Gastritis caused by Antibiotics?

[mizzaj]

I think harry had mentioned in some earlier posts that when he takes antibiotics, he gets gastritis. Well, I'm wondering if I have that from my course of antibiotics, too. I just completed the Triple Therapy for H Pylori, and I have some pain in my ribs and pressure in my chest that I didn't have before. the pain isn't horrible by any means-- just a bit baffling. Sometimes it's shooting, other times it's just a constant soreness/ache.

I have started taking the Mastic gum, as well as a product called Iberogast that has gotten good reviews for providing relief from gastritis/dyspepsia/IBS, etc. Hopefully that will counteract some of the weird rib pain I've been experiencing. If I didn't know better, I'd say it was gallbladder related, as it does seem to be worse on my right side. But I do get some pain on the left, too.

has anyone else experienced gastritis, and if so, what does it feel like and what causes it? (I know that H Pylori, the very thing I'm trying to get rid of, can cause it, but I know there are other causes too....)

[Texas Tomato]

I took a long course of antibiotics in May that caused a reaction I still haven't recovered from! I don't have pain or heartburn, but I do have bloat, not being able to breathe, and horrible constant belching. I tested negative for h. pylori. I've been taking acidophilus, probiotics and eating yogurt, but I'm still not back to normal after all these months. I feel like my summer was just lost. I can hardly go out in public with all this belching. It's embarrassing.

Sometimes it gets better, then it gets worse again. My endoscopy showed "normal," so I don't know what my problem is exactly. I know antibiotics can really do a number on the bacteria in your digestive system!

[mizzaj]

Originally Posted by Texas Tomato

I took a long course of antibiotics in May that caused a reaction I still haven't recovered from! I don't have pain or heartburn, but I do have bloat, not being able to breathe, and horrible constant belching. I tested negative for h. pylori. I've been taking acidophilus, probiotics and eating yogurt, but I'm still not back to normal after all these months. I feel like my summer was just lost. I can hardly go out in public with all this belching. It's embarrassing.

Sometimes it gets better, then it gets worse again. My endoscopy showed "normal," so I don't know what my problem is exactly. I know antibiotics can really do a number on the bacteria in your digestive system!

Hi Texas Tomato,

Sorry to hear that you feel like you lost your summer...that's terrible! I can relate though. A part of me feels like I've lost the past 8 months....did you take antibiotics as part of the H Pylori treatment? The weird thing is, I've taken antibiotics before (Azithromycin for tonsil problems) and I never had any issues with that. But my body really did not tolerate the strong course of antibiotics that are prescribed for H Pylori.

I'm glad you're not in any pain though. But belching, bloating and not being able to breathe is not fun either! It sounds like these things came on after your antibiotic treatment, no?

I've also noticed that I'm getting hungry really easily, and that when I'm hungry, I feel slightly nauseous. Drinking water helps, but it doesn't make me want to eat, even though I'm really hungry! I guess I'm just so unclear as to whether this is gastritis, the lingering effects of the antibiotics, or just the continuing saga of my stomach having issues that none of the GI docs have been able to figure out yet-- other than chalking it up to IBS or non ulcer dyspepsia-- which are totally cop-out, catchall terms that they use when they can't figure out what else might be wrong. I'm going to see a new GI doc in January when my "better" insurance plan kicks in. I hope that having a better doctor will make a difference! I also hope that the Iberogast I'm taking and the mastic gum will help, but I've only been on each for a few days, so I have to be patient and see what happens-- patience...ha ha. I've been overly patient for so long now that it feels like all I know is "patience" and "it will get better, don't worry." Uggh! Such a crock!

Well T.T., feel better and hopefully your symptoms will start to dissipate over time. Hang in there. I guess that's all we can do!

Mizzaj

[joe9]

Originally Posted by Texas Tomato

I've been taking acidophilus, probiotics and eating yogurt, but I'm still not back to normal after all these months. I feel like my summer was just lost.

Wow, I can really relate to that feeling. I started a thread on this page called "Cholestyramine Users.. Help!", and I've had similar sudden troubles when a medicine I was taking successfully since 2002 was replaced by a new manufacturer last June.... ever since June 30th on the new brand, I have had gas, acid, belching, and now a severe sour taste and coated tongue that lasts all day, every day. I have tried 4 different brands, with no relief from the side effects. I have said "my summer was lost" as well.... this is horrific. I am set up for an endoscopy next Tuesday, but I don't have one bit of faith or hope in getting any answers whatsoever.

[mizzaj]

Hey Joe,

I've seen your thread, and it's very long! Clearly a lot of other people have had similar experiences to your's regarding this medication! I actually think that the Protonix I took for 6 weeks did a number on my stomach as well. I could barely eat after taking it for about two and a half weeks-- even though it did get rid of any stomach pain/reflux I was having. I feel like the three months that I spent on the Protonix or recovering from it were "lost" as well. I was miserable. And the doctor's didn't believe me that it could've been the Protonix causing my problems. Even a good friend of mine who's a doctor was like, "We give it to tons of people and they all do fine on it." Well, I'd love to see one of them take it and see how they do!

At least antibiotics are *known* for being rough on the stomach (even for people who don't have stomach problems to begin with-- it's just that we never expect them to have side effects for a period of time even after we're done with them!