I have posted some of my story here before but I will give a brief recap. About two months ago, I was diagnosed with acute ulcerative gastritis and duodenitis. I was put on prevacid and did well for awhile. When I ran out of Prevacid, my stomach really flared up about four days later. I saw my family doctor and was put on Aciphex. My stomach continued to hurt like crazy and ended up going to the emergency room twice that week. Many blood tests were ran to check for pancreatitis, liver, etc and a fecal blood test was performed both times. Everything showed ok and the ER diagnosis was that it was still gastritis and that NSAIDS incduced gastritis can take awhile to heal.

I finally saw a gastro doc and showed him the endoscope pictures that were taking with my first diagnosis and he said that it looked mild. By the way, my first diagnosis was in Mexico so I that's why I couldn't go straight to him. My new GI doc said that I should continue with the Aciphex and he also put me on Librax. On the day that I saw him I was acually not feeling too bad so I accepted his diagnosis. Well that night was a different story. My stomach really started hurting again and I spoke with the gastro doc the next day and he scheduled me for another scope the following week. I also asked to be put back on Prevacid. Well about 1-2 days on the Prevacid, I started feeling much better.

I had the scope performed and he said that everything looked pretty good except for some mild gastritis. I even asked if it was ok to have a beer or two and he said ok! I figured if the gastritis was bad he would have said deffinetly not. Anyway, he took some biopsies of some scar like tissue from where the ulcers probably were and they came back negative for bacteria and metaplasia, just like my first scope. I continued feeling pretty good until this week.

My pain isn't as bad as it was when I went to the ER but I am having the fullness feeling and upper stomach discomfort. I have to force myself to eat because I don't want to lose weight again. I had lost 11 pounds since all this started and I have gotten maybe 4 of it back. I am now taking weight gainer just to get ine extra calories in me. I have scheduled an appt to see the GI doc next week. I have been also trying to get my GP to schedule me for an abdominal CT scan just to rule out other possibilities. I will also discuss this with my GI doc.

I guess my concern is can gastritis cause me to feel this bad? Also how long does it take for one to get rid of gastritis? I feel full all the time and when I do eat, I feel like I am about to explode even when I eat just a little. It's not really pain just really bad discomfort. I have been trying natural stuff like peppermint tea, probiotic, yogurt, etc. but nothing seems to help. I also don't want to try too many herbs because I worry about the interactions with my medications (Prevacid and Librax).

The only connection that I can associate with my latest flare ups is that I ate Mexican. I didn't order anything spicy but both times I ate were on a Monday. After I ate, I felt like a rock was sitting in my stomach. I know I was full but it was a different sort of full feeling. Anyway, the next day would be when the stomach would start hurting again. The first time might have been worse because I was off of the Prevacid and this time I am on it so maybe that's why it's milder. Maybe it's a spice they are using though it doesn't tatse spicey.

One last question, does anyone with experience with Librax or Prevacid notice a change in their bowel patterns? Before my problems started, I was a one a day kind of guy. Now 2 - 3 times a day. No diarrhea and everything looks pretty normal.

Well this post ended up being longer than I wanted so sorry.

Dan

Hi,
I also battle gas alot. I am hypothyroid which I think in turn is really affecting my stomach and digestion. I constantly feel like I have gas pockets in the upper left area of my body, into the ribs, and sometimes under the arm and into the mid back area. I know thats what it is because sometimes when i get a exploding feeling pain, I can feel it suddenly move down. Most of the time the gas seems trapped in my upper body as I dont feel like I have to pass it the other way. The only thing that seems to help me is to eat regularly. If I diet all day long without much solid food, it seems to make the problem worst. But also when after eating a big meal I also experience the gas pockets again. With me it has been this way the past few months and seems to be getting worst. I just cant figure it out.
Well anyway, I would also like to see if anyone has an answer to this.

Dan,
I have used the PPIs with very little help. The best remedy that I have used has been "Mastica" ---taken twice daily. It cured my gastritis in 2 weeks. It was given to me by a MD that practices alternative medicine.

A search indicates it will also help stomach ulcers.

I think it's worth a try!!!

Harry

Thanks Harry. I noticed from other posts that you mentioned Mastica. Where is the best place to get info and possibly to buy it? Thanks.

I bought mine from the Vitamin Shoppe and just do a search on google.com
but the first time I used it I bought it from my Doctor that sells alot of OTC supplements in his office.

You also need to take a probiotic supplement while taking Mastica. A good one is PB-8.

Mastic Gum is a resin obtain from a tree and has been use by the Greeks for hundreds of years for Gastrointestinal problems. So, it's not a new product.

Harry

Thanks Harry, I will check that stuff out when needed. Right now I am doing much better. I have an appointment to see the GI today because I made the appointment last week when I wasn't feeling well. I will still go see him and my GP has scheduled me for an abdominal CT scan next week. My stomach started feeling better after I started drinking peppermint tea and some other sort of tea that has peppermint, licore root, and a bunch of other stuff. I don't know if the tea is actually helping or it was just good timing that my stomach started feeling better at the same time I started drinking the tea. I was actually able to jog yesterday which has been the first time that I have been able to do that in over two months.

Ginger can help with nausea. Normally with esophageal problems it is recommedned you stay away from peppermint or any mint. You may also consider an antibiotic. There are many Doctors that feel gastritis is caused by an bacteria even if it is not h. pylori. Some feel that that too many PPI's are causing gastritis as the stomach works to make more acid that we are trying to reduce.

I've tried getting a just in case antibiotic but was turned down both by my GP and GI doc. I'm still doing ok but I am testing it hard today due to the huge lunch that was eaten earlier. The lunch also included a lot of acidic foods. I don't plan on making these kind of meals regular but it was a special lunch so I indulged.

Also, sae the GI doc yesterday and he expects me to be able to get off the PPI in a few weeks. Hopefully that will go well and hopefully nothing else will come up. I will continue with the peppermint tea since it at least doesn't appear to be harming anything.