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High or low stomach acid?

Posted , 5 users are following.

shiv83496
shiv83496

Hello everyone firstly I am 27 years old and I am having some issues with my stomach especially over the past 5-6 months or so. I have had a bout of stomach problems a few years ago. I used to take apple cider vinegar for weight loss and then I got random stomach pains and it became more frequent especially in the afternoon. I saw the doctor and was given omeprazole which I did take a few for a couple of days and I was back to good health.

Around November last year I don't know if taking lemon/lime water on mornings triggered it. I got the same issues with the pains but this time it was accompanied by burning. The pains have gone after I took the chamomile tea. None of the tablets worked during that period to get rid of the pain like the last time. I have seen a gastroenterologist (he did a colonoscopy but from the anal area and said everything was fine) and have had two complete blood counts done.

The symptoms started fading and in early January the burning stopped and I was okay for about a month and then it started again in February.

We are now in March, 2016 and I still cannot tell if it is high or low acid. I have tried the baking soda test 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda with a glass of water on morning) but I never burp. I do not have reflux like most people since I rarely burp and no food comes up. I usually pass the gas out the other end and it smells really bad at times and is sometimes so frequent (every 2-5 minutes). I still get pains at times and horrible gas as well. I am taking probiotics to help my stomach and it prevents constipation. I have noticed that when I get the pains it is usually 2-3 hours after eating and in the recent past it has been on weekends.

I don't know what to do. I have a burning sensation in my upper abdomen right now. Please assist

1 like, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • craig84609
    craig84609 shiv83496

    Posted

    Hi, you need to have the scope for the upper digestive tract not the lower. If your symptoms are coming from your stomach I don't understand why the doctor wouldn't check that. You could have an ulcer, gastritis, or gall stones. You need to go back to that doctor and ask him to scope your stomach or at least have an upper GI done. I have similar issues but I have bad reflux and Crohn's disease. Doesn't sound like you have these problems. Foul smelling gas could be a CDIFF infection but one usually gets the runs with that not constipation. Either way you need to be evaluated again. Try an antacid with an antigas to see if it helps.
  • lilian05079
    lilian05079 shiv83496

    Posted

    Hi shiv83496

    Ask your doc to test you for hpylori a bacteria which lives in the stomach and duodenum and causes all the symptoms you have mentioned. It is very common and is dealt with via antibiotics.

    ...hope you get a speedy diagnosis....

    • shiv83496
      shiv83496 lilian05079

      Posted

      Hello and thanks for the reply. I already did the blood test that confirmed no h pylori.
    • lilian05079
      lilian05079 shiv83496

      Posted

      Hi shiv83496

      A blood test is not always reliable for HP.Ask for a breath, stool test or endoscopy...

  • Barretts
    Barretts shiv83496

    Posted

    You need H-Pylori test and upper GI scope - gastroscopy.

    Unlikely to be low stomach acid - hypochlorhydria is rare. And the fact omeprazole worked before, and you experience burning are both indicators of excess acid.

    Forget the Baking soda self-diagnosis it's unreliable. From the www DownWithAcid org uk book: "It is claimed you can test your stomach acidity by ingesting baking soda and determining how long it is before you belch. Whereas the science behind this has some credibility (baking soda + stomach acid = carbon dioxide = burp), there are so many variables as to make results calculated this way too unreliable for accurate diagnosis."

    Determine your trigger foods by keeping a food diary and try omeprazole again for a few weeks every day.

  • threena58977
    threena58977 shiv83496

    Posted

    please do a H. pylori test.. it can tolerate the acidity of the stomach and the culprit for stomach ulcer.. and do not forget to flush out the toxins and excess waste with fibers.Fennel is good with digestion and cardamom can be an addition as a natural stomach wound healer. Hope to hear your recovery soon.
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