Have I developed an intolerance to Chilli in my food?

[avander]

I have always enjoyed spicy meals after becoming accustomed to Chili and other spicy dishes when I first visited Bali in the 1970's. After, I often preferred Asian, Thai or Indian restaurents in Australia and had no problems with spicy dishes. I didn't like to be burnt alive but I always enjoyed a reasonably spicy dish.

When my Thai wife came to Australia with the kids for 3 years she regularly cooked spicy dishes which I also enjoyed although sometimes it was just that little bit too spicy.

Now since living back in LOS for the past 18 months or so I seem to have developed a sensitivity to chilli dishes (sad eh?) which now results in an upset stomach (at the least) the next day for anything above a mildly spicy level.

Have any other TV members experienced anything similar and investigated the cause? Is my stomach just not as young as it used to be?

[h90]

My parents are over 70 and have no problems with spicy so it isn't age.

How is your stomach after eating too spicy?

If I eat too spicy curries, I feel that my guts have a hard time with it and my urine smells like pepper....Both not a real problem but a sign to slow down.

[jerojero]

Age my friend, age.

[avander]

My parents are over 70 and have no problems with spicy so it isn't age.

How is your stomach after eating too spicy?

If I eat too spicy curries, I feel that my guts have a hard time with it and my urine smells like pepper....Both not a real problem but a sign to slow down.

TThe next morning I feel a little sick/sensitive in the stomach and often have diarrhea (well, you did ask) which does not last.

[h90]

My parents are over 70 and have no problems with spicy so it isn't age.

How is your stomach after eating too spicy?

If I eat too spicy curries, I feel that my guts have a hard time with it and my urine smells like pepper....Both not a real problem but a sign to slow down.

TThe next morning I feel a little sick/sensitive in the stomach and often have diarrhea (well, you did ask) which does not last.

That diarrhea if overdoing spy is normal, seems it hurts the guts and they want to get rid of it. But normally only when overdoing it not on small amounts.

I don't have the sick/sensitive in the stomach.

Things are worse if I eat the spice things without / with little rice only.

I get more sensitive if I eat a lot spicy in a row...but if I brake for 2 days I am recovered.

But I speak about eating the most extra spicy things they can do in the south (I can eat much more spicy than the average Thais). It shouldn't be a problem in normal limits.

Do you have any problems, like if drinking alcohol. Do you eat any medication. Like Aspirin causes some small problems in the stomach and may reduce the resistance to chilli. It is used to make the blood "thinner" and reducing the risk for hear attacks.

[cdmtdm]

i would say your gut health is not good ..... a juice detox over a week or two will see your good gut bacteria increase ,,,,

[h90]

i would say your gut health is not good ..... a juice detox over a week or two will see your good gut bacteria increase ,,,,

?????????? there is no "detox"......And good or bad bacteria the problem are the chemicals in spicy food which are intend to make problems.

[avander]

My parents are over 70 and have no problems with spicy so it isn't age.

How is your stomach after eating too spicy?

If I eat too spicy curries, I feel that my guts have a hard time with it and my urine smells like pepper....Both not a real problem but a sign to slow down.

TThe next morning I feel a little sick/sensitive in the stomach and often have diarrhea (well, you did ask) which does not last.

That diarrhea if overdoing spy is normal, seems it hurts the guts and they want to get rid of it. But normally only when overdoing it not on small amounts.

I don't have the sick/sensitive in the stomach.

Things are worse if I eat the spice things without / with little rice only.

I get more sensitive if I eat a lot spicy in a row...but if I brake for 2 days I am recovered.

But I speak about eating the most extra spicy things they can do in the south (I can eat much more spicy than the average Thais). It shouldn't be a problem in normal limits.

Do you have any problems, like if drinking alcohol. Do you eat any medication. Like Aspirin causes some small problems in the stomach and may reduce the resistance to chilli. It is used to make the blood "thinner" and reducing the risk for hear attacks.

Thank you. Yes, I take aspirin as a "thinner" as I have heart disease and had a bypass operation 8 years ago. It could be the aspirin.

It doesn't take much. Even if I eat a relatively (to me) mildly spicy Larb (which I love) and rice I have a problem the next day but the more spicy the dish the worse the problem.

[avander]

Thank you everyone who has responded constructively.

I have also done a little research on the net and it does in fact seem that some people who love their chilli dishes can develop an intolerance over time for no apparent reasons, possibly age related but not a definite indicator. I have read of people in their 30s becoming intolerant ( I am in my late 50s. I have not had so many capsicum (that I know of) since moving here so my next test will be to purchase some and see if they produce the same results. I don't expect any as a mild chilli dish has significantly less effect on me than a "hot" dish.

[NickJ]

So many varibles to contend with....it could be your water source , botteled or not....how does one know except thru a real elimination diet .......

[johnnynmonic]

I had the same thing happen. No problem at first, but soon could only handle moderate spice (and that not every day). I think what happened was your standard of what is spicy changes. You're eating a whole lot more, and a whole lot spicier food than when you first moved here. So what is "moderate" now is quite spicy to other westerners, and to your gut relative to what you grew up eating. Anyway, that's my theory about my own gut. Might not relate to you at all.

[dotpoom]

Maybe time to stop eating spicy.

Lately I began to have severe heartburn in the middle of the night and would wake up gasping for air. Bile would shoot up with no warning while I slept, blocking my air passages, frightening really, could not get any air into my body except by swallowing it like food or water. Exact same as drowning. Goggled it and seen that I had to alter my eating habits before going to bed and change the position I slept in. This I have begun to do and while at it I decided to stop eating meat, nothing to do with the heartburn but just that it is generally recommended as a healthy choice....not as hard as one would imagine, probably because I eat from the Thai carts a lot and you would need binoculars to find a piece of chicken in the "Kow Pat Gui" sometimes.

[avander]

So many varibles to contend with....it could be your water source , botteled or not....how does one know except thru a real elimination diet .......

I have already narrowed this down to after I have a spicy dinner the night before.

We do however, have a 3 stage water filter which was installed a year ago and which is used for all of our drinking water. I am getting it checked as I have also had 2 bouts of food poisoning in the last 3 weeks weeks (not related to these posts I think) but an indicator of other problems.

[Oziex1]

"reducing the risk for hear attacks."

Sorry didn't quite hear that , say again.

Well i'm wet covered in powder and pissed.

[Carl64]

I was fine with chilli, then kept getting food poisoning and one bout of omebic dissentary 2 years ago. My gut hasn't been the same since especially with chilli.

[Kiwoz]

After a period of 20yrs, give or take, a lot of people develop an intolerance to 'Nightshade' foods, which includes chillies, peppers, etc. They can cause stomach reaction, skin lesions and severe joint pain.

[xen]

I am wondering if you should see a doctor with regards to the blood thinners as the chilli could be aggravating a stomach condition like an ulcer . I was taking aspirin then changed to warfarin and now am on pradaxa so i know what a pain blood thinners are . It also could be Gall Bladder esp if your cholesterol is high . Not saying they are but maybe good to get it checked out .

[perdido]

...yes, so many variables, as someone posited in their post;'everything is overdetermined', as Scott Peck says in ' In Search of Stones '....

[ggt]

Spicy foods, spicy women, spicy conversation...all tend to make life more interesting...taken in moderation...one should be able to enjoy all the spice the world has to offer...

[Shiver]

If you feel Aspirin is useful but perhaps causing stomach issues, then maybe consider 'enteric' coated Aspirin, as it will stop it from dissolving in the stomach, but will dissolve further down the digestive tract where it is alkaline, avoiding ulcer issues in the stomach where it is acidic.

Two other variables to research: Are you partial to lots of antibiotics or antacids? (for the former, kefir is a great probiotic (and free), and for the latter there are HCl tablets available over the counter - if you have ulcers then take that into consideration first wrt to HCl). I'm not a doctor so you can trust me, but, maybe if the latter then consult a doctor, as they're usually pretty straight on these kinds of issues where pharma isn't involved.

[cdmtdm]

H90 .... you need to read more about gut health ....

[BadBouy]

Try a small cup of yogurt before eating spicy food, coats the stomach, a little after is good as well.

[superal]

Maybe time to stop eating spicy.

Lately I began to have severe heartburn in the middle of the night and would wake up gasping for air. Bile would shoot up with no warning while I slept, blocking my air passages, frightening really, could not get any air into my body except by swallowing it like food or water. Exact same as drowning. Goggled it and seen that I had to alter my eating habits before going to bed and change the position I slept in. This I have begun to do and while at it I decided to stop eating meat, nothing to do with the heartburn but just that it is generally recommended as a healthy choice....not as hard as one would imagine, probably because I eat from the Thai carts a lot and you would need binoculars to find a piece of chicken in the "Kow Pat Gui" sometimes.

I have had your experience . I woke up in the middle of the night and had the most terrifying 2 hours . I was all alone in my place in the UK and thought I was dying . The most foul tasting gases were erupting into my wind pipe along with bile . I phoned the NHS direct help line who advised me to try drinking milk and not to lay down and see my doctor in the morning which I did . I was and still am taking 1 Omyprazole 20mg tablet every morning before breakfast which stops a severe heartburn/indigestion that I had for years .

What I did wrong that awful night was to eat a very spicy soup after I had been drinking beer and going straight to bed . I should have learnt my lesson but did a similar thing here in Thailand but to a lesser degree . I like my evening beers on a regular basis but now I stop eating at around 4 00 pm latest and may only have peanuts etc with a beer . Problem solved . I really recommend taking Omyprazole as it allows me to eat and drink without the burning chest / throat . Got 3 months supply for small money in the local hospital as the town pharmacy's were closed for holidays

[mommysboy]

Eating spicy now and then is different from constant exposure. Sounds like you could do with coming off it for a short while as your digestive system might need a bit of a rest.

[Sheryl]

I think the aspirin is the likely culprit. You may have a mild gastrotis from it already which becomes symptomatic when you eat chilis. Just as touching your skin with a chili normally won't hurt but touching skin that is irritated or inflamed with a chili will. Same re your stomach lining. If the aspirin is necessary a switch to enteric coated might help.

[h90]

H90 .... you need to read more about gut health ....

No because everyone in out family dies from strokes.....

[avander]

I think the aspirin is the likely culprit. You may have a mild gastrotis from it already which becomes symptomatic when you eat chilis. Just as touching your skin with a chili normally won't hurt but touching skin that is irritated or inflamed with a chili will. Same re your stomach lining. If the aspirin is necessary a switch to enteric coated might help.

You could be at least partially correct Sheryl but I have been taking aspirin for 8 years now and no effect before. I was on enteric coated aspirin (Cartia) until at least about 1 year ago but have been taking a local version Edwards 81mg since. I believe it is also enteric coated so should not be given me problems but who knows?

For the same period I have also taken one pantaprozole with the aspirin which is an offset for the effects of too much stomach acid.

Never had any problems in Australia but as one poster said I expect I may have experienced a gradual increase in the amount of chilli and "heat level" since arriving. That is until recently, when I started to tone it down a lot due to the problems.

[Sheryl]

That switch may have made the difference. Also as one ages become more susceptible.

[cdmtdm]

i still cannot comprehend recommending meds over a nautural cure .... to the OP ......google GUT HEALTH ..understand what role your gut plays , a healthy gut will see all your current issues disappear ...

[muskoka]

No-one has mentioned that he could be reacting to MSG which is so loved here in Thailand/Asia. I cannot tolerate MSG at all, feelings of nausia and general "unwellness" shortly after eating anything containing MSG. Also cannot tolerate spicy food dishes, tho I could many years back (67yo). Bland is best for me, plus, cooking/frying using 100% EV Organic coconut oil is wonderful for my guts, I even sprinkle some extra oil on top of my food. This brand below is esp excellent I found after trying a few different kinds (they do vary).