Hi Hope,
I take Gastrocrom. When I started it, Joan was my mentor as well. It was one of the few meds I had left that I had not already reacted to so I knew I had to work really hard at trying to take it successfully. Joan had me start with ONE TEASPOON in 16 oz. of water....needless to say, it took a long time to work up to the four vials I was first on!!
I remember Joan always saying to me, "If you are really reacting, go back to the last day you felt good and follow the regiment you used on that day". It helped a lot! Granted, some days you have other "triggers" such as lack of sleep, stress, eating something that you accidentally didn't know was a trigger for you, etc.
It took me 4 or 5 months to work up to 4 vials. One thing I still can NOT do is take my (gastrocrom) cromolyn in the morning. It makes me really nauseated and I get super dizzy. I have no idea why, but I start taking it with my "second" breakfast late morning and continue from there. I sometimes think (this is just my opinion) that because we go without meds while we sleep, we are more vulnerable in the mornings (histamine is at it's highest in the early morning hours, etc). But, I find as the day progresses, I sometimes can take two vials at a time. Some mast cell experts say to take it 30 minutes before you eat....some say it actually works better if you take it with meals....my doctor told me to "take it whenever and however I can, just get it into me)
Besides, I eat a lot of small meals throughout the day (which is easier on our systems) so it would be hard to gauge when I am actually going to eat something and when I am not!!
Because we are all so different, what one of us does may not work for another one of us. So, I drink mine slowly in a 16 oz. bottle of water through out the day. It has a short shelf life (about 2 hours) so it seems to be more stabilizing for me that way. My body just can't handle two vials at a time most of the time. IMO, try to experiment and see how you feel spreading it out more. What you are explaining when you talk about a tickle or burning sensation in your throat IMO could be your body letting you know it's too much all at once. Of course if you continue to have those symptoms, you need to call your doctor immediately!
I am not sure if this is a good way to look at it or not, but I always think that if my mast cells are so hypersensitive, why would they NOT be sensitive to new meds as well??? It's like adding new foods (which I still can not do after 14 months!) we have to sneak them "under the radar" as Joan said.
I now take 7 vials a day. My dose was doubled (from 4 vials, to 8 vials) 9 months after I started on the Gastrocorm. On some days I only get 6 or 7 in. In that time, I have had to scale back several times when I was super reactive or really sick. And then I would work my way back up to the dose I needed to take.
I hope this isn't too "wordy".....I guess I am saying that for me, the benefit of the medication (I couldn't eat anything without it!!) has been worth the "trial and error" of getting the best benefit from it. In the last 2 or 3 months it has also increased my energy level!! YEA!!
I hope this somehow helps! But PLEASE call your doctor if you continue to have any burning or coughing, especially if you scale back and it still is happening. Then you need to stop taking it and call right away. OK?
I wish you the best. Please keep us posted. Hugs, Lynda