Guest guest Posted December 14, 2001 Report Share Posted December 14, 2001 Hi, Ann. Glad to hear it's working so well for you, too. I just started it again, and still waiting for it to fully kick in, but already doing better than I was. (Thank goodness!!!!!!!!) The gastrocrom should be taken 1/2 hour before meals, but can be taken up to an hour before. I'm not generally a 'meal' eater, more of a 'grazer', so I have a problem with juggling when to take it, because you also want to wait at least 2 hours after you eat before taking it. The idea is taking it on an empty stomach, I believe, so that as much of it as possible will absorb into your system (it doesn't absorb well and most of what you take passes right through). Take it with cold water; I read somewhere ice water. Gastrocrom is actually more for the gastrointestinal symptoms of masto (hence the name), but an added bonus is it does control the hives for many people. I still get a few hives here and there while on it, but I find that regular use of the cream actually prevents hives that I would normally get, like around the waistline. Besides controlling the hives and stomach issues, gastrocrom also helps my bone pain, headaches, brain fog and asthma. Amazing how much a few little mast cells gone awry can do to a body. So yeah, expect to still get some hives, but they shouldn't be anywhere near as bad as they have been. I've also found that my normal major triggers are still there, but it takes more of them to set me off - like being too warm too long can still cause me problems. But I can tolerate a lot more a lot longer than I can when I'm not taking Gastrocrom. Doesn't mean I'm going to push my luck, though. May we both continue to have great results! Air hugs, Jackie Life is tough, but I'm tougher. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 14, 2001 Report Share Posted December 14, 2001 Hi Jackie, Thanks so much for the answers! You are right, the hives are NOTHING like they were, I think I had two today, I guess I was hoping for NONE!! Ok, now that I know it's meant for an " empty " stomach, that makes more sense. It is so amazing you mentioned about bone pain, i've been having terrible shoulder pain for about a year and today was the first day I could actually feel NOTHING!!! I didn't realize this helped bone pain, amazing. I'm so glad to hear you are seeing results too, thank God for that! You deserve to be free of symptoms 100% ! Also, the asthma issue--i've had MAJOR asthma problems for over a month and a half, today is the first day I can breath deeply without choking........I hope it's the meds and not just coincidence. Take care and please let me know how you are doing.....thanks again for all your help! Love ya,Ann > >Reply-To: urticaria >To: urticaria >Subject: Re: Gastrocrom question >Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2001 21:47:38 -0800 > >Hi, Ann. Glad to hear it's working so well for you, too. I just started it >again, and still waiting for it to fully kick in, but already doing better >than I was. (Thank goodness!!!!!!!!) > >The gastrocrom should be taken 1/2 hour before meals, but can be taken up >to >an hour before. I'm not generally a 'meal' eater, more of a 'grazer', so I >have a problem with juggling when to take it, because you also want to wait >at least 2 hours after you eat before taking it. The idea is taking it on >an >empty stomach, I believe, so that as much of it as possible will absorb >into >your system (it doesn't absorb well and most of what you take passes right >through). > >Take it with cold water; I read somewhere ice water. > >Gastrocrom is actually more for the gastrointestinal symptoms of masto >(hence the name), but an added bonus is it does control the hives for many >people. I still get a few hives here and there while on it, but I find that >regular use of the cream actually prevents hives that I would normally get, >like around the waistline. Besides controlling the hives and stomach >issues, >gastrocrom also helps my bone pain, headaches, brain fog and asthma. >Amazing >how much a few little mast cells gone awry can do to a body. > >So yeah, expect to still get some hives, but they shouldn't be anywhere >near >as bad as they have been. I've also found that my normal major triggers >are >still there, but it takes more of them to set me off - like being too warm >too long can still cause me problems. But I can tolerate a lot more a lot >longer than I can when I'm not taking Gastrocrom. Doesn't mean I'm going to >push my luck, though. > >May we both continue to have great results! > >Air hugs, >Jackie > > > >Life is tough, but I'm tougher. > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp. > _________________________________________________________________ Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 15, 2001 Report Share Posted December 15, 2001 Hi Ann, I hope Jackie answered all your questions, I give Alena hers when I start fixing supper. We VERY rarely go out to eat so I can control it easily. The trick is the empty stomach, and Jackie is right it is known to be poorly absorbed, and the empty stomach then is necessary. From the bit I understand of it, it does take the hives away for the most however, Alena still needs her z/z and her atarax. But I find it seriously cuts down her oversensitivity to things and things are calmer in her system. Another thing Gastrocrom is known for is clearing up that brain fog, and putting spunk back into your step. I often hear many talk about that. I would also advise that if ever you have ANY testing done, make it clear to them you do not want any injections of any sort that may cause mast cells to degranulate. I know many write in about having scans and different procedures and the dyes and such make them sick/have the potential to make them sick. And of course a double size woooohoooohooooooooo on the improvement of the hive front. Much Love, ~Alena's Mom Gastrocrom question Hi Jackie, or anyone that can help-- --Can you please tell me some facts about Gastrocrom? Do you have to take it exactly 1/2 hour before you eat? What if you are at a restaurant and you take it, thinking your food will be 1/2 hour to get, then it either takes longer or comes sooner, is it ok, will it still work?? --Do you mix the Gastrocrom with cold water or warm? It says cold, but I thought I read somewhere, warm. --Will you still get hives sporadically even when on Gastrocrom? Does this mean it's not working, or is it sort of a break through? I started the Gastrocrom Tuesday night, by the next day, my hives were all but gone (and Tuesday, they were horrible, the doc even commented how bad they were) Wednesday they were still gone, then Thursday they were gone, but when I had the injection of Galidium (sp?) for my MRI, at the injection site, I swell up, which is normal for me on any type of injury to the skin, but then they also put tape on the gauze on my arm, and i broke out from that. Today I only had a few. I'm still taking the Gastrocrom and it seems like it's doing wonders for my whole body! I pray it continues to work. Please let me know if I should expect to have hives once in while and if this is ok. Thanks again for all your help!! Ann _________________________________________________________________ Join the world's largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you do wish to unsubscribe then you can click on the following link: urticaria-unsubscribe ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This list is in the service of those who suffer from Chronic Urticaria (hives). We strive to support and lift each other as a worldwide cyber-family. We share whatever needs to be shared to help one another in our struggle with Chronic Urticria. Information provided in this forum is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your health professional before trying anything new. Any posting that is off the main topic of Chronic Urticaria, we post with a prefix of NCU -. This is done out of respect for those who do not wish to read such postings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 15, 2001 Report Share Posted December 15, 2001 Hi , Thanks for the information. Although, I'm disappointed that I may not be able to get off Z/Z, I was kind of hoping to! Who knows, maybe I'll be able to cut down on them, my doc did say to stay on everything for now, he said we will take one step at a time. About the contrast for the MRI. It is very important that they do inject me because of where the tumor is. I do let them know I have problems with hives, but the one thing I forgot to tell them was the sensitivity to tape. Whenever I have bloodwork done, I always have a huge hive aroung the needle site. seems like any kind of injury to my skin and I swell up all around it. Does this happen to Alena when she gets a scratch? I worry about this because of the need for abdominal surgery. I tend to get severe adhesions, the last surgery I had, they were going in via Laparascope to clear up the adhesions, but they ended up opening me up and they couldn't even use my previous scar from my C-sections/hysterectomy, she had to make a completely new incision. So I know within another year or so, i'll be going back, the pain is already starting so I just pray I can make it another year. I worry about what will happen to me with a bigger cut. Will I swell up like a balloon on my belly!? You are so right about the brain fog, it is much less than it has originally been. Was the brain fog from the antihistimines?? Thanks for the " wooooooooohoooooooooooooo " ! ! ! ! It is so neat being mostly hive free! I can usually tell when it's getting close to my next dose, I usually start to see them trying to pop up. I can't wait until I can make the Gastrocrom cream from the stronger dose. I mixed it with the lower dose of cromolyn sodium and it was way too watery. Take care and give all three girls a huge hug!! Talk soon, Ann > >Reply-To: urticaria >To: <urticaria > >Subject: Re: Gastrocrom question >Date: Sat, 15 Dec 2001 14:35:56 -0500 > >Hi Ann, I hope Jackie answered all your questions, I give Alena hers when I >start fixing supper. We VERY rarely go out to eat so I can control it >easily. The trick is the empty stomach, and Jackie is right it is known to >be poorly absorbed, and the empty stomach then is necessary. From the bit >I >understand of it, it does take the hives away for the most however, Alena >still needs her z/z and her atarax. But I find it seriously cuts down her >oversensitivity to things and things are calmer in her system. > >Another thing Gastrocrom is known for is clearing up that brain fog, and >putting spunk back into your step. I often hear many talk about that. > >I would also advise that if ever you have ANY testing done, make it clear >to >them you do not want any injections of any sort that may cause mast cells >to >degranulate. I know many write in about having scans and different >procedures and the dyes and such make them sick/have the potential to make >them sick. > >And of course a double size woooohoooohooooooooo on the improvement of the >hive front. Much Love, ~Alena's Mom > Gastrocrom question > > >Hi Jackie, or anyone that can help-- > >--Can you please tell me some facts about Gastrocrom? Do you have to take >it exactly 1/2 hour before you eat? What if you are at a restaurant and >you take it, thinking your food will be 1/2 hour to get, then it either >takes longer or comes sooner, is it ok, will it still work?? > >--Do you mix the Gastrocrom with cold water or warm? It says cold, but I >thought I read somewhere, warm. > >--Will you still get hives sporadically even when on Gastrocrom? Does this >mean it's not working, or is it sort of a break through? > >I started the Gastrocrom Tuesday night, by the next day, my hives were all >but gone (and Tuesday, they were horrible, the doc even commented how bad >they were) Wednesday they were still gone, then Thursday they were gone, >but >when I had the injection of Galidium (sp?) for my MRI, at the injection >site, I swell up, which is normal for me on any type of injury to the skin, >but then they also put tape on the gauze on my arm, and i broke out from >that. Today I only had a few. I'm still taking the Gastrocrom and it >seems >like it's doing wonders for my whole body! I pray it continues to work. > >Please let me know if I should expect to have hives once in while and if >this is ok. Thanks again for all your help!! >Ann > > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Join the world's largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. >http://www.hotmail.com > > > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >If you do wish to unsubscribe then you can click on the following link: > urticaria-unsubscribe >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > >This list is in the service of those who suffer from Chronic Urticaria >(hives). We strive to support and lift each other as a worldwide >cyber-family. > >We share whatever needs to be shared to help one another in our struggle >with Chronic Urticria. Information provided in this forum is not to be >taken >as medical advice. Always consult your health professional before trying >anything new. > >Any posting that is off the main topic of Chronic Urticaria, we post with a >prefix of NCU -. This is done out of respect for those who do not wish to >read such postings. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 16, 2001 Report Share Posted December 16, 2001 what are they side effects to gastrocrom? Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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