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.
I've heard so many people talk about this, but I never understood the difference between having gastritis and having a flare. All I know is I have gastritis and it is almost always painful in one way or another.
Are flares treated in a different way from the every day treatment which tries to calm down the problem or "cure" it? Is there really any cure? It seems like most of us live with this disease for a lifetime, even though it might not make us feel sick every day.Maybe that's my answer. Flares are those times when we actually feel bad. (?)
How can we know when things are better? Do you have to have repeat endoscopies? And in general do you think gastroenerologists are well trained in this disease? Guess they are like most doctors... some are good... some are not.
Are flares treated in a different way from the every day treatment which tries to calm down the problem or "cure" it? Is there really any cure? It seems like most of us live with this disease for a lifetime, even though it might not make us feel sick every day.Maybe that's my answer. Flares are those times when we actually feel bad. (?)
How can we know when things are better? Do you have to have repeat endoscopies? And in general do you think gastroenerologists are well trained in this disease? Guess they are like most doctors... some are good... some are not.
I don't know about others, but a 'flare up' up for me is when my day to day generic discomfort gets significantly more painful & can be accompanied by other symptoms such as increased epigastric tenderness/bloating, increased burning, feel full much quicker than usual etc.
Usually a double dose of ppi for a month (or less) gets me back to my normal/minor level of discomfort that I can cope/live with.
We might be quite different because my "flare up" is most probably a temporary relapse/worsening of my duodenitis (duodenal inflammation/ulceration).
Whereas if you're suffering with your oesophagus you probably get different symptoms to me.
I've had 2 endoscopies. No more planned unless my symptoms worsen or can't stabilise on double ppi. My Consultant is ok. I don't think he's the greatest, but probably not the worst.