To Nanci..OMG I feel so stupid

Hi Nanci.  I believe I have figured out the culprit for my severe diarrhea.  I was taking Mylanta for the burning in my chest and my Mom just told me that the Magnesium in the Mylanta acts as a laxative!!  NO WONDER!  And that makes sense too because I took the Mylanta Sat. night and woke up Sunday morning with severe watery diarrhea and I did NOT take any Sunday night and yesterday morning it wasn't so bad.  But last night (mon. night) I took the Mylanta before bed because of the burning from the turkey sandwich I ate for supper and woke up this morning w/the watery diarrhea again.  Do you think the Mylanta is causing the diarrhea???????  Boy I'm not taking any more of that. I'm going at lunch to buy either Zantac or Tagament.  Which OTC meds do you take?  I also read that Calcium Carbonate (which is Tums) can cause an acid re-bound type effect ( I guess meaning it can actually make the gerd worse).  And I've been taking Tums like crazy.  Dang, I've been torturing myself with this stuff!  No more Tums and Mylanta for me.  Maybe I'll be ok in a few days.

[nanci]

You're right!  I've read on the other board that Mylanta will cause dirrhea and Tums will give you GERD symptoms!  So stop and see what happens.  I take Axid, two in the AM and then when I get home around 5:30PM.  Always take before you eat, preferably 20 minutes before.  I had success with Zantec too.  I'm not feeling that great right now, been up since four with burning and have it as I type.  Plus my back is really burning too.  I haven't heard from the doctor's office but it should be any time.

I'm going to talk to him, well, it's his nurse who will call, about his opinion of taking anti-anxiety stuff with meds to calm the gastritis.  It seems in my research, this is almost an accepted protocol in treatment.  I know several people on the other board I gave you take anti-anxiety meds with great success.  I just never took anything and I'm hesitant to start now.

The other poster, Jenn, has had great luck in her treatment and she seems pretty regimented as to what she had to do to get better.  I think it took her a year.  By the way, have you lost any weight?

[Lynn28]

I'm really thinking you have a touch of gastritis (Like the rest of us here) or reflux. It makes zero sense for you to have SO much burning, especially after you eat, and yet have no signs of inflammation anywhere. Doesn't add up. Maybe he saw just a touch somewhere and blew it off as nothing, but for you, it is something and it hurts. Believe it or not, that happens. It happened with me. It just doesn't make sense. If I were you. I would keep the one you have "For Now", but make an appt. asap with someone else, regardless if the new GI is in the same office. I've done this. Made an appt. with a new GI who happened to be in the same office as the old. This one knew much more than the other! It's your health. Something is definitely causing the burning. Good luck to you-

-Jenn

[JCLingo]

Hi Nanci.  Thanks for your post.  Yes I've lost about 15lbs. since the beginning of this whole mess which was April.  Now that I know what the Mylanta and the Tums were doing , hopefully, with discontinued use I'll be better in a few days.  I hope you get good news from your dr.  And if you do take the anti-anxiety meds please let me know how it affects you and if it works.  I was prescribed Trazodone 25mg. I still haven't filled the prescrip. yet.  As I said I'm afraid of it, but only because I don't know anything about it.  Your tightness across your back could be from sitting at the computer.  I also sit at a computer all day, and am wondering since the burning is mainly in the right side of my chest is caused by reaching for that darn mouse. I know my shoulders tense up all the time.  Esp. between the shoulders.
Thank you for the link to the other board.  I'm using it and getting some good info.  

Jenn, are you taking the anti-depressants?  I swear, I'm  just about ready to try anything, but still have reservations about the Trazodone.  I may still try and make an appt. with another GI.  They are the only group in town.  I will have to make another trip to my GP as my ins. requires referrals from her before they will pay.  I wanted a different GI to start with, but I got this one because he was open sooner.  I wish I would have put my foot down and waited for the one I wanted, but I was hurting so much I really didn't care.  I just wanted a GI and a scope done.  I'm not sure if the ins. co. will pay for another scope or not.  
I could have gastritis for sure.  May explain why it comes and goes.
Best of luck to both of you.  Thank you so much for your posts.

[nanci]

Do a search on Trazondone before you take it - it has some side effects.  Wonder why he didn't prescribe Paxil which I understand doesn't have as many.

Trazondone has a side effect of dizziness which is pretty common.

Check it out - have to run, talk to you tomorrow

[Lynn28]

No, I don't take any anti-depressants. I refuse to think it's anxiety. I have never had ANYTHING like this before in my life prior to be treated for H-Pylori which is suppose to be the cause of this whole mess. So no, I will not take anything else, I want to find the "Real" problem and solutuion, not a cover-up. I have enough problems ;-)  I would ask to be seen by the first GI you requested and if you have to, wait it out. It will be worth it. Keep us posted.

-Jenn

[nanci]

Jeen, if you were treated for H-pylori, then that is the culprit.
It's a nasty bacteria and in some cases, isn't totally eliminated first time around.

Are you saying that you want to know what caused the h-pylori in the first place?  Or are you still having the symptoms even after you were treated for the bacteria?

[Lynn28]

I would just like to know why I still have chronic gastritis a year AFTER being treated for the bacteria. It was eradicated the first time around. I've since had two endoscopys w/ biopsy to prove this, along with the breath test, but wouldn't you think the gastritis would be gone as well? Maybe it is, but who knows anymore.

[nanci]

I came across this - what type of gastritis do you have?

.......There are two types of chronic atrophic gastritis. One is associated with a condition called pernicious anemia. It is more common in persons with Scandinavian and Northern European ancestry. It is an autoimmune gastritis. The second type of chronic atrophic gastritis is more common and is associated with Helicobacter pylori infection. However, by the time chronic atrophic gastritis develops, treatment of Helicobacterpylori infection does not reverse the atrophic gastritis.

[Lynn28]

I don't have either. No atrophy. I would assume the biopsy would have stated that and I would hope my GI would have said something, but I am a bit scandinavian. No anemia, was told by two different docs that blood work was better than perfect. Thank god for something. My GI and the biopsy states that I have nonspecific chronic gastritis, cause not known. It could be because I was infected with the HP and even though the HP is gone, gastritis can still stick around for some time, BUT is suppose to go away. Hmmm, when? Atrophic gastritis is bad, however, chronic gastritis "Can" lead to atrophic gastritis which is a pre-curser to cancer. YIKES! Have you not asked or went for a copy of your biopsy report that "States" EXACTLY what type of gastritis you have? I would "Definitely" get one for your own good, no doubt about it.

[nanci]

Like I said, I'm still waiting for the call.  They told me 7-10 days and today is day 7.  I tend to think I just have chronic gastritis.  I always knew that if untreated, gastritis can lead to bigger things.  But to echo your words, if we never read any of this stuff, we would be fine!  Knowledge is power but sometimes I wonder.

[Lynn28]

This is a must read. I'm going out to but some cats claw ;-)

http://www.altmedicine.com/FrameSet.asp

[nanci]

I have cats - four!  You mean soft paws - tried them, didn't work so I returned.

How many cats and thanks for the link, I'll read this afternoon

[Lynn28]

ROTFLMAO.........OK, what exactly did you think I was talking about and what exactly were you talking about? Did you think I meant real cat claws? Again, ROTFLMAO. Too funny, I'm crying. I meant to write, buy not but. Too too funny.