Hi: Sorry things aren't going well. I found it does take many months before feeling better. It's been almost 15 months for me, and I can generally eat most foods, but I still have to watch anything really strong or spicy, and I cut out caffeine and carbonated beverages completely.

Have you read the 'dietary assistance' thread here? It's really helpful.

Also, have you contacted your gi doc for help and suggestions? They can prescribe meds that can help. I take one for stomach cramping as needed.

Please keep us posted. Maybe you can list what you are eating, how often you eat, etc. and we can help you more.

Best wishes and hang in there!

P.S. There are other posts on anxiety, if you do a search in the box above. Some good suggestions on books and other resources. Take care.

Hi thanks very much for your time and advice I will look at the things you have suggested in terms of my diet I eat just bland foods and stay away from the obvious irritants and also make sure there is food in my stomach so I eat little and often my gi said it will take around 4 months to heal but that was 6 months ago and just to take protonix also I was told the anxiety is keeping it from healing which is a vicious cycle but its hard not to be with the nausea and pain can I ask was there times when u thought it would never get better and how u coped with it thanks again

HI and welcome to the site.
Time along with dietary changes is the greatest healer for this horrid illness. I've been living with gastritis since April 2010 and it does get better and easier to manage. Like sunlovinmom I can many foods now that I thought I'd never get back. It took two years but I have tomatoes back and as of last week onions came back into my diet.
You are doing the right things and I believe the hardest part of the early days is we are given a time for being healed and it is so far from realistic. I was told 4-6 weeks. For acute gastritis this might be realistic.
Hang in there as life will take hold again.
You may have many ups and downs along the way but it will get better. You will get stronger with each set back along the way.
Soretum

Thank you for your help and kind words at least there is some hope in all of this i will just have to continue with what im already doing the main problem is i cant take my mind off the problem which is really hard to do and i hate when you think your better then boom back it comes just horrible

I remember thinking after a few months, "This will NEVER go away!" so I can relate, and I think most of us have been there.

The first time I started moving ahead was when I was around 6 months after diagnosis. Even then, it was very slow going with 1 step forward, 3 back! This stuff really takes patience, unfortunately.

I sometimes wonder about the PPIs. Have never taken them myself, but then again everyone is different. I used DGL licorice and slippery elm caps to make tea (bought both from Puritan's Pride (they're online and also have a paper catalog). Also drank/drink lots of chamomile tea which helped, and I still drink that and gingerroot tea, since ginger is anti-inflammatory (though it can be too strong for some people.) I bought a gingerroot at Wal-Mart (produce section), cut it up and peeled it and froze the pieces. I use a few small pieces to make a tea. Again, not for everyone, but some people can tolerate it. Drink lots of water, too!!

I always tried/try to take one day (or even one hour sometimes!) at a time and I tried hard to get my mind off the gastritis (not easy, I know). When it would flare, a cold pack on my stomach helped, or sometimes sitting in a chair with a heating pad on my back (I have fibromyalgia and it kicked up the gastritis at times). I also tried to get into good, funny movies or hobbies to divert myself, which helped.

It's hard not to have anxiety these days--things are so crazy! Relaxing music is also helpful--even 'elevator music' or some nice inspirational music, which can be found on YouTube (I have lots of 'favorites' I've book-marked.)

You sound like your diet is on track. Keep at it and you will get there. Also, don't be afraid to contact your GI doc or nurse--they are usually very helpful. I asked them a ton of questions. I also made a separate appt just to talk to the doctor. Before I went, I wrote all my questions down. It was very helpful.

Hope things are better soon and keep posting. Best wishes!

Hi thank you so much for your advice i take aloe vera juice and manuka honey also acidopolus capsuals at present i also see a councellor for my anxiety which i have been taught relaxation techniques but nothing seems to help i have spoke to my gi multiple times but he says its not my stomach that needs fixing it is my depression which is hard to conquer can u assure me that it gets better because im at a loss thanks again for your help

hi ct198 & welcome, ive suffered for over 2 years with this & only in the last 2/3 months have i started to introduce little things back into my diet. the biggest mistake you can make is to think because you aint flared up in weeks its gone, thats the worst thing to think because it comes back twice as bad as before, everyone on here will tell you the same. as for the anxiety i know where your coming from i was convinced i was having heart problems even numerous trips to a&e, umpteen ecg's all coming back normal didnt put mind at ease even now after coucilling when i do have bad pains the doubts go round your head making you feel worse which makes the pain worse. take all the advice on here you get as we seem to know more about this than many docs. good luck & dont forget your not on your own in this

Thanks yorkyboy it means alot you are all so helpful here are you in a much better place now and are the flare ups less and less and what did or do you take for this as long as i know it gets easier i have hope thanks again

Hi ct198,
It sounds like you are going the right way about dealing with this nightmare. I had counselling last year when the anxiety got too much. It was suggested by some of the wonderful people in this group and it was the best thing to do.
I also stumbled on vitamin B1 as help for my anxiety. I was taking it for sandfly bites and noticed it had settle my anxiety around eating down by a huge amount. Something to consider.
Like sunlovinmom I've not taken PPI, well I did in the first month but they didn't really do much. Some days it will be two steps forward and one back and others visa versa. Those are the times that will be the most challenging.
You will get through this and with such strength you won't know yourself. Take care.

Thanks soretum it means alot i would like to stop the ppi but im afraid to and they way my stress levels are i dont think it would be a good idea the anxiety is the worst part about all this but ill just keep taking on all your advice when did you start to see any improvement within yourself ? Thanks again

hi ct198, basically i changed jobs, lost weight & tried to cut the stress out of my life { thats not that easy }. as for medication i take 300mg ranitidine on a morning & 40mg omeprazole at night along with gallons of gaviscon gaviscon is the new chardonnay {lol}, these worked for me

I noticed a big improvement with the gastritis just over 12 months ago and then IBS hit me and through everything into turmoil. I almost feel normal again now though I take introducing foods very seriously and prepare myself mentally. I managed corn on the cob last night for the first time in 18 months. Today I'm going to try chic peas. I use to eat them a lot and I've not eaten one for two years.
If you feel the PPI are helping or the thought of going off them makes you anxious then I'd stick with them for now. We all react differently to all meds and foods.
Do you have any guided meditation cd's or guided relaxation cd's you can listen to? I know they helped me to calm down enough to eat in the early days.
Cas

Be proud of where you are. You have had a lot on your plate it sounds like but honestly, you HAVE made progress. Take a moment to appreciate that. I know it is a rough battle and a long road to travel... for some, sadly, longer than others. Trust yourself and make the choices you feel you need to, as you are ready. Know though you are doing great, even when it doesn't always feel that way. Take pleasure in the small things and you will get through this. Any time you have doubts, know too, we are here.

Thanks for all your replies and kind words its really helping to cas yes i have relaxation cds also and i go for long walks to try forget about it all and thank you to yorkyboy and ravenfish for your help im also wondering how long after eating something can you tell it doesnt agree with you because even my bland diet causes pain thanks and have any of you even tried a beer at a social event and been ok with that after a lenghty time of healing?

Hi ct198 I know how you feel as Im in the same boat. Ive had stomach problems for 3 years but not all gastritis. The gastritis started over a year ago but got worse this year. I got put on Pantoprazole,Protonix,as I have GERD too. I have read on WebMD that in rare instances they can actually inflame the stomach. Im now wondering if that is what is happening but I need a PPI. The only other one that helped me was Lansoprazole so I may ask to go back on that. My last doctor chat was only over the phone and he said it was up to me to try more or less of the Pantop. He didn,t change it. The strange thing is I can have a good day then it will flare up really bad the next day,sometimes reflux. I get very stressed with this which doesn,t help. I think only the herbal methods may help so Im going for Slippery elm and Aloe vera again. Im sorry you are suffering too it really is horrid I keep thinking it will never go.