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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jennielouises 12/08/2008

Hi

I am new to this support group. I last had what was thought to be Gastritis three years ago. It was also found out that I had Glandular Fever at the same time. I was then fine for the next three years except for IBS.

Then three weeks ago I started feeling very sick. I had just changed my birth control pill so I thought it was that and came off it. The nausea went away within a week but then had pain that went from my stomach through to my back and had heartburn all the time. The pain then went but within a couple of days the nausea was back (i think this was after I had Mcdonalds!) This was last week and had to spend the whole week off work. I had been to the doctors several times but they just referred me to a specialist because of the IBS. I finally went in last week and told them that I knew this was seperate from my IBS and was similar to what I had three years ago so they gave me Proton Pump Inhibitors (the ones that begin with L that people have mentioned on here before).

Does this sound like it is Gastritis?

My symptoms are:

- Nausea
- Pain in pit of stomach
- Pain in left side of stomach
- Pain in left side of back sometimes going through to the right side
- Burping a lot
- Indigestion/heartburn
- loss of apetite

deleted_user 12/08/2008

Sounds like gastritis to me :) Make sure you take your PPI 2 hours before you eat anything in the am. I take mine when I get up to go pee in the early early morning :) Watch what you eat very carefully for a month. I eat an alkaline diet. If you read some of my journal you can get an idea of what that is and I have a website listed with alkaline foods. No fried food, no sweets. no alcohol and no caffeine. Gastritis can be a chronic condition so if you decide to eat "normal" again take it slow and see if something in particular sets it off :) The people seem to have a few flair ups a year once it starts but it could just be acute. Watch what you eat and get rid of stress it makes more gastrin which bothers your stomach lining even more!

deleted_user 12/08/2008

BTW watch your stools make sure they are not black other wise go to the ER it means there is blood in it. IF you vomit blood go to the ER as well.

jennielouises 12/09/2008

Thank you for your reply. I will make sure I have a look at your journal to look at the food. So far I am limiting myself to what I eat and it is making me feel better. I am going to the specialist next week so hopefully he will help. I have been taking the PPI only half an hour before I eat. How comes it needs to be 2 hours? Also, is dizzyness a symptom?

deleted_user 12/09/2008

I have had some mild dizziness on occasion. Not sure if it is specific to gastritis. I also would get like a hot flash with the feeling and lots of headaches.

They are going to check your blood when you go. For H. Pylori a bacteria that causes ulcers, your blood counts and bili levels. Bili can tell them if it is related to your gallbladder. They may check your gastrin levels as well or just do an endoscopy at some point. I have not had an endoscopy done yet but I have a feeling it is in my future. Let me know how it goes :)

jennielouises 12/09/2008

thanks for saying what to expect. I wondered why my GP hadnt already done a blood test but i guess he is waiting for the specialist to do it. I had an endoscopy three years ago but because the NHS is so rubbish, I had already recovered from the Gastritis when I had it. So the results were clear. the pain is easing now with a controlled diet and my appetite is starting to come back. Its just so hard to be careful at this time of year with all the yummy food around. I am due to go to three Christmas meals out and dont think I am going to be able to eat anything :-(

deleted_user 12/10/2008

I hear you about the X-mas food :) I have been to a few events already and I have not been able to eat anything but the bread. I did have one ginger and molasses cookie which is supposed to be ok except the sugar. My job has tons of sweets around me everyday lately and I can not touch it. Part of me wants to pig out and I get upset about it but on the other hand I try and think that I am just eating healthy for awhile and I will probably lose a little of the weight i gained this past fall. I pigged out at Thanksgiving and now I am paying the price. I have been sick since then. Seems like their would be some kind of serum you could rink that would heal the lining. Blah.

jennielouises 12/10/2008

its the same at my work. sweets and chocolate everywhere. I have no idea what to eat. What is allowed and what isnt. I thought about asking the restaurant to just give me the soup and bread started as a main course (because it is at lunchtime) but its tomato and recota (or how ever you spell that!) soup which I am sure is not allowed!

deleted_user 12/12/2008

I have all the symptoms you listed except the nausea. I've lost over 30 lbs. during my last two episodes due to loss of appetite. My latest started in Oct. and I've lost 8 lbs to date. But your symptoms sure do mirror mine. I just take my PPI each night, eat small meals, avoid alcohol, coffee and soda. I still drink hot chocolate, but when I add a teaspoon of instant coffee, I pay for it. It's trial and error I guess. I don't know how long it takes to heal because my episodes have all healed at different rates. I think it has a lot to do with the amount of stress you're dealing with at the time, your diet and your medications.
Well, good luck and let us know how you're making out.

jennielouises 12/15/2008

Hi

Ok so I have my appointment on Wednesday. I am hoping so much that they will be able to fix me. I just know that I cannot enjoy Christmas. You see I have emetophobia as well (fear of being sick) which makes this very difficult.

I know there is no instant cure but last time I was given antibiotics and it cleared it up. The only thing is, last time I just forced them to give them too me, I was never tested for H. Pylori. The antibiotics worked so I guess it was caused by that. I guess it must be possible to get the virus again yes? I just know that even if they take my blood on Wednesday I wont find out before Christmas as that is the consultants last day before Christmas. Its my birthday just after Christmas as well. I really cant take this much longer

deleted_user 05/08/2009

I too have h pylori gastritis. I am on all medications possible.I wonder if you guys have burning pains in the stomach and tightness in the chest. I also have a lot of bloating and air trapped in the chest and stomach through the day. I wonder if you take pain medication , because I do take 5/325 percocet only at night + 10 mg ambien to sleep. So how do you manage your pain and sleep?

NYyankeedeb 05/12/2009

welcome to the group...sounds like gastritis to me...you have to watch out the worse the symptoms are the chances for something worse will occur like ulcers or hiatal hernia and other things...it is good that you are going to a specialist...make sure they keep your primary care posted on everything...some times it is hard to get in with the specialist and at least if you cant get in with the specialist you can get in with the primary....

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