James, looks like you can control most of your symptoms with only diet and eating reasonable sized meals. You already know that gastritis will hit you back hard if you overeat or eat trigger food. Your mistake in believing that your gastritis can be cured mostly by meds but in reality you'd be better if you cut down on meds and concentrate on what and how much you're eating and drinking.

Hi Steve, By reading up on what other people are saying you are probably right, although i would imagine the ppi's are stopping acid irritating and already angry tummy. I don't expect you to do this but i would be mega grateful and very interested to see what you would recomend as a typical daily diet for gastritis, I will then try and stick to this for a few months. Like I said I don't get reactions from food straight away it gets me the day after 1st thing in the morning and it really does punish me. Also people say the general rule is if your not bleeding your ok, is this generally true. Sorry to ask all the questions I try to ask my doctor but i can tell she isn't interested and just wants me in and out,

Regards

I'll second Steve's comments. Gastrirtis is a "tease". You have a few good days and so think you're ok, and then you feel awful again (with or without eating 'trigger' foods).

himynames, I've also had the same experience wtih my GI. Since it's nothing serious in their mind (as opposed to colitis or crohn's or cancer, etc), mine has sortuv dismissed me. Very frustrating, but they're not the ones living with constant nausea and pain.

I also find that eating smaller amounts at a time helps, but am still figuring out how to manage ti with diet and meds.

Hi Lu, Thats right i have an attack and then after 2 weeks i feel a lot better, so i switch back to my normal diet and then it puts me straight back down again and then i have to start all over again. I am really not sure what to eat and not to eat. Also i have lost a lot of weight and don't feel great I have trouble eating enough without getting problems.

James

James, I'm pretty sure that majority of healthy people get rid of gastritis if they take initiative in their hands and stop believing that doctors and medicines will provide cure. You can sit at work, feel sorry for yourself, load up with pills, and waiting for miracle to happen or get in the driver seat and take control of your illness. All my live I had stomach made of iron and could eat pretty much anything. My gastritis symptoms started last fall but I was diagnosed with chronic G only in April when I got really bad. At that time my stomach and chest were literally on fire, I could sleep only 2-3 hours at night and barely made it through the day just to face another sleepless night. My GI put me on Nexium and Carafete that reduced my symptoms 50% but I was still in a lot of pain. Like you, I also turned to the Internet resources and came to a realization that meds that were given to me will not provide cure and just elleviate symptoms to a degree as long as I continue taking them. Since I improved very little on Nexium and had a lot of anxiety and stress caused by my gastritis my physician decided to put me on Elavil (anti anxiety drug). That's where I had to draw the line and to start taking control in my hands. Within couple weeks I weaned myself from Nexium and currently managing my symptoms with only diet and couple of natural supplements. I still feel very far from normal but can see slow seady improvement. My understanding that in the best case scenario G will take at list 6-12 month to clear up and even after that we need to be very carefull with food and drinks. So this is long term if not a lifetime change. Then sooner you realize that your digestive system can't handle food load that it used to and your eating habits need to be very different from healthy people then sooner you get on the road to recovery.

Thanks for the posts steve, Ok my gastitis probably isn't chronic at this time but it is horrible and difficult to deal with and yes your probably right about being positive and diet control. I have had this since january and have had spells where i feel fine but then quickly after fall into old habbits and then have a bad attack. So if I am going to change my diet for the next 6 months or more what would you suggest on a daily basis that generally is easy on the tum bearing in mind i need to put weight back on and get enough calories inside me. Also do you know the chances of this developing into a more serious condition like ulcers. I do find you info very helpful and am sorry to ask all these questions.

Regards

You need to devise your strategy and goals. For me first goal was to get off prescription meds and eat only foods that will allow stomach to recover. You need to come up with a diet that works for you and stick with it without any deviation. Since your symptoms much milder then mine I would try to stop PPIs when possible. You need the stomach acid that PPI suppresses for proper digestion. PPIs also have lots of side effects when used long term. Here is my daily routine, I eat pretty much same food every day. I use mostly organic ingredients in my food intake.

First thing in a morning I make myself big glass of juice from apples, carrots, and celery. Few mins latter eat a banana. 30 min latter I eat oatmeal made with some soya milk. I also add a teaspoon of l-glutamine in there.
At around 11 I eat a snack - toast and half a cup of lactose free yogurt. Sometimes a bit of low fat farmers cheese.
For lunch I eat boiled chicken breast and rice, also one toast for extra calories.
In 2 1/2 -3 hours after that another toast and half cup of yogurt.
For diner I have a piece of coldwatter fish, mash potatoes and steamed carrots. Not eating anything 3 hours before going to bed.

My diet is boring I'm looking forward to add tastier things when ready but for now I will stick with it. Big key here is to eat homemade food only and completely avoid pre packaged or restaurant food.

James, there is certain possibility of ulcers or anything else if you continue to aggravate your condition. You have very good chances to recover completely if you have enough will power to take control in your hands.

Thats a big help steve, thanks. I think i could manage on the food you have listed I love fish, and porridge with honey. I also like yoghurt and fruit and vegetables I am also fine with. Does the bread have to be toast and do you use white or brown bread. The big problem for me is when i lose will power and have to grab a bag of crisps or simular. Its so hard to stick to a diet like that, but I am going to stick with it no matter what. The only thing I would like as part of the diet is soups as i really like those and i would imagine there easy on the stomach.

Thanks

Sorry Steve one more question, Is the occasional treat out of the question for example a small bag of popcorn when we visit the cinema, just trying to get some closure.

Regards

James, you need to set your priorities. What's more important for you to have a taste of your "treat" in your mouth for few minutes or suffer the consequences? At this point I only eat food that I either cook myself or bring with me. I make no exceptions. Surprisingly it didn't take me too long to get used to it. I don't have Glutten intolerance problems so I have white bread toasts. Toasts are better then fresh bread for us. Actually fresh bread is a big NO. Since you have IBS-D, Glutten may be not a good idea for you but you can always have Glutten free bread. I also highly recommend to look at LOW FODMAP diet, it can give help you to control your IBS.

Wow Steve. I'm impressed with your discipline. It's really hard to keep to your diet and schedule...esp when eating is a big social thing (e.g. getting together with friends, a night out). And all the deprivation. Do you find it hard, or I suppose you just keep focused on wanting not to have any pain?

himynames, keep in mind that everyone is different and you need to do what is best for you. For example, i am ok wtih gluten, and actually since getting gastritis, I often have a simple bagel for dinner as it's easier than say, a stir fry or beans.

Wanted to add about soups.... I used to eat soups almost every day in my life but don't think they are good option now. Liquid in the stomach dilutes stomach acid and prolongs digestion time. It might also force stomach to produce more acid. Better not to take any liquids at list 30 min before meals or hour after.

Lu, it is really really hard but unfortunately I don't see any other way out of this. Couple weeks ago I invited large group of friends and family members to my sons birthday at the good restaurant. Everyone had nice meal and drinks I just had food that I brought with me.

I have some comments in regards to ppi, I know Steve doesn't like taking them as the yes the do prevent acid if you are taking too many. I take 15 mg lansoprazole the minimum dosage regularly half hour in the morning before I eat because in the initial stages the first six months you need to suppress the acid in order to heal. But you must eat a strict gastritis diet. Oatmeal porridge, rice, fish, plain chicken etc. if you don't your hardwork will go out the window. They don't do anything else except suppress excess acid then the rest is up to you. They aren't miracle cures, that's what people think they are. I had a bad turn in February and was doing really well until Monday that I thought i could expand my diet unfortunate curry noodles wasn't part of it and I let my stomach gurgle and gnaw all day which has caused my gastritis to return. I find that taking the lowest dose and an additional one before my last meal has helped immensely. I can tell you with a strict tightening up of your diet , you can return to eating a lot if foods after 9 months but you cannot overheat. I have a hiatal hernia so I know that's why I get gastritis because my stomachs not in its right position.