Does anyone have problems with low stomach acid using the H1 blockers? Do you supplement with Betaine HCL with meals if so? Kind of concerned about this due to candida issues and gut problems in general, realizing could be caused by mast cells.. or could be possibly triggering mast cells and adding low stomach acid to the mix might make things worse.. parasites, bacterial imbalance, yeast imbalance doing  well with low stomach acid.

R,
I have a history of candidiasis and leaky gut and struggle with it after all these years, especially after eating small amounts of bread or pasta.  I do take probiotics every day and a multi-enzyme on days I feel I need it. I was on PPIs for years and weened myself off them about 2 years ago, long before I learned of mast cell dosorders.  I do take an H2 several times a day but am concerned about the ph of my stomach due to the H2 blockers.

Looking back, I can clearly see that my leaky gut and likely liver methylation/detox inefficiencies is at the crux of my multi-system issues.  But by understanding mast cells, I can know apply the mast cell decoder ring to better understand my symptoms.  

Trying to figure out my next steps.  

Best wishes,
Lyn      

Joan,
I am wondering what my problems are.  I when I am triggering, I feel like my food just sits never digest quickly.  Seem I have acid indigestion for hours. When I had to go off of atarax I noticed this started. I think the atrax being a strong antihistamine was controlling the mast cells in my stomach. Now it a free for all!  I ate popcorn the other day and for 2 days I was miserable.  It felt like it "shredded" my stomach. I have acid in my throat constantly...yuk!  So do you think the zantac is helping or hurting??
Are you saliclyate sensitve??  I looked into the bromelain you were talking about and it is made of pineapples, I love pinapple but I cant eat it due to the salicylates...
I would appreciate any advice!
Thanks,
Pam

Joan,
Thank you, I think you have helped me.  I have not tried the atarax again, the last try resulted in my throat swelling.  I really wish I could take it because it helped in so many ways! Calming, sleeping and stomach pain!  I wasn't very calm though the last time I took it, my heart rate went through the roof! Any way, I think that I am not taking enough antihistamines. I dropped down to one a day because I had a reaction with Zyrtec.  Since then I dropped Zyrtec and have been rotating Allegra and Claritin on a daily basis. I went back to two today because the pain is rediculous!  I have made an appt. with my specialist to discuss this pattern of me becoming "allegic" to meds after a year of use.  I am on Cromolyn(gastcrom) and hopefully I cant become allegic to it, because I think it is saving my life!
I saw a gastrologist and had an upper GI before my specialist put me on mast cell stablizers.  Nothing showed up in the tests.  He also stretched my throat because I complained that my throat felt tight!  Dah That happens when it swells!  Did'nt have all the dots connected at the time.
I would like to say that I would not recommend any one to get their thoat stretched, that was not pleasent for about 3 days after!
So with that being said I bet you are right about not having enough antihistamines in my system.  I will talk with the doc about it.
Thanks so much!
Pam

Joan, I think it was a "snowball effect".  Last Friday I put some flea meds on my dog.  My husband found some on sale, so it wasn't the normal stuff.  Right away I thought 'wow that stuff smells like a health food store!!??'  It was just overwhelming.  I got the box out and read it and it was "green".  I was made of cloves, garlic, mint--it was just awful! The chemicals would have been better!  The dog loves me so much, she follows me everywhere.  I went to hide out in my room (no animals in the bedroom), so she sat outside my door.  I could still smell her.  I stuffed towels under my door to block the smell but it wasn't helping.  So I got the brilliant idea to just go wash it off her.  That is mistake number 2!
The little stopper in the utility sink got stuck and I couldn't let the water out and the dog was freaking out, so I just rinsed her the best I could.  By this point I could feel the degranulation starting in my stomach.  I had this nasty, oily, stinky stuff all over me. The day went down hill from there!  You know, it takes a couple of days to recooperate...by Sunday I still wanted to stay in bed, but we had tickets to a dinner theater, and I didn't want to not use them. ($$$) So I went; I wore two little masks, but with the people and the purfumes and the horrible bathroom spray that stinks up the whole place, it was not the time to deal with this.
Then a few days later I ate popcon, I should have known better, my stomach just couln't handle it.
It has been better since I added the 2nd antihistamine back in!  I need it and it doesn't do me any good to skip it.  I am so glad that there are a lot of other options out there, because I was afraid I would run out of options eventually.  That is a scary thought!
Thanks, Joan, for good news!
Pam

I had been taking only Benadryl at the time and complained to my allergist about poor sleep, morning nausea, and extra low a.m. BP.  He suggested doxepin to address all of that.  If I had depression, it was hidden underneath the mast cell problems, but it did help all 3 of the problems I mentioned.  I took it until Zyrtec came on the market and then switched to Zyrtec and Pepcid.  I was still undiagnosed, but it was such a great relief to at least feel better!

I had mild side effects from the doxepin, but nothing that would have made me stop it.  In your case, I don't know whether an initial dose will be strong enough to take the place of antihistamines or if you'll want to add it to your current regimen.  If the H2s are helping, certainly don't discontinue those!

Anxiety and depression can be about several different things.  First of all, there's the stress of the disease and getting adjusted to having a disease.  It's depressing, too, to find out you have a rare disease.  Also, when things are out of balance in the body and/or it thinks there's an invader, natural adrenalin levels go up, making you feel anxious.