Anti-histamines cause gastric problems?

Since a few years ago, due to severe insomnia, I started taking one Unisom tablet nightly. Slept well but always had a tight/painful chest. Cut the Unisom down to half. I have since then developed severe hyper acidity. Was put onto P.P.I. medications. Now even 3 daily doses of 40mg's of Nexium does not seem to control the acidity. HELP! Can anyone tell me if this hyper-acidity can be linked to the use of Unisom (have tried to stop using it) Any doctor I have spoken to says that anti-histamines cannot cause acidity/gastric problems. Research on the internet tells a very different story! If someone also had this and stopped using a sleep inducing anti-histamine (Unisom or other) can you let me know what your gastric symptoms were and how you managed to get rid of this again?

Grateful thanks

[ggreg]

One thing might be when you cut the tablet in half, it may be stirring up acid, since the protective covering has been breached.  The discomfort in your chest when you took a whole tablet is probably because antihistimines can make the heart beat faster.  Therefore, I reckon you've got to go back to the reasons for your "severe insomnia."  I cannot guess at all the natural things you may have tried to get better sleep, or what the doctors have suggested may be causing it.

But if I had trouble sleeping, the basic things I would do to improve it are:  Do focused exercise lasting 30 minutes several times a week; for three hours before bedtime, don't eat food, turn a few lights off, do relaxing activities; go to bed the same time every night; if you rush around during the day, quit doing that; relieve stress by doing fun things that don't require a lot of brain power.

[LadyLeo]

Greg - the Unisom tabs I take are uniformly the same throughout. There is no protective coating at all. Much the same as a basic asprin. Whether you swallow it whole or break it into pieces, it does not change the inner or outer aspect of the chemical compound. Only the Unisom Gel capsules have a bit of a outer shell to them but I cannot use those as they are too strong.

I swim at the local gym almost daily for an hour or more and have a very, very busy, active life style so am not short of exercise at all. I appreciate your suggestions but those are the kind of things which someone who has *occassional* sleep problems - for a die hard insomniac these things don't even scratch the surface of never being able to sleep!

But thank you kindly for your feed back - it is appreciated.

[girlvet]

Hi LadyLeo, I just wanted to toss out my two cents worth on the antihistimines and GI issues.  I too cant take them - was a chronic sinus sufferer for years, with a touch of insomnia.  My doc recommended that I take them to aid in both, but I told her they caused some sort of stomach irritation because the next morning I always ended up with a quick run to the loo.  She looked at me as if I was nuts, and also said it wasnt possible (she is also a Gastro).  I have to say it certainly is possible, although I have no idea why.  I just assumed that taking them a few days consecutively may have irritated my stomach lining, as this always subsided when I didnt take one.  She gave me 30 days of ativan (highly addictive), one (1MG) at night before bed.  It helped for that 30 days, but I didnt want to continue the med due to the addictive nature of it.   Holy cow  that sure was a good month of sleep though..lol.  Best of luck to you.
.

[LadyLeo]

Thanks so much for your input, Girlvet. SO interesting to see how often people with gastro problems also seem to have asthma. I recently had a full check up by a Physician and he said that I showed signs of asthma. Yikes, I have *never* had this before so wonder now if this could also be related to a couple of years use of the anti-histamines. I hear you about the Ativan. I was prescribed sleeping meds (same wicked benzo class as Ativan) and when my old G.P. died and the new Dr would not refill the scripts, I realized I was horribly, painfully addicted!!!! It has taken me close on three years to start, ever so gradually to retrain my brain to *try* to sleep on it's own. Now if I can *only* find out how to get to the bottom of this ever ongoing hyper-acidity. It's the pits!

Take care ....