Aspirin/NSAID ulcers?

[pasigal]

Hello, I thought this would come up on a search, but no luck. If you can find a thread on this, please send!

I suspect I may have developed an NSAID (75 mg aspirin) ulcer. I do take lanzoprazole (PPI) but honestly it doesn't seem to be doing anything, and I am about to ask my cardiologist to switch either the PPI and/or to a buffered aspirin or some kind of alternative, if there even is one.

My symptoms are consistent to those of an NSAID-induced ulcer:

--bloating after meals, even small ones

--worse when lying down vs standing

--burping, gas, nausea

--pain behind breastbone and around top of stomach (both sides)

--a bit of dizziness and breathlessness

I don't think it's cardiac -- although I am seeing my cardiologist on friday (have asked to see her sooner but unlikely) to hopefully rule that out.

Has anyone ever developed an NSAID-related ulcer? what were your symptoms? How did you treat it?

Thanks in advance!

[Tos92]

Hi pasigal

I’m sorry to hear about the issues you’re having on the aspirin.

If you’re suspecting that you have a stomach ulcer from taking the aspirin, you should be looking at getting medical attention and advice ASAP. They will be able to treat you with the right medication accordingly and adjust, or change your medication completely.

If stomach ulcers are left untreated for a certain amount of time, they can even lead to more serious risks such as internal bleeding.

Let us know how you get on.

All all the best.

Tos

[pasigal in reply to Tos92]

Yes, I'm seeing my cardiologist and my GP this week. I'm hoping that my symptoms are not cardio related at all...but I feel quite worked over right now. it's just hard to get an appointment quickly unless it's something that clearly requires emergency care!

[Kimbob11356]

I have similar symptoms they found I have a hiatus hernia. Changed from lansoprazole to famotodine which made a difference.

[pasigal]

Kimbob11356 Thank you for that info. I am seeing my doctor on Thursday and my cardiologist on Friday so will raise that point about a hiatus hernia.

I am definitely looking to change up either my PPI (as I said, the lansoprazole seems to be not working at the moment) or look to another aspirin formulation (harder to do).

I looked up hiatus hernia and I do have some of those symptoms, which also overlap with ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux disease, as well as angina etc....very complicated.

[Silvertail]

Hi Pasigal. I'm not implying that this is causing your problems, but when are you taking your lanzoprazole? My experience: I haven't had an ulcer as far as I know, but have had severe reflux disease and a hiatal hernia, as well as diverticulosis for many years. Sometimes the pain feels as if I had been hit in the chest by a hammer, Have been on several different PPIs, but still had food and bile regurgitation nearly every day (sorry TMI), bloating etc. Latest PPI is Nexium. My dose was 40 mg twice a day but it was still not completely controlled. (Hospital discontinued my evening dose because of its possible side effects). I used to throw all of my tablets down at once because it was easy. Finally I saw sense and did what I was told in the first place- take the Nexium half an hour before breakfast. The difference is amazing. I rarely have any problems nowadays. I hope you can get your problems sorted as soon as posible.