Still confused, GERD vs. Gastritis

I have a few questions for the forum, but first I will start with my symptoms.

I am a 27 year old male in relatively good shape. I am not overweight, nor do I smoke or drink in excess.

My symptoms started about 6 months ago. I don't know if it is GERD or gastritis. (side note: my father has GERD due to a hiatal hernia)

My current symptoms:

1. Abdominal pain. Mostly in the center of my stomach. Mostly just a dull ache that seems to get better when eating. However, my stomach aches often when it is empty.
2. Heartburn. No so much the wicked heartburn that races up your esophagus and into your mouth, but really just burning in my stomach.
3. Nausea. I get nausea after I eat sometimes. Sometimes it just comes out of the nowhere and disappears after a while. I usually drink some pepto and that cames me and the nausea down.
4. Burning nostrils. When my stomach is really burning, it feels as if the burning is coming through my nostrils like they are inflammed.
5. Burping. I find myself burping a lot.

So, I have gone to numerous physicians and none of them know what it is. "Could be GERD, could be your gall bladder, could be gastritis..." I had a blood test done for H. pylori. It came back negative. I just recently had a Barium Swallow done, and they said everything looks normal. I asked the nurse who gave me the results of the test, "no signs of inflammation or ulcers," and she said "No." So... where does that leave me? Is it GERD or mild gastritis or my gall bladder?

I was on 40mg omperazole (generic prescription) for one month, but I was still having breakthrough symptoms. Now my doctor put me on generic Protonix (40mg once daily). That worked wonderfully in the beginning, but now I am on day 18 and breakthrough symptoms have been occurring again. Given that the PPIs sort of worked, that leads me to believe I can rule out gall bladder issues. Seeing as, if it was my gall bladder I would still be having pains even while on PPIs. No?

So, really, I just want to know what they hell it is I have. Should I go back for more H. pylori tests? I mean, I feel like I have gastritis symptoms. But then again, the PPIs should be more effective for gastritis, right? I don't know... I don't want to have an endoscopy done (nor does my insurance company), but I need to figure this out. It is causing too much worry and I just want to move on with my life.

If I have mild gastritis, with no ulcers, is this something that just heals slowly, with say, 6 months of PPI treatment? Again, I understand it depends on the cause. If it is H.pylori, I will have the joys of eating the "Prevpack" for 2 weeks.

I did take two courses of really strong anti-biotics in the last year. Clindamycin for a skin infection on my thumb that got huge! Just last month, Keflex for a giant boil I had on my hip. Funny thing is, while on Keflex I had no stomach complaints at all.

No clue, any insight?

zdkaiser,

Clindamycin is known for severe side effects to the digestive system that can occur many months after completing a round of it. Is tummy dr. aware you took this med?


Peggy


i

I do have some sinus issues. Basically, when my stomach starts burning, my nostrils do to (they feel as if they are inflamed when i inhale/exhale). plus, i feel like i just noticed that i have tinnitus in my right ear. slightly in my left. they ring constantly, but i mostly can only hear them when i lay in bed and it is quiet late at night.

sometimes i wake up in the middle of the night and feel like I am choking. i wake up, and immediately sit up and just hack really hard, like i am going to vomit. it only happens occasionally. i don't think anything is coming up, but it feels like something is stuck in my throat.

again. all this happens, but i don't really feel like i have your "run of the mill" heartburn. i mostly just have stomach pain, sort of a gnawing feeling, and nausea. sometimes it feels like something is stuck in my throat.