea. To do this, go back to the page where you first posted your question and post a new question.
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :1991

Answered : 3133 Questions

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Suggest Alternative Medication In Place Of Pepcid AC

Brief Answer: Some suggestions: Detailed Answer: Hello and welcome, I am sensitive to many things too, so I can relate to your situation. Perhaps you can take the antibiotic regimen along with a probiotic to prevent loss of your good gut bacteria (although don't take the antibiotic within a few hours of each other). This may help you to tolerate the antibiotic without problems. If you absolutely cannot take any antibiotics, consider taking Pepto Bismol. This is usually part of the H Pylori treatment regimen, but Pepto Bismol is usually well tolerated and can help with the diarrhea too. Note that it can make stools look black (but not tarry black like happens with stomach bleeding). Pepto Bismol may help eradicate the H Pylori although I am not aware if it can without the antibiotic. But it is worth a try. If you are unable to take Pepto Bismol, although other than the risk of constipation, it is pretty easy to take, then eat more rice. This will not eradicate the H pylori, but it can help decrease diarrhea. Cook the rice, such as Basmati brown rice (which has more nutrition than plain white rice) in extra water for over an hour. This will help make it more easy to digest. Eat smaller amounts of food but more often. This will be less taxing on the digestive system. I hope this information helps.