[purpledaisy]

Anyone have recommendations on foods to try when meds hurt your stomach?

I was already being treated for acid reflux and lactose-intolerance, and then the Lithium started making me feel like a hole was being gnawed through my stomach.

Did some reading over the weekend to see what foods I should be avoiding because of this, and it's pretty much everything good.

So far, saltine crackers and water seem to be the safest route.

[Shishkeberry]

Bananas, rice, applesauce, toast (brat diet).
But it shouldn't replace regular healthy eating, just when you can't tolerate anything else.

[purpledaisy]

I'll have to try that, minus the appleasauce. Hate it.

[BlueInanna]

Awe Purple... this lithium business is giving you a go for your money

I don't have stomach problems from lithium, but both of my teens do, 16 & 18.
My 18 yr old daughter is also lactose intolerant.

We all like Acidophilus pills. There is a good one from whole foods here called YumYumDophilis (sp?) The chewable ones you keep in your fridge work best.

Also, on a side note, I used to eat raw green apple peel for acid reflux while I was pregnant. I don't know if it would work for you, but it's an old wives tale that did work for me.

[purpledaisy]

Thanks for the info, Blue.

I'll have to try Acidophilus. We don't have Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, but I'll do some looking around.

I tried taking those Lactaid pills after having dairy, but they made me puke almost immediately.

Acidophilus isn't like Lactaid, is it?

[purpledaisy]

Originally Posted by Shishkeberry

Bananas, rice, applesauce, toast (brat diet).
But it shouldn't replace regular healthy eating, just when you can't tolerate anything else.

Regular, healthy eating may have become a thing of the past for me.

Over the weekend, my car was hit from behind, and the doctor gave me a pill for inflammation and another for pain. The pain pill caused the same feeling as the lithium -- that hole-being-gnawed-through-stomach-wall feeling.

So I had it DOUBLE over the weekend. The stomach pain was terrible, so I quit taking that one and took the one for inflammation. I'm just putting up with being stiff and sore.

[BlueInanna]

Originally Posted by purpledaisy

Thanks for the info, Blue.

I'll have to try Acidophilus. We don't have Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, but I'll do some looking around.

I tried taking those Lactaid pills after having dairy, but they made me puke almost immediately.

Acidophilus isn't like Lactaid, is it?

I have zero experience with Lactaid, sorry.... but it does sound gross for some reason lol.

Why not ask the pharmacist if he can recommend a good chewable calcium?Tums are not as good because the calcium is not digested well. Your pharmacist can tell you if he has a good one.

Lactaid milk is simply milk which has had the sugar removed. Often it's called Lactaid milk and will have written under it 100% lactose free.

[Confusedinomicon]

Ask for the extended release lithium if you haven't tried it yet. The regular lithium made me dry-gag and I became ill taking it. The extended release doesn't taste as bad and it is not as harsh on the stomach.

My mom used to make rice porridge. I would think oatmeal wouldn't be so bad, either.

[Trippin2.0]

I wouldn't take anything that made eating a nightmare, but then I'm very strict on my BS budget... Can't your pdoc try XR, or something differnt? You need FOOD to survive, what good is a stable mood if you're in a coffin?...
Sorry, Im not being cynical, just making a point. Hope you get this sorted, I'd be having a *****fit in your shoes, you're a tough one.

[PrincessxKitty]

bread?
i think bread was the number one food rec. by dr. for ALL the meds i took/am taking

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by purpledaisy

Thanks for the info, Blue.

I'll have to try Acidophilus. We don't have Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, but I'll do some looking around.

I tried taking those Lactaid pills after having dairy, but they made me puke almost immediately.

Acidophilus isn't like Lactaid, is it?

No, they are completely different things. And, Lactaid pills have to taken BEFORE diary, not AFTER it!!!

Have you tried Lithodid - an ER Lithium? Should take care of nausea.

HAVE YOU TRIED YOGURT??

[purpledaisy]

Originally Posted by genetic

Lactaid milk is simply milk which has had the sugar removed. Often it's called Lactaid milk and will have written under it 100% lactose free.

I haven't tried the Lactaid milk.

Just the pills that you take after eating or drinking dairy products.

Terrible, terrible experience. Puked nonstop for about an hour and felt bad for 3 days.

[Confusedinomicon]

I dont understand why you are ignoring people who have helpful hints. Your not acknowleding any of the posts that are telling you about the extended release. HB said you take the dairy pill before not after. You tried it after so there was no way of it to work.

[BlueInanna]

Originally Posted by hamster-bamster

No, they are completely different things. And, Lactaid pills have to taken BEFORE diary, not AFTER it!!!

Have you tried Lithodid - an ER Lithium? Should take care of nausea.

HAVE YOU TRIED YOGURT??

Hi Purple,
Are you feeling any better? As above Hamster's saying yogurt, really good for you. And that's the place where acidophilus comes from I believe. I don't love yogurt, so I take the acidophilius pills.
I know you're asking for foods advice, not for meds advice. But dang maybe you could get one other than lithium... imho.
Anyways, hope you're ok today.

[LiteraryLark]

Miso soup, it's 30 calories and delicious

[purpledaisy]

Originally Posted by Confusedinomicon

I dont understand why you are ignoring people who have helpful hints. Your not acknowleding any of the posts that are telling you about the extended release. HB said you take the dairy pill before not after. You tried it after so there was no way of it to work.

I'm not ignoring anyone.

I've read all of the responses and I appreciate the input.

[purpledaisy]

Thanks, everyone.

I've been trying several of the suggestions from this thread now, to see what works for me.

I was going to try and give this medication a chance to prove itself (either way -- good or bad) before I complain to the psychiatrist. But I don't have an appointment with him again until Sept. 6.

I see the therapist again this week. Guess I'll mention the stomach upset.

Then see if I should call the psychiatrist to get a different RX. Today marks 1 week on this RX, and I don't think 1 week is enough time to see if it works.

Things were really aggravated by the painkiller from the car wreck over the weekend. It was like the gnawing pain from the Lithium MULTIPLIED and I was doubled over. I quit taking that painkiller, man. It was bad news.

So 2 days of this first week on lithium were messed up by another drug causing worse pain.

I'll see how I feel tomorrow and if I'm still having stomach pain and everything still tastes like metal, I'll call the psychiatrist's office to see about trying something else.

[hamster-bamster]

Besides yogurt, there is kefir. Same beneficial bacteria, but you drink it. Ideally, buy the plain variety, to avoid sugar and calories in the sweetened fruity variety, but I would say, if you are fighting pain, who cares about calories for the moment. I can also give you a recipe of a yummy smoothie made from plain kefir, vanilla yogurt, and frozen berries. Maybe you would like that.

I firmly believe that this stuff helps me have a strong immune system, too.

[purpledaisy]

Interesting. Never heard of kefir. Will have to investigate.

I'm still avoiding yogurt because of the whole lactose-intolerance thing. If I have anything with dairy in it, I get the squirts for 3 days. Not fun.

Acid reflux + lactose-intolerance + lithium gut + everything tastes like metal due to lithium = NO FUN!

I'll get it figured out.

[hamster-bamster]

Do I remember it correctly from another post of yours that you have neither Trader Joe's nor Whole Foods?

[purpledaisy]

Correct. No Whole Foods or Trader Joe's.

It makes it a little challenging to find products that bigger cities have.

Found this interesting tidbit on a Kefir website:

What if I’m lactose intolerant, and don’t do dairy? Or don’t digest milk products well? Is kefir right for me?
The beneficial yeast and friendly bacteria in the kefir culture consume most of the lactose (or milk sugar). Eat kefir on an empty stomach first thing in the morning before (or for) breakfast and you’ll be delighted to find it can be easily digested — as numerous people who have been lactose intolerant for years have discovered.

[hamster-bamster]

Yes, I am Lactose Intolerant and I can consume kefir and yogurt which, I believe, are 99% lactose-free. But whole foods carries 100% lactose-free yogurt - that is why I asked. Maybe you are LI to a larger extent than I am.