Hi Papelle,
I am so sad to hear you feel so very down, I have been battling gastritis for over 9 months, and I have to say there were many days when I felt so utterly ill I didn't know were to turn or who to turn to. I became very depressed any would spend weekends staying in bed and just crying...I did not know how to deal with the pain and couldn't see a way to get better, I am also right in the middle of the menopause aswell, horrid night sweats and hot flashes. I would like to ask are you on any acid reducing tablets for the gastritis?have you seen a GP or had a endoscopy to determin that it is gastritis??... I believe that the only way I got over this horrid condition was with the acid reducting meds/watching my diet..nothing acidic etc and rest. The first steps are the hardest...but it's a case of baby steps and patience and being gentle on yourself that gets you healed. I am now almost healed....about 90 % so you WILL get better. Prays to you and keep in touch :)

Thanks. Yes, I am on all the meds and eating very blandly. I have another endoscopy scheduled for Sept. that I insisted on as my Dr. is not doing much for me (but really, they can't do much). It's been almost a year since symptoms first started. I seem to be getting worse...or rather, one symptom gets better but another crops up. Today, I have pain from my ribs down to to mid-belly. I don't know why. I haven't done anything differently. Stomach ultrasounds came up normal. I think it has just dragged on too long with too many new things that keep happening so I am just emotionally exhausted with trying to find answers/treatments etc. I am holding on until I get the second endoscopy (last one was two years ago) and I'll take it from there I guess. Thanks for your kind words.

I am praying for you to get some relief soon, we all need a break, and something to feel better about ❤️

Thank-you. Today was a bit better of a day. Did some housework. Haven't had the energy to do that for a while so that was something :).

Hi first day in this group. I guess it's true missery loves company. I'm sorry for all the suffering you people are having but it's helpful to know I'm not alone. My wife is very understanding but has no idea of what we are going through. She has some indication as to the severity as a very close friend of hers had many years of CP and killed herself 3 days before her wedding. That's not the answer buts shows the severity of our condition. Hoping for some relief from pain and fatigue soon.

Thanks for responding Rylee. I've been keeping an adhoc journal on this site, usually when I feel like I want to die I write in there (rather than posting) and it helps a bit. Because these are not things you can tell your friends or family, they will worry too much and they can't help anyway but sometimes they need to come out. I haven't had the energy to find a therapist and am stressed out about keeping appointments (and the cost - I am very broke right now), but I will do my best to try next week, I've had a bit more energy these last couple of days (mostly because the symptoms abated a wee bit...I know they will come back so I have to act while I can). Anyway, I am babbling again :). Good luck, I hope you find some relief :).

Also, to any of you, I have recently got a prescription for medical marijuana. It does not help gastritis symptoms like I was hoping, but it has helped me with sleep a bit. So for any of you having a lot of trouble sleeping (sleeping pills did not help me at all, the only one that seemed to work seemed to also trigger heartburn) it might be something to try. Get a strain with high THC and low CBD.

I think we all have days like this, I'm also going through menopause and was on estrogen therapy that made me feel like I could cope just a little better, but then I was diagnosed with LCIS which puts me in a high risk category for breast cancer so had to stop it.
So cold turkey menopause it is.
I feel my only option is to leave my job to concentrate on eating, exercise & rest.
I have had gastritis for 4 years, my first scope said I had an inflamed stomach, but tested negative for helicobactor, but my last scope I had extensive helicobactor, gastritis with cell changes.
I have been going around in circles for years, but each time I go back to the doctors it's the same. Cut down the stress & anxiety, eat bland & exercise.
We just have to keep trying, keep hassling the doctors until we get better.
Keep your chin up and remember your not alone, this is the best place for info
Corah

Thanks Corah. I am on disability leave now as I also need to just focus on eating and resting but it is hard to not stress out about not knowing when I will be able to go back...my leave is not going to last forever. I feel like my Dr. thinks I am a hypochondriac...he keeps trying to dismiss me as a patient back to my GP (in his words, we have a diagnosis he is comfortable with) as there's not much more he can do for me but the idea that I just have to suffer like this indeterminately without being checked out every once in a while by a doc is very weird to me....I don't know if it is the same in the states, but here in Canada, specialists are very quick to dismiss you if you have a chronic type of condition that does not have a quick cure. All my issues are chronic and have been going on for years, my Drs have been nice enough but none of them have helped me yet. No one looks at all the symptoms as a whole and tries to figure out what is at the root of it...and I have given up trying to do it myself. It's been too long, I don't have the energy any more. Anyway, thanks to all for the comments, it has helped just to vent some things out. Good luck to everyone :).

Hi papelle, what did your endo show? just wondering I found that the PPI meds made me feel very down and depressed...and I was only on them for a while, as soon as I came off them..Bam! .felt like my old self again... could you talk to your GP about the PPI's (if that is what you are on ) and maybe get some different acid med like zantac?...Praying for you :)

My endo is Sept. 19th so haven't had it yet. I've been on PPIs for about 8 years. They never seemed to alter my mood at all. I would love to go off them as I've heard so many bad things about them but I am too scared to now. I keep hoping things will die down and then I will try to wean myself off them. Zantac (and rantadine) do pretty much nothing for me. One thing I have been wondering about (and my doc also mentioned as a possibility) is that I have bile reflux and not acid reflux...this would account for why meds do so little for me. I am hoping the next endoscopy shows something..I've had two that have showed bile in my stomach (when it shouldn't be there) so that is why they think it might be that. Unfortunately, there is no treatment for bile reflux. So, even if it is established that that is what it is, I'm still up sh%$'s creek. But, maybe I can get off the PPIs at least as I might not need them. I do have some acid reflux also (24 hour acid test showed that) but it is not a crazy amount apparently...so does not account for the severity of my symtpoms. Anyway, sorry to babble on again :). Thanks for your interest and I hope you are continuing to heal :).

Hi papelle, I had gastritis when I was 40, and now I am 63, still have it. One of my uncle has the same thing, so it is the heredity. I have done endo numerous times. At least one time they found bile in my stomach, so it is probably the real cause. I have tried many different medicine and herbs, etc. but after seeing doctors for 15 years I gave up seeing doctors. Now I take acid reducers (Pepcid, etc, ) when I go to sleep at night, and in daytime I take small frequent meals and antacids to kind of neutralize the stomach acid. Also manage stress because it will make it worse. It is very frustrating and it is very hard, but life has to go on. The only good thing I get out of it is that I become more spiritual. I believe there is something higher than what we can see and I try not to think too much and just let life take me to wherever ..........

Papelle. I agree, I think stress & anxiety is a big key factor in gastritis recovery.
Stress & anxiety was my last thing that I hadn't address in the road to my recovery.
I have now resigned from my job with many tears and a lot of sadness. I allowed myself a couple of days to wollow in my grief, then put a plan in place to concentrate on eating sleeping & exercise.
I believe that one door closes and another opens. My son & partner a due to have there baby in a few weeks, so this will be a very exciting distraction.
In my last visit to the Gastro doctor, he said I had neuropathy pain & suggested I see a shrink, he said find the cause & I will fix the problem.

I have been research & looking into plexus, which is all about gut health,intestinal health, probiotics etc. I'm in Australia so have to wait a few weeks for it to come from America. But I can only give it a try.
Will keep you posted...

One thing I have really realized during this is how difficult it is to do this alone. Most of the time I am grateful that I don't have kids or a partner as it would be difficult to be able to be a good mother and wife/girlfriend with the multiple illnesses I have, but on the other hand, I have no support when it comes to finances or anything else and nothing or no one to keep on fighting for. And that is very, very hard. But then again, it would be hard either way I guess. Eventually my disability leave will run out and I will no longer be able to support myself (barely able to now), I'm trying not to stress out about that until it happens. I am very, very lucky that I have a job that actually provides disability insurance. So, one day at a time. Thanks everyone who has responded and I wish you luck and better health :).

I read you had your endo today. Were there biopsies taken? Then please let them also consider an eosinophilic disorder. http://www.nature.com/modpathol/journal/v28/n1s/full/modpathol2014132a.html?foxtrotcallback=true