Suggestion on what to do now

[milkbone1965]

I have been treated for almost 2 months for what my Dr believes is a gastritis related to Naproxen. My symptoms were lots of burping, feeling full with very little food intake, heavy feeling in my stomach after eating, and a very full feeling in my upper abdomen and occasional heartburn and some nausea, no vomiting and lots of gas.. I was treated for 1 month with Losec 20mg with no real improvement. I was switched to Nexium 40mg for another month in case the gastritis was severe or if I had developed an ulcer. At this time, I had blood work for Celiac Disease and bloodwork for H.Pylori, both have now come back negative. My Dr still believes it is Gastritis related to Naproxen, she does not believe this is serious and at this point is not concerned.Because of my anxiety and stress, which isn't helping my stomach,she is sending me to a gastroenterologist.
I am on Day 18 of the Nexium with still no real improvement or I think there is no improvement. I don't really have heartburn anymore, but I am following a GERD diet, I am able to eat more food than before with less nausea, still burping, but less of a bloated feeling and not as often.I had had diarrhea, but I think that was related to the Mylanta I had been taking.Now, my stools are more formed, soft, but kind of yellow looking or light brown.

Should I consider these changes as improvements? Is it still possible for a gastritis to take this long and perhaps longer to heal and all the symptoms to be gone?
What else if not gastritis, could be causing these symptoms?

I spoke to the office today, and I can't get into see her until July 14th and the GI specialist, probably not until September or October!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Jodi

[aaronmac5]

Could also be the PPI your taking. I tried prilosec, nexium, prevacid and now im on protonix. The only one that worked (until a month ago) was protonix. Everyone reacts differently to different drugs even though they basicaly do the same thing.

As long as your not having any pain it doesn't sound like it is getting worse but i would definatley after 18 days ask your Dr to maybe try a different PPI.

The ultrasound mainly checks for GB stones and with no pain it usualy shows nothing so that test might be useless at the moment. Definatley do an upper GI test as soon as you see him (this test is really not that bad, takes like 15-30 minutes)

[milkbone1965]

No, I've only had the blood tests. I imagine if I am going to need any tests such as ultrasound, etc, I will have to wait until I see the GI specialist.

I'm really hoping that I just have really bad gastritis and it needs longer to heal. Also, it's possible the Losec really did nothing, so it's almost as if I started treatment over from the beginning with the Nexium or at least that is what I'm hoping for!

It's very frustrating and stressful to just wait and not know whats going on. My concern is if this is something more serious, although my Dr doesn't think so and she was very adamant about that,that sitting around until September or October just to get into see the GI guy and then how long after that for any tests? If it's more serious, how much worse will it get by then?

I'm sure you have similar concerns?

Jodi

[aaronmac5]

I have similar problems with no positive results yet either =[ Have you tried an ultrasound or upper GI?