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.
For the past week, I have been experiencing burning in the stomach mainly above my belly button and on the left and right sides (on/off). Sometimes Tums and Pepcid AC works, sometimes it doesn't.
Yesterday I saw my primary care doctor, after not being able to schedule my GI dr appointment until next week, and she told me that it could be gastritis and to take 40mg pantoprazole for a month. After a month I should stop taking it and if my symptoms still persist, then it could be an ulcer. I might need an endoscopy if that's the case. It sucks because I had an endoscopy and test for H. Pylori last year for something different (super full feeling after eating). After that endo all my dr said was there was slight inflatmation but nothing to cause alarm. Also the h.pylori tested negative. That was April 2016 so I feel like I could've developed something overtime since.
Saturday night I think I ate a combination of bad food for people with gastritis and I got sick :( Within a span of 4 hours I had soda, eggplant parm, 3 beers, and candy). I am hoping that is the reason I got ill and nothing more serious because I have severe emetophobia!!! (fear of vomiting). Last night I felt quick but sharp pains behind my left rib. :( Also, I think my use of ibuprofen could've caused this. I take 3 ibuprofens around the clock during my period because I get really really bad cramps. I am also almost always stressed about my health.
My question is, I was wondering if anyone else has similar symptoms, ever has taken Pantoprazole (and does it work, are there bad side effects?), etc. What foods/treatment works for you?
I am thinking I should maybe hold off until Monday when I see the GI doc? I am experiencing burning in my upper stomach and throat right now though. I have been eating bland ever since I got sick on the weekend. I am looking forward to my GI appointment next week and hopefully we can figure something out. I am feeling depressed, extra anxiety-ridden, and hopeless.
I'm currently on pantoprazole, started it on Saturday after 10 weeks of being on omeprazole and seeing no improvements. I have to say I'm finally starting to feel better, but I don't know if I should thank this medication or the extra supplements I'm taking as I started them around the same time (currently taking probiotics, zinc carnosine, DGL and slippery elm).
The first day I took pantoprazole I felt super bad, depressed, down and tired, I could barely stand up. But then after that I haven't had any side effects so it might just have been the transition between omeprazole and pantoprazole that destroyed me. Nevertheless, if you do have gastritis, pantoprazole should work. Mostly, make sure you eat properly, super bland and avoid anything that could make you feel bad.
Also, don't stress about it, it just makes things worse. Now that I'm slowly feeling better, I'm not obsessing about recovery that much and I think it's helping.
Hope you get better!
My first endo was in 2014, was also told no HPylori & an inflamed stomach.
After many GP visits (& seeing other doctor as well) I continued to have stomach problems for 3 more years.
It wasn't until I had surgery for a minor thing & that set my stomach into a major upset & the surgeon did an other endo for me, that they found I had extensive HPylori, chronic gastritis & cell changes..
What I should have done back then was ask for another endo as a follow up instead of 3 years of continued pain, Doc visits.
I have now organized to see a gastroligist so I can have follow ups regularly
Plus I came off all medication, I hated the fatigue & side effects of the medication so now just put up with the pain, try hard to watch wat I eat, (this may change after I see the gastro doc at the end of the year)
I read on this forum that zantac tables works, so I take that when in bad times & it ease's it a bit.
Their is no answers & I still suffer, sometimes its ok & doesn't effect my life, but sometimes it changes everything.
My advise is research it as much as u can, learn about your options so u can make an informed decision about your own treatment.
Good luck
First- sorry you are dealing with this.
Secondly- I'm no doctor but yes your symptoms do sound like they could be gastritis. I experienced burning and aching pain in stomach, nausea, gas, waking at night, etc.
Regarding triggers- I can never tie my symptoms to a particular food. Sometimes I can eat pizza without issue. Other times i ate something as benign as crackers and applesauce and experienced a flare up. Alcohol is a BIG no no for me. I haven't had a drink in months and it's sometimes annoying but way better than dealing with the subsequent flare up. I am also avoiding caffeine as a precaution. General gastritis recommendations are to stay away from very fatty foods and too much dairy. I don't greatly alter my diet- my GI said it's not necessary but I try not to go crazy with any of those types of foods.
I dont know that taking some NSAIDS for a couple days out of the month can give you gastritis but if you already have it they def won't help. I also used to take NSAIDS during my period. Lately I just use heat to get me through - give it a try. I recommend thermacare menstural wraps. My doc also said Tylenol is much more tolerable to your stomach.
I currently take pantoprazole (protonix) and have been for about 5 weeks now. I have also taken omerprazole but felt it made the pain worse. I also took ranitidine (Zantac) for 5 weeks total- but only for 2 weeks at 2x a day. I felt better on it but it gave me some side effects and I think I got off it too soon for healing to take place. The protonix has helped but I've had to add in ranitidine at night to get relief or I wake up in the middle of the night with pain and nausea.
If I were you I would try it to see if it helps. I wish I wouldn't have delayed my medications in the beginning. I tried initially to solve this problem other more natural ways but I've had it for 6 months now. To be honest (hope this doesn't scare you) but I do have some side effects with every medication. Predominantly gas and nausea but there were some other things too. I'm sort of sensitive to medication tho- but a lot of people have side effects with ppi and h2 blockers. IMO if you can weather the side effects in the short term it's a lot better than dealing with gastritis for the long term. You might not have any but you asked my experience so I wanted to share.
Sorry it got long.
You see the gi dr in a week? See what they say and honestly I'd just give the meds they suggest a try for a good 3-4 weeks and see how you feel.
Best of luck.
I am going to wait to see what the doctor says on Monday. I really hope I don't have to get an endoscopy again (last time I cried because I was so scared--going under anesthesia scares me) but after-wards it really wasn't bad. It's just the unpredictability that I don't like.
Thank you for your detailed response, it did help.
I understand issues with anxiety. I too have struggled with that. I find some strength in my faith- prayer helps. But whether you're religious or not- I also find meditating really makes a difference for me. I was skeptical because I'd never tried that before. But I downloaded this free app called Simple Habit. Full of 5, 10, & 20 min meditations on a variety of topics including health. There's a lot of free content. Maybe check it out and see if it helps to calm your mind :) Gastritis is so stressful - I hope the doctor can give you a good plan Monday!