Is carafate making my gastritis worse?

First of all, sorry if this sounds like the ramblings of a lunatic, but after weeks of problems it drives even the best of us a little crazy!

Im going through a bad bout of gastritis atm and over the last couple of weeks it doesn't seem to be getting better. I'm pretty sure its not an ulcer - no blood and not much pain, just nausea and discomfort - having h-pylori test too.

In the past I have never had so much trouble with food as I do now (even before I went on PPIs), I cant even have a piece of meat without stomach being worse and am just eating rice and spinach + some other veggies, sipping at gaviscon and on every medicine conceivable.

I was looking over my notes and when I first started on Carafate, after a week my stomach had gone from fine to bad. It slowly got better, I thought it was more coincidence, or something I ate, than the carafate.

But one thing I always notice when disolving carafate and drinking it is that it gives me a heartburn type sensation - I never thought much of it, thought it was just because I could feel the particles sticking to the esophagus. And it has never given me any stomach upset immediately after taking.

Over the last few months I was completely off Carafate as my stomach had been ok and then I had a long period where my stomach was never better, I was eating and drinking all the "wrong" foods like deserts, orange juice on empty stomach, fish and chips, without so much as a rumble. Clearly I was going overboard and it finally caught up with me after a half tub of ben & jerrys chocolate brownie ice cream.

I wasn't too bad after it, painful at first and some nausea for that week, but only on and off but I immediately controlled my diet again. Thats also when I started back on the Carafate 4x a day and I've just never recovered, only got worse, despite an incredibly bland diet.

I searched a bit but can't really find any anecdotes of people that have these kind of problems with Carafate. But then I think about what it does, kind of like putting a plaster on your stomach. I know when I put plasters on cuts they dont heal the same way as without, they dont develop that resistant coating so when you take off the plaster the cut is still sore to touch. Maybe my stomach isn't renewing its protection properly because Im constantly coating it with something that does the job for it?

Am I crazy or does it sound like I should try coming off the carafate? Im already taking PPI's, Zantac and Gaviscon like candy which have recovered my stomach in the past, Im just terrified of making it worse.

Well I've been off the Carafate for a couple of days. Hard to tell whether I'm feeling any better to be honest but I'm not really feeling any worse so thats a plus. I guess I've been doing better than at the start of the week because on the way to work this morning I wasn't hoping a bus would run me over!

Hi Cons and Andy,

I have a reactive stomach, and before my Nissen surgery, that stomach inflammation would lead to esophageal inflammation as well, due to reflux.

Cons, YES. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Even before my surgery, after careful eating and lots of patience, my stomach/esophagus would heal and I'd go back to eating normally. Now that I have had the Nissen, though, my stomach will be irritated, but without the reflux/esophagitis, it is much less painful, and doesn't take as long to heal.

I am never without Carafate suspension. It has been a lifesaver in my situation. When my esophagus was involved, the Carafate would provide immediate relief. It makes my stomach feel much better as well. I generally don't get in all four doses (it's hard), but even two or three are helpful. One trick to getting in an extra dose is to do it in the middle of the night.

The thing to remember is that your stomach mashes food as part of the digestion process. Therefore if you have rough or harsh foods in there (like popcorn) you will be irritating it further. Take small bites, chew, chew, chew, and don't swallow anything that doesn't reach a creamy consistency.

I found egg custard to be a great food during the worst of the irritation. It's high in nutrition, and very smooth. No alcohol, acidic foods, spices. (Yes, Mexican is out for a while.)

I do follow my GI doc's advice, though. He said to wait two weeks after my stomach feels perfect before introducing more challenging foods. This healing thing takes a lot of patience, I know. It's a bummer, and no fair, but that's life. We all have our cross to bear, like it or not, we have reactive, sensitive stomachs!

I am an example of someone who has/does get intermittent stomach irritation, but who once it's healed, can eat completely normally (including popcorn and Mexican!

So hang in there! Andy, if you can get the liquid form of Carafate I think you'll find it works better. I've used both, and though its more expensive, if you can afford it/have good insurance, it's worth it. I don't see how the Carafate is the thing that is bothering you. Though I know everyone is unique, it has only ever helped me.

Happy healing,
Denise

Thanks to you both! I have been so down about all of this and you both have given me hope that someday I will eat normal food again! I am so happy you both wrote to me! I want to tell you that I read somewhere on a blog that this man said he sets his alarm on his phone for 6:30am , 11:30 am, 4:30pm and then takes one before bed on the Carafate and that is what I have been doing. It is wonderful because I am not forgetting anymore! Andy, I do think the liquid might work for you as Denise said. I have heard it is very expensive but maybe try it for a while then go back on the pills. Mine was very bad on an empty stomach a few weeks ago, but now that the Carafate is helping I feel better on an empty stomach. I also want to tell you that I carry baby food in the car with a plastic spoon for those times when it is empty and I need a little something! Good luck to you !

Hi Andy,
Your decision to switch to mashed potatoes is an excellent one. Yes, rice is going to be irritating, especially brown rice. It's good for you, but not for your stomach right now.

Patience! I hate to be depressing, but we are talking about months here, not weeks for healing. For some reason I don't understand, healing G.I. tissue takes a long, long time. I wish it wasn't true, but it is.

Each incident that I had, would take 2 to 3 months to heal. And that's if you do everything right. You are not likely to see any improvement with the Carafate, until much longer than a few days. It takes consistent use, and consistent care to put only smooth things into your stomach. Stick to smooth bland foods, and drink plenty of water if you can.

Are you taking a PPI? It is best to use the highest dose you're allowed during this time, (if you tolerate PPI's) as you will want to keep the acid in your stomach at a minimum. You should consider adding Zantac at bedtime as well. During those times when my stomach is irritated/gastritis, I take 40 mg of protonix twice a day, an hour before breakfast and hour before dinner, then 300 mg Zantac before going to bed, until things heal. Your stomach will need all the help it can get.

Hang in there, you will get this healed. But it takes time and patience. Do your best to get four doses of Carafate in each day. It was a drug that was developed to coat the stomach and protect it during healing of ulcers, so even without ulcers, it will give you some protection. It is just one more tool in your healing tool box. Good luck! You can do this!

Take care,
Denise

Andy1986 said...
Well I've been off the Carafate for a couple of days. Hard to tell whether I'm feeling any better to be honest but I'm not really feeling any worse so thats a plus. I guess I've been doing better than at the start of the week because on the way to work this morning I wasn't hoping a bus would run me over!

 

Dear Andy,

 

I am new to this board. I was reading the posts , but your words made me to send you a big hug. I will be praying for you and for all here. I am dealing with acid reflux also. We are together in this!

Well I spoke too soon, the Tums did nothing for me this morning, my stomach was burning so much. I just dont know what to do, I can't go on like this, almost 3 weeks now and there is no improvement at all. I feel like the meds aren't even working.

Im so desparate Ive been sucking the contents from my stomach into my esophagus to get relief, it gives me heartburn but I just cant take the burning stomach anymore. :(

Now you say that, I am always worst the meals after taking Nexium, morning and evening. I thought it was to do with not having the carafate for that meal but makes me wonder.

My stomach problems started long before I was put on PPI's, and when I came off them my stomach rebelled massively. Can't say that it improved when I went on PPI's though. After I last came off PPIs and then went back on them my stomach actually settled down, reflux was still terrible though. My stomach has actually been ok since then, but that has been through a strict low fat diet for about 6-12 months then I gradually started adding back in treats. Then everything just fell over.

To be honest I never got much relief from omeprazole, drs acted as if it would give me instant relief but I just never found that. it could be that it just isn't that effective on me and that I healed because of all the Gaviscon I was downing and simple time. My last dr once tried to switch me from omeprazole to pantoprazole so clearly they had the same idea, I gave up after a few days because I was having more pain on pantoprazole though.

I feel like the Nexium just isn't working, how can I be in pain for 3 weeks from eating mashed potatoes while taking 40mg Nexium, carafate, as well as about 5 other home remedies for gastritis. Its not an ulcer because the pain isn't bad enough, just an endless burning sensation.

Gonna see the doc tomorrow and ask to switch to lansoprazole. I read a couple of forums online with people that made the switch and saw immediate benefits so Im just praying to God that its a problem with the Nexium and Ill see improvement on Lansoprazole.

If it is that then hopefully I can come off PPIs altogether in a few months when Im all healed up.

Dear Andy,

Your information is so helpful. I am learning little by lttle. We pray that the new medicine works super well!

Please tell us what did the doctor say. Hope all is getting better and better every day! We are all in the same boat , and we all are going to get better! May the Lord heal us all.

Hi Andy - When you see your doctor ask if he or she can tell you if you have reflux/gerd/or some esoph problem that is shown via testing evidence.   I am just trying to help you.  If there is no sign of any of this, taking a different med won't make a difference.  If there is evidence of this, then it is worth switching to another med.    Good luck!  I hope you find relief!

Hi Cons

Yep Im still having trouble, still taking the Carafate but I tried some Aloe Vera yesterday and it sent me back to square one, burnt my stomach. Am a little better today though my stomach burns lightly after every meal.

I wish I could eat smoothies and yoghurt, I tried some yoghurt the other day and was in pain for 2 hours, apparently yoghurt is acidic and my stomach can't take anything even mildly acidic now. Im pretty much living on mashed potatoes.

One thing I found really helped is DGLiquorice, I take it before bed and have noticed a big difference when I wake in the morning. I read it stimulates the stomach to produce more mucus and lining.

I had problems with the liquid Carafate/Sucralfate. They add other ingredients to it to make it more palatable to drink. The ingredient that caused problems for me was sorbitol, which they use to sweeten the liquid. Sorbitol is known to cause gastric distress. There are some other chemicals in there too, artificial color, etc. It burned as it went down. When I switched to the Carafate pills (which don't have all those extra ingredients or sorbitol), I had no problems. I mix it with water until it dissolves.

Hi willard65,

I am a strong proponent of the healing qualities of Carafate suspension, and am confident that they nausea, etc. you're experencing isn't related to the medication, but rather to the problem it's treating.

Gallbladder issues/bile backing up into the stomach, are a well-known irritant, and Carafate is used to coat and protect the stomach from that bile. It's the bile that is causing the nausea, not the Carafate. Even after gallbladder surgery these problems can persist.

If you can get the liquid, do so. It's far superior to the pill form, even when made into a slurry. I know it's hard to take all the Carafate doses, as it has to be separated from meals and medications, but it's worth the effort. It takes a long time to heal upper GI issues, and you need to be persistent with its use.

Good luck with healing your symptoms!
Best wishes,
Denise