Mild CHRONIC GASTRITIS- Upper left abdomen pain

HI

I'm new to this forum. I have been diagnosed with H-pylori infection through endoscopy biopsy about one and half month back
GASTRIC BIOPSIES
- ACTIVE CHRONIC GASTRITIS, MILD ACTIVITY
- POSITIVE FOR SURFACE ORGANISMS MORPHOLOGICALLY CONSISTENT WITH
HELICOBACTER PYLORI BY DIFF- QUIK STAIN.

I also had following test done
1) Colonoscopy ( Showed healthy colon)
2) Ultrasound of abdomen (showed only fatty liver)
3) CT scan of abdomen ( Normal)

I'm having pain in upper left/ upper mid abdomen for more then one and half month. The pain is kind of dull and gives discomfort. It's constant nagging pain. Pain starts from upper left abdomen and sometimes (rare case) goes to back and sometimes even to my arm in severe cases. Three weeks back my doctor put me in triple therapy with 2 antibiotics : Amoxicillin + Clarithromycin and acid reducer :Omeprazole Magnesium 20 mg. After a week of treatment , I felt little better and pain became very mild for 4-5 days. But It came back again.The pain is not severe, but it is very dull and nagging pain. I contacted my doctor again and he ordered stronger Acid reducer pantoprozole (40mg) twice a day. I have not got much relief from the pain. One day I don't feel too much discomfort in abdomen, but next day again I start feeling discomfort. I have very mild nausea after having dinner. But this is not always. My digestion is ok, but sometime I need to go 4-5 times for bowel movement. I have lost 3- 4 lbs since October. I'm eating very very simple food..non spicy..no alcohol, no caffeine, no tea, no dairy product...no meat..no fatty fried food...
I'm very worried about the abdomen pain. My GI doc says it will take time for stomach inflammation to go away and so it will take time to pain to go away. I use to have nausea before, but now I think it is almost gone. Only issue left is pain... Does it take really longs to pain go away. I'm very worried... Folks, Please help with your thoughts or similar experience...

Thanks
danny

Hi,

So sorry to hear that you are in pain. I get a bit of gastritis, and find that a hot water bottle helps enormously. I also take slippery elm powder to help coat the stomach, and have heard that aloe vera is good as well.

I believe some users have carafate, which I've not used myself, but it is supposed to help.

I do hope that you feel better soon.

I hope you don't have reflux. Gastritis is a relatively curable illness. Kill the helicobacteria, protect your stomach with some protective agents. You will recover.

I like to share with you a very potent anti-inflammatory agent for gastritis that I have personally found very effective: raw cabbage juice. tests have shown it is even more powerful than PPI when healing ulcers and gastritis. It took 10 days, when PPI takes weeks.

How to take? Use a blender to blend a small portion cut out from raw cabbage + water into one cup. Sip it over the day. Don't drink all at once, as your stomach can't take so much raw stuff. Add some honey if you find the taste too raw.

HI GC1Pink
Thanks for your reply.. I have not heard of slippery elm powder. I need to try this. Isn't carafate used for ulcer ? or it can be used for gastritis. I'm really worried about constant pain in my upper left abdomen. Is it really gastritis or something else...Has anybody gone through the same.....

HI WJF
Thanks for your reply....I don't have reflux...It's the constant pain which is killing..although it is mild but..i'm worried why it is always..with or without eating..People with gastritis feel pain sometime...but I have it always...
Thanks for the Cabbage juice..Definitely I'm going to try this...
Do you feel pain in the upper left abdomen ?
Thanks
Danny

hi Danny,

My gastritis was healed. The constant pain is typical for gastritis or gastric ulcer. It tends to get worse when you eat, and get better when your stomach is empty.

The suggestions here are all quite good, though they have different properties.

Carafate is a medication that can bind to the surface and form a protective barrier on your stomach lining in an acidic environment.

Slippery Elm is an astringent herb. It can tighten the pores of the mucous membranes, helping to close out further infection and reduce inflammation

Raw cabbage juice, on the other hand, doesn't bind to surface, but it contains active ingredients that can trigger the lining cells to repair damages in the lining.

Hi Danny,

That is not common. But you have done an endoscopy, that should rule out many worse scenarios. Perhaps you can bring this up to the doc on the next appointment?

5 days. But mine is a mild one without H. Pylori involved.

:)

In what form Slippery Elm is most effective: powder or capsule ? I could not find powder. Got capsule from Vitamin Shop.

Hi, Danny_blues

Call your GI or GP and ask for Carafate.  My GP told me it coats the inflammed area of the esophagus and will help reduce the pain.  The pain we are feeling (upper left ab area) is the inflammed tissue.  He gave me a script today.  I took one dose, and couldn't believe that the pain actually went away for a few hours!    Downside is that it doesn't last long and usually you take it 4x day.  Must be taken at least 30 minutes before food.  Took my first dose a few hours ago and it is wearing off, so I'm really looking forward to the next dose before bedtime.

BTW, I'm getting a new GI doc.  Saw my GP today because of the intense pain.  He is a gift and got me in to see a new GI specialist tomorrow.  What I don't understand is why my GI who KNEW OF MY SEVERE PAIN! never even suggested the Carafate.

Good luck, and call your doc.  You may need to change your PPI.  I was on Dexilant for almost 3 weeks and my pain increased along with my stomach acids.  My pain now is constant instead of intermittent.  I understand it can take a few weeks to bring down the inflammation entirely but this stuff is a God send.  Good Luck.  Remember, you know you own body and if something isn't right follow your instincts, and call your doc. If you don't like what he says, then find another doc that listens to you. 

Hope you feel better soon.  Hope I feel better soon, too!.  Thank you Dencha also!  :o)  Great advice

 

HI lady1741
I'm very happy for you that Carafate worked. I pray , your pain completely go away with Carafate. Can pain only be due to inflammation of esophagus or can be due to the inflammation of stomach lining too.? As per my endoscopy I have in inflammation of stomach and not esophagus .
What do you mean by " Downside is that it doesn't last long and usually you take it 4x day."
It mean crafate takes 4 days to recover fully or it has to be discontinued after 4 days.

As like you my pain is also constant. I felt little better yesterday. But now I feel the constant pain again.
I'm also visiting my GI Doc tomorrow and definitely going to ask about carafate tomorrow.
I'm counting on tomorrow to have some good medicine to give me some relief.
Wish you good luck !! Hope you getter better soon. Please update me after your GI Doc visit.
I will also update you tomorrow. Thanks for your kind advice! Appreciated!
Danny

Hi Danny,

I agree with lady1741.  Like her, I received immediate relief from Carafate.  It really helps me get feeling better.  You can take it every six hours forever.  There's no limit as to how long you can be on it.   My PCP told me that it was a good thing that it helped me, because it was very benign, and most is excreted throught the lower GI tract.

Good luck!

Denise

Hi Danny,

I guess there are some GI docs who don't prescribe Carafate any more, but if yours questions it, just say you've got friends who use it for similar problems and it's very helpful.

I remember one time when I was in great pain, and I hadn't taken it for a while.  Suddenly I remembered to try it, and I instantly found relief  It coats everything, including your esophagus and just helps it feel better.

Maalox can do that, but it doesn't last up to 6 hours, like Carfate.  Carafate is not an antacid...just something that coats the upper GI and protects it.  My GI doc said that if he does an endoscopy after someone's taken it, he can see it.  I try not to drink anything until about 10 minutes after taking Carafate.  My GI doc said it takes about that long to ensure it has adhered to the esophagus.  The stomach gets coated as well.

Good luck with your appointment!

Best wishes,

Denise