Erosive gastritis solutions

[Anne-girl]

I have been battling erosive gastritis since late February of this year. The doc thinks that it was caused by taking Celebrex for two weeks prior to the onset. He has tried me on  five different PPI drugs, and they all give me symptoms worse than the gastritis. After speaking with my primary doctor, I am now taking DGL tablets 3-4 times a day, and Tagamet 200mg before bed. I have been doing this for about two wks, and sometimes I think it's helping, but I still have days where the symptoms seem to be about the same as they were before. I am eating a very bland diet and avoiding milk products. I also have had an ileostomy for the past 27 years due to ulcerative colitis, and have occasional problems with bowel obstructions from adhesions, so even normally my diet does not consist of a whole lot of fiber. Now mostly,  I am  eating chicken, turkey, applesauce, canned or peeled pears, white bread, white rice, plain couscous, pasta, white potatoes,  chicken soup, and cooked veggies such as green beens, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, and sweet potato. The other day I tried some watermelon and cantaloupe and it seemed to make me worse again, so now I'm trying to come back from that little relapse. That's what seems to always happen. I seem to improve and then I get worse again. Also, my doc says he doesn't know much about the alternative treatments, so I feel like I'm in the dark taking them.  I have read that the DGL is as healing as Tagamet after 8 wks, but doesn't provide relief as quickly. Is it normal not to feel much improvement after only two weeks? Thanks for any help.

[monkdevil]

A related discussion, erosive gastritis was started.

[Anne-girl]

Hi Reb,

So far, this recent "relapse" has lasted 2-3 days. I looked up how long I've been taking the DGL, and discovered that I took it for 9 days, along with 500mg glutamine before meals and 1/2 cup aloe juice per day. When I started having worse pain on the seventh day, I began to suspect one of the treatments might be making me worse. Stopped taking all three things after day 9 for three days, got some improvement, and started taking just the DGL along with Tagamet at night for 9 more days, and the same pain has recurred. Perhaps a coincidence or the result of the melon or something else, but it makes me wonder. Hope you feel better, too.

Hi Jennifier,

Yes, the diagnosis was discovered with endoscopy. The symptoms are primarily upper abdominal: a burning sensation, sometimes gnawing pain, sometimes almost a cramping pain, along with gas and belching and sometimes a bloated feeling. I had all these symptoms when I was evaluated by x-ray for obstruction, and no sign of obstruction or ileus was noted at that time.

[Lynn28]

Hi Anne,

What are the symptoms that bother you the most? Also, was your diagnosis discovered during endoscopy?

-Jennifer

[reb]

Hi, I'm afraid I don't have any answers for you, but I was wondering if you could answer a question for me?  When you said,

"The other day I tried some watermelon and cantaloupe and it seemed to make me worse again, so now I'm trying to come back from that little relapse."

How long was this relapse? I am asking because I have had similar a similar experience "relapsing" and this relapse seems to have lasted 2-3 weeks, which I find quite a long period of time, if it was triggered by something I ate....

I hope you get some answers and feel better soon, reb