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.
Hi All,
Like most, I noticed I had nausea in the am, was starting to lose my appetite (why I didn't start ? things right there, not sure!) serious bloating and sense of fullness after a small amount of food and then ultimately, some heart palpitations and then chest pain. When I realized it was connected to eating, I made an appointment with my family's GI. All that pressure must have pushed up the hiatal hernia I didn't even know I had and that was making things worse. I found a chiropractor who helped push it back down and at least felt a little better. Missed that the bloating was causing me to cough a lot and constantly have to clear my throat from extra phlegm. Saw him a few days later and he said the most obvious thing was to scope. Waited until he got back from vacation, so lots of time to diagnose myself...I figured it was either gastritis or an ulcer. I have been taking baby aspirin for the last 4 years under the guise I was doing something good for my heart (great, I potentially screwed myself up) Also realized I kept waking up earlier, with what felt like hot flashes and then waiting to cool back off. I had also on my own right before meeting him start on some nexium hoping that might help for some reason. He scoped me and when I woke up, just heard him say "gastritis", stay on the nexium (he had written me a script for pantoprazole too, but was afraid to go stronger) and see you at your appointment in June. I'm not sure he even knew I was taking baby aspirin so stopped that on my own a few weeks ago. So after a few days on Nexium, I did feel less bloated but now I was feeling that pain/dull ache in the chest behind the left breast bone and honestly, I was worried it's making it worse. I mean I guess I had that pain before I pushed the hernia down (oh, small hernia and I see some acid reflux...sure, I get it every now and then but it isn't a daily constant in my life, though I noticed I was getting more days of it over the holidays and attributed it to age and weight)...no HP btw. And, official pathology report was chronic "inactive" gastritis (and wants to test me for celiac sprue) Not sure I'm getting the "inactive" part. I guess I am having anxiety, he never said anything about the baby aspirin and I don't talk to him until June. I'm thinking of making an appt just to get to ask the ?'s, like had I put 2&2 together earlier, would it not be as bad now, or would i feel the same. I am trying to go bland and only drank socially, but I want him to show me my pics. Is it bad, or just some inflammation in a couple of places, etc. I am moving on the pantoprazole because I realize I have to slug Mylanta and tums to turn down the ache, so obviously I am making a lot of acid and/or acid is aggravating things and I don't want to make it worse. I guess if he was more concerned he would have wanted to see me sooner or said more. I mean, it's just very confusing and open ended. Do you see me healing fine or is this a life long thing? Geez, I used to joke I have a gut of steel and I'm going on 50...Ok, folks, I've babbled on and I appreciate any who read thru to the end. Give it to me...does it get better...just give it time and relax and you might find yourself feeling betters in just a few months?
Like most, I noticed I had nausea in the am, was starting to lose my appetite (why I didn't start ? things right there, not sure!) serious bloating and sense of fullness after a small amount of food and then ultimately, some heart palpitations and then chest pain. When I realized it was connected to eating, I made an appointment with my family's GI. All that pressure must have pushed up the hiatal hernia I didn't even know I had and that was making things worse. I found a chiropractor who helped push it back down and at least felt a little better. Missed that the bloating was causing me to cough a lot and constantly have to clear my throat from extra phlegm. Saw him a few days later and he said the most obvious thing was to scope. Waited until he got back from vacation, so lots of time to diagnose myself...I figured it was either gastritis or an ulcer. I have been taking baby aspirin for the last 4 years under the guise I was doing something good for my heart (great, I potentially screwed myself up) Also realized I kept waking up earlier, with what felt like hot flashes and then waiting to cool back off. I had also on my own right before meeting him start on some nexium hoping that might help for some reason. He scoped me and when I woke up, just heard him say "gastritis", stay on the nexium (he had written me a script for pantoprazole too, but was afraid to go stronger) and see you at your appointment in June. I'm not sure he even knew I was taking baby aspirin so stopped that on my own a few weeks ago. So after a few days on Nexium, I did feel less bloated but now I was feeling that pain/dull ache in the chest behind the left breast bone and honestly, I was worried it's making it worse. I mean I guess I had that pain before I pushed the hernia down (oh, small hernia and I see some acid reflux...sure, I get it every now and then but it isn't a daily constant in my life, though I noticed I was getting more days of it over the holidays and attributed it to age and weight)...no HP btw. And, official pathology report was chronic "inactive" gastritis (and wants to test me for celiac sprue) Not sure I'm getting the "inactive" part. I guess I am having anxiety, he never said anything about the baby aspirin and I don't talk to him until June. I'm thinking of making an appt just to get to ask the ?'s, like had I put 2&2 together earlier, would it not be as bad now, or would i feel the same. I am trying to go bland and only drank socially, but I want him to show me my pics. Is it bad, or just some inflammation in a couple of places, etc. I am moving on the pantoprazole because I realize I have to slug Mylanta and tums to turn down the ache, so obviously I am making a lot of acid and/or acid is aggravating things and I don't want to make it worse. I guess if he was more concerned he would have wanted to see me sooner or said more. I mean, it's just very confusing and open ended. Do you see me healing fine or is this a life long thing? Geez, I used to joke I have a gut of steel and I'm going on 50...Ok, folks, I've babbled on and I appreciate any who read thru to the end. Give it to me...does it get better...just give it time and relax and you might find yourself feeling betters in just a few months?
On the anxiety level, yes I agree so much it makes it worse.
I did an experiment last night in bed. I woke early as usual, 2am and for 2 hours was wide awake. Was not in any pain but kept thinking of the day's pain of and on I had had. Consequently my tummy started to hurt and my chest and my throat also. I thought what a long few hours until I get up this is going to be. So I decided to take myself into self hypnosis. It took me about 10 mins and I went "under" so much so I did not want to lift my arms and it was bliss - and guess what - the pains completely disappeared and stayed away. Got up at 7am pain free, then unfortunately food kicks in - but that is another part of this path.
So yes, anxiety really plays a big part.
G.