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duodenal ulcer not recovering

Posted , 5 users are following.

michael85288
michael85288

90% sure I've got a duodenal ulcer - usual internet listed symptoms. It is an idiopathic ulcer - I've tested negative for Helicobacter pylori. My GP tells me that there are no red flag symptoms, and has put me on the common PPI 20mg Omprazole which I take each morning and have been doing so for a bit over 4 weeks so far.......I'm now carefully trying to watch what I eat, and trying to eat more frequent, but smaller meals. However, it's just not getting better - it improves a bit for 2/3 days and then flares up again and becomes really painful again. This has been the pattern so far. I've suffered with stress symptoms for many years, and have had issues with duodenal pain before, but have resolved it with natural remedies. I tried the same again this time, but after 3 months with no success, decided to visit the GP. I'm also now struggling again with anxiety, especially this issue, particularly when I wake up at night and begin to worry about all that acid burning into my ulcer. I would like to ask you kind people how long I might expect this to continue, because I read that the usual healing time for a peptic ulcer is 4/6 weeks, but I've got no optimism that it'll be healed in that time now?........Also, will the stress/anxiety merely slow down healing, or stop it completely? I HATE taking tablets, and this is screwing up my life and my family relationships. Please advise, if you have similar knowledge of this, many thanks.

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • moon53540
    moon53540 michael85288

    Posted

    Have you been diagnosed with an ulcer that has shown up on an upper endoscopy? Usually you would be given a higher dose than 20mg for an ulcer if you are very symptomatic.

    • michael85288
      michael85288 moon53540

      Posted

      I've not had an endoscopy as yet, because the GP said I didn't have 'red flag' symptoms, but I guess it might be the only answer, although I dread the process(have had 2 in the past) and am scared of the result. Do you speak from a similar experience?

    • Gooddaywillcome
      Gooddaywillcome michael85288

      Posted

      same here ,doctor not concerned

      even so I actually diagnosed with h-pylari infection, first antibiotic treatment didnt work ,just completed second

      see how it go after that

    • moon53540
      moon53540 michael85288

      Posted

      I haven't had an ulcer but have had gastritis, oesophagitis and I have a hiatus hernia. If the ppi tablets aren't helping you may now have "red flag" symptoms. Ask to speak to another gp in the practice and explain the situation to them and say you want an upper endoscopy. Some GPs are jobsworths and do anything to save the NHS money even at the expense of patients health.

  • pippa58442
    pippa58442 michael85288

    Edited

    Has your doctor diagnosed an ulcer via an endoscopy or have you self diagnosed via google? If you have used google to identify your symptoms, you shouldn't do this because google only gives general information and doesn't take account of individual cases and for that reason can be inaccurate You will give yourself anxiety . Did your doctor suggest what your symptoms could be? Only listen to your doctor. Is your doctor 90% sure you have a duodenal ulcer?

    • michael85288
      michael85288 pippa58442

      Edited

      Thanks for responding. No, my GP suggested that I should try one more lot of 28 PPIs, and if still not healed, then have an endoscopy. She said that there are no 'red flag' symptoms, and suggested it was more likely to be an ulcer, but maybe I should just get it checked, but may have to wait ages through the NHS!

    • michael85288
      michael85288 pippa58442

      Posted

      Possibly Pippa - do you think I should try that? I was hoping someone on this forum might be able to compare their experiences with me, and advise possible recovery times etc....

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 michael85288

      Posted

      You could try going private if you have the funds. I went private for mine so as not to interfere with my university classes. I can't advise on recovery times because everyone is different. I had a huge allergic reaction to the sedation and took threw weeks to recover from it. It caused terrible depression. I have a very belligerent immune system which goes ballistic with any medical procedure because it believes its under attack from a foreign invader.

  • Vish2015
    Vish2015 michael85288

    Posted

    In my opinion. You don't worry because of the acid. But it's the opposite. When acid starts moving , you wake up and the increase in heart beat makes you feel like you are worrying and anxious. It's confusing.

    In my case I got hpylori. And similar things happened.

    How did you get it tested? How much time you kept the slide?

    Mine came +ve after 12 hours. Before 12 hours, doctor plainly said I had not got the infection. But after 12 hours when doctor saw it, he confirmed I had got it.

    Is it possible to go for another test method ? endoscopy? stool test? urea? etc to confirm again?

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