Really need help with chronic gastritis and acid reflux

Also worth a mention that I've been on PPIs and all the medication the doctors precribe and none of them help. And I'm due for the camera down there within the next week.

Hello Liam,

For what help it may be to you, whatever the actual cause of your issues turns out to be, gastritis, which I suffer from, can involve such issues as you are having, which is usually when stomach acid has damaged the stomach or lower eosophageal tissues. Reflux is when that acid comes up into your eosophagus and burns the tissues there, which is what heartburn is. PPIs lower the production of acid so there is less of it to cause you bother, and this can be very helpful short-term to help healing, or, for some people, vital long-term. But the underlying cause also needs to be addressed. Maybe the following  measures that help me, and those that help other sufferers on this site, will help you in some way.

Several medium meals per day (I have seven, could do eight, one every two hours or bit longer), rather than fewer bigger ones, so that you don't overfill and stretch your stomach. Eat relaxed and chew well. Be sat upright for and after meals, not bent or slouching, so you don't squash your stomach and press its contents upwards.

We're all different and you might find some foods are ok or bad with you compared to other people, so it's a matter of experimentation and patience, but fried foods, high-fat foods, high-salt foods, carbonated drinks, caffeine, alcohol and chocolate can all impact on stomach and reflux troubles. Spicy and hot foods can also aggravate the trouble for some people. Minty foods relax the lower eosophageal muscle too, so they are bad. I even use a fruity toothpaste.

Wholewheat bread, cereals, bananas, hardboiled eggs are a few of the foods that suit me, but there are pulses, rice, various beans (not kidney beans) and many other things you can try, and things that other sufferers find useful in their cases. Chicken is one of the best meats to try due to its lower fat content.

Stress and excercise that affect the stomach are also to be avoided. Be as calm and stress-free as you can.

Having your last meal a few hours before bed can prevent or lessen reflux at night, but you may find, as I did, that waiting to be too empty causes hunger discomfort and keeps you awake. Because of this I lie-down raised a bit on three pillows (on my right is best for me, maybe not for everyone) about an hour and a half to two hours after last meal, and this is much better.

Another thing which has helped me greatly, is to not burp after about ten or so minutes after eating, as this can bring acid up - as you have already found - and cause burn damage that then has to heal.

The first thing that happened when I had to find an eating routine that helped instead of harmed, was that I lost weight, and over time I have added new foods to boost calorie intake, but this isn't fully achieved yet, so I'm also having nutrition drinks from a dietician. I can't eat meats or fish really, and being low in calories anyway, I have something with more calories, and have three or four eggs a day for one of my sources of fat and protein, which the dietician said is fine, for, unless a person has an actual medical difficulty with cholesterol, the body adjusts its own production of cholesterol to keep the balance right when eating enough.

Best wishes to you.

Hi,

Everyone is different so trying to put a list here is a waste of time. Just google and you will get more answers.  Here is some of the thing I do besides eating better.  I use probiotics daily, I drink 40ml of Aloe Vera Juice twice daily ( just started this one), and I drink potato juice before 2 meals ( this is for gastritis) I eat 6 small meals daily, no spicy foods and for sure no heavy meals.  They say to wait 3-4 hours after the last leal to go to bed but then I can't sleep so I eat my last small meal 2 hours before bedtime.  In my personal case I do not have heartburn and I have no problem at nights even if I eat 30 minutes before bed.  As for medications, I have tried 4 and just like you they did not help. Word of advise, when you stop them stop slowly, one every other day and then one every 3rd day and then stop.  Not much but hopes it helps a little. ;-)

Hi Liam

You should be OK with the sandwich if you use wholemeal/multigrain bread and fresh ingredients for the filling and no (or very little) butter. There are a number of alkeline diets if you google this but of course even these diets will not be suitable to all. Trial and error is the best way.

Good luck

Robin

Do u suffer a cough nothing coughed up but dry sometimes?

Hi Liam

Around 6 weeks ago mine was really bad and I went and did a stool sample,

Showed I had a parasite , yeast infections and bad bacteria, I have been suffering for years and was also diagnosed with esophagitus a year ago.

I went and seen a nutritionalist and we spent time getting rid of the parasites first, now I'm working on the yeast, once that is done we will begin to try and repair my gut.

She has had me on a paleo diet for 5 weeks now and I have to admit, my bloat is no where near as bad and I do feel so much better overall after just 6 weeks.. It's not easy to do but I really need to try and heal myself

My only problem is my esophocus has flared up again big time which is driving me insane, especially as I'm doing everything I can to make my gut healthier . I don't have the answer to why.

But one thing I have learned is that to heal your gut and to have a good diet is the best way to deal with any health problems

Hope u feel better soon bro