Re: Anyone taking Levsin or Bentyl for spasms?

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the article.I need to print it and take it to them!

As far as spasms, takes nifediphine.Nitro did nothing for them

but this stuff really helps.He has not tried these you talk about

though. Nifediphine Knocks them out alomst every time.If it doesnt

they are so very mild it doesnt bother him.No side effects

either.They are like a gel cap and you can pop them or take whole.He

takes his whole.He always carries his pills when hes away from home

incase he needs one but usually they are only at night early

morning.Maybe 1 every 2 months now. THANK GOD!

>

> I want to ask my son's GI about getting a prescription for Levsin

> or Bentyl, just to have on hand for his very occasional spasms

> (which seem like bad heartburn but are not helped by antacids).

> These are antispasmodics that some people on this list have said

> they use for spasms of the E.

>

> So I looked these drugs up on the Internet and found out that

> Levsin is available in sublingual tablets, and Bentyl is

> available in syrup form. So far so good.

>

> However, I also read that patients with obstructions such as

> achalasia should not take Levsin or Bentyl. I wonder what is up

> with that?

>

> Who is taking Levsin or Bentyl or any similar antispasmodic? I

> wonder how commonly these are prescribed for spasms with

> achalasia.

>

> Also, what problems or side effects have you experienced if any?

>

> Thanks in advance,

>

> in PA

>

[Guest guest]

He has tried Isordil (similar to nifedipine) which did help with

his swallowing for awhile before surgery, but so far it hasn't

helped with his spasms. That's why I'm looking for alternatives

and would like to hear about anyone's experiences with Levsin or

Bentyl.

Re: Anyone taking Levsin or Bentyl for

spasms?

> Thanks for the article.I need to print it and take it to

> them!

>

> As far as spasms, takes nifediphine.Nitro did nothing for

> them

> but this stuff really helps.He has not tried these you talk

> about

> though. Nifediphine Knocks them out alomst every time.If it

> doesnt

> they are so very mild it doesnt bother him.No side effects

> either.They are like a gel cap and you can pop them or take

> whole.He

> takes his whole.He always carries his pills when hes away from

> home

> incase he needs one but usually they are only at night early

> morning.Maybe 1 every 2 months now. THANK GOD!

>

>

>>

>> I want to ask my son's GI about getting a prescription for

>> Levsin

>> or Bentyl, just to have on hand for his very occasional spasms

>> (which seem like bad heartburn but are not helped by

>> antacids).

>> These are antispasmodics that some people on this list have

>> said

>> they use for spasms of the E.

>>

>> So I looked these drugs up on the Internet and found out that

>> Levsin is available in sublingual tablets, and Bentyl is

>> available in syrup form. So far so good.

>>

>> However, I also read that patients with obstructions such as

>> achalasia should not take Levsin or Bentyl. I wonder what is

>> up

>> with that?

>>

>> Who is taking Levsin or Bentyl or any similar antispasmodic?

>> I

>> wonder how commonly these are prescribed for spasms with

>> achalasia.

>>

>> Also, what problems or side effects have you experienced if

>> any?

>>

>> Thanks in advance,

>>

>> in PA

>>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,I currently take Levsin for any NCCP's that drinking cold water doesn't help. The water trick works for almost all the NCCP's, but occasionally a very strong one hits. I've been taking Levsin for these for about 2 1/2 years now. I find it works great for me, although maybe a little slow. It usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes for the full effect, but then the pain is completely gone! I carry the Levsin (sub-lingual) with me at all times. As far as side effects, I'm not really sure. I know that sounds stupid, but I'm not sure I can directly blame the drug for the occasional after effect. Sometimes it seems that I develop diarrhea shortly after taking a pill. But I don't know if the Levsin causes it, or if the cause was the stress from the original pain. I have been dealing with IBS for over 20 years, and stress is thought to be a leading cause of flare ups.

Either way though, I believe it is worth taking the Levsin, as a little stomach discomfort beats the heck out of a major NCCP!! By the way, my wife calls the Levsin my 'magic pills'! She won't ever let me go anywhere without my magic pills. Let me know if you have any other questions. Mikemike in WI

Need a vacation? Get great deals to amazing places on Travel.

[Guest guest]

Hi - I tried Levsin a while back. I didn't really have bad side

effects, just a little foggy but I didn't find that it helped much

either. Don't worry about the obstructions, you take it sub-lingually.

Hope you find something that works.

Happy Swallowing!

- in NC, soon to be Achalasia free!!

>

> I want to ask my son's GI about getting a prescription for Levsin

> or Bentyl, just to have on hand for his very occasional spasms

> (which seem like bad heartburn but are not helped by antacids).

> These are antispasmodics that some people on this list have said

> they use for spasms of the E.

>

> So I looked these drugs up on the Internet and found out that

> Levsin is available in sublingual tablets, and Bentyl is

> available in syrup form. So far so good.

>

> However, I also read that patients with obstructions such as

> achalasia should not take Levsin or Bentyl. I wonder what is up

> with that?

>

> Who is taking Levsin or Bentyl or any similar antispasmodic? I

> wonder how commonly these are prescribed for spasms with

> achalasia.

>

> Also, what problems or side effects have you experienced if any?

>

> Thanks in advance,

>

> in PA

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Mike and . I asked the GI about it today and he

did prescribe some Levsin/NuLev sublingual tablets. We'll see if

they help when the next spasm rolls around. He seems to get them

right at the onset of a cold or virus and hasn't had any colds so

far this school year.

The GI is going to do endoscopy next year and probably every

other year. It seems that even if there aren't sensations of

severe heartburn, people with achalasia might still have it and

not know it, because there is less sensation in the esophagus.

So he'll check for any damage inside the esophagus from reflux.

Incidentally I found this article on " Diminished

mechanosensitivity and chemosensitivity in patients with

achalasia " :

http://ajpgi.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/285/6/G1198

And an interesting comment by Dr. Sharp of Nashville, in

the discussion section of this article:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/508865_side1

Dr. Sharp says, " One of the most important lessons I have learned

over the years in taking care of achalasia is that there is

essentially no correlation between symptoms of reflux and

heartburn and true abnormal acid exposure when measured by

24-hour pH studies. The paper we presented here 3 years ago

showed a zero correlation between abnormal acid reflux and

symptoms of heartburn. There is a very striking disconnect there.

These patients who report chest pain postoperatively cannot tell

the difference between esophageal spasm and heartburn. There was

a short abstract presented at DDW a few years ago in which

balloons were inflated in the esophagus of patients with

achalasia; they could not tell the degree of balloon dilatation

as normal patients can. They also instilled hydrochloric acid or

saline, and achalasia patients could not tell the difference like

normals could. These folks do not have normal sensation. "

in PA

Re: Anyone taking Levsin or Bentyl for

spasms?

> Hi ,

>

> I currently take Levsin for any NCCP's that drinking cold water

> doesn't help. The water trick works for almost all the NCCP's,

> but occasionally a very strong one hits. I've been taking

> Levsin for these for about 2 1/2 years now. I find it works

> great for me, although maybe a little slow. It usually takes

> about 15 to 20 minutes for the full effect, but then the pain

> is completely gone! I carry the Levsin (sub-lingual) with me

> at all times.

>

> As far as side effects, I'm not really sure. I know that

> sounds stupid, but I'm not sure I can directly blame the drug

> for the occasional after effect. Sometimes it seems that I

> develop diarrhea shortly after taking a pill. But I don't know

> if the Levsin causes it, or if the cause was the stress from

> the original pain. I have been dealing with IBS for over 20

> years, and stress is thought to be a leading cause of flare

> ups. Either way though, I believe it is worth taking the

> Levsin, as a little stomach discomfort beats the heck out of a

> major NCCP!!

>

> By the way, my wife calls the Levsin my 'magic pills'! She

> won't ever let me go anywhere without my magic pills. Let me

> know if you have any other questions.

>

> Mike

>

>

> mike in WI

>

[Guest guest]

I do take Levsin and have for about 2 years. It is the only thing that has

worked for me, but it doesn't work all the time. When the spasms are BAD it

seems that nothing works. But I always make sure I have my pills on hand and

there are many times when I have a spasm, take a pill and it goes away.... I am

going to the Dr. tomorrow though hoping he has something new for me to try for

when the pain is really bad and I am up all night. The only thing that helps me

is chewing very strong peppermint gum and drinking cold water.

> >

> > I want to ask my son's GI about getting a prescription for Levsin

> > or Bentyl, just to have on hand for his very occasional spasms

> > (which seem like bad heartburn but are not helped by antacids).

> > These are antispasmodics that some people on this list have said

> > they use for spasms of the E.

> >

> > So I looked these drugs up on the Internet and found out that

> > Levsin is available in sublingual tablets, and Bentyl is

> > available in syrup form. So far so good.

> >

> > However, I also read that patients with obstructions such as

> > achalasia should not take Levsin or Bentyl. I wonder what is up

> > with that?

> >

> > Who is taking Levsin or Bentyl or any similar antispasmodic? I

> > wonder how commonly these are prescribed for spasms with

> > achalasia.

> >

> > Also, what problems or side effects have you experienced if any?

> >

> > Thanks in advance,

> >

> > in PA

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I do take Levsin and have for about 2 years. It is the only thing that has

worked for me, but it doesn't work all the time. When the spasms are BAD it

seems that nothing works. But I always make sure I have my pills on hand and

there are many times when I have a spasm, take a pill and it goes away.... I am

going to the Dr. tomorrow though hoping he has something new for me to try for

when the pain is really bad and I am up all night. The only thing that helps me

is chewing very strong peppermint gum and drinking cold water.

> >

> > I want to ask my son's GI about getting a prescription for Levsin

> > or Bentyl, just to have on hand for his very occasional spasms

> > (which seem like bad heartburn but are not helped by antacids).

> > These are antispasmodics that some people on this list have said

> > they use for spasms of the E.

> >

> > So I looked these drugs up on the Internet and found out that

> > Levsin is available in sublingual tablets, and Bentyl is

> > available in syrup form. So far so good.

> >

> > However, I also read that patients with obstructions such as

> > achalasia should not take Levsin or Bentyl. I wonder what is up

> > with that?

> >

> > Who is taking Levsin or Bentyl or any similar antispasmodic? I

> > wonder how commonly these are prescribed for spasms with

> > achalasia.

> >

> > Also, what problems or side effects have you experienced if any?

> >

> > Thanks in advance,

> >

> > in PA

> >

>