Gastritis And Acid Reflux Question

[Luvbeingamommy]

I had a scope which showed gastritis and healing (forget what they called them), but he said they were healing. He wanted me on Keppedix or something like that. Turned out I couldn't take it because I take Plavix, which I've taken since the stroke I had, caused by the gluten most likely. I guess there can be some bad interactions. He has me on prescription strength Zantac now. I've taken it for a few months. I still get heartburn every couple days at least. I still have some nausea, which got TONS better since I went gluten free though. Nausea seemed to be one of my symtpoms, but now I get other stomach problems as well if I get glutened and possibly even when I don't get glutened. I also had the neurological symtpoms, which are improving. My GI thinks with my blood results, but negative scope that I could have Celiac that he just didn't see. He said there is no way to see all my intestines and he very well could have missed it.

I am currently trying to figure out if the nausea is food related, my stomach still healing, or not related to any of that. I've thought if I am still having reflux issues, maybe I still have gastritis, which is causing the nausea? Kind of always seems like I wake up with the nausea though, not sure if I would with gastritis. Get it periodically though out the day, but seems to get a bit better when I eat or just kind of stays the same. Before going off gluten it would get so bad that I would dizzy and lightheaded and think I was going to puke any second. It was almost all the time too, which it isn't now. However now every so often I will get a few days with none or very little. That makes me think food, or maybe hormones or something else. My GI thinks it will get better and if isn't too bad to just live with it. It's bothering me though not knowing what is causing it, because obviously it's not normal!

I was trying to figure out if I could get off my Plavix and take a baby aspirin, which my GI doesn't want me to take. My neurologist thinks now that he knows the cuase that I can go off the Plavix soon, makes me a tad bit nervous honestly. I was thinking if I did I could go on something stronger, but now I am reading on another thread they are bad to take?? I am a little confused....I just don't know what to do. Could my stomach just be still healing from the gluten?? I've thought about elimination diet or my friend mentioned giving up corn. Then I get family just telling me not to stress about it, but they don't understand. Ugh, it just sucks.....I know it could be much worse though, so I feel bad even complaining about it ;(. Sorry this is so long, yikes!!

[Looking for answers]

My gastritis was only slightly improved by a gluten free diet, but I've had to eliminate many other things as well. It turns out I have h-pylori, which was not detected in my biopsy but later in a stool test. I'm trying to figure out what to do for treatment...I try to avoid synthetic medicine at all costs, so I'm not happy with the thought of going on antibiotics for several weeks. Have you been tested for this?

[Luvbeingamommy]

Hmm, I don't believe so. Will have to look into that.

Few questions, what where your symptoms with the gastritis?? How did you find out your other food intolerances??

[Luvbeingamommy]

Okay so I googled a bit, I did have a scope, so I am sure it was checked for there. Your doctor did a stool test for it then?? I was suppose to have a stool test done, but for some reason I never did it. Not sure what they were going to check for though.

[Roda]

Could the plavix or any other medication be causing the gastritis?

[mushroom]

  On 6/13/2010 at 5:30 AM, Luvbeingamommy said:

Okay so I googled a bit, I did have a scope, so I am sure it was checked for there. Your doctor did a stool test for it then?? I was suppose to have a stool test done, but for some reason I never did it. Not sure what they were going to check for though.

Stool testing can show parasites, bacterial infections, candidiasis; it can also show intolerance to soy, dairy; it can show whether your pancreas is producing enough lipase to digest the fat you're ingesting. It is a good test to have done.

[Looking for answers]

  On 6/13/2010 at 5:21 AM, Luvbeingamommy said:

Hmm, I don't believe so. Will have to look into that.

Few questions, what where your symptoms with the gastritis?? How did you find out your other food intolerances??

Gastritis can take on different symptoms for me, depending on how angry my stomach is. Sometimes it shoots pain behind my shoulder blades, and my stomach almost always feels bruised. It also burns at time, my digestion is slow (food will feel like it's just sitting in my stomach) or I can get a "pill-is-caught-my-my-throat" feeling. All around, it's no fun. I've never taken any anti-acids, as I acutally have low stomach acid (as many do and are wrongly treated). Black licorice root is a blessing for me, but it can raise your blood pressure, so with your history of stroke, I wouldn't advise. I believe once I get rid of h-pylori, my symptoms will greatly improve.

[Luvbeingamommy]

  On 6/13/2010 at 5:34 PM, Looking for answers said:

Gastritis can take on different symptoms for me, depending on how angry my stomach is. Sometimes it shoots pain behind my shoulder blades, and my stomach almost always feels bruised. It also burns at time, my digestion is slow (food will feel like it's just sitting in my stomach) or I can get a "pill-is-caught-my-my-throat" feeling. All around, it's no fun. I've never taken any anti-acids, as I acutally have low stomach acid (as many do and are wrongly treated). Black licorice root is a blessing for me, but it can raise your blood pressure, so with your history of stroke, I wouldn't advise. I believe once I get rid of h-pylori, my symptoms will greatly improve.

What does black licorice root help with?? I actually have low blood pressure, my b/p, colestrol, etc was all perfect. My stroke was most likely from the gluten, as I've had EVERYTHING checked and the Celiac was the only thing found. My neurologist was familiar with neurological problems and Celiac. Although, he stilld didn't "really" find it, it was me, ha.

[Luvbeingamommy]

Why exactly are anti-acids or proton pump inhibitors not good for you?? I mean I don't always agree with medicating for everything, and prefer non western medical if I can.

[sb2178]

Liqorice is soothing to the GI tract-- I used to take it in a tea pretty often, usually combined with lemon and/or ginger. It's also pretty yummy.

I don't know how irritating Plavix is, but I'd be extremely wary of regular aspirin on an abused GI. I suspect that would make you pretty uncomfortable. Even a few Aleve can leave me with reflux issues and ibuprofin is downright painful. I ration NSAIDs.

Long-term use of PPIs can basically shut down your digestive system and lead to malabsoption (this is 5-10 year long use, not a helpful 6 weeks while your membranes heal). Been there, done that. May have been a trigger for my gluten issues but that's a chicken or egg question. Just don't go calmly into the sunset with a year-long rx.

I'd go for the elimination diet... cheap & a wealth of info. A couple of weeks of easily digested foods may also just help pull down the inflammation and make you more comfortable.

[Luvbeingamommy]

Well Plavix according to my GI was suppose to be MUCH easier on my stomach. He did not want me on aspirin at all. Plavix is more harsh then aspirin though, it's also expensive. I guess I am nervous about going off everything, but I don't know.

After having a stroke at 25, it makes you a little scared.

What do you reccomend eating for an elimination diet?? I know there are a number of different ones you can try.

Thanks for the help, I feel bad asking so many questions....

[ravenwoodglass]

  On 6/13/2010 at 7:29 PM, Luvbeingamommy said:

What do you reccomend eating for an elimination diet?? I know there are a number of different ones you can try.

Thanks for the help, I feel bad asking so many questions....

Don't feel bad for asking lots of questions. As my Mom used to say the only stupid question is the one not asked.

I did an elimination diet. It was for me one of the best things I ever did and lead directly to my finally being diagnosed. If you can find an allergist who will guide you that IMHO is the best way to go. What they will do is test you for any true allergies and then ask you detailed questions about what you eat. They will then formulate a diet for you with your starting foods. You start with a balanced diet of 5 or 6 foods, no coffee, no soda, spices etc. Mine was started with turkey, sweet potatoes, pineapple, peas, plain white rice and cranberry juice. All foods that I rarely ate, so according to the allergist the most likely to not cause a reaction. As he said you are not eliminating the foods you are eliminating the reaction. After two weeks of no IBS symptoms he had me add back in one food at a time in pure form for a week and watch for a reaction. If no adverse reaction is seen then you can assume that food is okay and move on to the next. It is a bit boring but IMHO is the best and least confusing way to go.

[Looking for answers]

If you have indigestion, you most likely have low stomach acid, not too much of it. The anti-acids just lower them further and create more trouble digesting food, as explained by another posted above. Black Licorice is a great stomach soother. Do get tested for h-pylori when you can...I recommend looking it up and seeing if its symptoms match yours. It's fairly common, but for unknown reasons, it creates more problems for some.