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Suggest Treatment For Excessive Burping

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Posted on Mon, 22 Sep 2014
Question: I was told I am Atopic in Feburary from my Allergist. my igE was elevated to 548 in the XXXXXXX range of 100.

My dermatologist biopised my skin found numerous Eosinophils. Both my family doctor and my Dermatologist think it is from anthropod bites and environmental allergy reaction.

I had vitamine D deficiency at the same time but the blood level of vitamine D was fixed with large dose of vitamin D2 oral cupsle therapy for 8 weeks between May to XXXXXXX because of my fatigue and back pain.

My doctor gave me Famotodine 20mg after my bad ear and arm Cellulitis in the middle of XXXXXXX I had to take Rocephin shot to get terrible headache and Cellulitis fixed.

ENT performed micro camera exam in my nose and throat, diagnosed GERD in late XXXXXXX I was on Protnix 40mg daily since then. I had another anthropod bites last week before this stomach (nausea) issue arised. (I work residential assisted living facility, it has been bed bug issue) my doctor told me I must be sensitive to bugs I have dust mite and clockroach allergen positive)

I have been burping all the time for a couple month regardless to my medication. I do not have food allergy or common house hold chemical allergy, but my work did call exterminator and pest control was done in XXXXXXX with chemicals.

My family doctor is having hard time to pin point my allergen but they still say environmental allergy is my issue too. I have no idea what is happening to my body now.

I hope this details helps you to give me advise.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Parin N. Parmar (57 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Antacid and antihistamine, plz give more details

Detailed Answer:
Hello.

Thank you for asking at HCM.

I went through your detailed history and would like to know more about you like:

a. Did all your complaints start after this February only or did you have repeated allergic complaints previously? if yes, since what age have you had allergic symptoms?

b. What are your nose/sinus symptoms? Do you have repeated nose congestion, running nose, headaches, facial heaviness, loss of smell, etc?

c. What are your gastric symptoms? Apart from nausea, do you have regurgitation of foods/fluids after heavy/spicy meals? Do you have burning pain in chest?

d. What are your skin symptoms? Hives, rash, itching? Which parts they usually involve? Do they respond to drugs? How many hours do they last?

e. Have you ever had joint pains or fever along with hives/skin allergies?

f. Do you have any other medical condition? Do you need to take any other medication on regular/frequent basis?

g. What were the reports done for allergy, apart from total IgE & skin biopsy? Can you please upload them?

Please give me above details so that I would be able to know more about you. It will help me to make better suggestions for you.

From your given history, I would like to make following suggestions to you:

1. Were I treating you, I would prescribe you an antacid like Pantoprazole (Protnix that you are already taking) half an hour before meals for at least 6-8 weeks.

For skin allergies & itching, I usually prescribe my patients hydroxyzine regularly for at least 2-4 weeks. I also suggest them to apply a moisturizer like calamine over the itchy areas and rashes.

2. I usually advise my such patients to avoid too hot/spicy foods, caffeinated beverages, smoking & alcohol (for GERD). I also suggest them to avoid activities causing excessive sweating which might aggravate itching.

3. It's good that you have already had vitamin D. I also prescribe vitamin E, zinc, selenium and a good multivitamin-multimineral supplement for 3 months to chronic skin allergy patients.

4. Regarding the cause of allergy, I would like to review your allergy reports (You've mentioned that you are sensitized to house dust mite and cockroach). It is important for me to know for which allergens you have been tested and how. If possible, please upload your allergy reports before next follow-up.

Personally, I would think of bed bug allergy, but even house dust mite and cockroach proteins can cause urticaria in some patients.

5. I would suggest you to implement house dust mite and cockroach control measures - washing bed sheets in hot water weekly, avoiding carpets, curtains and upholstered furniture in bedroom as much as feasible, ensuring adequate ventilation and sunlight in rooms, etc.

Hope above suggestions will be helpful to you.

Should you have any further query, please feel free to ask on follow-up. It will be my humble pleasure to help you with best of my knowledge and experience.

Wish you a great health ahead.

Thank you & Regards.

Dr. Parin N. Parmar
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Parin N. Parmar (54 minutes later)
Thank you so much Dr. XXXXXXX I have ever got this through examination questionare from my doctors. They are very good doctors but didn't have time to talk to me well due to limited time of theie pracrice. Unfortunately, I am not at home right now but I will answer all of your questions and upload all of my test results report ASAP. All couse of my allergy problem started since after I got my first bug bites in back in last November (I think now it was bed bugs but I didn't know for sure no one could tell what I was getting with all of my hives after that). I have ever had any if skin problem or allergy entire my life until then. I have been almost crying for ongoing health prpblem followed after the first bites. I would like to hear your opinion with my full report to you soon. Please wait for my next follow up questions, I will send them later tonight Please stay with me.

Sincerely,

Yoko XXXXXXX .
doctor
Answered by Dr. Parin N. Parmar (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Sure, please upload your reports & details

Detailed Answer:
Hello Yoko XXXXXXX

Thank you for follow-up and your appreciation.

Regarding hives, it is very important for me to know their frequency and duration. It is so because possible causes and treatment change accordingly. Also I would specially would like to know whether hives are relieved immediately with drugs or take more than 24 hours.

Of course, bed bugs are possible causes but please let me know whether you can really correlate bed bugs with your symptoms or sometimes symptoms develop unexplained. There are many other possible triggers like food allergies, excessive sweating, drugs, temperature changes, pressure over part of body, etc etc. Also, phychological stress is also a trigger for hives in some persons. Please let me know if you can think of any particular trigger.

Hence detailed questioning is required, especially because this is an online consultation.

I will be waiting for your details and will try my best to help you accordingly.

Thank you & Regards,

Dr. Parin N. Parmar
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Parin N. Parmar (10 hours later)
Dr. XXXXXXX

I will try my best to answer your questions a-g, with my lab result, photos of my skin, also a writing from mu doctor.

a. The first bug bites happened in the mid November in 2013. The first photo. this reqction staied for a week, made a darm mark for a month, but I was simply thought bad bug bites, not realizing it would became more of the problem. No Allergy diagnosys was made, no bad insect bites or recurrent allergic reaction on my skin I have ever had in my life until age 50 at this worst bites ever on this photo.

b. I have no recognisable runny nose or watery eyes, but ear ache happens, my lymph node inder both ears has been mildly swollen each time I have skin symptoms. Chronically ichy skin on my head, arms, shoulders, hands, fingers, legs (sin, upper outer thigh) and face is the moat complain that I have to address. I have a bad short of breath with the episode of urticaria several times in past (inside of the work office area, carpetted), unforgetable headache go along with short of breath, hard to breath, but it gets better when I step outside and breath fresh air. The socond and the third photo was taken my typical hives that I used to develop at work, as a matter of 20 minutes in the office area, I got hive, short of breath, headach, I was eventually prescrived Epi-pen in May. Hives usually get bigger, thick and hot, very painful in a day, stays the smae way for 3-5 days, then blisteres with no scratching, I cannot scratch because it is more painful than itchy sensation, after the blisters popps or goes down, makes very dark marks, the marks stays nearly 4 months then fade away. The 4th, 5th photos are my peak of hives. Blistering hives are seen on 6th and 7th photo. The 8th and 9th photos are a good example of dark mark after hives are all done. In past two months, Famotidine and Protonix is working, hives are a lot smaller, recent hives still stays for at least a week without getting hot and painful, but itchy and eventually disappiers without leaving dark mark. My many photos keep cutting me off from this follow up screen, I will answer to your question c-g on mynew reply. Plese wait for me.

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Follow up: Dr. Parin N. Parmar (38 minutes later)
Cont. My answer to your question
b. The 10th photo is recent (yesterday on lower buttocks). Looks like line though...

c. yes, I have regurgitation of both food and drink each time I eat, any kind of food or drink, it seems to me that takes long time to get down to my stomach. More recently I noticed strong sharp pain for a whole when I consume even a sip of alcohol, my heart races so badly, I take extra dose do Famotidine 20mg when that happens, I usually need to lay down for 30 minutes or so the pain goes away.

d. I think I put the answer on your question b. The parts my hives appears the most was on hands, arms neck and face and twice on my lower legs in past between December to April, then after that mostly on my thigh and buttocks, sometimes on my face, but I think I have some that I don't see on my head because of itchy sensation, I feel that they are there. I don't do anything except once a day Famotidine and Protonix, no ointment or additional medication for that itchy skin, although my doctor prescribed Fluocinonide steroid cream, it never worked so I don't use them. My hives, either big or small, it always a stays for a week until it goes down, but itchy sensation keeps coming back on the old hives location, so now I feel many places on my body are itchy without having new hives.

e. Yes, joint pain back pain and muscle weakness has been my major problem in past 5 months. Low grade fever along with unforgettable headache happened with during and after my ear and arm Cellulitis, I had the bad swollen ear on. XXXXXXX See the photo. Headache staid for a week until Rocephin shot was given. And a week after that I had major headache for a day, I thought it was stroke, but went away after shower. I had the worst headache ever a day after pesticide chemicals was sprayed at work.

f. No, not I am aware of, but I recently developed different skin condition, "darmatofibroma" they are very dark, got bigger in past few weeks different location from past hives. I tried to up Load the photo but it is not taking, I suppose I submit this question window, then open new question to you. Please wait again.

I don't think all of my photos got through, I tried again. I hope you see them. Two dark circles "dermatofibroma" one on my sin, another one is on my upper thigh.

I will try submit this and answer your the last question, uploading past test results soon.
Edit Delete Posted By : Sayoyuka2
I don't think this site cannot take too many upload report. I wonder I can send it if you give me one follow up first. I am keep trying sending my lab report, it doesn't upload.

doctor
Answered by Dr. Parin N. Parmar (40 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Regular antihistamines, lifestyle modifications

Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX

Thank you for your follow-up and the details.

Your details are very comprehensive and thank you very much for your effort.

I went through all your details and your images and would like to make suggestions for you as follows:

1. From your history, I would think of 3 major problems - skin problems, GERD and headaches. I would address them one after another.

GERD:

a. I would agree with your current medications though if daily Protonix (Pantoprazole) cannot relieve symptoms completely, I usually suggest my patients taking it twice daily, 30 minutes before each major meal.

b. I always suggest my GERD patients to avoid aggravating factors such as hot/spicy foods, heavy meals (I advise them to keep some "space" in stomach each time, never to eat full stomach), smoking, alcohol, caffeinated beverages.
I also suggest them to keep at least 3-4 hours gap between a major meal and going to bed. It would be better, if one can have a brief relaxing walk after evening meal.

c. Stress reduction is also important if it is a possibility with you. I usually suggest my patients meditation and relaxation.

Skin problems:

a. From the images, yes, they look like bites. More aching than itching, again suggest not "typical" urticaria. It's good that you already have had skin biopsy which suggest nothing but eosinophils, hence more likely allergic cause.

b. I would like to know how famotidine is effective for your skin lesions. Personally I would favor a more conventional antihistamine as hydroxyzine (can cause sedation) or cetirizine or levocetirizine or fexofenadine.

In my experience, famotidine alone may not be enough for skin allergies and as you are already taking Pantoprazole, you may not need additional famotidine for GERD. (Famotidine is a very useful drug for GERD, but less potent than Pantoprazole)

So please discuss this with your doctor.

c. Personally I get impression is that you have a generally dry skin. It can aggravate XXXXXXX skin conditions, including allergies. If it is so, I would suggest you to regularly apply moisturizing cream/lotion immediately after bath, when the skin is still wet in order to retain the moisture. I would also suggest you supplements including vitamin A, D, E, zinc & selenium. (You are already on Vitamin D).

d. Also, I would think of one more possibility - you have mentioned that you tend to develop itching at sites of previous bites also. I guess you also may be using analgesics (NSAIDs group of drugs) off and on for headaches. If it is so, please discuss the possibility of having delayed skin reaction to analgesics with your doctor.

We do not always suspect analgesics to cause them because they can develop after 24-48 hours of taking an analgesic.

To summarize, regular convention antihistamine and attention to dry skin may help you.

Headaches:

From your history, I think the cause of headache is not clear yet. I would think of sinusitis (as it responded to Rocephin, an antibiotic) or migraine headache (as it is worsened by inhaling chemicals, smells, etc). So please discuss the above possibilities with your doctor.

If migraine, again alcohol, caffeinated beverages and spicy/hot foods can aggravate the headache. I would suggest you to consider paracetamol (the safest analgesic) as the first choice as analgesic rather than other analgesics such as ibuprofen, diclofenac, etc.

All the three - skin allergies, gastritis and headaches (allergic or migraine) have connection with mental stress. So I would personally suggest you to implement some stress reduction measures.

Hope above suggestions will be helpful to you.

Should you have any further query, please feel free to ask.

Wish you the best of the health.

Thank you & Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Parin N. Parmar (36 minutes later)
Thank you Dr. XXXXXXX

I am very happy to see your opinion here, it is very clear and helpful to improve my skin condition and allergy reduction. My Treatment plan would be improved and modified after discussing with my doctor with your helpful advise. I attached past test result and lab results for my IgE. I hope it uploaded right. I am already satisfied with your advise, but you can keep them for my future query. I will difinetly ask you again in the future.

doctor
Answered by Dr. Parin N. Parmar (47 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Of course, Thank you

Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX

Thank you very much for your follow-up.

Yes, I think there is some problem with attachment of reports as all the uploaded reports are same - urine examination reports.

Of course, I would suggest you to discuss with your doctor all the information and suggestions.

I will be very happy if you could improve your all important symptoms on long term basis.

I would specifically mention here that as you have long-standing symptoms, please have patience in dealing with them, it may take some time before you could feel the improvement.

May God bless you with the best of the health ahead.

Thank you & Regards.

Dr. Parin N. Parmar
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Parin N. Parmar (47 minutes later)
I appreciate hour encourgement, Dr. XXXXXXX I have been suppprted many doctors from XXXXXXX since after i started this nightmare of declinig health. I was relatively a healthy happy middle aged woman, and I was a very active person before this bug bite incindents, it was very hard for me to understand what was my provlem, but today I feel that my future health will be better by your advise. I will try my best to be ptient, and keep trying to seek the best outcome and stay on top of treating myself differently to adjust my life style to get better.

Sincerely,
XXXX
doctor
Answered by Dr. Parin N. Parmar (7 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Thank you!

Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX

Thank you for your feedback and appreciation once again.

Regards,

Dr. Parin
Note: For further information on diet changes to reduce allergy symptoms or to boost your immunity, Ask here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Parin N. Parmar

Allergist and Immunologist

Practicing since :2006

Answered : 870 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Excessive Burping

Brief Answer: Antacid and antihistamine, plz give more details Detailed Answer: Hello. Thank you for asking at HCM. I went through your detailed history and would like to know more about you like: a. Did all your complaints start after this February only or did you have repeated allergic complaints previously? if yes, since what age have you had allergic symptoms? b. What are your nose/sinus symptoms? Do you have repeated nose congestion, running nose, headaches, facial heaviness, loss of smell, etc? c. What are your gastric symptoms? Apart from nausea, do you have regurgitation of foods/fluids after heavy/spicy meals? Do you have burning pain in chest? d. What are your skin symptoms? Hives, rash, itching? Which parts they usually involve? Do they respond to drugs? How many hours do they last? e. Have you ever had joint pains or fever along with hives/skin allergies? f. Do you have any other medical condition? Do you need to take any other medication on regular/frequent basis? g. What were the reports done for allergy, apart from total IgE & skin biopsy? Can you please upload them? Please give me above details so that I would be able to know more about you. It will help me to make better suggestions for you. From your given history, I would like to make following suggestions to you: 1. Were I treating you, I would prescribe you an antacid like Pantoprazole (Protnix that you are already taking) half an hour before meals for at least 6-8 weeks. For skin allergies & itching, I usually prescribe my patients hydroxyzine regularly for at least 2-4 weeks. I also suggest them to apply a moisturizer like calamine over the itchy areas and rashes. 2. I usually advise my such patients to avoid too hot/spicy foods, caffeinated beverages, smoking & alcohol (for GERD). I also suggest them to avoid activities causing excessive sweating which might aggravate itching. 3. It's good that you have already had vitamin D. I also prescribe vitamin E, zinc, selenium and a good multivitamin-multimineral supplement for 3 months to chronic skin allergy patients. 4. Regarding the cause of allergy, I would like to review your allergy reports (You've mentioned that you are sensitized to house dust mite and cockroach). It is important for me to know for which allergens you have been tested and how. If possible, please upload your allergy reports before next follow-up. Personally, I would think of bed bug allergy, but even house dust mite and cockroach proteins can cause urticaria in some patients. 5. I would suggest you to implement house dust mite and cockroach control measures - washing bed sheets in hot water weekly, avoiding carpets, curtains and upholstered furniture in bedroom as much as feasible, ensuring adequate ventilation and sunlight in rooms, etc. Hope above suggestions will be helpful to you. Should you have any further query, please feel free to ask on follow-up. It will be my humble pleasure to help you with best of my knowledge and experience. Wish you a great health ahead. Thank you & Regards. Dr. Parin N. Parmar