Can anyone tell me at around what age does the digestive tract changes as far as not being able to eat what you used to. I'm in my early 40's and it seems like I can not eat spicy, acidic, fruits (except bananas) tomato things all in which I used to be able to eat! I thought that I was too young for this to start??? :confused:

It can happen at any age.

You may have an over-acid stomach these days. Have you tried antiacids? Have you been checked for an ulcer?

I'm 59 and the only thing I can't eat anymore that I used to is green peppers...I can eat red or yellow but not green...everything else I can still eat...don't know why that one is this way! But, hey, if that's all, I can deal with it! And since I had my gallbladder out I can eat fatty things again! YEA!
No more attacks....

No haven't been checked for an ulcer. What are the symptoms for that?

Symptoms are indigestion, burning, hurting of stomach. Stomach feels like it is on fire after eating some foods.

Also there is "H-pylori" that is a bug that burries into wall of stomach causing same symptoms as an ulcer. A blood test will diagnosis H-pylori.

I started developing food and chemical intolerances in my early 50's. I'm now 64. I can't eat anything with citric acid, yeast, soy or any of the nightshade veggies...any color bell peppers, white potatoes, eggplant, etc. And I can't tolerate any diesel-related products or strong scents, such as in perfumes, house-cleaning products, etc.

Apparantly this is a common thing as some people age, but does not affect everyone. My husband cannot eat raw vegetables, but can eat anything steamed or cooked otherwise. He recently discovered he can no longer eat anything with citric acid either, especially tomatoes and oranges.

I tried eliminating these foods for about a year and then when I tried eating them again, the only thing I can now tolerate is a slice of whole wheat bread now and then, but still no citric acid. It makes my knees painful and swollen along with uticaria symptoms. Avoidance seems to be the only remedy as I don't want to take medications to allieviate the symptoms.

Marie,

Hy-Plyori? What the heck is that? Is that threatening to the body??????

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a spiral shaped bacterium found in the gastric mucous layer of the stomach. About 90% of duodenal ulcers and about 80% gastric ulcers are caused by H. pylori. This bacterium will bury into stomach lining making it hard for meds to reach.

H. pylori is usually the cause of ulcers. Treating for an ulcer does not kill the H-pylori. It takes a combination of antibiotics to kill the bacteriam. Using antacids and other antiflammatory meds will not be a cure although it may give some relief off and on.

About two-thirds of the world's population is infected with H. pylori. It is contagious, easily passed from person to person, especially if preparers of food do not wash hands like they should.

Most people who have H-pylori do not have symptoms related to the infection, however, H. pylori causes chronic active, chronic persistent, and atrophic gastritis in adults and children.

The most common ulcer symptom is gnawing or burning pain in the stomach. If it gets bad enough you can hurt thru and thru to the back. I once rolled on the floor in pain due to stomach spasms, so, I can only imagine how bad an ulcer might hurt.

A group of ladies meet at my home once a month and one of them had H-pylori. I disinfected the dishes by boiling them with a disinfectent tablet in the water like resturants use in hopes the H-pylori would not be transferred to anyone else. I have a healthy respect for H-pylori.

If a person has H-pylori, they would be wise to be tested again about 3 months after treatment to be sure the bacteriam has been killed and not just dormant for a little while.

Marie,

Is this eventually life threatening? Can it go untreated? How exactly is it dectected and what kind of doc do you see for it?

Yes, it can become very serious if it causes a bleeding ulcer.

See a gastrointerologist, one who specializes in stomach/digestive tract. A regular doctor or internist should be able to do the blood test. However, if you need to have the light thing put down throat to actually see in the stomach you will definitely want a gastrointerologist.

I would go the regular physician first for the blood test and then go from there.

Don't forget, "if" you have H-pylori you will be passing it on to other people and they will just pass it back to you. H-pylori does spread easy, the reason about 50% of population of world has it, whether dormant or active.

I also started to develop food and chemical intolerances around age 42, about menopause time. I have to take digestive acid reducting meds for my system.

I'm supposed to take prevacid daily because of esophogitis. It's expensive. Why would it be preferable to see a gastrointerologist when having an endoscopy? I have to see an internist now because my gastrointerologist dropped my insurance. Do you suppose he is not as knowledgeable? The GI showed Barrett, but the internist said there was no sign of it. Is there reason to doubt?

My stomach misbehaves the most when I eat peanut butter!

has anyone had their liver, pancreas, gallbladder tested for the cause of digestive issues? I have heard as we age so do our vital organs and dont function as well .

See another gastroenterologist, especially if it's Barrett's - he has much more experience with this than an internist has. Also, there are many lifestyle changes that he can recommend like elevating the head of your bed with wooden blocks (not pillows - they will not do the same thing), small meals, avoiding coffee and chocolate. You also should have upper endoscopy on a periodic basis.