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Chronic stomach pain and the hidden truths

A few words before diving into the main content.


In this "well-being" series, to avoid empty theories, I will try to share real-life experiences from myself or those around me, while incorporating scientific health information. Sections marked with a ">" are additional information that expands on the topic, and it's up to you whether or not you want to read them.


At the end of each article, there will be a "Pharmacist's Perspective" section. This part contains knowledge that I've personally compiled. It may be a bit lengthy or hard to understand, but it's usually information that your doctor doesn't have time to explain to you.

 

Drinking water is good for the body, but how good is it?

When we were in school, everyone heard that 75% of the body is water. Everyone knows that drinking water is good for the body. But how good, exactly? Perhaps very few people truly understand.

I'm no different from most people. From childhood to adulthood, I've drunk very little water, despite my mom's constant urging. I almost only drink when I feel thirsty.

I almost only drink when I feel thirsty.

There was a time when I worked in a production area and had to wear protective gear, and going to the restroom was incredibly cumbersome: stepping outside – taking off the protective gear – going to the restroom – putting the protective gear back on – and going through 7749 disinfection steps. So, there were days when I only drank one tiny cup of water. I didn’t even feel thirsty.


Sometimes, I would come home from work with a headache. At that time, I thought it was due to work stress. But looking back, I’ve experienced even more stressful periods without getting headaches. So what was the reason? You’ve probably already guessed by now.


I never truly understood the effects of water, even after over a decade of studying in the pharmaceutical field. I only had my awakening after learning about Dr. F. Batmanghelidj - a doctor and his lifelong research on the healing power of water.

I never truly understood the effects of water, even after over a decade of studying in the pharmaceutical field

A chance encounter saved a young man’s life – the starting point of a groundbreaking medical discovery.

A brief biography: Dr. F. Batmanghelidj

  • He studied at Fettes College in Scotland and graduated from St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School at the University of London, where he studied under Sir Alexander Fleming, a Nobel Prize laureate for the discovery of penicillin.

  • Dr. Batmanghelidj practiced medicine in the UK before returning to Iran, where he played a crucial role in the development of hospitals and medical centers.

  • When the Iranian Revolution broke out in 1979, Dr. Batmanghelidj was imprisoned at the notorious Evin prison as a political prisoner for two years and seven months. It was here that he discovered the healing power of water.


This story is told in the book “Your Body's Many Cries for Water.” I will translate it here for you to read and reflect on. This took place during Dr. Batmanghelidj’s imprisonment in Evin prison.


“The first time I saw the young man was at 11 o’clock on a summer night in 1980. He was in so much pain that he was almost unconscious. He lay curled up in the fetal position on the floor, groaning, unaware of his surroundings or the people concerned about him.


I had to shake him to get a response. I asked him what was wrong. He gasped and said, ‘My ulcer is killing me.’

I asked him how long he had been in pain. He said the pain started at 1 p.m. that day, right after lunch, and had gotten progressively worse.

I asked him what he had done to relieve the pain and if he had taken any medication. He replied that he had taken three cimetidine tablets and a full bottle of antacid during that time. He said none of it had alleviated the pain – not even with that much medication – in the 10 hours since the pain began.


When so many medications fail to relieve the pain from a peptic ulcer, one naturally suspects that the ulcer may have perforated, requiring emergency surgery. I had seen and assisted in surgeries for patients with perforated stomach ulcers. Those patients were in extreme agony, much like this young man in front of me. The test was simple: those patients would have a rock-hard abdominal wall, almost like a wooden plank. Luckily, his abdominal wall was soft, tender, the acid hadn’t perforated through his ulcerated stomach lining. Three cimetidine tablets, each 300 milligrams, and a full bottle of antacid had not relieved his pain. Usually, cases like this end up on the operating table of a surgeon with a fondness for scalpels.


The arsenal of medications in a situation like this was very limited. Since I had extensive experience with the pain-relieving effects of water in treating dyspeptic pain, I gave him two full glasses of water – about a liter. At first, he was reluctant to drink the water. I told him that he had already taken conventional medication without results. Now he should try my ‘medicine’ for this condition. He had no other choice. He was in excruciating pain and didn’t know what else to do. I sat in a corner and watched him for a few minutes.


I had to leave the room, and when I returned about 15 minutes later, his pain had lessened, and his groaning had stopped. I gave him another full glass of water – about half a liter more. Within just a few minutes, the pain completely disappeared, and he began to acknowledge the people around him. He sat up and started moving toward the wall of the room. Leaning against the wall, he began talking to the visitors, who were more astonished than he was by the sudden change."


Three cimetidine tablets, each 300 milligrams, and a full bottle of antacid had not relieved his pain. Usually, cases like this end up on the operating table of a surgeon with a fondness for scalpels.

After that day, Dr. B. successfully treated more than 3,000 other prisoners who had stress-induced peptic ulcers, using only water. During his time in prison, he conducted extensive research on the effects of water in preventing and alleviating many painful degenerative diseases. Evin Prison became an ideal “laboratory,” and although he was offered early release, Dr. B. chose to stay an additional four months to complete his research on the relationship between dehydration and bleeding peptic ulcers. His findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology in June 1983 (A New and Natural Method of Treatment of Peptic Ulcer Disease).


Why can water relieve stomach pain? Why did none of my doctors ever mention water when I saw them for my acid reflux issues? (A side effect of taking antibiotics, which I mentioned to you in the article "Happy Body: Reflections on the sickness industry"). In the next article, I will explain to you the scientific reasons behind water's effects on the stomach.


Why can water relieve stomach pain? Why did none of my doctors ever mention water when I saw them for my acid reflux issues?

Pharmacist's Perspective: A few thoughts on the stomach medication Cimetidine and the side effects that doctors don’t have time to explain to you.

This is a story from the 1980s, but the stomach medication Cimetidine is still widely used today (brand name: Tagamet®).

In today’s Pharmacist's Perspective section, I want to share a few insights about this drug, including its mechanism of action and potential side effects.


  • Cimetidine is an H2 histamine receptor antagonist: On the cells of the stomach lining, there are H2 receptors that bind histamine. When bound, they trigger acid secretion. Cimetidine binds to these receptors, blocking histamine from attaching, thus reducing secretion and lowering stomach acid levels (both when fasting and when stimulated by food).

    Illustration of the effect of 'H2 receptor antagonists' and the inhibition of gastric acid production.

  • Cimetidine, although very effective in reducing stomach acid secretion, comes with a long list of potential side effects (including the risk of impotence in men). These side effects may arise from two main mechanisms: unwanted effects of the drug on H2 receptors in tissues outside the stomach and inhibition of liver enzymes, affecting the metabolism of many drugs.


Effects on H2 receptors in other tissues (in the brain or heart)

Although H2 receptors are primarily found in the stomach, they also exist in some other tissues and organs.

  • Brain:

    • Cimetidine can cross the blood-brain barrier and affect H2 receptors in the central nervous system. This may lead to side effects such as dizziness, headaches, confusion, especially in the elderly or those with kidney conditions.

  • Heart:

    • H2 receptors are also present in the heart, and inhibiting these receptors can cause some mild effects on the heart, such as slow heart rate or changes in blood pressure, although these are rare.

Inhibition of liver enzymes (CYP450) leading to drug interactions

Cimetidine has the ability to inhibit cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes in the liver. These enzymes are responsible for metabolizing many other drugs in the body. When these enzymes are inhibited, cimetidine can increase the levels of other drugs in the blood, leading to the risk of toxicity or side effects from these drugs.

Some examples of drugs that interact with cimetidine include Warfarin (an anticoagulant), Theophylline (asthma medication), Phenytoin (anticonvulsant), and some cancer drugs (tyrosine kinase inhibitors like Dasatinib).

Unwanted effects on the endocrine system

Cimetidine may also affect the endocrine system:

  • Effects on sex hormones: Cimetidine can inhibit the effects of testosterone by competing with androgen receptors (the receptors for male sex hormones). This can lead to side effects such as enlarged breasts in men (gynecomastia), reduced libido, and in some cases, impotence.

  • Increased prolactin secretion: Some studies suggest that cimetidine may increase prolactin levels, a hormone that affects milk production and reproductive function.


Effects on the digestive system due to excessive reduction of stomach acid

Cimetidine, although very effective in reducing stomach acid secretion, also comes with a long list of potential side effects (including the risk of impotence in men).

REFERENCES


 

How about you, do you or those around you have any experiences with stomach issues? I would really appreciate it if you could leave a comment to share with me, and help me share this post so the information can reach more people!

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