Hypochlorhydria

Hi,

I think I have Hypochlorhydria - my stomach is failing to produce enough acid in my stomach but my doctor says my stomach is producing too much acid and put my on a PPI.  My symptoms of GERD have not gone since using the PPI.
Every day I have this gnawing pain inside my stomach about 1 - 3 hrs after eating meals, with what feels like a constant bloated stomach.  This is really depressing me and making me tired.
Has anyone else experienced Hypochlorhydria/been wrongly diagnosed etc?

Many thanks for any help.

Tim

[Kittee]

Hi Tim:

What it sounds like you are experiencing is the pain you get from a PPI.  I started taking Nexium in late December for GERD (Did not help a whole lot but it did a little) and the pain I would get 1 - 3 hours after eating was a gnawing, burning pain that my doctor and I assumed was an ulcer.  My upper GI last Monday showed not ulcers at all.  I did some research and found a quote by a GI doctor that says patients who are on PPI"s often present with this type of complaint.  I too also has bloating and diarrhea so I quit the nexium and am trying Losec again.

I am also trying Aloe Vera Gel and 2 DGL tablets 20 minutes before I eat.  I try to take the Aloe Vera on an empty stomach if possible as it is supposed to soothe the tissues.  My tissues don't feel very 'soothed' this morning though.  I really hate that 'irritable bowel feeling' that I get from PPI's and that gnawing, burning pain.  When I went for my upper GI last week I was convinced I had something very serious going on in my insides.  When the attending physician told me my exam was completely normal, I couldn't believe it.  I feel so lousy that I'm still having a hard believing it.  My GP says that I have gastritis and WHEN WILL IT EVER END?  I have been very down with all these symptoms at times over the past couple of months.  I just want to feel well but I think it's a catch 22.  OUr guts feel terrible and then it gets us down then our emotions make our guts feel even worse!  If that makes any sense.

Take care and feel free to email me at ***@****.

Kittee