I was recently diagnosed with mild antral gastritis after having an upper endoscopy. I am only 19 years old. I have been tested negative for helicobacter pylori or other infections from my endoscopy. If it's not h pylori, why do I have such a serious stomach problem at a young age? It's frustrating because the doctor can't tell me what the cause is and I don't know what I've done wrong. I've been put on Omeprazole and have changed my diet but I'm scared it will come back again, if it ever does heal, because I don't know the cause. What are the possible causes?
Gastritis is inflammation of the stomach, just like you can have laryngitis - inflammation of the larynx (a sore throat!), it can heal.
Its good to think about what the trigger may be in your individual case. It can be caused by anti-inflammatory drugs such as nurofen or aspirin - do you take medication for something esle? It can be alcohol, fizzy drinks, coffee, a highly acidic diet.... or perhaps it started with an infection?
The Following User Says Thank You to kacyc For This Useful Post: rie39 (11-28-2012)
Gastritis is inflammation of the stomach, just like you can have laryngitis - inflammation of the larynx (a sore throat!), it can heal.
Its good to think about what the trigger may be in your individual case. It can be caused by anti-inflammatory drugs such as nurofen or aspirin - do you take medication for something esle? It can be alcohol, fizzy drinks, coffee, a highly acidic diet.... or perhaps it started with an infection?
No, I'm not taking medication for something else. I haven't taken nurofen or aspirin. Although last year I was on antibiotics for an infected blister I had on my foot.
My diet did include alcohol, coffee and unhealthy foods, but it really was in moderation and I generally eat very healthy. I don't understand how it would've given me gastritis. If it did I don't know why I don't hear of many other teenagers my age getting gastritis, others who drink more or eat less healthy than me.
I remember being sick before my symptoms started. Maybe I had an infection that hurt my stomach. Or maybe it's stress. These are all just guesses though :/
Thanks for your reply
Hi Rie, you make a good point about why other teenagers who eat/drink similarly don't all have gastritis, but things affect people differently. And it may be that something else was affecting you at that particular time.
I think it is probably significant that you were sick before your symptoms started. Something caused the sickness, that may well have lead to your gastritis.
Can you say why you had the endoscopy in the first place, that lead to you finding out you had gastritis - what were your symptoms?
Hi Rie, you make a good point about why other teenagers who eat/drink similarly don't all have gastritis, but things affect people differently. And it may be that something else was affecting you at that particular time.
I think it is probably significant that you were sick before your symptoms started. Something caused the sickness, that may well have lead to your gastritis.
Can you say why you had the endoscopy in the first place, that lead to you finding out you had gastritis - what were your symptoms?
I had the endoscopy because I'd been experiencing nausea for months. It happened only at night time every now and then but gradually turned into every night, then into a daily thing. The constant nausea, along with feeling acid reflux, a sore feeling in my stomach, and many tests I had done that came back with nothing (blood tests, ultrasound, helicobacter pylori breath test, barium swallow test) were what prompted me to get the endoscopy.
Re: Why do I have gastritis? 
