Herrlehmann is right & that is exactly how I visualise it in my mind - like a wound that I don't want to pour irritants onto. You're right that there is differing opinions & experience with milk, but I think everyone agrees that coffee is bad!

Before I had H pylori/gastritis/ulcers I had never been ill in my life! So I understand about not wanting to 'give in'. It felt alien to me to take pills because in my head I was still a healthy person who does not need daily medication. I was angry at myself for being weak & not healing like I 'should'.

However once I stopped 'resisting' & 'fighting' it & moved into acceptance that I might actually be stuck with this forever & just had to roll my sleeves up & get on with it. Life goes on. It could be worse.

I am a working Mom with babies & young kids. I have to maintain my fragile well-being for them, so if that means eating a bland diet & taking numerous medications & supplements forever then that's what I must do.

A weak LES definitely makes reflux likely, and no amount of diet will cure it unfortunately, only surgery (there are less invasive surgical options nowadays though). If you could go on PPIs they may reduce acid so that the reflux doesn't cause symptoms though.

But there are certain foods that temporarily weaken the LES - mint, chocolate and coffee are the main culripts. You should eliminate these from your diet and hopefully it will improve. Also try to sit up after eating, moving and bending, or lying down will make reflux more likely.

Also on the PPIs, Im no doctor but I believe they hinder calcium absorption because it needs acid to digest, but you can take calcium citrate supplements which does not need acid to be absorbed by the body.

The diet for gastritis and reflux are virtually the same, so you should try a very strict bland diet if only for a couple of weeks to see how you feel.

Well now I think we're getting somewhere. Andy's last response is making more sense to me and I think I am understanding better. And I know the stress will never go away. I have a sick husband to deal with and my own health issues are numerous.

My husband does most of the cooking and he is old school. Believes the way to a healthier body is through good food. So he makes things I can't eat and then gets mad because I won't eat what he cooks. And of course, he does not want to eat what I fix. More stress right!

Anyway, I can give up coffee. I'm not hooked on it. And I can give up chocolate and tomatoes. I just have to convince Sam that this is necessary for ME. He can have what he wants.

I'm trying to limit my meds since I have so many illnesses and the meds seem to interact with each other sometimes. It's a tricky balancing act.

You guys have been so good to me. And this thread has taught me a lot. I have to get my doctors to see your wisdom. I came here to begin with because I believe that the patients who have been through all this know more than the doctors and are more willing to reach out to those of us who are just learning.

I think I can take the Omeprazole on a short term basis and add the calcium. The only problem is that calcium bothers my stomach. Catch 22! I'll have to talk this over with my 2 gastros again. It's very hard to get them to agree.

Thanks so much.

I disagree with Andy, weak LES can be cured if you find the cause, i read many causes of weak LES and some even took antidepressants or muscle relaxants in forums some took out gluten and some took down all carbs. For me the cause of a weak LES is having low stomach acid and the culprit of my weak LES was nexium for a month. I dont have low stomach acid but if it goes beyond a threshold my LES doesn't work as good, after 3-5 months of no nexium, I had no heartburn, no burning mouth, no reflux, no nothing and could sleep upside down if I wanted but boy were the first 3 months hell ! Now I have weakened my LES again by using antiacids....I quit them and it seems to be getting better, hopefully i go back to where I was.

Also my gastritis is getting better except for burning at night and Im only eating rice,vegetables and banana and pepzin gi between meals.



If I could just eat a protein with no burning, i could live on this diet + oatmeal for years....I'd be healing my gastritis again with just pepzin GI and sliperry elm.

Littlemart, gastritis is a vicious cycle , if you don't have the willpower and become very strict with whatever routine you have, You wont get better no matter the cause, and you will just go on an infinite loop, get worse, get better, get worse.

Please take care of yourself better.