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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by sukarno on December 16, 2013, at 19:08:27
In reply to Re: Feel empty inside and depressed » sukarno, posted by rjlockhart37 on November 27, 2012, at 20:53:24
I didn't want to dig up an old thread but thought I'd say I quit smoking on the 19th of April this year. I was forced to as my stomach became so bad I lost my appetite and was too nauseated to eat.
I went to the hospital to see the gastroenterologist and he said to avoid the risk factors/triggers for gastritis such as smoking, coffee, spicy food, etc and I followed all of his advice.
It took 4 or 5 months for my stomach to feel like new again but my lungs definitely feel like new. :-)
I still get nicotine cravings every other day but I tell myself that smoking is not an option as it would hurt my stomach again and all the other diseases that go with tobacco.
I feel more relaxed without cigarettes. My mood was cranky for a few months after quitting but now it is pretty much back to normal.
Now I can smell cigarettes a mile away.
Anyway, about my stomach.. the doctor at the other hospital didn't like Xanax and gave me diazepam instead. He gave me enough to cover for any withdrawal.Diazepam was very sedating and I noticed my stomach felt like "new" again. No gastritis symptoms.. it felt very calm.
Maybe it's more of a "functional gastritis"..related to the mind.
I couldn't stay on diazepam for long as it made me depressed and exhausted so I went back to my pdoc and he put me back on Xanax. He didn't like diazepam and said it was making me worse.
Anyway, I hope anyone out there considering quitting smoking will give it a shot.
I don't think there's a product legally on the market that causes as many diseases as tobacco.
Posted by SLS on December 16, 2013, at 20:32:51
In reply to update, posted by sukarno on December 16, 2013, at 19:08:27
Thanks for posting.
How are you feeling overall?
- Scott
Posted by ed_uk2010 on December 18, 2013, at 13:48:54
In reply to Re: Smoking cessation ('cold turkey') » ChicagoKat, posted by sukarno on November 27, 2012, at 16:40:23
Good to hear you're doing better. Is your stomach still settled now you're back on Xanax?
I'm sure you said before, but why are you on a very high dose of famotidine rather than a proton pump inhibitor?
Posted by sukarno on December 18, 2013, at 14:13:43
In reply to Re: Smoking cessation ('cold turkey') » sukarno, posted by ed_uk2010 on December 18, 2013, at 13:48:54
Hi Scott, Ed.. :-)
I'm feeling a lot better. I never did have gastritis until about 2006. Prior to that it was only GERD but my stomach felt perfectly fine and could handle black coffee, hot peppers, black pepper..anything.
Most people in this country are H. pylori positive and I've read that H. pylori can be contagious. I tested negative for H. pylori in 1996.
The reason why I can't take proton pump inhibitors is because they give me a delayed hypersensitivity reaction which is quite serious. I'll get a high fever along with tachycardia (140-160bpm for 12 hours) and bad bone pain. I tried a few rechallenges and the reaction was more swift and worse.
I am concerned about famotidine at high doses. I recently had an ECG (EKG) and my QTc was 449ms (max is 450ms for a male). I had read that famotidine can prolong QT although some abstracts contradict this. AZCert's website has famotidine on the list of drugs which can prolong the QT interval.
I'm not sure what else I can take. I'm pretty much hooked on famotidine. If I even lower the dose a little I get acid rebound and feel nauseated.
Posted by sukarno on December 18, 2013, at 14:18:17
In reply to Re: Smoking cessation ('cold turkey') » sukarno, posted by ed_uk2010 on December 18, 2013, at 13:48:54
My stomach sure did feel a lot better on diazepam.
I might give diazepam another try.
The odd thing is and maybe you can give me some insight into this:
If my GERD is bad, my stomach feels perfectly fine. When my GERD is under control, my stomach starts to feel like it is burning.
I wonder if I have bile reflux and not acid reflux? It really doesn't make sense but I've noticed it every time.
If I had a lot of heartburn my stomach felt fine. No heartburn, stomach feels messed up.
*confused*
Posted by SLS on December 18, 2013, at 14:45:09
In reply to Re: Smoking cessation ('cold turkey') » sukarno, posted by ed_uk2010 on December 18, 2013, at 13:48:54
Would a beta-blocker be of any use here?
- Scott
Posted by alexandra_k on December 18, 2013, at 15:04:11
In reply to Re: Smoking cessation ('cold turkey') » ed_uk2010, posted by SLS on December 18, 2013, at 14:45:09
damn. i was just about to ask about a beta blocker...
i need to remember to ask my current clinicians about them for me. as an alternative to benzos.
congrats on quitting. i quit... must be nearly 2 years ago now. it is amazing how the sense of smell comes back
Posted by ed_uk2010 on December 20, 2013, at 15:02:09
In reply to Re: Smoking cessation ('cold turkey'), posted by sukarno on December 18, 2013, at 14:13:43
Hello.
>The reason why I can't take proton pump inhibitors is because they give me a delayed hypersensitivity reaction which is quite serious. I'll get a high fever along with tachycardia (140-160bpm for 12 hours) and bad bone pain. I tried a few rechallenges and the reaction was more swift and worse.
Were the rechallenges with the same drug or a different PPI? Which drugs specifically caused this reaction? It sounds very unpleasant.
>I am concerned about famotidine at high doses. I recently had an ECG (EKG) and my QTc was 449ms (max is 450ms for a male).
What constitutes a normal QTc interval is a matter of some debate. 449ms is perhaps borderline abnormal, like you say, but not definitely so. It would be good to know what your QTc interval was without famotidine, for the purpose of comparison. Would you be able to stop famotidine for a few days using antacids/alginates etc?
Posted by ed_uk2010 on December 20, 2013, at 15:12:30
In reply to Re: Smoking cessation ('cold turkey'), posted by sukarno on December 18, 2013, at 14:18:17
>I might give diazepam another try.
Bear in mind, the dose of diazepam needed to block alprazolam withdrawal symptoms may be high, and substantially more than you would otherwise need. It is therefore unsurprising that you felt tired.
What happens when you take say 5mg of diazepam while continuing alprazolam? Anything? If it helps, you could reduce alprazolam somewhat and continue with a small dose of diazepam, initially in divided doses then in 1-2 daily doses after a few weeks. Combining benzos is this way is unconventional... but might it help? I don't know, but you can easily find out.
>I wonder if I have bile reflux and not acid reflux? It really doesn't make sense but I've noticed it every time.
Interesting. Have you ever tried a prokinetic such as metoclopramide? (Metoclopramide is generally only suitable for short-term use). Domperidone should be avoided due to your borderline QTc.
Posted by ed_uk2010 on December 20, 2013, at 15:18:14
In reply to Re: Smoking cessation ('cold turkey') » ed_uk2010, posted by SLS on December 18, 2013, at 14:45:09
>Would a beta-blocker be of any use here?
To be honest, I suspect not. Beta blockers do not reduce reflux, nor is there evidence that they reduce the gastro-intestinal symptoms of anxiety. The somatic symptoms best relived by propranolol are cardiac symptoms (racing heart, palpitations etc) and tremor (but not muscle tension). Cardioselective beta blockers such as metoprolol and atenolol may relieve cardiac symptoms but not tremor.
Posted by sukarno on December 30, 2013, at 13:09:52
In reply to Re: Smoking cessation ('cold turkey') » sukarno, posted by ed_uk2010 on December 20, 2013, at 15:02:09
Hi Ed! :-)
I tried lansoprazole first (30mg) and 10 days later had the fever, tachycardia and bone pain for about 12 hours. I tried a rechallenge with it later and the reaction occurred 3 days later. Next time it happened nearly the same day if I remember correctly.
I tried omeprazole 3 years later in small amounts by emptying out a capsule and taking small pieces every hour or so. I started getting sharp pains that would be felt randomly in different parts of the body (in the bones.. ribs, arms, legs.. everywhere there was a bone).
Interestingly, I had the same reaction with diet soda that contained cyclamate and saccharin. Fever, bone pain and tachycardia for about 12 hours.
I found that these drugs are all sulphonamides or sulfur compounds when metabolised.
Maybe I have some sort of hypersensitivity to sulphonamides or substituted benzimidazoles (PPIs), although PPIs also break down into sulfur-like compounds when they reach the stomach.
Posted by sukarno on December 30, 2013, at 13:17:55
In reply to PPIs, posted by sukarno on December 30, 2013, at 13:09:52
I quit Xanax 5 days ago (1mg 4 times daily) and substituted it with diazepam 15mg 4x/day for the first two days, then 10mg 4x/day for a day, 10mg 3x/day for a day and only 10mg twice a day today.
I can feel the effects of diazepam increasing despite the dose reduction, which is probably because of the long half-life of diazepam.
I had no withdrawal symptoms during the transition except for a few "adrenaline rushes" which led to mild panic attacks on two occasions.
My stomach feels so much better that I forgot to take my famotidine. Usually my stomach is so sour and like there's a lit match inside it that I have to take famotidine around the clock. Failure to do that can result in nausea and a lot of gastritis.
Anyway, wow.. my stomach feels so "calm" and settled despite only two famotidine tablets taken today.
I did read an old medical abstract that claimed diazepam reduces gastric acid production, but I find that difficult to believe.
I suppose diazepam reduces stress or relaxes muscles near the stomach so there's less acid being produced.
Maybe it's functional dyspepsia which means it is psychological or psychogenic.
I guess I should have an endoscopy one of these days.
Posted by ed_uk2010 on December 30, 2013, at 13:23:29
In reply to Valium settles the stomach, posted by sukarno on December 30, 2013, at 13:17:55
Hi!
That's great news. I don't think you'll necessarily find diazepam so sedating this time. Sedation might simply mean that the dose is too high. The pharmacokinetics of diazepam are complex and may necessitate successive dosage adjustments over the next few weeks.
Let us know how you do.
Posted by sukarno on December 30, 2013, at 13:42:38
In reply to Re: Valium settles the stomach » sukarno, posted by ed_uk2010 on December 30, 2013, at 13:23:29
I don't really know why, but diazepam consistently (no matter how long I take it) produces a good subjective sense of sedation in me along with a lot of muscle relaxation whereas alprazolam did neither appreciably.
Being on alprazolam was like being emotionally numb and apathetic with very little sense of sedation.
Right now I feel "buzzed" pretty deeply on diazepam. One dose lasts at least 12 hours and the whole time I feel doped.
I'm sure that will go away in a few days but I remember years ago when I was on 5mg 4x/day as maintenance for panic attacks, I always felt a "buzz" in the morning when I'd take that first 5mg tablet before breakfast.
Diazepam always felt stronger than alprazolam but alprazolam prevented almost all panic attacks.
On a few occasions, despite subjective sedation, I experienced panic attacks on a long term maintenance dose of diazepam but never (or very rarely) on alprazolam.
Either way I'm not a big fan of alprazolam because of the withdrawal symptoms should I lose my pills. Scary.. what a nightmare (or medical emergency) that would be.
I think diazepam is much easier to taper off but I've been on BZDs for 23 years now so I suppose I should allow 2 years of tapering at the very minimum to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
I definitely don't like being on BZDs. Life just seems to float by.. time passes by very fast on these drugs. Don't get me wrong though, they are very useful and the downsides may be a lot better than having a full blown panic attack.
Panic attacks are the scariest thing I have ever experienced in my life.
Posted by SLS on December 30, 2013, at 16:12:48
In reply to Re: Valium settles the stomach, posted by sukarno on December 30, 2013, at 13:42:38
Thyroid stuff?
Have you ever tried amitriptyline?
Shots in the dark.
- Scott
Posted by Phillipa on December 30, 2013, at 21:03:21
In reply to Re: Valium settles the stomach, posted by sukarno on December 30, 2013, at 13:42:38
I so agree with you on the panic attacks. You also have been on benzos a long time as have I. I don't think will ever be off them. Phillipa
Posted by sukarno on December 30, 2013, at 23:45:38
In reply to Re: Valium settles the stomach » sukarno, posted by SLS on December 30, 2013, at 16:12:48
My aunt has hyperthyroidism and grandfather has hypothyroidism. I should have a blood test to get it checked again.. haven't checked it in almost 10 years. I remember my TSH or one of those values was near the borderline (if it was below that it would have been hyperthyroidism).
I don't think I can take TCAs anymore. I had tried imipramine but my heart began to beat too fast and irregularly one night about a month into treatment. My pdoc then switched me to nortriptyline which had less side effects (apart from elevated blood pressure).
I remember the pdoc took my BP after being on nortriptyline for a while and said my BP was up so I should get exercise. I ended up exercising regularly and felt great with a resting pulse of 58. Before I took up exercise I used to have tachycardia of 90 or so on the nortriptyline.
I'm not sure if it was the nortriptyline which helped me so much or the regular, brisk 5 mile walks 3 to 4 times a week (or a combination of the two).That was the best I had ever felt in my life.
Posted by sukarno on December 30, 2013, at 23:48:56
In reply to Re: Valium settles the stomach » sukarno, posted by Phillipa on December 30, 2013, at 21:03:21
> I so agree with you on the panic attacks. You also have been on benzos a long time as have I. I don't think will ever be off them. Phillipa
Hi Phillipa. :-)
Yeah, I somehow think I'll never be off them. It's just been too long. The best I can do is to be on the minimum dose that will keep the anxiety at bay.
Posted by sukarno on December 31, 2013, at 0:46:07
In reply to Re: Valium settles the stomach, posted by sukarno on December 30, 2013, at 23:48:56
I'm not sure if it is good to quit it cold turkey but I woke up this morning (12 to 24 hours after last taking famotidine) and my stomach felt fine.. no acidic feeling.
Is it okay to stop just like that?
Thanks in advance.
I've been on famotidine for almost 9 years.
Posted by SLS on December 31, 2013, at 2:12:37
In reply to Re: Valium settles the stomach, posted by sukarno on December 30, 2013, at 23:45:38
> I used to have tachycardia of 90 or so on the nortriptyline.
Did anyone think to tell you that this is a normal reaction to nortriptyline, and that 90 bpm is by no means tachycardia? Your doctor should have known this. I believe the current standard for diagnosing tachycardia is having a resting heart rate of 130 bpm.
Perhaps you should revisit nortriptyline.
- Scott
Posted by sukarno on December 31, 2013, at 2:17:36
In reply to Re: Valium settles the stomach » sukarno, posted by SLS on December 31, 2013, at 2:12:37
Oh, if that's normal then I'm all for it. Sometimes it caused some "skipped beats" along with a palpitation after that but nothing serious.
I was on a low dose of 10 to 25mg/night.
I got 4.0 grades in high school on nortriptyline.
I remember feeling interested and highly motivated in all subjects.
Imagine the total opposite of the benzodiazepine experience along with no panic attacks.
My pdoc said they don't have nortriptyline here.
Maybe I can import it and take it under his approval/supervision in a very low dose and have an EKG done before it and during treatment along with BP tests.
Posted by SLS on December 31, 2013, at 5:55:36
In reply to Re: Valium settles the stomach, posted by sukarno on December 31, 2013, at 2:17:36
> Oh, if that's normal then I'm all for it. Sometimes it caused some "skipped beats" along with a palpitation after that but nothing serious.
>
> I was on a low dose of 10 to 25mg/night.
>
> I got 4.0 grades in high school on nortriptyline.
>
> I remember feeling interested and highly motivated in all subjects.
>
> Imagine the total opposite of the benzodiazepine experience along with no panic attacks.
>
> My pdoc said they don't have nortriptyline here.
> Maybe I can import it and take it under his approval/supervision in a very low dose and have an EKG done before it and during treatment along with BP tests.That is a very rational approach.
- Scott
Posted by Phillipa on December 31, 2013, at 20:19:15
In reply to Re: Valium settles the stomach, posted by sukarno on December 30, 2013, at 23:45:38
Taccycardia heart rate over l00 beats per minute. Phillipa
Posted by sukarno on January 3, 2014, at 9:41:47
In reply to Quit famotidine, posted by sukarno on December 31, 2013, at 0:46:07
Have any of you quit an H2 blocker abruptly?
I quit famotidine a few days ago and my stomach feels fine and no GERD or anything but I've noticed:
*tiny itchy raised spot like eczema on my right hand
*tightness in the upper chest including the
soft spot just below the trachea.I wonder if upping the cetirizine (H1 antihistamine) would help offset that at all or if I should just wait it out?
I feel pretty relaxed on the diazepam but can't help worrying.
Maybe it's psychosomatic..
Posted by ed_uk2010 on January 5, 2014, at 13:48:58
In reply to Re: Quit famotidine, posted by sukarno on January 3, 2014, at 9:41:47
>I quit famotidine a few days ago and my stomach feels fine and no GERD or anything but I've noticed....
Why not just take say 20mg twice a day for one week then 20mg daily for one week then stop?
It's interesting what you say about diazepam being noticeable after you take your morning dose. Diazepam is absorbed faster than any other med I've ever taken. The likes of lorazepam take ages to work in comparison (oral or sublingual), and I frankly don't find it very effective. Diazepam is the only med I would want to take for an acute panic attack. It stops it within 10 minutes.
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