Gastritis has been going on for the last 4 months
Posted , 20 users are following.
It's a very long story but I will keep it short:
Had stomach issues for 4 months but very mild
One day in September I felt very hungry one morning and the hunger transformed in nausea and crazy abdominal pain.
After a week of sleepless nights cause of the pain I got on PPIs but I took a h. bacter test beforehand and it came positive and I started treatment.
In november I had an endoscopy to make sure I'm helico bacter free and the test came back negative.
For the following month my stomach seemed to get better but in very small increments and with a lot of bad short periods (2-3 days) which seemed to come out of nowhere since I don't drink/smoke/eat forbidden foods and I'm very strict about this.
By mid december I felt very bad once again but it went away after one week.
I was off PPIs for a while and took another test early in january and it came back helicobacter negative.
But the symptoms are pretty much still there and they fluctuate a lot every single day. I could feel bad in the morning, great in the noon and sick by afternoon, I can't correlate it with any of my eating habits.
Also the symptoms change regularly, pain moves a little from the stern to the left higher side, nausea feels different, sometimes hyper-salivation,also sometimes I get pains after I eat, or before I eat, or just when I'm about to feel hungry etc..
Couple of days ago I felt very nauseas after using the restroom in the morning and I honestly can't figure out why...
I had a ultrasound a week ago and they told me all my organs look fine, nothing to worry about..
It's been almost 4 months since I felt alright, it truly takes a toll on your happiness and my academic performance.
I truly can't figure out what is wrong with me, I'm due an abdominal CT scan next week and I hope we can finally sort this thing out.
Has anyone experienced similar stuff?
2 likes, 29 replies
Corvette007 paul08734
Edited
Hi Paul,
I have had some of the worse diseases and survived them ALL. Except Gastritis.
It is a nasty disease. Yes, I also suffer exact same symptoms. Mine is due to ulcers non-perforated.
I just recovered from it again and now exactly how you feel.
I am on Carafate and Dicyclomine for my Acid reducer.
In the past I found PPI's to be too strong sometimes for me.
Glad you passed stool test. Should have had blood in it if it was ulcers and they would have seen with endocscope.
Sorry no cure, but I was taught eat very small amounts avoid liquids too cold or too hot.
I eat a snack like every 2-3 hours. Takes about a month to recover from ulcers.
Are you suffering anxiety attacks? That is the other issue many have to battle with Gastritis.
paul08734 Corvette007
Posted
thanks for the reply
Yes, at my worst i had very bad anxiety attacks which came from feeling very nauseas and i hated crowded places such as the subway etc cause i always felt like i am about to throw up
Thankfully I managed to get over my anxieties but i feel like i think too much about the discomfort.
honestly when this started in september i read forums about h pylori and people were talking about months to recover, i was expecting maybe 2 months but now its been 4 and I m still far from perfect
i never had ulcers, not even scars on my stomach lining so it was never that serious, but the symtoms were very profound.
im also on ppis and sucralfate (to protect my stomach from bilar reflux)
Stay strong !
Corvette007 paul08734
Posted
Dude..you are rocking on your treatment and knowledge. I just got acute gastritis 2 years ago and like you have NEVER fully recovered. I get periods where my stomach stops hurting. But I am such a extremist in my goals. I usually end up pushing myself to the point of extreme pain and unable to walk and breath. I also have difficulty staying hydrated so that is why I do NOT think PPI's worked for me.
There is nothing more that I can offer you than my sympathy and admiration for your tenacity!! There are periods when it is so bad you have no choice but to collapse into your bed until it passes. That is OK.
To be honest. The doctors are NOT that great about knowledge with gastritis.
In the U.S.A. we are forced to see psychiatrist for the anxiety attacks even though all gastritis patients suffer from it. We are NOT ALL crazy. I have found hydration to be the most important aspect to fighting it. And reduce all stress.
Your academics might be where you push yourself too hard. Life is more important!!
Corvette007
Posted
I did think of one other aspect that might help you. But it sounded like you are a healthy person so ignore me if this does not help.
I had to cutout ALL grease.No mayo...no fried anything..bacon.sausage or anything hot.
Just bland items that your heart and mind desire.
That solved about 50% of my issues. Americans eat so unhealthy.
Sorry to bother you again. Keep up the good work Paul.
paul08734 Corvette007
Posted
Thank you for your kind words
I don't think it's a bad thing to go see a psychiatrist but it shouldnt be mandatory.
Truth is before I never thought anxiety is something real, I just thought people should calm down but after experiencing them, it's a whole different problem that you should fix asap.
I was ready to put my college on hold but I pressed on and now I'm well enough to study and attend exams but not courses
Pain was horrible for me in the first outbreak, couldn't sleep a week from it but I sleep fine now, when I wake up I got about 10 mins of feeling fine until the stomach starts hurting
I'm incredibly religious about what I'm eating, I don't eat fat things, no citrus fried foods alcohol coffee cigarettes nothing that could upset my stomach
There was always a question sign about my illness given that I don't drink almost at all, I don't smoke I don't really go out clubbing, I don't eat fast food (due to my bile dyskinesia) so I truly have no idea how it started, my best guess is H Pylori but given that it's out, I don't know what holding me back.Nor do I have any family related stomach issues, no health issues in general.
I learned to distance myself from stress and realize that my health trumps all and its more important to stay calm and focused on a balanced life.
In fact, I had a whole week of exams/lab exams and it was the most stressful week of my life but I felt great all week, in fact by about half way I had my best day since this whole story started, i felt 95% fine so I don't think its stress related..
Doctor says I might have dyspepsia but I'm investigating all posibilities
Stay strong!
paul08734 Corvette007
Edited
And yes, my experience with doctors definitely lacks substance, I've met doctors that are ignorant to antibiotics resistance of bacteria, effects of PPIs on h pylori tests etc.
They always say don't medicate yourself from the internet but I'm left with the impression that they never update themselves with the latest news in their field and think they know it all..
pippa58442 paul08734
Edited
Could be a gastritis flare up if you have been diagnosed with that. Have you tried some milk to settle your stomach?
paul08734 pippa58442
Posted
Hi
I never tried milk, my GI told me to avoid diary when i feel bad cause they might make it worse.
pippa58442 paul08734
Posted
You won't know whether it makes you worse unless you try it. Doctors, these days, tend to rubbish natural remedies. Telling you it might make you worse isn't the same as it actually making you worse. Everyone is different in their reactions to dairy. There is no one size fits all. Unless, you are lactose intolerant, give milk a try because it is known to soothe the stomach. My grandad was a GP and healed his ulcer by drinking milk. It helps to line the stomach.
My doctor wrongly told me to avoid oranges to see if it helped my stomach pain. I persevered with his advice for weeks because I mistakenly believed him.My stomach pain and other symptoms got 50% worse to the point I was panicking that I had something seriously wrong with me. I went back on oranges and felt 50% better because they were the only thing that was keeping my bowel moving.
paul08734 pippa58442
Posted
Thanks for the info
I'll give it a try
Tho to be honest I haven't noticed anything that miraculously makes me feel better on the spot.
I definitely heard that about oranges, and that is due to their high acidity
pippa58442 paul08734
Edited
Actually, although I have heartburn, fruits like oranges don't aggravate it. I don't find them acidic at all. The only things that trigger reflux are spicy foods like chillies. It really depends on how your gut responds to it. For me, milk gives me immediate reflux relief. Doctors tend to rely on textbook symptoms and not on individual experiences. So you really have to experiment with foods on a trial and error basis to see what works for you.
Vish2015 paul08734
Posted
I had similar mild, unpredictable gas, pain, bloating for 2 years. Finally I tested for h pylori, and triple treatment did solved 90% of my stomach issue. However 10% of my issues were still bothering me. Similar things, like 5-7 hours of bloating or being uncomfortable .
So I recently started probiotic medicines with higher strength of bacteria, and that reduced my issues. It may be possible that the treatment of hpylori left you with similar problem of healthy bacteria got killed, and it's just the probiotic you might be needing.
anne53212 paul08734
Posted
any improvement? going through the exact same symptoms!
craig04397 paul08734
Posted
I suffered from painful Gastritis for years. Over time I knew roughly what foods to avoid but without fully understanding cause and effect etc. I just about got by but was mostly miserable with the discomfort. I had an endoscope test and was diagnosed then prescribed Omeprazole. Omeprazole helped marginally but it didn't resolve the Gastritis. I realised the only resolution was going to be by dietary changes. Finally I resolved it by eating oats most mornings, and by replacing normal milk with oat milk. Now I eat oats/porridge twice a week in the morning but I have oat milk every day in muesli and cereal etc. After years of pain, the recovery was astonishing and quick, within 2 weeks. I need to use the oat milk brands without added vegetable oil, so oats, water and pinch of salt only. There are a couple of brands on the market you can use from the supermarket. I also eliminated normal tea but I have an occasional white tea in moderation which is less acidic, milder and can be drunk alone or with added oat milk. This is my experience, hope it is of use to fellow sufferers.
anne53212 paul08734
Edited
Did you heal?? Please update for us still suffering!
karen44390 anne53212
Posted
I see you just posted 2 days ago. would you mind sharing what youre going thru?
I have been sick for close to a year. At first thought was ulcers. Was on PPIS for about 8 months that didnt help. I was told I HAD GASTRITIS, but my endoscopy didnt show inflammation in stomach, i lost weight...down to 90lbs. Most of the time its nausea, sometimes can be pain in stomach, bloating of stomach (I think..my left side balloons out when i am in pain from it and after eating). And pain after eating, only small amounts.
Some foods will seem to be ok to eat, so I eat the same thing the next day and it causes pain? Having a hard time figuring this out.
Good luck with your issues and I hope you find a cure.
anne53212 karen44390
Edited
hi! i have similar symptoms to you for around six months now. ... stomach pains, nausea, upset stomach, bloated feeling and reflux. symptoms change from day to day and not all at once. strange your results did not show any gastritis! my doctor is certain it's inflammation! sure would love to know what caused it! hope we get healing soon....
sam90321 karen44390
Edited
i was diagnosed with gastritis over a yr ago in a 2 yr time frame i lost over a 100lbs i only recently realize what i was battling with after researching it no dr explain anything to me,
crystal93460 karen44390
Posted
Hello did you ever get any better? i am 3 months in and 1 week in the hospital on iv meds . we might move to find someone to help me
LCat anne53212
Posted
Hi Anne,
so sorry to hear how terrible you've been feeling for 4 months now ... it is so unfair ! I've had exactly the same symptoms like you plus terrible fatigue for 10 months now.
This is the 3rd time I was hit with this, 1st time 10 years ago .... it lasted 3 years, then I felt wonderful for 2 years, then it came back again for a second time .... it lasted for a year and I recovered again .. and now it's the 3rd time.
Each time when it started .... it seemed to hit me like lightening .....'out of the blue'.
Previously I was in a London Top Hospital with a Senior GI Consultant ....I had all sorts of tests, 3 endoscopies, 2 MRI's (I had private medical insurance at the time).
In spite of the horrific symptoms, he never found anything 'serious' or 'nasty' ...he 'only' found 'mild to moderate gastritis' and my condition was called 'Functional Gastritis'. Even Doctors have no idea what causes it and therefore also dont know how to cure it.
What your doctor says makes sense.
Are you having any other examinations? Are you taking any medications ? Are you looking at what you eat ? Is your doctor a GP or a GI Consultant ? What does he advise you should do ? ..... and how are you feeling today ?
I truly truly hope we will get healing ...
LCat karen44390
Posted
Hi Karen 443,
like you I've been sick again with exactly the same symptoms ..... this time for 10 months and I am still in a bad state. I've just explained the details to Anne....as you can read ..... I also had PPI's like you which didnt help me either ... its a very complex illness ........as I explained to Anne, I was hit with this Gastritis 3 times..... I also lost weight like crazy each time .... when I recovered each time I was able to get my weight back.
How do you feel today ? How do you survive during the time you can't eat ? what and how do you try to eat ? I soo much hope we will get better ....
LCat sam90321
Posted
Hi Sam90321,
like you I also lost a lot of weight due my gastritis.... I've explained the details of my gastritis history to Anne as you can see above/below...
and I'm now back in a similar position as I was before ...this type of gastritis is a highly complex illness .... difficult to explain ....it would take a doctor a long time explaining the details .... and maybe he wouldnt have the time to explain ?
How are you feeling today ? have you already recovered ? I hope you did and I would be so happy for you.