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I received some wonderfully encouraging responses to my plea for help,
advise & experience with supplementing with betaine hydrochloride for
hypochlorhydria.  Thanks to you all.  At the recommendations from this
list I skipped the BIO-GEST for a few days then went back on it at a
lower dose.  It's really helped now.  It's significantly reduces the
frequency & severity of my leg cramps as well as intestinal gas &
bloating.  [My comments will be in brackets.]  At Heidi's recommendations
I'm going to try adding pickled veggies to my diet as well.  - Valerie
----------------
taking vitamin C with the meal or drinking a vinegar drink with the meal
is supposed to help (usually about 2 tsp vinegar & honey in 8 oz water).
The Japanese and Koreans are always including a pickle of sorts near the
end of the meal to aid digestion, too (and staring off with miso soup
probably helps, too, as that is probiotic).
-Hilary
---------------
I've been taking the following after every meal:
-KAL Pancreatin 1400 mg: 2 per meal (contains no yeast, wheat, corn,
milk, egg, soy, glutens,
sugar, artificial colors and added starch or preservatives)
-KAL Betaine-HCl: 2 per meal (contains no yeast, wheat, corn, milk, egg,
soy, glutens,
sugar, artificial colors and added starch or preservatives)
-NOW Plant Enzymes (contains no wheat, corn, milk, egg, soy, gluten,
sugar,  salt or preservatives)
-       I started taking the KAL Betaine-HCl after reading the other postings
on the listserv. The enzymes help me a tremendous amount, but I found I
was still bloated and had back pain (especially after a meal). I've only
been taking the HCl for less than a week, but it has made a world of
difference -- the back pain/bloating has almost disappeared. I'm hoping
it will totally go away, but I'd be pleased if it remains as it is ...
        Make sure you take the HCl "immediately after" a meal.  Maybe take one
instead of two -- maybe even cut one in half -- get yourself acclimated.
-Rita
-------------
eat your last meal 2 to 3 hours before bedtime. That way gravity helps
move the food out of the stomach into the rest of the digestive tract.
Laying down after meals could (especially for folks with our problem)
keep the HCl/enzymes in the stomach too long, causing a chemical
burn.-Take care, Rita
[I tried this.  It helps a lot.  Thanks Rita!]
----------------
I don't have that problem, but I'm curious as to whether lactic acid
would help. The stomach is supposed to secrete hydrochloric acid in
response to certain stimuli, and I'm thinking lactic acid might be one of
them, hence the use of lactic-acid pickles as an appetizer to help
digestion. Maybe any pickles would do it. I know when I even smell these
I start salivating!....Anyway, I've been eating my cultured veggies with
each meal and have had NO digestive problems since, except when I skip
them. -Heidi
---------------
Val:  I am going down that same street with the HCL.  I just got the most
fantastic book by Dr. Jonathan Wright, who runs the Tahoma Clinic in
Kent. He makes a case for supplemental HCL.  He mentions that some
patients can't tolerate betaine HCL and so he suggests a trial of
glutamic HCL.  The only real difference for him is that the glutamic HCL
molecule is larger so you don't get as much acid in each capsule.  He
also strongly recommends
capsules as opposed to tablet form -- seems the disseminate better in the
stomach.  His book is entitled: "Why Stomach Acid is Good for You."  I
generally don't gush on these types of books, but it is all ready helping
with my bloating and belching problems when three gastrodocs diagnosed me
with aerophagia.  Very much information on the digestive process and
debunks the myth of too much stomach acid and the prevailing medical
treatment of prevacid, tagamet, etc. HTH, I got my book through
Amazon.com. -Leif
[I just got the book a couple of days ago.  I can hardly put it down!.
It's great & loaded with information.  Thank Leif!]
------------
http://www.renewlife.com/index.html   Julie
-----------
Valerie- did you try reducing the dose or the frequency?  Sounds like you
got too much.  Jack Maines
North Creek NY
[You are right, Jack.  I stopped it for a few days, the restarted at a
lower dose & am doing much better. Thanks!]
-----------
I use Betaine Hcl which I buy over the counter in a Vitamin Shoppe store.
It works wonders for me.  I take a tablet before each meal. -Nancy in nyc
----------
I've been using betaine hcl for about 2 years now. i like Lifeway and
Thorne Betaine/Pepsin. I've tried diff. manufacter. and had problems only
with ones that are in a tablet form. I also have stomach pain sometimes,
but usually it comes after excedrin/aspirin, etc. -Rosa
----------
I used GNC brand betaine.  Another celiac I correspond with had her
doctor recommend 10 grain HCL (648mg) with 2 grains Pepsin (130mg).  GNC
brand is just about 1/2 that dose per pill.  Her doc recommended starting
with one pill between bites of food and working up to 4 throughout
several days & several meals.  If at any time you get indigestion, then
back down a pill.  2 1/2 pills seems to do it for me. -Kathy
---------
Try taking it less often i.e.; after a meal with much protien see if this
helps  -fred
-----------


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