Gastritis symptoms for 8 weeks, now weight loss and severe anxiety!

Posted , 33 users are following.

My very long story!... 8 weeks ago on my way home from work out of town I grabbed a bucket of hot chips, some dim sims and a coffee from the local petrol station (bad dietary choice I know!). About 5 hours later I got a severe belly ache (like no other before) followed by diarrhoea that was pretty much constant for an hour. I had severe nausea also but didn't vomit. I slept fairly well that night but did have to sleep sitting up with pillows behind me because of the nausea. The next morning my whole abdomen was that tender I could hardly move so I seen my GP and he suspected viral gastro bug or food poisoning and suggested I use buscopan for the pain and cramping. The buscopan will improve my discomfort. I feel like I never recovered and have seen my GP on a weekly basis for the past 8 weeks and just couldn't get an answer. After 4 weeks of dealing with it I had a CT scan with contrast, lower and upper abdomen ultra sound, blood tests, stool test and all came back clear. In the first 4 weeks I mentally dealt with it ok as I truely thought I had something viral and it would improved. After 5 weeks, I wasn't improving and started to feel very anxious and stressed about what was going on with me and I just want answers! My current anxiety level is pretty high and I can't get the bad thoughts out of my head. 1.5 weeks ago I had a break down in my GPs room and demanded an endocpopy and colonoscopy because I have had enough. last week I seen a gastro specialist and had my endoscopy and colonscopy which showed a normal colonoscopy and gastritis in my stomach. I have lost 4 kilos over the past 4 weeks ( I have made dietary changes but can't seem to eat enough to put any weight back on or even maintain in), I have severe reflux and indegestion and have had a couple of nights where I have had severe heart burn that makes me feel like I'm having a heart attack. My anxiety is very severe and my bowel movements are now constipation to diarrhoea. For the first 6 weeks I had diarrhoea only and daily. I get a full and sometimes sharp pain just under my rib cage, mostly on the left but also central and right sided. I have muscle weakness and today feel like I have had cramps in my calfs! My stools are a pale yellow colour and I have had my liver and pancreas function checked and they are ok. My GP started me on Rantadine 2 weeks ago which helps and my specialist started me on somac 3 days ago. I stopped taking the somac today because I was getting headaches and found my anxiety symptoms worsened. I will see my GP this week to organise an alternative. 

Is it normal to have pale yellow stools, severe anxiety, severe reflux and discomfort with gastritis? Is it possible the somac changed the colour of my stools?

2 likes, 53 replies

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  • Posted

    Gastritis requires some dietary changes. Include broccoli, yogurt, fruits like apple, banana, pears, and peaches, proteins in lean meats, fish in your diet. Avoid caffeine, Alcohol and spicy foods etc.
  • Posted

    I have been going through same symptoms for last 3 months I have anxiety but no stomach pain my endoscopy results showing antral gastritis I never knew that gastritis causes anxiety what is the treatment for this

    • Posted

      PPI medication, no rich, greasy and spicy foods; eating blandly all should help. Try a food diary to identify food triggers which are different for everyone.  Some people experience anxiety with gastritis symptoms but not everyone. I have IBS, but my symptoms don’t make me anxious becaise I now know what is wrong with me.  Before diagnosis, I was very anxious because no one could help me.

      If you do get anxious, it will make symptoms worse.  Relaxation therapy and distraction techniques can help with this. 

  • Posted

    Hi I have got gastritis for about 12 weeks now I am on ranitidine but stools have been normal colour never yellow I had an endoscopy
  • Posted

    Hi I have got gastritis for about 12 weeks now I am on ranitidine but stools have been normal colour never yellow I had an endoscopy it showed I still has the gastritis and now I have h pylori a bug in the stomach and still normal colour I wud go back gp
  • Posted

    I am reading your post and response and it soulds just like what a currently experiencing. Did you get any relief? Or help?
  • Edited

    Hi vicki,

    I have the same problem like you as you have mentioned.How are feeling now ? now also Im being suffered from anxiety bcoz of this matter.belly pain under rib and pinch like feeling ,yellow stool and diarrhoea ,burning sensation in bottom .these are the problems .Done Endoscopy,sigmoidoscopy(checked almost the colon) and biopsis also checked ,all are normal,done Ultra sound also and was normal.Doctor prescribed Pantocid 40 ,Librexol ,mozart 5 with Belcid . those medicine helps to relive gastritis up to some extent but ddint help to stop diarrhoea .  is this IBS ? just tell me how you feel ? 

    • Posted

      Your medications could be causing diarrhoea and IBS could also cause it.

    • Posted

      i found out that if the stool is yellow its an indicator that its due to the pancreas. If your pancreas isn't producing enough enzymes to help breakdown your foods then it can irritate it causing inflammation & horrible pains. resulting in bouts pancreatitis. The question is how do we stop those bouts of inflammation? Many people don't want to take those harmful RX enzyme medications. I would suggest a super papaya enzyme that will aid in helping out those flare ups & can help with gastritis issues as well. The only issue i can think of is you still have to be careful on the choices of foods you eat. Its a big challenge on what works & what doesn't. everyone who suffers from this unfortunate issue has different triggers.

  • Posted

    its just because of your unhealthy life style just try to exercise daily it will be ok
  • Posted

    I had the same problem, I think the problem is your gallbladder. Perhaps a gall stone has blocking the bile duct, or your gall bladder is sick or inflamed, and not functioning properly. If the gallbladder is full of cholesterol, or gallstones.

    I had the exact same symptoms, the GB was removed and I am fine now.

  • Posted

    Severe anxiety, reflux and pain are gastritis symptoms. You will know if somac caused stool colour change if your stools went back to normal after stopping somac. I have heard that some people get stool colour change with gastritis but changes in bowel habit from constipation to diarrhoea sound more like IBS or a reaction to the other medications you are still taking.

  • Posted

    Hi...

    I know it's been over 2 years ..but I am having exactly the same symptoms for 5 weeks now...did 5 blood test 2 ct scans one of which with contrast..and both endo and colonoscopy..results...all negative except chronic mild gastritis and probable IBS...and also suspected stomach functional issues ..lost 5 kg in 4 weeks...eating 35% of what I used to eat...anxiety high...taking Nexum 40 mg morning and evening...with Mirtazapine for anxiety...I was scarred from something big...wannabe know Vickie how are u now ? were u able to heal properly ?

  • Edited

    Hi...

    I know it's been over 2 years ..but I am having exactly the same symptoms for 5 weeks now...did 5 blood test 2 ct scans one of which with contrast..and both endo and colonoscopy..results...all negative except chronic mild gastritis and probable IBS...and also suspected stomach functional issues ..lost 5 kg in 4 weeks...eating 35% of what I used to eat...anxiety high...taking Nexum 40 mg morning and evening...with Mirtazapine for anxiety...I was scarred from something big...wannabe know Vickie how are u now ? were u able to heal properly ?

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