- Try rice with an egg, tastes much better.

- Doctors and nurses have no clue about Gastritis and Diet.

- Definitely take the PPI/H2 Blocker in the morning one hour before breakfast. They don't work when you take them after the meal.

The pH test relies on quite an acidic pH to record reflux, so if you were taking medication, or even if your stomach isn't that acidic, then it doesn't register. That doesn't mean you dont have reflux though, just that is isn't very acidic. It can still cause symptoms though. Also it won't tell you anything about gastritis.

Definitely take your acid blockers before breakfast, I find 30 mins before works best for me.

Andy1986 you'll have to explain the PH thing to me like I was 5 years old. I did not understand the test at the time, did not get the results and still don't understand the difference between acid and reflux. I can't remember what the instructions were when I went home with the tube in my nose. I don't think there were any other than recording my symptoms. So I suppose eating or not eating contributed to the results. Since then I have had much more heartburn ( reflux? ) and was told to limit the acidic foods. I wish these doctors would explain things to us.

Everyone here seems to know what kind of diet to use. Is my doctor the only one who never mentioned changing diet? I was under the assumption that you all had doctors who knew about these things and gave you each a diet to follow. Has everyone here had to find this out on your own? Lots of research?? That's pitiful that the professionals don't give out the needed information.

Yes, but it's pretty easy to find out. Everyone is different, but while you have Gastritis symptoms you should eat rice, eggs, potatoes, some steamed vegetables like carrots, bananas, oatmeal. If you can try boiled fish or chicken. I can also eat Yoghurt and drink Milk without any problem, some can't.

Stay away from Coffee (worst thing with Gastritis), Alcohol, Coke (Sprite, etc.), Juices, Sweets, Salt, Tomatoes, fruits (except bananas) and a lot of other things ...

It's important to stay on this diet without any exception.
And you have to take your meds every day, not only after discomfort. They don't work this way.

herrlehmann I am and have been confused about the gastritis symptoms. I guess I always thought the heartburn and reflux were the symptoms. Along with that awful pain straight up the espophagus. Now I'm not so sure what to look for. I just had a palpitation which is something I haven't had in a long time. I suspect stress and anxiety about an upcoming doctor's appointment for today, which I am cancelling. I just don't feel well enough to make the trip today.

Anyway, I am sorry to be such a dunce. This is all so confusing to me. I kind of think the gastritis is better but the reflux is worse now. How can you tell the difference?? And... thanks.

hi littlemart

Basically reflux is when something comes up from your stomach into your esophagus. Usually this is acidic because the stomach produces acid, and that hurts your esophagus. But reflux doesn't have to be acidic. The pH test measures when something very acidic is present in the esophagus. So if you drink some water and it refluxes into the esophagus it may only be a weak acid, so the pH test doesn't think anything is there.

Reflux and gastritis are separate conditions. Gastritis is when the stomach becomes inflamed, and the pain is usually on the left hand side just below the ribs. Reflux causes pain in the chest and sometimes throat, more central under the breastbone and can radiate through to your back. Gastritis can heal with diet changes and reducing acid, but reflux does not 'heal' as such, if you get symptoms on acid blocking drugs then you will likely always have symptoms until the contents of your stomach stop refluxing into your esophagus. It simply isn't designed to withstand acid. Reflux can stop on its own, or you can have surgery to tighten the top of the stomach and stop things coming out of it.

I would ask your doctor to have the impedance test, it is like the pH test but it will measure anything in your esophagus, not just acid, so will likely give you a positive result and make you a candidate for reflux surgery if your symptoms are affecting your quality of life.

The other test they did showed that my LES is weak... not closing properly and allowing acid to back up into the esophagus. I think that is the explanation. So when you said "Basically reflux is when something comes up from your stomach into your esophagus.", are you talking about acid or food? I know there have been times when drinking water hurts me. Maybe that's what Andy is telling me.

I'm beginning to "get it" so keep drilling me with your knowledge. Sooner or later I'll understand. And thanks for the suggestion about the impedance test. I should ask him about this. I think my problems are probably minor, but when you are in pain... it's all major.

Littlemart - My Doctors are useless & gave me no advice whatsoever.

Everything I learned came from reading this forum, hundreds of hours of internet research & extensive reading of scientific papers & books - particularly "Dropping Acid" by Jamie Koufman. Also keeping a food journal... & of course... trial & error.

There is a lot conflicting nonsense on the internet regarding diets etc. It has been hard graft & experimentation finding what works & what doesn't. I am still learning. Also learning about anatomy & physiology - how the stomach & duodenum actually work... what secretions there are... what stimulates or reduces those secretions has allowed me to exert a level of control over my symptoms where possible. Knowledge is power!

It breaks my heart to see you asking the same questions over & over... I am shocked you only take Zantac "when you feel symptoms coming on". You need a more rigid medication & dietary regime. It's irrelevant really if the symptoms are coming from heartburn, reflux, gastritis etc. The dietary advice & medication advice are appropriate for all these.

Herrlehmann is very wise saying... " It's important to stay on this diet without any exception. And you have to take your meds every day, not only after discomfort. They don't work this way."

I take my meds & follow my diet everyday... on good days, bad days etc etc. Of course I slip up occasionally, but as infrequently as possible.

I'm sorry you're so confused. However I just get this feeling you are reluctant to go to bland basics like rice, plain chicken, carrots, plain potatoes & work upwards from that to begin healing. Why keep drinking the irritants like coffee? Why not just try an extremely bland diet for a week & see if you feel marginally better? Shihonage recently posted an excellent regime in response to DanicaRose's query about nausea & of couse Herrlehmann is advising you perfectly here too.

smilelike I have been taking the Zantac daily and the Pepzin GI. I'll admit my diet isn't the best, but I don't eat much of anything so I'm not sure that WHAT I eat is harming me. I kind of think the gastritis is somewhat better, but the reflux might be worse. It's pretty hard to tell without a scope.

You're right... I am not a good dieter. I'll admit that.

A question.... if I eat a piece of chocolate (example) am I "feeding my gastritis or the reflux"? I mean... am I damaging my whole system or just part of it or some combination? I see that some people here have been dealing with this for years and still have problems. And some are eating normally after awhile. So sometime or other we do eat something that might cause an irritation. Might now. Yes... experimentation is important.

You're the first person to mention the duodenum . What part does it play in all this? I think if my doctors would all be more thorough I'd understand more. I have a feeling I'll never learn all about anatomy etc. Maybe I'm worrying more than necessary. I have so many weird autoimmune problems to try to research. And I do try. I can't take the PPI's because I have osteoporosis and there is a risk of bone loss with them. If it wasn't for that I would try them again. I don't remember ever having side effects when I did take them but we don't want to push the bone thing.

I can't help feeling that WE shouldn't have to do all this studying and researching. Our doctors really should be more diligent about giving us what few answers and advice they have. But, we all read, read, read. And when we try to inform them, they shake their heads and get annoyed with us. Yeesh.

I have the feeling this gastritis and GERD etc will be a lifetime battle. I can't see any "cure" in the future. Thanks so much. Don't give up on me.

The cure is diet, meds and reducing stress.
But it will never get better if you keep drinking coffee and stuff like this. Sorry to say it!

Thanks again herrlehmann. I don't drink a lot of coffee. And when I do it's a half cup of the milder stuff. Actually the only reason I drink it at all is because I got used to putting my Miralax in it. I know I can use water or anything else, but I just haven't disciplined myself yet. So, my question from before: by drinking coffee or eating something less than bland am I "feeding" the gastritis? Making it worse? Or am I "feeding" the acid reflux?

Part of my problem is that I have been reading so much from so many people and everyone has different ideas. Some say "no milk" and some say milk helps heartburn. It goes on like that all the time. Gets frustrating. And the "medical" sites give other advice too.

Besides all that, I have myself convinced that I am not that sick. One of my MS doctors has always said that I tend to minimize everything. I just hate to give in to this. My mother was 94 when she died and was NEVER sick!

Thanks so much.

Littlemart -- I have gastritis and my only symptom (but it's an annoying one) is burning in my stomach after meals.

Also sometimes burping after meals

Littlemart: Imagine you're having a wound on your skin. If you're always putting dirt and acid on it, the wound will NEVER heal. It's the same in your stomach, your stomach is inflamed.

So if you're drinking coffee and eating things like tomatoes it will NEVER heal. It's your decision.