chronic gastritis and severe reflux for over a year....help!

[sue]

I am a 27 year old Canadian woman who has been living and working in Japan for the last 2 1/2 years.  For the last year and a half I've been having a lot of problems with gastritis and reflux and I can't seem to get rid of them.  I first noticed the symptoms last year when I felt a terrible burning in my stomach and had a lot of belching and heartburn after I ate.  I had an upper GI X-ray done and there wasn't anything wrong except for excess acid production.  I was given Zantac to take twice a day (75 mg at a time).  It seemed to help at first, but then a few months later the symptoms got worse.  I had an endoscopy done about 10 months ago and I was diagnosed with having gastris and some acid reflux. I was also tested for H-pylori at that time, and the results were negative. I was given famotidine (20 mg twice a day), but then when that didn't help I was given lansoprazole (30 mg after evening meal).  I took lansoprazole for about 6 months and it seemed to be helping, but in the last couple of months I noticed it wasn't nearly as effective as it had been at first.  The doctor changed my medication to omeprazole (20 mg twice a day), but I found it didn't help anymore than the lansoprazole.  In the last month or so, the symptoms have become very uncomfortable and distressing.  I'm continuing to take lansoprazole along with antacids the doctor recommended(Gaviscon and Maalox), but I still have trouble.  After every meal I have terrible burning pain in my stomach just below my ribs and I feel nauseous but never vomit.  Sometimes I have heartburn all day and my esophagus and throat feel really raw and painful from all the acid.  I am reduced to eating bananas and bread becasue any food with even a little acid or oil causes terrible discomfort. I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night from the pain of reflux, and often the pain radiates up into my left shoulder. The doctor here told me that lansoprazole or omeprazole should have cleared things up, but I've been on the medication for more than 6 month and things are worse than ever. The doctor says my problems are caused by stress from my job and life in a foreign country, but I don't feel particularly stressed. I can't understand why none of this medication is helping me.  Can stress be a main cause of gastritis and reflux? Since the discomfort has been getting worse, I've started to worry that maybe I have a more serious condition like gastric cancer. My endoscopy was done about 10 months ago, but do you think I should have another one done? Any advice anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated.  I'm so frustrated with this problem and I can hardly eat anything.  

Thank you!

[WILLIAM TOMASI]

I HAVE A LOT OF THE SAME SYMTOMS YOU HAVE. I AM FRUSTRATED AT MY CLINICAL DIAGONSIS OF GASTRITIS. ZANTAC HAS NOT HELPED MUCH, AND KNOW I'VE GONE HERBAL WITH SLIPERRY ELM TABS, IT HELPED FOR A WHILE BUT I FELT VERY BLOATED TODAY ,WHICH MAKES ME FEEL VERY BAD AND UNFOCOUSED ,IT HARD TO EXPLAIN ,BUT I'M TIRED OF FEELING LIKE THIS.

PLEASE CALL,
MAYBE WE CAN HELP EACH OTHER

[bill]

To everyone that medication does not work on I would very much recomend having the Nisson surgury. I had it in '98 and have not had heartburn since. They don't have to open you up anymore just five little holes and back to work in about a month. If you have Barrett's the real danger is cancer so get checked at least once a year for the beginning sings

Good luck to all

[lilly]

HELLO...  I'M SORRY BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY ADVICE THAT I COULD GIVE YOU OVER YOUR SITUATION.  I WAS HOPING THAT MAYBE YOU COULD HELP ME LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT GASTRITIS.  MY BOYFRIEND CLAIMS TO HAVE THE SAME SYMPTOMS THAT YOU HAVE.  HE HAS GONE MANY TIMES TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM IN MEXICO DUE TO HIS CONDITION.  THE DOCTORS IN MEXICO THAT ATTENDED HIM SEEM TO have BEen CONFUSED ABOUT THE SITUATION.  SOME DOCTORS SAY THAT IT CAN'T BE CURED, OTHERS SAY THAT IF HE HAS AN OPERATION DONE THAT IT COULD GET WORSE (HE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE SURGERY EVERY 2 YEARS OR SO).  HE HAS COME TO THE UNITED STATES TO GET BETTER HELP.  HE HAS GONE TO THE HOSPITAL TWICE AND THEY GIVE HIM A MEDICATION THAT USUALLY ONLY WORKS FOR A WHILE AND EVENTUALLY THE SYMPTOMS COME BACK.  DO YOU KNOW IF HIS CONDITION COULD BE PASSED ON TO OTHERS THROUGH ANY SORT OF CONTACT.  I DON'T MEAN TO BE RUDE WITH THAT COMMENT, PLEASE DON'T GET OFFENDED.  I LOVE HIM DEARLY AND WISH THE BEST FOR HIM.  IS THERE ANY ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE ME ABOUT HIS CONDITION.  I AM PRETTY SURE BOTH OF YOU HAVE THE SAME CONDITION.  ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN GIVE REGARDING THIS SITUATION WOULD BE A GREAT HELP AND WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.  I WISH YOU THE BEST FOR YOU AND MY BOYFRIEND... HOPEFULLY YOU WILL FIND A CURE BECAUSE NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH ANYTHING LIKE THIS.  TAKE CARE AND I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.  

PLEASE WRITE BACK TO ME AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:
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[Dawn Palmer]

Dear Sue

I am not a Doctor but am suffering with gastritis as well.  It's awful and I too feel nausea every day.  I have had the same tests and medication as yourself with no real improvement.  However why I am writing is because about 15 years ago I had my gallbladder removed and my symptoms were similar to yours.  Have you been checked for this?

Hopefully you are cured by now as you posted you memo last October.

From Dawn
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[hi mary ann here.]

i dont have acid reflux.. got that cast iron stomach ..but have had a  lot of pain under left rib like it was broke or something.. did the ultrasound and they said gastiris... BUT!!!.... i have been under alot of pressure and stress lately.. just recently started a new job feeling better... been treated with prilosec and simithicon..gastrtix40 miligrams a day  over the counter ... also found more natural fiber seems to help .. sitting hurts me alot  at times and forget trying to lie down and get comfortable...like a constant pressure that doesnt go away ...  i have been checking into h pylori on net to see if i have symtom\s of that .. i think i do but we will just see... trust me .. i started a job after being laid off for 4 months ..(when problems started) and the last 2 days i feel better... also gained about 20 # since i have been off... and i dont need the extra middle!  so maybe stress does have something to do with it? not sure... i usually strive on stress at work (being a chef) but not when it comes to home life!  maybe together we can all work this **** out?   good luck mary ann   rabitdid68 @aol.com take care

[Bonnie]

Hello, I saw your posting. I have Gastritis and Acid Reflux as well...All started a year ago, when I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis...supposibly the medications I was on have caused the gastritis and nothing seems to be working....I'm in tough shape too, and was wondering if your improving and if so, what did you do?
I'm on Prevacid, Asacol and just got off of Prednisone...