Gastritis Support Group

Gastritis is a medical term for inflammation of the lining of the stomach. It means that white blood cells move into the wall of the stomach as a response to some type of injury. Gastritis has many underlying causes, from infection with the bacterium H. pylori, bile reflux, or excessive consumption of alcohol or certain foods or drugs like aspirin.

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Gastrointestinal System
/ Gastritis Support Group

Antihistamines

Nina1959
Nina1959
I've discovered quite by accident that Benadryl (Diphenhydramine HCl) really helps my chronic gastritis.
I took some the last few nights to help me sleep and realized when I woke up in the middle of the night that I didn't have my usual gnawing burning pain. I was able to go back to sleep. Then in the morning when it would have worn off it started to hurt again, so I tried another dose.
Would you believe, hardly any pain?
I poked around google and found others who have said the same.

So now I am on the hunt for an antihistamine of the same type as Benadryl (an H1 blocker) that won't make me sleepy or cause issues with my other illnesses.
Will try Zyrtec first as I've read it is a cousin of benadryl.
Just putting it out there for those really bad nights, if you might want to give it a try. Bear in mind it's the exact same ingredient as in many over the counter sleeping meds, so it does make you sleepy!

I am med sensitive, so 25mg is all I can take and still walk straight ;-) but you may need 50mg, the usual adult max dose.

Anything that helps on those really bad nights, right?

Going to also do some research on if gastritis has an allergic component. I'm interested in if this is helping because it's just slowing down the acid along with my other biological responses because of the same reason it makes people sleepy; or if perhaps gastritis has more to do with allergies in general than we think.
Ines6375
Ines6375
I read somewhere that gastritis can be caused by allergies. This is why I asked my GI doctor to test my allergies. But it came back clear. I still have not found the cause of my gastritis. I suspect intense stress I went through these last years, spicy food, tomatoes, apples with a hint of bourbon, lemon juice, my morning vitamins, and some fiber supplement I was taking but I really don't know.
ravenfish2013
ravenfish2013
Hmmm... does it also help with inflammation? If so, that would make sense also as gastritis is inflammation of the stomach lining, in layman's terms. Keep us posted. What a wonderful bit of nice news for everyone here.
Nina1959
Nina1959
Allergy testing seems to be a tricky thing. There are so many different kinds of tests, you know? I had skin testing, and blood testing. The blood testing was ALCAT. It came up with a few weird surprises and the two tests had very few foods in common... except that both said I had to avoid gluten like the plague and had some of the nightshade foods. I'm avoiding all that... I see my gastro in 10 days. I'll ask him about allergies and gastritis... took 1/2 a benadryl at 10 am when my stomach was bad and an hour later, no pain... I don't know if it will last but even having a few hours off to sleep has to help after 2 yrs of 24/7 pain.
Just checked on the inflammation - it seems Histamine does cause inflammation and as benadryl is a histamine blocker.... makes sense, good catch! Logical I guess as meds like pepcid are also histamine blockers.. but H2 not H1 like benadryl.
Ever feel like we do more research than the medical community? :)
ravenfish2013
ravenfish2013
All the time. That is how I received the nickname "Dr. Raven" on here. I researched and researched and researched. The key though is to never stop trying to learn, as you never know what will do the trick and help... your post as a case in point. Happy you stumbled on this and hope the GI appointment goes well.
CindysRain
CindysRain
Oh wow, somebody else who has noted Benadryl helping their stomach! I discovered it by accident as well.

I also think because it makes us sleepy, we are able to relax more, helping ease our tummy too.
soretum
soretum
Great to hear some good news. I wonder if there is a connection between gastritis and shingles. Dr says no. Maybe in the future they will know more.
smilelikeyoumeanit
smilelikeyoumeanit
Histamine is a molecule involved in the secretion of gastric acid in the stomach.
Benadryl is an anti-histamine (H1 blocker), therefore it eliminates the effects of histamine.
Less histamine = Less stomach acid = Less pain!
An even better histamine blocker is Ranitidine because it is a H2 blocker which is even more specific to the cells in the stomach.
rosebrook
rosebrook
All my gastritis started with a bad post nasal drip that just emptied into my stomach for months, it all makes sense even today I have mucus in my nasal pharynx, I do nasal sinus finesse everyday. I take Pepcid every bedtime for a histamine. I have tried Zytrec for months but it dries you up too much, then I get congested and have to take a decongestant.. It's a viscous circle. My GI dr agreed with me regarding the nasal problems causing gastritis, you have to have the right combination of meds, and doing a lot of research,
CindysRain
CindysRain
Rose, I agree with you!

Have had icky sinuses problems that come and go for years. Whenever, it gets bad and I have a lot of drainage, my stomach acts up too.

And if I get a cold or sinus infection, stomach is even worse.
willpwr
willpwr
from my personal experience I feel antihistamine reduced my Gastritis related chest pain completely ( I find taking it in empty stomach is more effective for me,when Gastritis pain used to be more,it gave relief almost with in one hour)
I have been suffering pain on and off for last Twenty years,now almost for one year No pain.I take Avil25 one or two .I avoid taking spicy and oily food,eating curd Rice once day also helps