I've been told I have gastritis but I don't think my doctor is doing best for me, what should I do?

If your doctor is unwilling to do more--why do you not switch doctors? I have been there ans when they do nothing but prescribe drugs they dont work...they are there just to get paid. FInd another doctor.

I didn't even add my shortness of breath or having trouble taking deep breaths and dizziness in there they didn't come to mind at the time. They are there though like today I could inhale deeply. I couldn't tell if it hurt or it was uncomfortable or I just couldn't.

I can't help with advice but I'd like you to know you're not alone.. For 18 months I've had nothing but nausea, reflux and pain and my doctors are exactly the same. My consultant at the hospital has refused to see me as he thinks I'm exaggerating.. It's horrible and I don't know what we can do.. I too get the dizziness and find it hard to concentrate and I barely sleep because of it. I'm only 20 years old and I feel as if it's already ruined my life as I can't do anything any more. I really hope you can find something to make it better, no one deserves to go through it xx

Hi Charlotte

A blood test for H Pylori is not reliable you need to have a stool or breath test. Go back to your doc and ask for one of these test to rule out HPylori completely. The acid reflux leads me to think you have HPylori also the pain and sickness. Ask your doc to do the breath or stool test just to put your mind at rest. These tests will definitely show HPylori if you have it. Dont be fobbed off. Under the Patients Charter for England and Wales you are entitled to a second opinion ...assuming you live in UK. If you fo have HPylori it can be treated with antibiotics....best wishes....

Hi Charlotte

It sounds like you are going through an awful lot at your young age. And I do hope you get to the bottom of it and get the help you need.

I don't believe your doctor's are not helping you, they have listened to you and your symptoms which is why you have had sent referrals to have all these investigations done in trying to help you and so far everything has come back clear. So it is difficult for them to do much more When results are showing nothing all they can do is give you medication that may or may not work.

I would suggest more blood tests and try to push that forward.

also have you looked at what you eat and drink and if you know you could be eaten and drinking healthier then you should try to help yourself if you smoke or drink alcohol I would suggest avoid and try a pro biotic drink and yoghurt manuka honey is also very good for problems in the digestive system that would be my advice to you to try.

Hi Charolotte,  l think l know how you feel, partly with some of symptoms lve experienced, but also the frustration and anger at gps meds for not improving symptoms. l was diagnosed with acid reflux years ago, though didnt have known symptoms following gall bladder removal later. l,d noticed ld feel full easily and uncomfortable, then the nausea started daily, horrible and debilitating, mine worse with exertion,restricting,also no appetite, lost 2stone,  had tried chemist meds, then got script meds, none helped. Saw gastrologist had scan, scope, showed a bit of gastritus, not really explaining severity symtoms, put on omprazole, got probiotic, had small plain meals, no ready meals or processed, went off milk, eggs, cheese. Slowly improved, now nausea 90percent better, though still niggly days also bloating belching extra cautious with food now. But the other symptoms of tiredness fatigue aches and pains still present, and restricting lifestyle, so back and forth to gps, no diagnoses, dont even question or examine much, 

seems to me the blood tests, scans become the be all and end all, and easy for them to fall back on phycalogical reasons, and l dont dispute that can cause symptoms, but there are quite a lot of conditions that dont show up on standard blood tests and even scans, l dont think cfs or fibromyalgia sjorgens,do, sure there,s a lot more.  l had severe symptons of pain ill health for years, put down to pots op cs, gyny, hormones, finally phycalogical, after years of this l guess l felt a bit like you, l,d seen one gp in main, but occassionally others, then different gp on call out referred me to urologist, after xray, scan, showed nothing, a scope diagnosed intersticial cystitus, which is just eg of conditions that dont show up in standards tests. l,d say to anyone if you feel that bad trust in your own judgement and keep pushing them for further testing,  But are you sure that omprazole didnt settle it, as it did take a few weeks to settle my nausea, and recently ran out for a few days and nausea came back, or spontaneiously, big fear that will happen as it has for you. l guess they did scope your stomach, which should also show if pylori is present, mine was neg for that.   l ended up complaining to surgery and got call from practise manager, she was defencive, expected, frosty chat, but she arranged for me to see senior doc, who l know and like and it went well, but still no further with diagnosis, but hes referring to rheumatologist, l do have a bad chest as diagnosed, but noticed in recent times with other symptoms breathlessness worse, on exertion a struggle, also restless sleep waking on and off,   l,m biding my time till l see him, and taking a rest from bad feelings, but if l dont get a diagnoses l will change surgery. Drs can misdiagnose or non diagnose, it happens, even for straightforward conditions at time, l,ve spoke to two people in recent times who had typical chest symptoms, pain breathlessness, told virus,s, later one collapsed in a and e, both diagnosed later with pneumonia, and some conditons far more difficult to diagnose, immune ones seem the worst, and there,s a lot, chrons, ceoliac, or allergic respones, even if its such as cfs we still need it diagnosing.  l,m older and its still a drag on my life, but for younger people like yourself, its no way to live, more so if there is unfound condition that can be improved.

Have you anyone, family or good friend who could go to docs with you, support you, or change to another surgery, or if you can afford it try privately, it does help some people get a diagnoses and treatment to help,  just keep trying, dont give up, best wishes.

Hi Charlotte,

Ive been suffering with stomach pains for almost 4 months now. I've had stool, blood, urine, xray, ultrasound, ct scan and I'm scheduled for an endoscopy next month. My friend was telling me about someone who had a negative blood test and a negative stool test for h pylori, but after two years he got a breath test and it came out positive.he took the antibiotics and was healed. I to had a neg blood and stool test but just asked my doctor this morning for a breath test. I would get a breath test if I were you. You never know. Wishing you the best.

Chris

Hi, I am going through the same thing. I have suffered since I was 15 with IBS and am now a 56 year old female. I have lived on esomeprazole and ranitidine for years now and was managing really well until earlier this year when I needed a lot of antibiotics which sent my symptoms off the scale. I have been struggling since March with all the symptoms you are describing and have seen several doctors both at my surgery and at A&E, have had loads of tests for pains in chest, bloods etc all clear. One GP said it was in my head and she did not feel my anxiety what ever that meant and just out of frustration, I think, referred me to gastro, I went last Friday again I felt that like the GP's they were not really interested but are sending me for another endoscopy in January. I had one in 2009 which I did not know until I received the hospital report today revealed I had gastritis/oesophagitis, which they think it is again. Like you I am so fed up being in pain, but GP's do not seem that bothered by it. I was told lose weight and eat smaller portions etc, all of which I have been trying to do but as I also have diverticular it is a real struggle eating fruits, vegetables etc. I think that the GPs see this type of thing so regularly that they are not phased by it, they do care but I am not sure apart from tablets what they can do for us. Once Xmas is over I am going to find a dietician and see if I can help myself with food etc. Like you I have a bland diet which helps but the minute I introduce something yummy of it starts again. What I find helps is 20mg esomeprazole first thing, followed by 75mg ranitidine mid morning (GP prescribes this dosage), then 75mg ranitidine before bed. I sometimes have another esomeprazole. I do not find probiotics, aloe vera, DGL helps, it does for some but not for me. Do not under any circumstances take ibuprofen a no no for gastritis. Try to keep your spirits up, I know it is hard and try to relax a bit as stress makes it worse. Take care