Hi Misscrisps,
Don't worry you will get better. This horrible condition does take a long time...I have been dealing with it for 21 months now...but am a lot better than I was. At first I couldn't eat at all. I went from 10st 9lb to just over 8st...but it took a long time to be diagnosed. I struggled with various PPI but eventually got onto nexium...took this for about 7 months and had a big improvement. The weight has gone back on and I eat well. I do still have a sensitive stomach, and still get the burning if I eat the wrong thing, but so much better. I would say take your GP advice and keep on the meds and bland diet, I ate plenty of lean meat/vegs/lots water and non acidic fruits etc. just keep it bland. Hopefully your appetite will improve soon, and you'll feel much better. Prayers to all :)

Thank you boobear, so my 3 months is a very short time! I must learn patience. It's hard isn't it, a complete change of lifestyle. Trying not to be depressed by it but I'm weary. But thank you for your kind words and encouragement. God bless.

No worries misscrisps. Just keep positive and get plenty of rest and wholesome foods. I started to feel much better after about 4 months on the nexium. All I have now is a weird ache above my belly button (Dr says it's messed up nerve!!) and some random burning with wrong food. Try not to get stressed...it really affects your stomach. God Bless :)

Hi Misscrisps,

I don't have any advice on how to keep the weight on, but I can commiserate. I've lost about 30 pounds. At my lowest, I was 93 lbs. on a 5-foot-frame. I gained about 10 pounds binging on dessert over the Christmas holiday season. But since I've been sticking to a better diet, my weight is seriously dropping again. Got on the scale today and saw 95 lbs. I understand your depression. I struggle with depression pretty much every day. I wish I had been overweight before I was afflicted with gastritis. I'm just praying for God's healing and trying to keep the faith that He will heal me. I hope we all feel better soon and gain weight.

Thank you Sui. I am a little more positive today as I have gone a week and not lost any more weight. Ive also slept the last 2 nights which is a big plus as I've been getting very little sleep. My GP says let's not worry about the weight, let's get you feeling better first and then the weight should follow. I'm trying to hold onto that. Sending you my very best wishes for some recovery.

CBD oil helps me sleep.

Hi. I just want to give you words of reassurance. I have been there- I lost 21lb in a month. I couldn't eat anything without stomach burning for hours on end. Was taking omoprazale and very bland diet like yourself. Words of advice.... If you want to withdraw from meds then only do so once you can start eating reasonably normal with meds for at least 3 months straight without pain in stomach. Thereafter slowly withdraw from meds i.e. one day 3 days on for a month then 1 day off 2 days on etc... Your stomach will slowly get used to it without meds and acid in stomach. Remember one thing... You will get better. I lost hope at one point. I took 4 months off work and thought my life was over. I suffered from h. Pylori and also took ibuprofen... Not good. It's been 2 years since this experience but now feeling much better and no longer on meds. Stay strong . Have faith. When you dont feel nauseous cherish it. Have manuka honey 15+ daily and small amount of food but often to keep acid at bay. I know you will get better because I did to. Peace and blessings.

Thank you gastoff. I think I have been too swayed by all the negative internet comments about PPIs and I was in a rush to reduce them. I am now going to take my doctors advice (and yours!) and wait til I feel much better before I try to come off them. I will do it gradually when I do but first I must get eating a reasonable amount. Knowing that people like you and boobear have come through and out the other side is heartening, as at the moment I can't envisage that.

Hi Misscrips,
Stay positive is the key to recovery apart from being careful on the diet that you can tolerate.
I been battling with gastritis since 10months ago. Endoscopy result confirmed i had gastritis, h. Plyori test negative.

I did not experience big dropped in my weight within a very short time, but continuously lost weight for 7 consecutive months. Slumped into underweight before it stabilised and gaining a little at the moment.

Previously, i exeprience nausea, dizziness and palpitations after each meal regardless what i ate and how small the potion. Was given nexium 40mg. It took me quite long before the symptoms subside slowly. Was feeling very down then as my GI doctor told me it takes time for some patients to adjust to it. However, at that point of time i felt it has no end.

Gradually, i found that my symptoms are lessen by avoiding spicy food, high carbohydrates diet (especially refined food like bread), high fats/oily food, high acidic fruits and cold food/drinks. Keep the portion small but have meals more frequently to fuel our daily needs.
Try to monitor what work best for your case. Keep a journal if needed
Keeping stress aside helps to improve my conditions. Stay calm and positive.

Now that Dr advise to take it as and when needed. I been able to stay away from any medication for a month now. Don't be disheartened, you will recover.

Best wishes and get well soon.

Thank you for replying Mal80. I have been keeping a food diary and have managed to introduce some gluten free rolls so can now have a plain chicken or turkey sandwich. I've tried a spoonful of tinned tuna (in spring water) today. Waiting to see if any ill effects. Nighttime nausea is currently my worse symptom even though I don't eat anything after 6.30pm and try to sleep propped up. I wake by 4am feeling so sick. Also, well meaning friends and colleagues keep asking me if I'm better now, it's so wearying to keep saying no I'm not. People seem to think I merely have an upset stomach and that surely I must be ok by now. How do you keep positive? I feel like life will never be the same again. I didn't realise how much of my social life consisted of lunch out, coffee and a cake, supper with friends. That's all gone. Sorry to sound so pathetic, been a bad couple of nights.

I totally understand your situation. People around would be super skeptical, wondering how can a simple gastric problem (the most common misunderstanding about gastritis) be so serious and take such a long period to recover.

I am not foreign to the comments (behind my back) that I am exaggerating the situation or just being drama. Especially after I have been treated by GI specialist and being extra watchful on my diet. I too once felt that my days were bleak and there is no end to it. Of course, there were months that my social events were kept to minimum as my diet was so restrictive and my energy level was low most of the time.

Choose wisely
One fine day, I decided to turn a deaf ear on all these negative comments and unfair judgement. It is difficult for any normal person to understand or imagine our situation. We know ourselves best.
Since then, I been choosing my social event wisely. What kind of event, and who else are attending. I don't want to burden myself to hang out with people who give endless 'advise' on how to manage gastritis or give special care like 'oh dear, you are too thin, you need to eat more'. Please don't get me wrong. Please do not cut off all social events and start to isolate yourself and self-pity. I choose to be with people who truly care about me. These are the people that give us space to recover, respect our needs. Of course, they would asked me how am i doing too. Sometimes, I feel emotional clingy to these people, and when this question comes to me, I am eager to pour my feelings to them. My experience told me that this would not do me any good. So now, I try to have normal conversations or activities with them rather than focusing on health issue. With this, I feel I can have some normal life too.

Celebrate every little improvement gain
At the peak of my ordeal, I would feel nausea even after a small sip of cereal drink. I started to anticipate when the symptom(s) would come after each meal. And ended up made myself more sickish. One day, I did not experience nausea after a particular meal. I was so happy and look forward that the next meal would be the same. Well, it wasn't a smooth sail. I just find that, as I celebrate the improvement, it give me hope to hang on. Yes, I wanted to tell everyone, it will improve. Someday, we will back to normal.

Do things that matter deep inside me
I used to spend long hours at work and messing up all my meal time. Now, I realign my priorities. My health matters. I still give my best, but at the same time, take care of my health. I've learned to allow myself to have needful rest without guilt. I also allocate time to do things that help uplift my morale. I find that yoga, meditation and active forgiving (myself and others) helps me to stay calm. Do find a way to help you maintain a healthy emotion state or at least to stay neutral.

Seek help
I also reached out to people for support when I am emotionally down. Don't be afraid to ask for support, whether it is from family, friend, religious, books, support group or professional help. Whatever works for you.

Allow some space
Another important element that help me to pull through is allow myself the space, time and resources to recover. Like everyone else, I am eager to recover and back to normal. But sometimes, it just takes time. Good money were spent for medications and high quality food. Lots of efforts and patient pour in. Avoid blaming myself for being physically weak (for too long), or whatever past actions that may have caused this, self doubt that this would never end. Be okay with it, give myself the time and whatever needed to recover. No need to feel sorry.

Hope that my sharing able to lend you some motivation. Get well soon.

@Misscrips - like you, I also lost a lot of weight. I lost 15 lbs in 1 month! Once you can start to eat normally again, your weight will come back on. Stay strong!

Mal80, thanks for the time you have taken and thoughtfulness of your reply. I will take your very helpful comments to heart and try to incorporate some into my way of thinking.
Been out with husband to the seaside in the sunshine today and walked for an hour (with a rest half way!) which is great progress as I have felt too tired to do anything much. It was so good to be out and actually enjoying the day. Even took an admittedly very limited picnic.
Thanks to all of you for listening and understanding. God bless.

Hello All,

I am new here and I too suffer from Gastritis. The acid reflux I have has also gotten into my throat and it is now very irritated. I have been on 40mg protonix for a few years to help control the reflux. I am now on that as well as Carafate 10ml 4 times a day. I have lost about 25 lbs since the onset of the gastritis in June. Bland diet and no alcohol since then. My stomach is doing a little better. I can eat a fairly decent sized meal now, but my throat is still not good.
I have a couple of questions. Have any of you used Carafate and if so, how long before it cured the gastritis? Also, do any of you have the acid reflux in your throat and how is that going? Thanks

Hi Saddad, not tried Carafate so can't help there. I've just typed it into the search box and loads of mentions came up so you might get more information like that. All the best.