How I cured my gastritis
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When I got diagnosed with mild gastritis (but no H. Pylori) and esophagitis, I looked all over the internet to find what to do. I did not find many accounts of people who have cured themselves successfully and how they did it. So I thought I would write my story once I am cured. Here it is. If you have cured yourself from gastritis too, please share your experience below as well.
Many people ask how long it takes to be cured. At first I started on dexilant for a month but I did not see any improvement. After a month I kept taking dexilant and I started the low acid diet in parallel. I got much better in 2-3 days. After two months on dexilant and one month on the diet, I felt completely good. Then I stopped the dexilant cold turkey and got a lot of pain and acidity back in my stomach. Now I regret I did not take the dexilant a little longer as my stomach was obviously not healed and not strong enough to go through the rebound effect of stopping dexilant. I regret also that I did not stop dexilant slowly taking it every other day for a week, then every three days for a week, .... I felt anxious about taking a medication that has so many side effects taken long term and I wanted to stop immediately, which was not reasonable.
Anyway there I was back at the beginning with stomach pain and acidity day and night. I felt pain related to the esophagitis as well which really scared me. I hesitated to take dexilant again but I decided to try to cure myself the natural way. Below I describe what I did. I got cured in approximately two months, getting slowly better week by week. After two months of natural cures I had no stomach pain anymore and no excess acid, I was able to sleep again, felt like a new healthy (and lighter -- I lost a few pounds) person. However after those two months, I felt that I needed to follow the diet another month for my stomach to get strong and be able to handle a less strict diet.
THE CURE
Books
Most of what I did is summarized in two books which I found very useful:
The first book is "Dropping acid: the reflux diet cookbook & cure" by Jamie Koufman. This is the book I based my diet on. The only disagreements I have with the author regard dairy products that I stopped taking as they make the stomach produce more acid (very clear for me), and the use of ginger, manukka honey and aloe vera which I find too irritating and/or acidic (and I don't feel that they help). Also she does not talk about salt which is known to be irritating for the stomach lining in excess, I felt an improvement when I lowered my intake in salt. I will explain the diet more in details below.
The other book is "Ulcer free! Nature's safe & effective remedy for ulcers" by G. Halpern. I know you may have gastritis and no ulcers but the two conditions are related and what cures one usually cures the other too. I used some of the natural supplements recommended in this book. In particular slippery elm (this one is actually not mentioned in the book) and DGL licorice for stomach pain (coat the interior of the stomach lining), Zinc-Carnosine (reduce inflammation and protects stomach lining - I felt a great improvement after starting to take it especially with acid production at night), and cabbage juice (finished my recovery with this one, after two days I had no stomach pain anymore at night). I describe the supplements more below.
What did not work for me
Mastic gum hurts my stomach. It is supposedly helpful against H. Pylori which I knew I did not have (I had been tested).
Prelief removes the acid in food and stomach very efficiently but causes constipation.
Tums works well for 45 minutes but then there is a rebound effect with the stomach producing more acid.
Manukka honey hurts my stomach (Too acidic, Ph level 4, but maybe also because of the tea tree essential oil in it). It is supposedly helpful against H. Pylori.
Aloe Vera is too acidic (around Ph level 4), and I don't feel it is doing anything positive.
Ginger is irritating and I don't feel it is doing anything positive.
Probiotics helps with digestion but not really for the stomach.
Zantac works very well at removing the acidity but makes me feel dizzy and incredibly tired.
PPI worked very well at removing the acidity and pain in my stomach while I was taking it while doing the diet, but I had a bad rebound effect when I stopped (one must stop slowly by taking it every other day for a while). Also having too low acid in the stomach because of PPI might cause problems in the long term (problems with Calcium and B12 absorption, bacterial infection more likely).
39 likes, 3077 replies
Henrinho4 ines6375
Posted
I had suffered this gastritis for over 3 years. But now I'm ok. Is been Over a year. I did lost weight. I follow bland diets, I stop eating red meat. Now I just consume white meat.
One thing that really work for me was drinking purple cabbage juice. I mix with sweet potato juice just to taste better. I got my extractor machine. I can consider this the miracle for me.
1 cup in the morning one 1 hour before breakfast and one before dinner for 9 days. Then stop for couple of weeks. My breakfast consider on a cooked oatmeal with papaya. I still do it now. I prepare a shake. It also helps a lot to avoid fatty meals and do not over eat. Live a normal life. There are a lot of good food to choose from. I did took Dexilant for faster recovery. From now on I do follow healthy eating habits just because I like it. No dairy food, if I want a drink I prepare water with a bit of lemon and honey taste good.
machiskyblade Henrinho4
Posted
Is the cabbage juice for pain as what Ines mentioned? My problem is mostly nausea from bloating and not really pain.
san234 machiskyblade
Posted
Mine is exactly same nausea with just a slight pain and this pain is not noticeable.. But i feel i m having nausea plus stomach discomfort like heaviness and as stomach is silent..
san234 ines6375
Posted
Are u okay now.. As its been 4 years.. R u filly cured.. Can u describe ur symptoms in details.. As im also suffering from this
Caterina912 san234
Posted
sad part is i dont think you are fully cured. once i feel im fully cured..boom. it happens again.
gwen45436 Caterina912
Posted
Yes I agree. I can be so careful for ages then one morning oats and half a banana which usually lie so well will hurt and I go back to square 1. Or another time because I have felt so good for ages I will make a chilli and brown rice and there is no comeback at all. Weird.
san234 Caterina912
Posted
Ohhh really... Its not good... How long have u been in gastritis issue
san234 Caterina912
Posted
Wat were ur exact symptoms plz im just curious to know... As m also having it
michael86733 san234
Posted
A lot of patients diagnosed for gastritis are actually suffering from functional dyspepsia, unless there are significant endoscopic findings. I was put on PPI for six months, the symptoms did not go away. Functional dyspepsia is very common in people with stress which affects stomach restriction, sensation and function leading to irritation and other IBS like symptoms. Relax and avoid stress if we can. Avoid irritating food and large quantity if possible. Try iberogast (from Bayer) together with GI-encap (from Thorne, open the capsule and stir in with iberogast with some water) (available on Amazon) before or more conveniently during each meal. They help me reduce a lot of stomach irritations and heal the stomach lining at the same time. Sometimes we are so anxious about having very serious problems with our stomach, we become anxious and paranoid, the symptoms will get worse. A lot of stomach issues are due to stress and activation of the sympathetic (vagus) nerve to the stomach. Our stomach becomes very sensitive even when we are eating right. It is my experience in the last 3 years. Anxiety is actually the culprit of a lot of stomach irritations in particular for some people.
scott20738 michael86733
Posted
Thanks, Michael. I've noticed the same thing. I was diagnosed with mild gastritis (after an endoscopy). That was 4 years ago. I was prescribed Zantac. I didn't take it, because I wasn't convinced that stomach acid was the problem. Instead, I came across the same research as you about the link between functional dyspepsia and stress/anxiety. So I did three things:
I began eating yogurt (plain Greek full-fat yogurt) every day (twice a day, as my mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack). Probiotic foods, like yogurt, have been shown to have an anti-anxiety effect. It certainly helped me feel calmer. I noticed the difference with two weeks. I've been eating yogurt ever since.
I began eating much more. A LOT more. I used to weigh 137 lbs, when my functional dyspepsia was at its worst. I'm a 5'9" male, so I think that was too low for me to feel good. I now weigh 150 lbs. And I've remained there, even though I'm eating a lot more (healthy) food. I feel much less stressed now. And no constipation at all (which was a BIG problem for me when I was not eating much, trying to restrict my diet to avoid the stomach symptoms). NOTE: I had to gradually build up my food, to allow my stomach to expand and handle it.
I do 20 minutes of aerobic exercise each day, followed by 15 minutes of stretching. And I practice slow, deep belly breathing to feel relaxed.
I hope others will try this. And if you're still having problems, some studies have shown that a low dose of an older anti-depressant called Amitriptyline has been helpful for functional dyspepsia.
Scott
michael86733 scott20738
Posted
Hi Scott:
I am very glad that you have recovered from the stress-induced functional dyspepsia and are healthy. Exercise and belly-deep breathing helps me a lot. They stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system to suppress the sympathetic nervous system which causes stress and stomach discomfort and indigestion. I encourage a lot of other readers on this post to look at the possibility of functional dyspepsia as the actual cause of their stomach discomfort. PPIs are over-used and misused. Control our anxiety and stress. The stomach issues will dissipate over time (for me, about 2-3 months). Take a vacation or relaxing trip with friends and families. Eating well with healthy, balanced diet is very important. When I have stomach discomfort after meals, I distract myself by taking a walk outside or doing something. Do not focus on our pains or discomfort. L-theanine (Suntheanine, the best type) is very helpful to reduce stress. It reduces cortisol (stress hormone) and helps us relax and keeps us calm. It also helps us sleep well. I take 100 mg after breakfast and after dinner. Functional dyspepsia can relapse. I just use this strategy and the herbal remedies to keep it under control. Stress is the culprit!
belledizon scott20738
Posted
Hi Scott! Thank you for the advice. I was diagnosed with moderate gastritis two years ago because of Hpylori. Symptoms comes and goes but manageable. I'll try your regimen and hope it will help me heal completely. I do eat milk kefir last year and I think it help me alot. I am also back to exercise and will try deep belly breathing.
Belle
scott20738 belledizon
Posted
Hi Belle. Glad to hear it -- best of luck to you!
reesy1949 ines6375
Posted
Has anyone tried Essiac Tea for gastritus?
strugglin ines6375
Posted
Can you tell me what your symptoms were? My main symptoms are ocassional burning and nausea. The nausea is the worst one, and I don't know if that is related more to my gastritis or to my esophagitis grade B. Any insight? I am also taking vitamins, but sometimes I feel like they irritate my stomach. Did you take any vitamins during your healing? I am feeling so desperate right now for improvement.
Charyl
monica13278 strugglin
Posted
hi i had nausea, burning stomach and chest day and night. i was taking prontonix and then dr swithched me to dexlin and that caused diarreha so i stopped that and got ZANTAC twice a day. Im now seeing a health alternative dr who i has helped
me alot. Im on 5 different supplements that heal the gut. MOST stomach issues are do to stress and anxiety mine are!!!
monica13278 strugglin
Posted
nausea is due to gastrits. HOW long have you been sick? its taken me 3 months to feel decent and 2 months of nausea bow i just have reflex off and on. TRYING to WEAN off zantac taking 1/2 the dose twice a day. SO THINK thats why im getting reflex but plan ti talk to my dr on next visit.
tmpearce monica13278
Posted
Hi Monica,
What supplements do you take? I have been dealing with chronic gastric for several years. Sometimes I am okay and then I get a flare up. Was on protonix but that made my stomach burn worse so now take zantac twice a day. Last year endoscopy showed some erosions in my stomach but doctor isnt too worried. I am must so tired of this!
monica13278 tmpearce
Posted
hi i take several. hipep and many more. i saw a holistic dr. she has helped me alot. With therapy and also supplements like hipep and others. IVE BEEN dealing with it for 3 MONTHS!! ITS NO FUN!
i am better though, weaning off zantac not a ppi. Stopped that 2 months ago. GET OFF PPI's and try natural remedies like apple cider vinegar and zinc. HAVE YOU tried any if those things??
tmpearce monica13278
Posted
I avoid PPIs like the plague! The zantac works pretty well and being a histamine blocker it doesnt decrease so much stomach acid. I believe the PPI is what caused my erosions. Too little acid and the food just sat in my stomach fermenting and irritating the lining. I am looking into low histamine food diet because it seems like the higher histamine foods bother me more....stomach burning. Since the Zantac is a histamine blocker and is helping some....this kind of makes sense to me. who knows? I just want permanent relief! I have been using slippery elm, drinking a stomach ease tea and avoid dairy and other trigger foods. I have heard of zinc carnosine supplements and perhaps should try it. I don't know what hipep is. I am afraid to try apple cider vinegar until i know the erosions are gone. Thanks for the info!
monica13278 tmpearce
Posted
hi! i understand. hi pep is a supplement with camomile and licorice. FOUND ON AMAZON i do take zinc carnosine by dr best and it works well. ALSO HEALS THE stomach lining. DO you take zantac daily or just as needed?
tmpearce monica13278
Posted
I take zantac 150mg twice a day. I just bought some 75 mg tablets to try and wean down. I am going to try zinc carnosine while I am weaning down the zantac and will definitely look for the hi pep on Amazon. THANKS SO MUCH!
monica13278 tmpearce
Posted
you are welcome, good luck!