Stomach can't handle the heat
 

I like spicy food. I like cooking things with jalapenos and habaneros and exotic hot sauces... I don't think that it was always the case that after I ate spicy stuff I had cramps and gas and stuff, but it is now. This weekend there's a big chili cookoff going on that I'm participating in and I was wondering if anyone has any ideas about what I can do or take before, during, or after eating a bunch of spicy chili to keep me off the toilet the whole next day.

Admittedly, your description of symptoms isn't very good, but Pepto generally covers all of the bases. Are you suffering from heartburn too? Maalox Max is a product that combines calcium carbonate (antacid) with simethicone (anti-gas). It will take care of the burning and any bloating. That won't take care of the diarrhea problem, though. For that you need to turn to loperamide (brand name Immodium). Loperamide works by decreasing the motility of the smooth muscle in your digestive tract, taking care of the cramping problem. Kaopectate, another diarrhea solution, features the same active ingredient as Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate), so you might as well stick with Pepto. I like the tablets.

for diahorrea (sp?) ive taken immodium too when i got sick on my trek to malaysia last year. worked a wonder.

as for having the runs as a result of eating chilli.. you know the consequences. i would just say that your swimming in your own broth and i cant say i have any sympathy for what you are about to bring to yourself.

id seriously go see a doctor before this cookoff if you're serious about partaking in it.

good luck.

I learned this from eating at a local Indian restaurant and it seems to work. My friend and I used to go often enough that the owner got to know us; he saw we liked it pretty hot and spicy, so he started to bring out stuff that wasn't even on the menu, stuff he said was so spicy that "most Americans won't eat it", he used to just serve it to his Indian kitchen workers. But he always served this special spicy stuff to us with some kind of "yogurt milk"...that stuff has a very soothing neutralizing action on the hot pepper effects. I never made it myself but I bet you could find out what it is with a simple search...it literally tasted like a thin yogurt drink, natural flavor a bit sour with no sweeteners. I would also start taking the recommended daily dose of Prilosec now since it takes a few days for your body to get up to speed with it...but I find it works very well to supress the basic acid indigestion.

you are right badnick. the yogurtdrink you refer to ive had numerous times here. my workers call it just plain yogurt.

ill see if they give me another name for it

Could it be Lassi

I suspect that your body has a very good reason for trying to expel those materials from your body as quickly as possible. Trust your body on this.

Pepto has been the general consensus of people I've spoken to. I don't usually get heartburn; the gas, cramps and diarrhea are my main concern. I'm not sure if I should start taking it before I eat or just afterward.

I don't think that's what I had. What I was given was just a basic unflavored yogurt drink, with a consistency as if it was slightly diluted with low/no-fat milk so you can drink it vs. eat it...not even as thick as buttermilk which reminds me how much I love buttermilk and that would almost certainly (my rank amateur opinion) provide a nice chemical neutralization of hot spicy stuffs.


Char,
This version of lassi caught my eye and blew my mind :crazy: :

Bhang lassi
Bhang lassi is a special lassi that contains bhang, a liquid derivative of cannabis, which has effects similar to other eaten forms of marijuana. It is legal in many parts of India and mainly used for religious purposes, particularly during Holi, when pakoras containing bhang are also sometimes eaten. Rajasthan is known to have licensed bhang shops, and in many places one can buy bhang products and drink bhang lassis.

On his No Reservations television program, celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain visited a "Govt Authorised" Bhang Shop in Jaisalmer Fort, Rajasthan. The proprieter offered him three varieties of the drink: "normally strong, super duper sexy strong, and full power 24 hour, no toilet, no shower."

If there are any other masochists that come to this thread for advice, I'll give you an update... I went to the cookoff and started popping Pepto tablets at about 10 am and drinking beer and eating chili until at least 4, I even popped a whole habanero just to remind myself of why you shouldn't do that (drinking was a factor). Over the day I ate about 16 Pepto tablets and I have to say that the gas and cramps weren't nearly as bad as they could have been the next day. I think that I have found an adequate solution, I'll just have to remember to keep them handy in case I decide to eat some ridiculously hot wings or thai food or something.