Gastritis-again!

[Myoldcat]

I had horrible gastritis when I started eod B12 injections over a year ago. It lasted for about a month then has been fine, with just the occasional discomfort. I added a good liquid probiotic with soothing stomach herbs, manuka honey, kefir yoghurt, ginger tea which all helped to resolve things. Now it seems to be returning, despite no change in my diet. I'm in a lot of discomfort, with pain and extreme bloating after eating or drinking anything. Tested negative for H.pylori and coeliac disease, also negative for IF and parietal cell antibodies. Help! Any suggestions on management? Or do I try to explain I think I have low stomach acid to the gp, even as he writes the PPI prescription?

[Wwwdot]

Hi Myoldcat

If you suspect low stomach acid, are you boosting your stomach acid before eating? I have low stomach acid and if I eat without taking Betaine and Pepsin first, then I suffer - like a brick passing through the old tubes!

Secondly, great you tested negative for H. Pylori and Celiac disease. Have you considered the Autoimmune Paleo approach to diet? It was the only one which worked for me and when I stray certain lectin rich foods give me gyp particularly oats and corn so that may be worth considering.

Since doing both the above I am 95% free of Gastritis symptoms. Be strong as it is horrible when your gut is playing up.

🤗🤗🤗

[Myoldcat in reply to Wwwdot]

I was using apple cider vinegar gummies before meals and that seemed to help; I was a bit too scared to start HCLBetaine when things felt inflamed, then everything settled so I didn't bother to take it. Now after a happy 11 months my stomach feels raw again! So I'm guessing it's still not the moment to introduce the Betaine? I worry about the 'warm sensation' that's mentioned, on top of an already unhappy stomach.

Thanks for the mention of lectins and the Autoimmune Paleo diet, I'll check it out. I do eat oats for breakfast but that's been fine up to now. Oh, the ongoing joys...

[Wwwdot in reply to Myoldcat]

Hi Myoldcat

It's like trying to hit a moving target!

I too was very wary of taking Betaine and Pepsin and it was my Functional Nutritionist who told me to start straight away, so I dug the bottle out of my "supplement graveyard"!

I have been taking it for over a year now and I do need to take it. It's trial and error to get the right amount - some start with 3 tablets before a meal, then if no adverse effect, 3 is right for you. But if you get a sense of heart burn then reduce by one table the next meal and eat something alkaline in the interim - like lettuce or cabbage or drink some coconut water. I need 2 B&P to eat protein and if I take 2 and little protein in the meal, then I can get a little heartburn sensation but then I do my rabbit impression and eat a couple of lettuce leaves!

The other thing I take when my stomach is raw (like last week after I tried a piece or two of KFC) is slippery elm, aloe vera juice and high dose turmeric extract from British Supplements (6 x daily). Nicole Apelian a Canadian herbalist has self treated her MS with high does turmeric extract for years.

After my colonoscopy and my gut was really wiped out and I was suffering even taking water, I resorted to Happy Mammoth Gut Repair, Amino Replete and Grass Fed Beef Bone Broth as they are high in collagen and support gut repair. I also took the turmeric at the same time.

I started the Auto-Immune Paleo (AIP) diet in September 2023 and it was a major step in my long-term gut recovery, as was taking Betaine and Pepsin. Granted, there will be some of this strategy that is myth and some that works and to be honest I doubt anyone really knows for sure which is which or why it works for some and not others. I went through about 8 different dietary approaches to solving my Gastritis symptoms before I came across the AIP and I have stuck with it ever since. We eat the same family meals like lasagne, cottage pie, moussaka, roast potatoes, cakes and biscuits etc but I have adapted the recipes and my cooking methods and no-one would guess that our food is AIP!

I really wish you all the best.

🤗🤗🤗

[Myoldcat]

Thank you SO much for such a comprehensive reply. I will try the Betaine! The worst that can happen is a bit more discomfort... I just managed some chicken broth based soup which hasn't worsened things so 🤞 The other horrible side effect of this stomach pain and bloat seems to be an awful physical based anxiety - all the body symptoms, which the brain eventually decides to act on with major catastrophising! So a big yuck all round, just when I thought I was on a more even keel. Many thanks again for your support Wwwdot 🙏

[Lin602]

Has anyone considered that you could have gastric cancer? My father who had PA for many years suffered from gastritis and went to many appointments and tried many products to relieve his discomfort. He eventually was diagnosed with gastric cancer that had spread to his liver. His prognosis was not good.

I live with constant concern and watch vigilantly for any signs of gastric issues. Both my father and his sister died from stomach cancer. I have multiple risk factors in addition to family history: pernicious anemia, type A blood and old age. Any indication that something could be amiss in my stomach, I'm headed to a specialist for evaluation.

FYI, for those of us in this high risk category, some dietary precautions are appropriate. Avoid processed meats, pickled foods, high salt foods. Please let us know if you find relief.

[Myoldcat in reply to Lin602]

It's not in my family although PA is... my gp hasn't ever mentioned checking due to the known higher risk (I still don't think he believes I have PA!) and I've been too occupied with trying to recover some degree of health over the last year. It is on my radar though, so thanks for the nudge towards testing, however unwelcome the thought is.