Gastritis diagnosed but PPI's not working

Posted , 60 users are following.

Just wondered if anyone else who's been diagnosed with mild gastritis is having problems with PPI's not helping? Had upper endoscopy 2 weeks ago and been taking PPI's since then, but if anything feels like its getting worse! 

Symptoms originally started 5 months ago and now the dull, burning ache is just constant and also along with constant back ache it's really getting me down. Only relief I get is going to bed and lying down. Does anyone else have this? I'm worried its something more sinister.

 

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  • Edited

    Hello Cath

    I too have been diagnosed with mild gastritis and found the PPIs made me feel worse so I stopped taking them. To put your mind at rest, why don't you ask your GP to refer you for an abdominal scan? Have you had blood tests?

    d

    • Posted

      Hi Deb,

      Thanks for the reply, I'm relieved that I'm not the only one.  I've had an abdominal ultrasound and was told all seemed to be ok, gallbladder, etc. However, I don't know if this would have looked at the pancreas as well? I've read lots of stuff online that's scaring me so I will check that with my GP.  Also has blood tests and breath test for h. Pylori and all came back ok. How long have you been suffering?

    • Posted

      Hi cath

      I was told I had mild gastritis about 3 years ago now and then a recent endoscopy just said gastritis so I suppose it's moved on a bit from being just mild. I blame a massive amount of stress that I have endured for a very long time. The PPIs made me feel ill so I stopped taking them. My pain is more intermittent but is always there at some time of day. I'm due an abdo scan next week. I've been told that an abdominal scan consists of kidneys, liver, gall bladder and pancreas. Sounds good that your bloods came back all normal. 

      You sound as though you are doing what I would imagine most of us posting on here do and that's Google our symptoms and scare ourselves stupid! I do it all the time, just can't help it.

      Why don't you book an appointment with your GP for as soon as possible, tell the Dr what you think it could be and let the GP put your mind at rest. I think this is the only way you will get true peace of mind. As far as your pain goes, you might find it eases a bit once you are more relaxed.

      i wish you all the best.

      xx

    • Posted

      Hi Deb,

      Looks very much like I'm in the same boat, too.

      With three years having past since your comment, how are you doing today?

    • Posted

      hello Deb and hello Cath

      I have the same type of pain which is likely Gastritis again. I have this now the 3rd time. I tried all PPI's and they didnt help me either....plus made me feel a lot worse. also H2 blockers didnt help.

      I think also an Endoscopy would be an idea ....to reassure you ... and to exclude ulcers .

      I found in the past : It is unreal how much pain and nausea and fatigue you can get from 'only gastritis' . An endoscopy is not a big deal and doesnt take long at all.

    • Posted

      hello ! im just looking for help and tips on what to do my husband has had chanical gastritis for almost to years now and his GP had not been to much help . he has taken nexiun 2 pills in the am and at night it worked for a while then one day just stoped . they switched him to protonix 20 mg 2 pills in the am and in the afternoon . and sucralfate . along with his ppi. he has quit smoking , all caffeine, and is on bland diet. gluten free ,dairy free , chicken rice ,tuna and gluten free oatmeal for breakfast . He is loosing hope . does anyone have any other things that have helped? worth a try ?!? thank you !!!

  • Posted

    From what I've read, if it's something sinister, it won't be relieved by laying down. It can take 4 weeks for gastritis to heal. I wouldn't stop the PPIs. You also have to find out what acidic foods or drinks are irritating it and lay off those until you heal. The ones that get me are fruit, wine, green tea, and coffee unless I stick to low acid varieites like Sumatra or French Roas. 
  • Posted

    Dear Cath i had gastitis in Dec, well it was a gradual build up to it and it didnt go until the following April, i went from omelrezole to zantac bec after being on the omeprezole for too long it caused me to have a gassy stomach which felt uncomfortable, yes it does seem like forever for it to finally go!
  • Posted

    It can take an awful long time for gastritis to heal - I have been suffering for nearly a year despite PPIs and Ranitidine. I also had an H Pylori infection and the antibiotics used flared my stomach up so badly. I am on a very high dose if Omeprazole which works most if the time but I keep getting flare ups with acid and burning despite the medication. I am eating a very bland diet in the hope that it will eventually heal. Its a good idea to nor eat certain acidic foods such as tomatoes and citrus fruits which may aggravate it. Keeping a food diary to pinpoint triggers is also useful as different people respond differently to different foods.

    Good luck

  • Posted

    Thanks all for the responses. Think i just have to accept it's going to take time.  Have to be honest though there doesn't seem to be any food or drink that sets it off, its constant.

    Just one other thing though, did anyone else have the dull ache in the middle to top of the back and between the shoulder blades? This is the real thing thats worrying me but my GP said this can happen. Its there from when i get up in the morning to when i go to bed. Its not painful just always there and annoying!!

    • Posted

      Hi Cath

      I get the ache in the back too a lot of the time and it becomes a lot worse in flare ups.  Maybe you need the dose of your PPI adjusting or even a change of PPI - some people seem to do better on one over another.  I am on a very high does of Omeprazole which seems to work most of the time but then out of the blue I have a flare up and I'm back to square one.  Talk about 3 steps forward, 2 steps back.   I follow for the most part a very bland diet of soups and complan with steamed fish and very soft vegetables which seems to help but as soon as I feel a little better I eat something different and everything flares up again.  For some people it can be very nasty and take a long time to clear up.  There are also some natural remedies which may help.

      Also a malfunctioning gallbladder can cause a lot of the same symptoms without their being any stones present.  A Hida scan will tell you how well the gallbladder is actually working - mine was working at only 8% so it had to be removed earlier this year - there were no stones present though and my ultrasound was clear and this greatly delayed my diagnosis.

    • Posted

      I had gallbladder problems but no stones showed up, it was only when i had it removed it was found to be infected!, i thought i was going mad as ultrasounds, mri and ct scans didnt show anything but i knew it was my gallbladder at the time.
    • Posted

      Malfunctioning gallbladders are greatly underestimated and when doctors see clear ultrasound scans they think everything is alright.  The pain and suffering from a malfunctioning gallbladder is as bad and in some cases worse than having stones.

      In my case a normal ultrasound caused great delay in me receiving treatment - 3 months to be exact with daily agonising pains.  I thought I was going to go mad too trying to convince doctors that my symptoms were real when they clearly didn't believe me. 

    • Posted

      Yes I suffered on and off for quite some time. I knew it was my gallbladder when once one new years eve instead of drinking alcohol which was obviously out of the question at the time I bad full fat milk and i ended up in alot of pain! I knew then it was gallbladder related and after many months of discomfort i asked to have it removed.
    • Posted

      My goodness does this whole thread resonate with me! Really happy to have found it. I have been diagnosed with IBS years ago and just in the past year have had symptoms of Gerd, pain in shoulder blades weird sandpaper tongue , abdominal pain as well as chest tightness during a flare up. I was put on Protonix a year ago and have experienced the diarrhea and still went on to take it. I tried to wean off unsuccessfully in March of this year and had to go back on it after full rebound and then losing 10 lbs. I am now on gf and dairy free diet for almost 2 mos and seems to help for the most part except when i cheat me. GP and gastro disagree about what is causing this gastro thinks it is sensitive nerves and GP says it is the mild gastritis that showed up on endoscopy they both agree that it will take but will get better. Suffering in the meantime is the problem. going to try MRT food sensitivity test figure have nothing to lose if it may help! Have also discussed dropping down from 40 mg to 20mg of ppi but am scared of rebound again

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