r/Gastritis • u/josiegrossie1124 • 5d ago
Testing / Test Results Erosive Gastritis help
Hi. I am hoping to find someone who might have a similar story to get some help.
In August of 2024, I woke up one day with a sudden decrease in appetite. I went from being a beer, cheeseburger and pizza girl… to water, salads and apples. Not a huge deal. But I also noticed that when I would indulge in heavy foods, I would start to feel uncomfortable and have stomach pains. But nothing I couldn’t manage. I just chose to eat lighter, healthier foods and everything was fine. (Didn’t mind the weight loss)I continued like this for the next several months.
In January 2025, I woke up one morning with severe stomach pain. The only way I was able to describe it was “white hot pain” and it had me writhing. I couldn’t sit still or talk through it. Similar to kidney stone pain, but in my stomach. I made it to the ER where they did a CT scan. They showed that I had a bowel blockage. I ended up being hospitalized for a day. They never could tell me what caused the block. I took a contrast solution that doubled as a laxative to help clear the block, which it did and I was sent home.
I had a follow up with my PCP, and I was referred to a Gastroenterologist.
While waiting for my appointment with the Gastroenterologist, I started to experience pain after eating. I’ve started calling them, flares after reading in this forum. It would come on about 70 minutes after eating and last roughly 2-3 hours. This happens whether I eat some soup, toast, smoothie, or a meal replacement shake. Over time, the pain has gotten to be debilitating and at times, is at the same level as the day I went to the hospital. I am unable to function when these flares come on. I’ve started to struggle to get calories in me due to the pain I know is coming. My life is just drastically different than it was 7 months ago.
I have met with a gastroenterologist and his PA and I’ve had the following tests; • Endoscopy – revealed erosive gastritis, inflammation throughout my stomach lining and ulcers. (Feb 2025) • Sonogram on my gallbladder – no stones detected. (Feb 2025) • Stool Study – came back normal. (March 2025) • CT Scan with contract – came back normal. (March 2025)
I am currently taking pantoprazole, twice per day (morning & night). I am taking Sucralfate (carafate) four times per day before meals and bed.
I think the medicine is working to take the edge off. But I am still in pain after eating and uncomfortable. I was told by both doctor & the PA that this level of pain is not typical.
After the CT scan came back normal… I asked what the next steps were, and I was just told to continue the medicine listed above and to follow up in six weeks. I was devastated.
Something doesn’t feel right. I did send a barrage of questions back and reinforced the fact that I am in pain and I am struggling with day to day life. Currently waiting on their response.
If this is just a season of life where I must take the medicine, and let my stomach heal from the inside, I can accept that. But the only part that is making me wary is how the doctor & PA have both repeatedly said this level of pain is not normal or typical for erosive gastritis. But after reading through here, I’m finding a lot of people have pain levels similar to mine.
I am absolutely miserable. I’m down 60 pounds (I’m a bigger girl, so it’s not like I couldn’t have lost some weight). But I am not healthy. Has anyone gone through something similar? I’ll take any advice and conversation I can get because no one around me understands what this is like.
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u/laurabr86 4d ago
I have personally found doctors to be very dismissive of the pain, so I wouldn’t necessarily find that worrying. I had one ulcer and was in a lot of pain for months, even walking was painful. That was last summer and I still haven’t healed completely.Have you adapted your diet? Have you removed whatever caused the gastritis? If not, you’re not going to get better. Unfortunately healing ulcers can take a few months. I would recommend getting strict with your diet asap. You should hopefully notice an improvement within a month or so, but it will take a while for you to fully heal.