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Ulcerative colitis and gastric reflux

Posted , 5 users are following.

louisep
louisep

Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone else is suffering from both uc and gastric reflux or Gerd? I've been diagnosed with both for about 5 years each condition. Although I didn't make the connection initially I think the Gerd was exacerbated by taking oral steroids several years ago. Now I know of the link I no longer can take oral steroids. However I still suffer terrible bouts of Gerd from time to time. This latest flare up started about 6 weeks ago. Constant heartburn and even nausea daily. Then just over a week ago my 6 month remission of uc ended and I started bleeding again. So I'm suffering both ends at the moment! I just wondered if there is a known link between the 2 conditions and whether anyone else has this problem and how they cope with it.

Grateful for any advice or help to manage this.

Thanks for reading my post x

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • bjwwil
    bjwwil louisep

    Posted

    Hi louise

    My history goes like this, duodenal ulcers in 1998 and 2004. Positive for help cobactor. Constant gastritis and reflux in-between. Rescannded and endoscopy again two years ago. Helicobactor positive again, severe vomiting daily chronic weight loss. Was given omeprazole, ranitidine and various anti sickness tablets with no improvement. Christmas I started bleeding and losing mucus analy. Eventually diagnosed with indeterminate colitis and started on pentasa. Since then my vomiting has lessened dramatically and I'm starting to maintain my weight. So fir me I definitely think there was a link and all my symptoms were related. U really hope you feel better soon

    • louisep
      louisep bjwwil

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply. It sounds like you've had it really bad. As far as I remember when I had an endoscopy I tested negative for helicobactor, just had reflux. I had the endoscopy 2 years ago so my GP reluctant to send me for another one. However I'm waiting to be seen by a gastroenerologist for both problems so I'm hoping I can be given something to relieve my symptoms more effectively. I'm currently on 40 mg omeprasol, gaviscon liquid and steroid suppositories for uc which seems to be the only treatment I can tolerate that has any success in getting me into remission. Hope it works again this time.

      I wish you all the best and hope you continue to improve. Thank you for sharing your story. It helps to know I'm not the only one!

    • bjwwil
      bjwwil louisep

      Posted

      Hopefully your gastroenterologyist will do a raft of retests and get you sorted. I feel better now than I have in years and it's sonics nit throwing up all the time lol. Hope they get you sorted
    • bjwwil
      bjwwil

      Posted

      I that's supposed to say 'so nice ' lol
  • looloo43
    looloo43 louisep

    Posted

    Hi Louise, i suffer from colitis, ibs-d, bile acid malabsorption, & fructose malabsorption, all successfully controlled at present with meds & diet. i truly think excess acid is often associated with other digestive/bowel disorders. i have had oesophagitis several times (where acid reflux comes up your throat & burns oesophagus) which was treated with 8wks of 40mg esomeprazole each time. i have to take a daily maintenance dose of 20mg esomeprazole to control excess acid/reflux & this works. if i dont take it, i get reflux, especially at night & it wakes me up with burning/coughing/choking in throat. so i stay on it which controls it fine. i do get random bouts of feeling sick/no appetite, but with several conditions to deal with i do get blips now & then. i find low fat milk is my saviour if i dont feel hungry & do feel a bit nauseas but need to eat something. half a pint of milk is still a nutritious food in liquid form & is better than nothing at all & often relieves nausea. low fat milk (semi skimmed or the 1%fat milk) also neutralises acid. i often dont feel like eating in the morning particularly, so rather than having nothing i will have half a pint of milk before work with my vitamins & meds. maybe ask your doc to try the esomeprazole, but it does sound like you're having a colitis flare too if you're bleeding again, so see your doc or gastroenterolgist/ibd nurse anyway. hope this helps
  • looloo43
    looloo43 louisep

    Posted

    p.s esomprazole is a different form of omeprazole, that apparently is more effective, dont know why though.
    • louisep
      louisep looloo43

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply. I will certainly take your advise and speak to the Dr about the esomprasol as an alternative treatment. I'll have to think about the milk idea though. I'm not a fan of drinking milk on its own, but I guess it can't be worse than gaviscon which is totally disgusting! Anything is worth trying now. I'm so sick of constant heartburn etc. It can't be good to be producing so much acid. Thankfully the steroids seem to be helping with the uc so at least that is behaving at the moment.

      I wish you all the best with all your treatments and thank you for your helpful advice x

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