Plop plop, fizz fizz

Now for an unpleasant topic: Indigestion, food poisoning and the like.

I think any of us who enjoy eating have had meals that leave us in some state of gastric distress. Sadly, as I've gotten older I've discovered that rich meals will regularly wake me up between 1 and 2 am, leaving me with a stomach ache for a couple hours.

This week has been crazy. Last night I was out until 4:30 am at a long, late concert. Got home, finally fell asleep after sun-up, only to get up after just a couple hours of sleep because I had plans to meet friends for brunch and the Pride Parade. It wasn't a particularly boozy day, but as I walked home tonight I realized there was little food in the house and--since I'm a bit boxed in by parade traffic--no easy way to get to a grocery store. Brunch was early and light, and I was hungry, so I stopped in a local joint that is convenient, but that I've had two pretty lousy experiences with. They were clearly slammed, and probably had been all day. Dinner didn't taste good, and I shouldn't have finished it, but hunger outweighed good judgment. Four hours later, and I'm still tasting it ("Repeats," as my elderly aunt would describe it) and feeling a bit nauseous at the thought. Rolaids, Pepto, Alka-Seltzer--nothing has worked. And I would love to go to bed early, but it's not happening with my stomach in its current state. Seriously thinking that forcing myself to throw up may be my best option, particularly since it's seeming like an almost inevitable outcome even without intervention.

Any good tips for when something you ate just makes you feel horrible? Some things that have worked for me in the past:
* I had an ulcer for a few years, and peppermint would often do the trick when I was feeling particularly queasy. Bitters and soda is another trick. And I've come up with meditation mantra that has helped distract me from nausea.

* The yoga position known as child's pose is often effective at relieving cramps.

I know a lot of people swear by ginger, which I love but doesn't seem to ease queasiness for me.

I think it kind of depends on what the issue is:

acid stomach/gerd?
overeating?
too rich food?
too spicy food?
gas?
food poisoning?

Not sure if you're pharmaceutical-averse, but I keep a bottle of OTC Zantac (or a store equivalent) in my car, on my nightstand and in my desk at the office for the times when I overdo it or otherwise exercise bad judgment.

Alka-Seltzer finally did the trick last night and managed to calm down my stomach. But I need to remember to avoid that place no matter how convenient it is or appealing the food sounds! Three strikes and you're out.

spinynorman99, funny you mention Zantac. It was my lifesaver back when I had an ulcer (15+ years ago), but I never think of it now, despite giving it several times a week to a pet who has lymphoma. I need to reacquaint myself with it, particularly when I've had rich meals.

OTC Prilosec.

If I ever meet the person who invented Prilosec I will gladly kiss their bare ass at State and Madison on the Wednesday of their choice at high noon.

Spoonful of bicarbonate of soda in water.

David Hammond wrote:Tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda in water.

What are you, like 90?
We have pills for that shit now

Hi- I have used backing soda before. Baking soda is way cheaper and everybody has it already. I have found out that if I eat a lot of anything that is really rich, such as a creamed base dish, it makes me uncomfortable, and if I stay away from that kind of stuff, my problem goes away. I also don't drink a lot of alcohol except for an occasional glass of wine. I am not a beer lover. I am also not into super hot burn your mouth food. Medium hot food I like.

I am sure that Prilosec works better than baking soda, but for occasional use baking soda is ok.

Make your own alka seltzer -
http://www.instructables.com/id/Imitati ... -the-cost/

Prilosec, while effective, is not meant for immediate relief. It's meant for a 14-day course of treatment and you don't really feel any improvement until about 72 hours after you start. Zantac is menat for immediate (30 minutes or so) relief.

Prilosec work for me in under an hour. Zantac did nothing for me.

Zantac and Pepcid AC do nothing for me either. Tums and Rolaids tablets and gum do a little bit for a little while, not much.

Even though I buy Prilosec OTC to take in the morning when I feel a need for a 7- or 14-day treatment, I do find also that a Prilosec pill gives fairly quick relief.

For immediate relief of heartburn, my preferred quick-relief treatment is Alka-Seltzer in a glass of Sprite or 7-Up. Store-brand versions are quite inexpensive, and even in water, much les lemon-lime soda, they're better tasting than plain bicarbonate of soda. When I'm already feeling queasy, I don't want to drink something as bad-tasting as bicarb.

And then, for more gradual stomach soothing, I like good old-fashioned Pepto-Bismol.

i generally use zantac otc, prilosec otc, or tagamet otc chased with Brisoschi. The otc's reduce acid in 1/2 hour and the Brioshci just helps with the upset tummy immeditely. I prefer Brisoshci to Alka Seltzer due to a it's better taste

I get rid of heatburn by drinking pop and it makes me burb and it goes away. My mother swears by Zantac. I also think a strong shot of brandy will help the stomach. Maybe other things too like bitters but have never tried that.

If it is food poisoning, sometimes I wonder whether it is better to induce vomiting and get the pain and suffering over with.

On the other hand, if it is not, that could probably cause some other issues.

Personally, I have never had much success with Zantac or Prilosec. Although Prilosec OTC is supposedly the same thing as prescribed Omeprazole, for many complicated reasons that I doubt anyone wants to hear (hint: enantiomer purity), it is not as effective. If you have serious and constant digestive problems it is probably your best bet.

I also carry around Dual Action Tums with me everywhere (yes they are worth the extra money over regular Tums) for those times when I really stick it to my stomach.

In case of emergency heart burn relief (yes I know it's unpleasant) eat a spoonful of mustard. I never really looked into the science of why this works as when I learned it I was in a dire situation and did not have time to research. What I do know is that it has bailed me out of many a tight spot and that it does work. I have even shot the cup of McDonald's honey mustard in one of my more terrible flare-ups, not my proudest moment.

As far as food poisoning goes, I'm fairly certain that by the time you start feeling the effects of it you have already reached event horizon. I wouldn't bother inducing vomiting, as it will probably happen naturally. At that point it's more about managing the symptoms. I've never really found anything to do this very effectively, but a little weed always stopped the vomiting and cramps temporarily for me .....

cook-eat-repeat wrote:Personally, I have never had much success with Zantac or Prilosec. Although Prilosec OTC is supposedly the same thing as prescribed Omeprazole, for many complicated reasons that I doubt anyone wants to hear (hint: enantiomer purity), it is not as effective. If you have serious and constant digestive problems it is probably your best bet.

Isn't the OTC not as strong as the prescription version?