14 years without resolution

[amelia776]

So on and off for 14 years I've had major bouts with ulcers as well as constant if ever-changing stomach pain. I've seen plenty of GI doctors. My current one is as useless as he is obnoxious. He has no patience for my questions and seems frustrated that the easy answers aren't working. I've tried every single pill on the market at least twice, in varying doses. I've been scoped, ultra-sounded, and otherwise poked and prodded. I'm exhausted. By and large I've gone without treatment, because the cure was often worse than the disease. At one point I had a dose of Tagamet equivalent to 2 over the counter boxes a day, and it put a dent in the pain, but not enough. The PPIs help, but every time I take them the side effects get worse. I end up with bloating and pain so bad it has actually torn the abdominal wall and left me bawling and gasping for air in the emergency room. The long term effects on my liver scare me as well. I have had only rare bouts with heartburn, and they didn't start until 5 years after the ulcers when I was pregnant with my son. No shock that pressure on the stomach pushed the acid up and ate the sphincter muscle stopping it. Now my idiot doctor says I have IBS, despite the fact that the ONLY symptom I exhibit is pain extending into the abdomen. And he refuses to make enough time for me to discuss this diagnosis.

So, I'll stop whining and extend this question.... is there ANY remedy for a system that simply eats itself?
Beyond pills, I'm thinking a more permanent solution. I thought I heard somewhere years ago about a laser surgery to block off some of the acid pumps. I'm tired of the medication and the endless tests... it just produces so much acid it eats anything it can and it's eating me. If I don't stop it, eventually it will eat it's way out. Please help.

[amelia776]

they found nothing. I've had a lot of h. pylori tests, all of them positive, the most recent showing such elevated numbers of active infection my doctor demanded I go see the GI... which is how I got here.... he found no active ulcers. i've been on more restrictive diets than i can name and they have been useless... doesn't seem to matter what I do. It hurts if I eat, it hurts if I don't eat. Spicy food, coffee, milk, no one thing bothers me more than any other. I don't think my gastrin levels have been checked, but my doctor never talks to me so maybe he has....

[CalGal]

When they scoped you what did they find? Were you tested for H. pylori? Were actual ulcerations present? Have your gastrin levels been tested? Have you been following a GERD diet?