Sick/weird feeling when stomach is empty???

 When it felt its worst was when I'd be lying in bed on my back and the pain kept rising and coming. I remember getting up around 11:30 at night and just walking around. I learned shortly after that people with gastritis should not have anything to eat for about 3-4 hours before bedtime--and all I had eaten that evening were a few soda crackers about 2 hours earlier!

For several weeks, I couldn't stand any kind of waistband.  I wore loose shifts and got underwear 2 sizes larger--needed that stretch (also, my stomach was very distended from the surgery and the gastritis.  It's better now, though still rather distended).

I now still get what feels sort of like crackly, electric shocks in my stomach area when I veer off the diet and eat something spicy, or acidy, or too rough. Putting a cold water bottle on my stomach helps sometimes.

The only med I was given was Anaspaz, for stomach spasms. It's a tiny tablet you let dissolve under your tongue. It does help. I never wanted to take the OTC anti-acid tablets, except I did take an occasional Tums.

  I took DGL licorice (which I got from Puritan's Pride--big website and also they have a paper catalog) http://www.puritan.com/, and tried coconut water, but I didn't care for that brand at all and haven't tried any other brand. I also took about a small tablespoonful of aloe gel in water daily. If you try it, though, take a small amount, as it can be very laxative.  I also took slippery elm capsules for a while.  I'm not sure what helped the most, but am thinking maybe either the combination of all, or I'd say the aloe gel (though some people say it burns too much).

We're also told to drink (sip) a lot of water. I eat homemade soup often, with cut-up chicken breasts, chicken broth, and a few potatoes and carrots and maybe a little parsley.  Or, I use leftover very lean cooked hamburger or leftover lean beef roast pieces and make a soup with that and some beef broth. Everything is well cooked and soft--easier on the stomach.  Cottage cheese always seems to go down easy, too.

Several small meals are better than a few larger ones and easier on the stomach.

There is a thread on 'Dietary Assistance' on the Daily Strength gastritis forum:

http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Gastritis/forum

Really, I'm not sure about whether or not it really goes away.  I've heard various opinions on that. Mine disappeared for months, then came back more mildly out of the blue.  Then it was gone agaon for a while, and came back with a fibro flare.

I joked with my gastro doctor that I was probably driving his nurses crazy, phoning them with all my questions.  But he was good-natured about it and said 'no problem,' but it's easier to just make an appointment with him and ask questions there.  So--I did that, and it was worth it.  Really stopped my questioning and the anxiety that brings and 'what ifs.'

Hope this helps a little.  If you have any questions, ask away!  Feel better soon.

However, if you don't have gastritis, you have more options, I think, as far as which foods you can handle.

For example, today I made an easy homemade soup.  I took some pieces of leftover beef roast and cut them up, and used low-sodium broth.  I very lightly seasoned with garlic and/or onion powder but do have to VERY lightly season.  Then, I added some potatoes and carrot chunks and slowly simmered it all.  Also threw in a few noodles.  It was pretty tasty. I sometimes do the same using cooked hamburger as a base, or chunks of cooked chicken breast.  I can handle cilantro (though not much) and parsley, as well as a bit of oregano or sage (everyone is different on spices). Anything salty can really kick up gastritis (or hot spices, etc.).

Mashed potatoes, well-cooked carrots, canned green beans or peas, pureed squash or sweet potatoes, puddings (homemade and not too sugary), lightly salted crackers, white bread/toast, etc., baked fish or chicken, etc.--those sort of foods that are fairly soft.  Rice is good, too.  I like cooked beef with a little gravy and mashed potatoes, sometimes served with a slice of white bread (here we call them 'beef commercials' or there are 'turkey commercials' that are similar.  Only, again, watch out for too much salt, if you happen to have gastritis.  Homemade is best since you can lightly season or not season at all. As you know, canned gravy can be super salty!

For breakfast, farina or scrambled eggs are good, or Cream of Rice, Cream of Wheat, Malt-O-Meal hot cereals (these are in my area--maybe not where you live).

It's important, too, to eat very lean meats and avoid luncheon meats, hot dogs, etc.

I hope this helps a bit.  It's so much trial and error, it seems.  Hoping you feel better soon, too.  IBS is not fun.

Have a blessed day, also!