Posted 3/8/2016 3:22 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there. I'm new to this forum. I was diagnosed with *erosive* gastritis last Thursday after a few months of feeling unwell. It isn't a scorching case, but erosive nonetheless. I am 5'8"/153lbs, active (no car, only a bicycle :) ), with a history of terrible menstrual pain and lower back issues. I love cooking, eat well & organic (it's easy & affordable here in Germany where I live). I began having mild tummy pain and LOADS of burping (gross) that I just wrote off as a symptom of the stress of having to fly home in October due to a family emergency in the states. The burping became worse and I began worrying. The anxiety, of course, made things even more irritated on the stomach front. I began to have difficulty swallowing because of the burping and became a complete stress ball. I went to my GP and without more than a blink she said REFLUX and prescribed me a 7-day packet of Omeprazole and told me to return if things didn't improve. Before the 7 days was up I was in the ER after days of not sleeping (much), eating very little and having chest pain. After an EKG, thoracic xray, bloodwork, AN OVERNIGHT STAY and a barium double contrast I got my diagnosis. NO reflux, no esophageal damage, surprisingly. As far as can be told, it is from years of abusing NSAIDS, namely ibuprofen, for the aforementioned cramps/back pain. Having a healthy love of red wine, coffee and late night dinner parties didn't help matters. I am currently on 40mg Pantoprazole twice a day and the garden variety low-acid diet. No wine, ibu, coffee for the next 90 days at least. I have no problem with the diet as I was never one to eat loads of pre-packaged, fried, etc. foods. I cook everyday and am finding the "OK" ingredients easy to work with. I am, however, at a loss when it comes to fats. I tried a bit of cheese as an experiment, which never bothered me before, and immediately had a rumble in my belly--terribly sad as I adore cheese. I am guessing it is from the meds PLUS my condition? I usually use olive oil in moderation and have been. I am considering switching to coconut oil as I've read loads about how helpful it can be for digestive disorders. Anyone out there using it with success?? Any other tips?? HELP!
I understand that this is a GERD board and that GERD & gastritis are two different monsters, but the recommended diets are quite similar. If I should be posting this elsewhere, please advise. Remember, I'm new here. Thanks for reading xx Any suggestions appreciated!!