Gastritis Questions

[brian -]

I've had gastritis for about 3 years now. I'm wondering what kind of symptoms other people have who have gastritis and how intense they are and how it affects their daily life. I've been on primarily nexium for this for a year, though stopped its usage in october because of side effects concerns, but am back on it now because my stomach pains, the burning and sensation of feeling like throwing up are all back and it's like an on-off switch in terms of how i can go about my life. When the switch is on, I can go to college classes and go about life as I normally would, though when i sometimes feel only slightly sick, I can go about my day normally, but feel ill and not too energetic as I go through it. When the switch is off, whenever I have the stomach pains, I can't do anything. All I can do is sit still on the sofa wrapped in a blanket feeling the intense burning even with taking the nexium pill, waiting for it to take effect, and having a few spoonfuls of maalox as well. When I eat the soup in the morning then, it takes me over an hour to eat, and even then it's only a 3-6 spoonfuls, and with many gag reflexes when I'm trying to eat too. I then sit on the sofa for another hour or so before I feel like I can get up and walk around without feeling like I'm going to throw up and get the gag reflex. Usually I feel better in the afternoon to early evening, but later in the evening start to feel sick again, and when I'm laying down to sleep, I can't fall asleep for a while due to the burning, churning & gurgling of my stomach, even though I'm not hungry & took maalox. (cont'd)

[brian -]

(continued)So, i was wondering how people go about their lives with gastritis since when the medication isn't working, it just feels so bad and i can't do anything even though i feel like i want to, not wanting to just sit around. Like i said, it's an on-off switch, when it's on, i feel normal and can go about things normally, but when its off, I just feel so sick and abnormal, and wonder how people can go about classes or regular work with this condition.

[brian -]

I'm sorry to add a third piece, but I just have so many questions that i can never ask the doctor, a specialist, because appointments must be made 2-3 months i advance and he's always so busy i wait for 1½ hours and then only see him for about 5 minutes before he moves on to the next patient and don't have time to really ask many questions; but I'm just wondering also about how gastritis has affected people's weight. I'm male, 5ft11 and a half, and my weight is... well, before gastritis was diagnosed & came about, I weighed around 123-126 lbs, and with the nexium i got up to 130-133lbs, and when i went off of nexium to switch to maalox, my weight went down to 125-126 lbs, and I now way 121 lbs, having weighed 124lbs before the gastritis came back strong earlier this week. I always was very light from age 3 or 4 onward (i'm 21 now), though the gastritis' affect on my weight concerns me since i don't want to lose weight being so light already.

[ozark]

you have a lot of issues...i think its time to see a different dr if yours doesnt answer your questions....try a medical center near you and have your info brought with you.good luck

[nadia]

I was diagnosed with gastritis in 2000 and recently the pain has really escalated with severe nausea.  During this phase the only medication that helped was something new called Pariet(rabeprazole sodium, an acid blocker). It got rid of the nausea and most of the deep churning pain.  However, I am never competely rid of the pain and am going for another scope in February.

[PM]

I have had gastritis for a long time, but the worst started 2 years ago.  Worst being the burning pain.  At my worst I run fevers also.  It has been miserable.  I have kept my job, but it is not always easy to get up and go.  It defintely interfers with daily life.  It doesn't sound like you are taking carafate.  The combination of Carafate and Nexium have helped me although I have never fully recovered.  I have eaten only bland foods for 2 straight years.  I mean baby food, cereal, eggs, chicken, broiled fish, potatoes and only milk and water to drink.  If I go even slightly off this group of food, I always pay....  I guess we are waiting on a new miracle drug or solution to this nightmare.  I for one hope I don't have to spend the rest of my life like this.  I am 31 now....

[sunnyc]

I was just wondering what test in particular did you have done that diagnosed the gastritis??  I'm having similar symptoms.  Thanks sunnyc

[moozie]

Re: Gastritis.

I have been suffering from the same thing for about 3 months now. I am having an endoscope this Wednesday. However, my doctor has insisted that this is caused by stress. I am now taking Ativan once a day, 1mg because my anxieties about this have made it very difficult for me to live a normal life. I suffer with this constant burning all the time as well. I haven't been to work in 1 month as my nerves and stomach condition are just unbearable.  
But I must say that when I take the ativan for my nerves that the burning stops and I can go about and do my daily chores, I am now eating , as I had not been able to eat for weeks.
What my point is, is that gastritis could be very well related to our stresses in life, our ways of coping with stress and our anxiety levels.
Does anyone have an opinion about this. I am having the test in a couple of days, and will find out I guess if this theory is actually a possibility for me.


Moozie

[brian -]

i believe what they did to diagnose it was an endoscopy, or whatever they call sticking a camera down your mouth when you're unconscious to look inside the stomach. That's what they did to diagnose my gastritis. Hope that helps.

[brian -]

to Moozie, from what I've learned about gastritis, stress just exaserbates a pre-existing condition. I recovered from my gastritis for 5 months in 2000 and then got the stomach flu in 2001, which brought back the gastritis. I just saw my specialist and he said I may have gotten the flu in the last week which made my gastritis worse. The flu is a physical stress. I know in the past they used to say ulcers were caused mostly by stress, but now they say most ulcers are caused by h. pylori; stress just exaserbates it. So, basically, across the spectrum from gastroenterological conditions to blood pressure and the rest, stress usually isn't the sole cause, there's an underlying condition or problem it amplifies. Basically just try to relax more, roll with it, and think positive. I know that's hard to do when you're sick, it's hard for me to do, but usually family & friends tend to be encouraging and uplifting.

[moozie]

Brian, I was tested for H Pylori and don't have it. But I will let you know what happens after my endoscopy.

Have been under stress in the last few months ?


Moozie

[PM]

I am just curious to know how stict of a diet those of you with chronic gastritis are on and for how long.  I literally don't touch anything acidic or that has citric acid added.  I just want to know if others are going to this extreme.

[ahk]

Moozie-
I think we may have similar symptoms leading up to our GI problems; stress related.  Please email me at ***@**** to discuss.  I have some questions regarding our symptoms.
Aaron