Anyone any experience of indigestion?

[wrenster]

From out of no where I have began to suffer quite badly with indigestion. It started a couple of weeks ago when I got myself in a terrible panic that I had ovarian cancer! Having now been checked out, and given the all clear, everything settled down back to normal, could eat, was hungry etc but then out of the blue this weekend. I got this horrible pain back (I didn't actually realise at the time it was indigestion I just thought it was extreme anxiety)

We did stay at a friends house and the food was quite rich but once I went to bed this horrible full feeling wouldn't go away. It came back after lunch yesterday and I couldn't eat any tea and it caused me a fair amount of pain in bed last night too. I took 2 lots of Pepto Bismol last night but it didn't seem to do much.

I'm not sure how you tell the difference between indigestion and a peptic ulcer?

Can indigestion or an ulcer just come and go? I'm trying hard not to let my mind run away with me once again but I am now panicking about even eating breakfast today and I don't want to lose any more weight than I lost when I was in my full state of panic!

Any advice / remedies / experience would be gratefully received.

Was your gallbladder checked? Did you have a blood test for helicobacter?

I was the same as you a few years ago, convinced (thanks to google) I was about to shuffle off this mortal coil. Turned out to be h.pylori cured with a few weeks of antibiotics.

Back pain might (I believe) indicate it's more gallbladder related.

Peppermint oil capsules from Holland and Barrett were far more efficient than any of the gaviscon-type meds. Though Gastrocote (ask for a tub behind the counter) was good too.

Thanks nottreadinggrapes for replying.

No, I didn't have anything like that checked as they were focussing on gynae exam.

I too have googled way too much and have got to get a grip on myself! Maybe I should go back to the docs and ask them for a test as I'm also on NSAIDS which they say can cause stomach issues?

I'm popping into h&B this morning so I will get some capsules that you've suggested.

Thanks

First thing- ask for a blood test for h.pylori. I was so cross when finally I paid for one and that was all I had. I had suffered physically and mentally for 4 mths, (I was also convinced I had either ovarian or liver cancer) . My doc kept saying it couldn't be h.pylori but had to be gallbladder/liver/pancreas.

And if it's not that, ask for a gallbladder scan. (I ruled that out for myself as had no shoulder/back/under bra pain)

Thanks so much for your help, I will do that.

Did yours come and go? It seems so odd that last week I was completely fine, had pain at all and then this week something seems to have triggered it.

I hate having health issues, it really freaks me out!

No, mine came and stayed, but was never acute. H.pylori is something that isn't affected by what you eat, it's just a permanent indigestion IYSWIM?

I put mine down eventually to having eaten some fish, the name of which we'd never heard, then when we googled it, it apparently comes from the most polluted river in the world.

Have a look at gallbladder threads in Gen Health- I lurked on many of them when waiting to find out what I had, lots of people with similar symptoms to yours.

Hope you get an answer soon, I know how scary it is.

Be careful with NSAIDS. I took Ibuprofen for a couple of weeks for joint pain, started getting mild indigestion then one day felt very nauseated and vomited "coffee grounds" from bleeding stomach lining, known side effect of NSAIDS. My digestion has never been the same since and there are a lot of foods I can't eat now.

Thanks very much.

Doc prescribed me Omeprazole for acid in my stomach and I have also bought the peppermint capsules you recommended nottreadingrapes.

I've also dropped my intake of Colchcine just in case it was causing tummy probs.

I'm hoping the meds kick in quickly as well as it not being something more serious.

Omeprazole did the trick for me. I was getting bad pain just below my breastbone where my stomach is that radiated to my back. Took it for 28 days. I still have to be careful - too much booze, fizzy drinks, fags and fatty food will bring on an attack. I don't think it is gallbladder related it is more like gastritis that comes back when I overdo things. My mum had the same thing and they just said she has a weak muscle at the top of her stomach. Don't take NSAIDs as they damage your stomach lining. Eat plain foods like scrambled egg and take paracetomol if you get pain.

Why did you think ovarian cancer by the way? Is your pain low down in your tummy or high up where your stomach is?

Colchine will upset your stomach .

I'm not a 100% ( waay too much time on google and it's all beginning to blur ) but I think peppermint/mint is a trigger for gastric reflux/acid .

Sorry ,not very helpful

I feel your heartburn!
I have been suffering with this for years. Been on Omeprazole for years as well.
It does help but unfortunately as soon as you stop it the suppressed acid comes back 3 times worse. And sometimes it flairs up and nothing works.
I had gastroscopy done few years ago which only showed some inflammation at the entrance ob the stomach (gastritis) and nobody is interested anymore. It is getting worse over the years and all I get from doctors is more Omeprzole. For some reason digestive problems unless they require immediate surgery are not regarded as serious.
The general advice is to avoid acidic foods like tomatoes, red meat, raw onions and cabbage, citric fruit , coffee, alcohol - you can google for the full list. Eat small portions more frequently, sleep in semi-elevated position.
Omeprazole does work though, I remember when I was first given it I felt better very quickly and it was such a relief..
Hope it will help you very quickly - if not go back and ask to increase the dose.

Thanks everyone, I'm hoping the Omeprazole kicks in quickly as now I have a stitch like pain in my right hand side too!

Angryfeet - I thought I had ovarian cancer as I had a little bleed mid cycle and by the time I'd googled the symptoms I had them all, bloated, struggling to digest food etc. they went the minute I'd been examined and given the all clear! Therefore I put this horrible digestion down to extreme anxiety but now it's come back I'm struggling to find a reason?

Thanks for sharing your experiences, it's so hard not to worry.