IBD plus Gastritis?

[Meg585]

Well although I have not seen a Doc yet, it seems as though I may have Gastritis along with severe UC and RA symptomatic of the UC. I need some support, been going through hell. I now have pain from eating from my butt all the way up to my chest! Come on really???The pains are very different but both very painful. I would really like to connect with some others who suffer with both of these. Plus I could really use some advice from someone who has been dealing with this longer. Help? Advice? Anyone? I desperatly need some advice until I have my doc.s app. in January!!!

 

[Trysha]

Hi Meg,
I have had similar symptoms with my crohn's. The gastritis usually responds very well to nexium or one of the omeprazole series,I also had several duodenal ulcers at the same time and which recur at intervals. Again I take nexium and it eases off.
It would be even better if the nexium cured the crohns, fat chance there.!!
I find a heating pad helps with the arthritis pain,and the abdominal pain but it is difficult at times to endure all the different aches and pains.,which move from fingers to toes and back to knees and elbows then wrists-its a fast traveller.
I go to a special gym, closely supervised and do gentle exercises as devised by the kinesiologist, this helps a bit with the joints but it can be a bit challenging at times, but I persevere, think exercise helps a bit if you can stand it.
The crohns is in my left colon and responds to cortifoam within a short space of time. I reacted very badly to azathioprine so thats off the books for now.
Currently my flare seems to be subsiding although painful at night.Lots of joint pains right now, Gastritis under control for now.
You have my greatest sympathy, this disease is the absolute pits but take it one day at a time.If your symptoms get really bad you should call your doctor for an earlier appointment or go to the ER.Hopefully you will be seeing a Gastroenterologist with your symptoms it is very important.
You may find a bland diet could help or drinks like Boost etc till you feel a bit better.
You will find some helpful sites on the forum, take a look around.
Keep your chins up
Hugs and best wishes
Trysha

 

[Meg585]

Trysha, thank you so much for connecting with me, I really needed that with someone. I know in time I will get used to the gastritis just like I have with the UC and RA, but in the beginning when you dont know how to deal with pain and you are just trying to wrap your head around something else being wrong its a little scary. I have been living on alka-seltzer and bland food but today I finally bought some Prevacid 24hr which I believe is in the same class as Nexium? Its Lansoprazole. Anyhow, I am taking Methotrexate and Humira which so far is keeping the RA and UC from keeping me bed-ridden. They still give me a hard time every day, especially lately b/c I am flaring, but as long as I am able to be out of bed I am gonna just be glad!!! The RA cripples me up alot, I spent half of 2009 in a wheelchair b/c my knee froze in the bent position so therefore walking was impossible, but switching from Remicade to Humira and Metho got me walking again, and after 5 months I was SOOO READY!!!
Anyhow, I go to my financial appt tomorrow to see if I can even keep my doc.s appt in Jan. But I have left the matter in Gods hands and just know that he will get me where I need to be so I can get help and see a GI.!!! Have you ever tried Methotrexate for your Arthritis??? Do you take anything for it???

 

[Meg585]

Is there anyone else who also has this in addition to their IBD???

 

[Mark63]

Hi,

Yes, I have Gastritis and Duodonitis as well as the Crohn's. 40mg of Nexium every day for the last couple of years, plus Gaviscon after meals and at bed time. Some weeks are good, some are bad. I was ok until the Docs gave me Imuran, to which I reacted badly and developed Pancreatitis.

Add this to the abscess/fistula/seton issues and life is a real joy!

Hope you get things under control soon.

Mark

 

[nogutsnoglory]

I have gastritis too and am taking Prilosec OTC for two weeks and it's gone mostly. You can only take it for two weeks every four months.

 

[Meg585]

Hi guys!!! Thank you sooo much for posting. I hope you all start doing better. I have been confused as to what kind of antacid to buy b/c of that whole one treatment in a four month period thing..... What if I need it again after the two week treatment???? Then what??? My pain is so severe that I have to take something if it or I guess I should say when it acts up, so do I just go back to alka-seltzer after two weeks? Hmmm.....

 

[Mark63]

Hi Meg,

Drugs like Nexium, Lansoprazole, Omeprazole and the like are very good at contollling this sort of problem and they can be used longer term, but it need to be under medical supervision, not self prescribed.

If the problem is as severe then you shoud really see a GI in case there is an underlying cause that need to be sorted. It could be something like H-pylori that is usually easily treated with antibiotics? It could also be many other things, that why you should get yourself checked out.

It's also worth looking at your diet and life style to see if there is anyhthing that you can do to help yourself there. Cut down or cut out completly the Caffine from coffee, tea and fizzy drinks and drink more water. Herbal teas can be good with mint or ginger being particularly soothing on the stomach. Watch out for some of the fruit ones as they contain a lot of acid. Alcohol, well I'm sure you don't need me to sy any more. Small regular meals are better then few large ones. Watch out for spicy or fatty food. If you suffer GERD at night, take an antacid combined with alginate (Gaviscon) before you go to bed. It's also worth raising the head of the bed my four/six inches.

Once you have things under control then you may find that you can deal with the Caffine, spicy food or alcohol on an occasional basis without experiencing problems. It just about finding what you can get away with.

Hope that helps.


Mark

 

[Meg585]

Hi there Mark! Thank you for the advice. I have already done 75% of the things you have suggested. I am frantically trying to find a doctor to see me, but its still up in the air. The doc I am currently trying to see had me see a financial division first b/c of having no insurance and they informed me that I needed a bunch of paper work I dont have before they can assure I can keep my app. SO...... I went and got all the stuff they asked for a few days ago. I have to go back and see them again before I can have my app. So HOPEFULLY when I go back in a week they will give me the discount I HAVE TO HAVE and I can see a doc FINALLY. So to answer your message that is why I have not already been to the doc. No offense to you b/c I am truly grateful for your advice and support, but it seems to be everyone favorite thing to say on this site, "go see your doctor!" But it truly is not that easy for some of us. In a perfect world that is the way it should work, but we live in this world which is a long way from perfect as I know everyone on this site obviously knows. If I had a penny for every doc thats turned me away b/c of the severity of my disease and lack of insurance I would be rich and not need insurance!!!! Lol...... This really is not a sob story, its just the facts of my situation that I have been dealing with for many years. So I have kind of had to diagnose and learn to treat myself over time. Plus it helps a lot to give the doctor a starting place when the number of visits you have are limited. I have cut out most things I normally eat, and have just been eating small bland meals, and this has helped!!! Also I have cut out coffee and soda and I dont drink alcohol ever. But if I get another severe attack where the pain is so bad that I just writhe around and throw up I already told my husband that we are just gonna have to go to the ER b/c I cant go through that again. The pain is truly agonizing. I also bought prevacid 24hr which is lansoprazole. I read online that sometimes medications can cause it and it gave a list and one of the things I take is on it, this worries me b/c its something I MUST take. I have an adrenal problem from a seven year stretch of continuos high dose prednisone, it killed my adrenals and therefore they now dont make all of the chemicals I need to live, so I have to take hydrocortisone to make up for it. I have no choice, I must take it. So if this is the problem then I am stuck between a rock and a hard spot!!! Ugh..... I am just gonna keep praying and doing everything I can to get into the doc and take care of myself..... there really is nothing more I can do..... Thank you again for the advice, I am very sad for all the suffering it sounds like you go through, my thoughts are with you...

 

[Mark63]

Hi Meg, No offence taken. I'm truly sorry to hear how things are for you. It sounds as if you are doing everything you can. In the UK we do have ready access to medical treatment without having to worry about insurance, but the quality of care varies. It can be difficult to get effective treatment, you just have to keep going until you wind-up with the right Doctors. It can take a long time though!

On the subject of drugs, I went through Lansoprazole and Omeprazole with little result. Esomeprazole (Nexium) works much better for me. My GP had to appeal to the local funding authority to continue to prescribe it as costs more than the others.

Let us know how you get on.

I wish you and your family a Merry Xmas and hope you have a healthier and happier New Year.

Mark