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547836 tn?1302832832

Simethicone and Riba? Should I still use Gas-X to relieve bloating?

since start of tx, have been getting increasingly bloated especially at night, it is very very annoying.  so i thought i'd give products like Gas-X or Beano a try since both are over the counter easily available to mass market.  But i just noticed that the main active ingredient is Simethicone 80mg used for antigas along with calcium carbonate, dextrose, flavors, maltodextrin, and starch.  

so i did what i always do and searched for Simethicone in our handy dandy search bar for the community and found some articles stating that Simethicone may decrease Riba absorption by 14%.  is this going to be a kr@p situation or what?  but those articles were mainly referencing to antacids, and Gas-X isn't an antiacid.  and according to a friend doc of mine, he told me that simethicone is only used in the GI tract and won't go in the blood.  maybe should ask the hepa during my next visit.

what do you guys think?
thanks and good luck
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Avatar universal
Why don't you space the Gas-X  two to three  hours away from the time you dose the riba. And btw it has nothing to do with the blood but how they interact in the stomach. Also, ask your GI about the bloating as it could be a consequence of GERD (chronic reflux). If so, there are better medicines that antacids (or gas products) out there such as PPI's like Nexium and Prevacid. More on bloating. See if your GI has some answers.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gas-and-gas-pains/DG00014
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547836 tn?1302832832
"Coadministration with an antacid containing magnesium, aluminum, and simethicone may decrease ribavirin AUC (clinical relevance unknown)"

http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic880.htm

but it says "antacid containing magnesium, aluminum, and simethicone"  and not just simethicone alone that may decrease riba absorption.  Gas-X is not an antacid and simethicone is it's only active ingredient.  does this make a difference at all?
Helpful - 0
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