Oh now come on.

[marydell]

Ok, so as I've mentioned, I get heartburn from foods I'm allergic to, particularly milk and wheat. This mostly isn't happening any more now that I know about the wheat allergy (as long as I keep taking my Zantac anyway).  For little flareups I take Tums like any normal person, except I've been noticing they only help for about half an hour and then it comes back worse.  And sometimes I actually have trouble chewing and swallowing Tums, which I attributed to me having oral sensory issues and Tums being chalky and gross. 

Except sometimes my aversions are smarter than I am.  I suddenly had a hunch and I read the back of the Tums container, right after eating one of the damn things: CONTAINS MILK AND GLUTEN(WHEAT). 

WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK, TUMS MAKING PEOPLE!  I am going to have to start assuming that any substance I can't see through has wheat in it, apparently.

*goes to eat Jello as a possibly-safe heartburn remedy*

Comments

[magentamn.livejournal.com]

Have you tried baking soda? It's an old-fashioned remedy, a teaspoon of baking soda in a half glass of water, I think.

[marydell.livejournal.com]

I can see that in my future, alas. With luck I can find a non-liquid alternative though, because I have trouble drinking medicines.

I wonder if mixing baking soda into applesauce would counteract the action of the baking soda?

[jerusha.livejournal.com]

I suspect baking soda + applesauce would be a no-starter because of the acidity of the applesauce. I'd expect you to get fizzy applesauce, and not much bicarbonate left to react with stomach acid.

[invader-jim.livejournal.com]

De-lurking to give you my sympathies - I will soon be cutting all sugar from my diet, and all my meds have sugar in them, which makes life difficult... Better luck to you!

A much more expensive alternative to Tums or baking soda, but I find Pepcid Complete does wonders for my heartburn from milk, etc (although that doesn't address any chalky sensory issues, alas). I don't recognize any wheat/gluten ingredients on my bottle's list.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

WHAT NO HOLY HELL

I HAVE BEEN TAKING TUMS FOR MY ACCIDENTAL-WHEAT PAIN

AND NOW YOU TELL ME IT HAS WHEAT IN IT

Thank you! And, yikes!

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

Gaviscon is, blessedly, both wheat and lactose-free (also pareve, so presumably has no dairy at all).

Regular Rolaids are gluten-free, but don't know if they're lactose-free.

Fruit-flavored Tums EX seem to be gluten- and lactose-free unless my bottle is lying to me; apparently it's the regular Tums that are all milky and wheaty.

[marydell.livejournal.com]

Oh yay! I've been taking the tums smoothies, which are slightly less chalky than regular. Because wheat=smooth, I bet. I'll run out and get some of the fruit EX ones. Thanks for checking that!

[jerusha.livejournal.com]

Actually, using the ingredient lists on their webpage (http://www.tums.com/products.aspx), some but not all of the smoothies flavors are safe for you.

Assorted Fruit: Gluten (wheat), Milk
Assorted Tropical Fruit: Soy
Cocoa and Creme: Milk, Soy
Berry Fusion: Gluten (wheat), Soy
Peppermint: no allergenic categories listed

I would caution, however, that peppermint can be used as an antispasmodic/smooth muscle relaxant. Which is great except for the part where the lower esophageal sphincter is one of the smooth muscles it can relax. I know it will make my heartburn worse, but YMMV.

Other Tums Varieties: It looks like all flavors of Tums Ultra 1000, Tums E-X 750, Tums E-X Sugar Free, Tums Regular Strength, and Tums Quik Packs are safe. Tums Kids have gluten (wheat), though.

Based on the variations, I'm guessing that the potentially-allergenic ingredients are all "natural and artificial flavors" or components thereof.

[lenora-rose.livejournal.com]

Yargh! I knew Tums had milk products (The main reason I take it tends to be calcium boost) but WHEAT? What the heck?

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

Oh, boy.

For reasons having to do with staying alive, I have learned that quinoa is gluten-free and may do the job of eating up the acid.

[marydell.livejournal.com]

Quinoa is on my list of stuff to try next - it doesn't seem to be at all related to wheat, which is a plus.

Are you just having to be gluten-free, or do you also have to do low-fiber and no-crunchy-bits? The no-garlic thing is a sadness.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

I'm not gluten-free. I'm aiming for low-fibre right now to high-fibre in a week or so as my bowel readjusts. In fact, I am under orders to eat a slice or two of white bread a day for the next week or so. Quinoa, millet, and rice are all bulking agents that won't upset me.

[marydell.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear your innards are (mostly, I gather) still in and still doing innardly things! I live on rice, corn, and potatoes these days (I'm guessing corn is Right Out for you, for now anyway) but some of the alterna-grains sound interesting.

[unhappytriad.livejournal.com]

*waves encouragingly at Fragano*

Quinoa is yummy and it is not even vaguely related to wheat (It's not a grass, which wheat, corn, barley, oats, rye, triticale, rice and wild rice are). It's related to spinach and amaranth, and it contains no gluten. It cooks quickly and is pleasantly crunchy. I've only recently started using it; it makes a nice change from rice or couscous.