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Ulcers

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: Jan. 2008 ~ Mar. 2008: Health Center: Ulcers users admin

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Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Saturday, January 12, 2008 - 1:52 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
I feel the need to whine, at the same time I really don't want to. Stomach issues aren't anything new to me, I have IBS and I'm lactose intolerant and have cramps bad enough to leave me curled up on the couch with a heating pad not moving for a couple days each month (sorry, tmi!)

But, shortly after Thanksgiving something new started. Everytime I got hungry, I got extremelly naseus to the point it really was effecting quite a bit of my life. Soon after that, I started to have a very unpleasant burning feeling in the area above my belly button. Ulcer kinda sprung to mind, but I pretty much ignored it and tried to do the best I could to get around it.

Christmas evening was so bad I knew I couldn't ignore it anymore so I called the next day and got an appt with the doctor. Sure enough it's an ulcer, but because it isn't bleeding and I'm under 45 we decided to treat it with antacids. He also told me to cut down on caffiene (I gave it up right then and there,) watch what I eat, watch the meds I take, and while most doctors now agree that stress doesn't cause ulcers, he still thinks it doesn't help them any either and do what I could to cut down on that. Unfortunately, that's the one area I really have no control over and this past year has been very stressful for me.

His suggestions for the most part have helped. I have days where I have no problems at all and others where I'm mildly uncomfortable and only the occassional really bad day. I haven't had caffiene, I haven't taken midol for cramps (that was a bad week!,) and have avoided taking anything for headaches even though I then suffer with my head it's better than the stomach problems.

Up til this morning. I woke up with the beginnings of a migraine and took a couple excedrine migraines (acetemetaphine, asprin, caffiene.) Oh my heck, I just want to crawl in a hole or rip my own stomach out or something. It hasn't been this bad since Christmas, I've already taken four antacids and it hasn't helped a bit.

Any advice, suggestions, stories for getting this under control? Do I really have to decide if the stomach pain is worse than a migraine and live with one or the other? How long can I expect this to continue? And when should I consider going back to the doctor? Stomach wise I didn't really think there was much else that'd be worse than IBS but I'm starting to wonder.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Saturday, January 12, 2008 - 1:53 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Oh, I should add that I rarely drink alcohol (none since this started) so that's not really a concern for me!

Karuuna
Board Administrator

08-31-2000

Saturday, January 12, 2008 - 2:06 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Karuuna a private message Print Post    
Hon, go out and get some Pepto if you don't have any at home.

Then call the doc and ask him why he didn't prescribe antiobiotics and an H-2 blocker.

In the future, you might want to take your migraine meds with a lot of bread or milk or oatmeal - that will help.

Nyheat
Member

08-09-2006

Saturday, January 12, 2008 - 2:11 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Nyheat a private message Print Post    
Not to second guess the doctor, but it could be the norovirus or a stomach bug. Or you could have an ulcer AND have caught a bug. Yogurt really helps. If anything, yogurt can't hurt.

ETA oh I see you are lactose intolerant. Maybe yogurt is too hard on your stomach.

Jimmer
Moderator

08-30-2000

Saturday, January 12, 2008 - 2:12 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jimmer a private message Print Post    
I can't offer any solid advice but I sure hope you feel better soon.

Karuuna
Board Administrator

08-31-2000

Saturday, January 12, 2008 - 2:14 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Karuuna a private message Print Post    
Oh, I should say that Pepto can be a lifesaver in bad pain, but shouldn't be used regularly since it can make them worse in the long run.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Saturday, January 12, 2008 - 2:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Being lactose intolerant, yougurt is probably one of the dairy foods I miss most.

I did go take pepto though and I'm not positive but I think it's getting a bit better.

I'm going to either try to get into urgent care this weekend or go to the regular dr Monday. I haven't really given it much thought til now but for the most part with IBS and lactose intolerance I feel like I have a pretty good hold on those. I have bad days but I can't usually point to whatever is causing those. I don't think control is the right word, especially with the ibs, but I do understand them and right now I feel like I have no real control or understanding of an ulcer and thats just not going to work for me. So yeah, I definitely think it's time to go back to the doctor and talk about antibiotics. I have things to do right now and I just can't do them because I don't feel well enough to, this won't work for me.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Saturday, January 12, 2008 - 3:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Oh Kar I could kiss you right now! After a couple doses of pepto I'm definitely feeling better. Not great yet but I'm also not on the verge of tears anymore and have been able to get a couple things done around the house I needed to do. I know it's not a long term solution but at least I have some relief!

Karuuna
Board Administrator

08-31-2000

Saturday, January 12, 2008 - 3:52 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Karuuna a private message Print Post    
I"m glad, War. Just remember you can't keep taking it, 'cause it may just make it worse in the long run (it does contain salicylates which is like aspirin). But for short term relief it does work quickly.

Now get to the doctor and get a better solution!

Rosie
Member

11-12-2003

Saturday, January 12, 2008 - 4:56 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rosie a private message Print Post    
Hope you feel better real soon, Wargod!

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Saturday, January 12, 2008 - 5:48 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Juju2bigdog a private message Print Post    
I have always said Pepto is a miracle drug. I don't have to take it anymore, however, since I retired and also started taking a fiber supplement.

And, Wardog, I am wondering if you have ever tried a fiber supplement for the IBS? I was having bouts of alternating diarrhea and constipation (yes, even after I retired and dropped the stress) constantly, and it all just disappeared when I started taking a fiber supplement.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Saturday, January 12, 2008 - 6:40 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Heh, well I'm ready to sing pepto's praises. I feel so much better tonight than I did this morning and afternoon.

Nuh uh Juju, I don't take a fiber supplement. I had a very bad reaction to some right after Caleb was born that has scared me away from it since then. I do try to get plenty of fiber through diet but I probably do need a bit more.

Landileigh
Member

07-29-2002

Saturday, January 12, 2008 - 6:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Landileigh a private message Print Post    
war, see if he'll put you on prescription priolosec. it has helped me tremendously!

Hukdonreality
Member

09-29-2003

Sunday, January 13, 2008 - 4:04 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Hukdonreality a private message Print Post    
War, ginger has some sort of property that helps with both nausea and issues relating to stomach ulcers. It has long been used for people receiving chemotherapy. Try some ginger in a cup of tea, and get yourself some ginger snaps. Look for the cookies with ginger listed closest to the beginnings of the ingredient list.

How to Make Ginger Tea

Ginger tea has a spicy, invigorating taste. It's used as a home remedy for indigestion, nausea, and to ward off colds, flu, and sore throats.

Ginger tea is very easy to make. Here is a recipe for you to try.

water, 4 cups
2-inch piece of fresh ginger root

optional: honey and lemon slice

Peel the ginger root and slice it into thin slices. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Once it is boiling, add the ginger. Cover it and reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes. Strain the tea. Add honey and lemon to taste.


ITA with the antibiotics suggestion. It's funny that antibiotics will eat my stomach up, but they have been found to kill certain bacteria or something or other that actually cause many ulcers.

Best wishes to you!

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Monday, January 14, 2008 - 12:27 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Thanks! I have to go in later today for some bloodwork for the antibiotics.

What are foods to avoid? I've already given up caffiene and don't drink alcohol all that often. I don't eat any dairy or greasy foods.

Dahli
Member

11-27-2000

Monday, January 14, 2008 - 1:16 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Dahli a private message Print Post    
SUGAR! or anything that acts like sugar and don't smoke.... I'm not sure if you are a smoker or not, but that's the biggest one.

Eat lots of veggies, lightly steamed, juiced etc.

Bacteria is the culprit usually, and antibiotics the treatment, so getting things balanced if not with yogurt then with acidopholus powder or pro and prebiotics in a powder or capsule form will be very important.

Take care and be gentle with yourself, some nice slow breathing and quiet contemplation...

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Monday, January 14, 2008 - 1:26 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
No smoking and the sugar pretty much went with the caffiene.

Veggies are one area I have to be very careful since some really aren't good for me, but I love veggies so eat as much of what I can as possible.

I'm pretty sure I know the answer is no on this one...but what about tomato based sauces? I just love those.

Dahli
Member

11-27-2000

Monday, January 14, 2008 - 1:59 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Dahli a private message Print Post    
Aren't good for you...?? (scratches head) :-)

I've never heard of anything against tomato based products but green leafy is the best and fresh cabbage juice is going to be good for you too.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Monday, January 14, 2008 - 3:45 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
I could have swore I heard tomato sauces were bad for ulcers?

LOL, I love green leafy veggies so that's easy. I like cabbage too though that's one of those veggies I have real trouble with, can't eat it cooked. I'd prefer to eat raw cabbage than drink cabbage juice though!

Dahli
Member

11-27-2000

Monday, January 14, 2008 - 3:55 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Dahli a private message Print Post    
Well I googled it and it does come up as a no-no in spots... but the thing to remember is treatment is important but it's the healing you want to shoot for.

Many times they are just dealing with the symptoms and not the cause and if you can work on that at the same time, you are more likely to have long term success.

Fresh fresh fresh cabbage juice only - drunk immediately, along with things like avocado, squash and yams are good.

Alfalfa and Aloe vera juice are shown to help with tissue healing and licorice (DGL) is helpful with healing gastric and duodenal ulcer, effectiveness comparable to cimetidine and ranitidine for peptic types.

Chewpito
Member

01-04-2004

Monday, January 14, 2008 - 6:35 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Chewpito a private message Print Post    
Wargod, I just started reading this thread and had to chirp in... Since the week before thanksgiving something went weird with me... it started with me not being able to burp, then every thing I ate seemed to stay in my throat..The pain was incredible and I kept thinking that I just had bad heart burn and thought it would go away.. It didn't... I don't drink,eat fatty foods,hardly any sugar and also don't do dairy except for nonfat plain yogurt but found myself getting worse and worse.. I started getting sick and throwing up every thing I ate. The burning in my throat had me crying. I finally went to my reg doc and she gave me samples of prevacid 30mg..it dissolves on my tongue and told me to try that. I took it for a week with no results.. (oh,i forgot to say that i had already tried pepto,Rolaids with no help what so ever, i actually threw that up too) I went to a specialist and he did a exam of my throat and felt all my internal parts and decided that I may have some sort of bacterial virus. He gave me Bioxin (sp) antibiotic..also more prevacid and Protonix 40mg... also he prescribed Diflucan 100mg to take once a day (he said it could also be caused by yeast brought on by my asthma medicine.... (i forgot to say that my symptoms also hurt in my chest like yours did and i thought it was my heart).. I've been on the meds now for a couple weeks and am still experiencing burning in my throat and am throwing up every thing I eat... (i cant afford this as ive lost about 13lbs since this started and im not a big person) Im starting to feel a little bit better but def not normal.. I finally burped last night (seriously i felt like a drunken sailer, I burped for almost 3hrs long belches that were loud and quite gross sounding but 'god' it felt so freaking good!!... im hoping that the meds are starting to take effect. Today I feel the same...

Ive been living off of steamed potatoes/sweet potatoes with yogurt, pinto beans cooked with lots of juice and absolutely no spices what so ever...rice.. I try to eat an apple in the morning and walk around feeling it all day... ive been drinking ginger tea (with honey), grape juice (a little at a time) allot of water...

absolute no citrus,tomatoes kill me. no spices,I also don't tolerate gluten so bread stuff is out..

If after I finish this medicine I don't get any better Im going to go to a Gastrointoprenaligist(sp)... This is seriously driving me nuts and I feel like im going insane...

Im sorry to say this but I was happy to see this thread because I thought I was alone... here is a good link...

http://www.digestive-disorders-guide.com/Managing_acid_reflux_disease.html

Karuuna
Board Administrator

08-31-2000

Monday, January 14, 2008 - 6:47 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Karuuna a private message Print Post    
Wargod, it used to be they blamed diet for making ulcers worse, but most common thinking is that you should just eat what works for you, and skip what doesn't. Acidy things like tomato sauces were out.

I think it's a try it and see if it aggravates you kind of thing. A lot of canned/jarred tomato sauces are heavy with sugar or corn syrup, so try and stay away from those ones.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Monday, January 14, 2008 - 7:21 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Oh great Kar, so it's like IBS, try it and wait to see what happens, lol. That's always so much fun.

Aw Chew, I'm so sorry. It sucks, but it is nice to know other people understand and you're not alone. What is it with the burning? I can't remember ever feeling anything like that at all and I'm pretty sure with as bad as it was that's something I'm not likely to have forgotten!

Karuuna
Board Administrator

08-31-2000

Monday, January 14, 2008 - 8:35 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Karuuna a private message Print Post    
Yeah, just try it in small amounts. I had a peptic ulcer when I was only ten, and they take *everything* out of your diet, and then slowly added things back in. Tomato sauce never bothered me, unless it was really spicy. Greasy foods about killed me.

Tess
Member

04-13-2001

Tuesday, January 15, 2008 - 4:51 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tess a private message Print Post    
War, I'd like to volunteer to come out there and smack your doc upside one side of his head and down the other for not doing a blood test for H. pylori the first time you saw him. My doc thought I had an ulcer last month and sent me to the lab immediately. He kept me until they had the test results. No ulcer. Got enough other digestive stuff. He was all ready to write out a script for antibiotics which is the only thing that will get rid of the H. pylori.

I had an ulcer as a kid just like Kar and the treatment was the same as hers (probably because I'm older than she is...yikes!!). Greasy stuff, tomato sauce and anything with citric acid always set me off.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Wednesday, January 16, 2008 - 12:44 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Heh, well I'll admit to being a difficult patient at times. I've been dealing with the stomach stuff since I was 14/15 and usually I can't wait to escape the office when I have to go in for something. You can make me go, but I don't have to like it, lol. We had talked and he was aware of other stomach probs, that I'm prone to headaches and take excedrin migraine, advil, etc, and that I really really like my caffiene.

Ack Tess, like I told Kar, I'm sorry you had to deal with this as a kid, that's just terrible!

I have to go tomorrow to pick up a script for the antibiotics. I've been feeling better the last couple days but I've also been very careful with what I've been eating too. I've been taking it a bit easy too with some help from sis in the aunt department. Stress ain't going away, but really does it ever??

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Wednesday, January 16, 2008 - 12:02 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
My doctor told me that my daughter, who is also lactose intolerant, should eat yogurt because the cultures in the yogurt help digest lactose.

hmmmm, might have to check that.

Mameblanche
Member

08-24-2002

Wednesday, January 16, 2008 - 12:26 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mameblanche a private message Print Post    
My mom named her ulcer after me. LOL

Tess
Member

04-13-2001

Saturday, January 19, 2008 - 2:02 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tess a private message Print Post    
Escapee, our pediatrician told us the same thing. My daughter never had a single problem with yogurt whereas milk, ice cream, whipped cream, made her extremely sick.

Sunshyne4u
Member

06-17-2003

Saturday, January 19, 2008 - 3:36 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sunshyne4u a private message Print Post    
Sure enough it's an ulcer, but because it isn't bleeding and I'm under 45 we decided to treat it with antacids

where is it? what is the official diagnosis? two important things to ask the doctor.

i'm completely puzzled as you havent said if you had the barium swallow. WOW, in canada you would have had to wait a couple of weeks to get that done. also, it is very difficult to detect bleeding unless it is very bad. Occult blood is tested in the stool for usually 3 days. BUT it is unlikely to come up positive due to the way most people collect the test.


It is very important not to over dose on those Antacids or there is a good chance you could end up with Kidney stones.

I woke up with the beginnings of a migraine and took a couple excedrine migraines (acetemetaphine, asprin, caffiene.)

all three of those meds mess up the stomach really badly. A suggestion I would like to make is...Get the doctor to give you something else for migraine IF you get them regularly. There is Imitrex? that you spray up the nose, for instance. Or injectible.


i have issue with anyone feeling that they 'need' an antibiotic or other Drugs to 'fix' the condition. it all depends on your diagnosis and longterm prognosis.

Many stomach ailments are selflimiting....they'd heal/ go away without any intervention at all.

I am speaking from my medical training and from the fact that I also have IBS, food sensitivities and a Gastric Ulcer at 22 yrs old....which is VERY rare.

Peptic is the other more common type.

http://home.bluegrass.net/~jclark/alkaline_foods.htm


I dont know anything about this site but It has a great list for ACID forming foods.

Yes, this occurs mostly in the gut but the stomach reacts to different foods Immediately.

For instance, i can allieviate some of my symptoms by having a little apple cider vinegar. and it helps with digestion I've been told.

((the lactobacillus in yogurt helps to a degree but some have other probiotic cultures added to help digestion in the gut. Yogurt is much worse for me than other 'dairy'...except milk))