Stomach ulcer and hunger/weight gain

[DK123]

Really hoping someone else who's experienced a stomach ulcer (sorry if you have!) can give me a bit of a handhold.

I am already seeing a gastro and am booked in for a colonoscopy but I'm really struggling with the symptoms and the hunger and weight gain.

It seems to have happened because I was taking naproxen and I have the most intense, gnawing hunger pain feelings. It's really difficult to ignore and unless I eat a lot frequently, I feel like I'm going to cry the hunger pain feeling is so intense, like I'm absolutely starving. Since late March I've gained 2 stone and that's taken my BMI from being fine to overweight. I don't know how to stop this overwhelming hunger feeling and I can't keep putting weight on like this. My clothes don't fit me and I feel heavy and uncomfortable.

Can anyone who's experienced this tell me if anything made the gnawing hunger feelings go away, if there was any particular food that kept it at bay for longer and if it eventually stopped and they were able to loose the weight they'd gained?

Thank you for reading. I am upset and fed up with it and would really appreciate a handhold!

Are you still taking it.

The gnawing hunger pangs are either
A) acid
B) a side effect of the drug ( one drug gave me horrific hunger line pains)

Are you taking a PPI?

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow I am still taking it but with 40mg of omeprozole now.

I had that horrific hunger pang thing and had to keep my tummy full a lot when I had acid reflux.

It’s the acid burning through your insides. It’s not hunger.

It was eased for me when I had something in my stomach so I too continually ate to keep the pain away.

They put me on omeprazole too and within a week the pain had gone.

Can you stop taking the naproxen?

If it’s causing this level of pain and acid it can’t be doing your insides much good.

40mg is a high dose.

I think the issue is the naproxen. That needs changing.

@Elieza thank you. I know it is acid rather than real hunger, but I can't quite tell the two apart any more. Did you find any foods were better than others in terms of alleviating the feelings?

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow I wanted to stop taking the naproxen, it's for post surgical pain and when I did stop it for a few days, the pain was bad. I asked my gp for something less likely to be a problem, but they tried me on 2 other NSAIDs, which were no better on the stomach and didn't help the surgery pain as much. Tbh I can't see why they can't give me something that isn't a NSAID instead as I can't see this stopping until I stop taking painkillers of that type.

There must be something. I can’t take NSIAD’s so they would have to find an alternative.

Tramadol?
Dihydracodeine?

Have you been on it since March?

Havent they tried you on Amitryptiline or Pregabalin? Although Pregabalin gave me terrible stomach pains.

I tried to work out what foods made it better but didn’t succeed.

If you have enough money you could try acupuncture for the pain instead of drugs?

Any milk based product should help.

I think your medical team are being negligent tbh.

I put on a stone very quickly after being prescribed naproxen and omeprazole. I googled them both and the first side affect listed for omeprazole was rapid weight gain. I stopped taking both and the weight came off.

I now take turmeric and black pepper capsules for inflammation instead, and CBD oil.

I’m on lanzoprazole. No weight gain on that, and a lot of meds make me gain weight.

I am desperate to stop the naproxen, I can't see any way of getting rid of ulcers if I'm still having to take it. I would like something that isn't a NSAID and considering I've asked 3 times, in light of having a stomach ulcer and GI bleeding, I'm getting really annoyed that I'm not being offered an alternative!

But there’s loads of alternatives. It’s appalling that they are keeping you on it? Who are they?

Can you report them?

Sorry to hear about this OP. It is rotten.

I had a severe reaction to Naproxen which caused dysphagia and gastritis. I went to the GP who prescribed me increasing doses of lansoprazole and omeprazole. In my opinion this made the gastritis worse, although my first concern was not being able to swallow.

Have you had an H pylori test? Are they doing a gastroscopy to confirm the presence of a stomach ulcer?

What helped:
Not taking the naproxen
I took Gaviscon after meals to reduce acid - you need the Gaviscon Advance
No alcohol and cut down on coffee
I took a high dose probiotic
Eat things like yoghurt and bland food, not spicy stuff
Ginger tea - you can make your own or Pukka do a three ginger one
Eat little and often, rather than big meals.

What was your op/why are you experiencing post op pain? Has this been discussed? I agree with previous posters - this is negligent and your first priority is to stop the Naproxen if you possibly can.

@Inthemane thank you so so much for your response. I did have a H Pylori test which came back negative but the gastroenterologist (who does seem very good) said they'd take a biopsy and sometimes it only shows up that way.
I'm taking the naproxen following spinal surgery and I'm wondering if the gastroenterologist might be more likely to try and get me into something different, considering it's the route cause of the gastro problems. I don't understand why the gp just keeps giving me different NSAIDs, as PPs said, not everyone can tolerate them so surely it would be better to give me something else!

I had stomach ulcers not caused by meds or HPylori. Omephrozole stopped the bleeding after 6 months of treatment but another endoscopy should the underlying gastris is still there so it’s basically a lifetime of being anxious with a sensitive stomach so I will just have to live with it going forward. Am I am, of course, grateful for the omephrozole which turns it from being something that would have quickly killed me to something that that is uncomfortable but liveable with.
I’ve put on 3 stone by eating to minimise the pain and actually when the pain is low it does feel just like hunger. I’ve found that cheddar cheese eases my symptoms so when I plan what I’m going to eat and when I feel hunger/pain outside of those times I eat a small piece of cheese and if has really helped ease it all for me and make it bearable. It’s going to take a while to lose the 3 stone but it’s very slowly starting to come off now I’ve found what works for me.
Good luck getting it sorted. The weight gain is a symptom and the underlying situation needs resolving first is how I viewed it.

*showed

Sorry - so many typos! Hope it makes sense.

Uphillandowndale.

Stomach gastritis ( which l have) is usually caused by duodenal reflux. And it is a different medication for it than a PPI

You could ask the GP about Diclofenac suppositories is they’re dead set on you iseing NSAIDs for the post op pain.

You absolutely 100% need to stop the naproxen, this will not go away until you do.

*using

@UpHillandDownAle thank you! And I'm sorry you've been through so much with your stomach. I know I'm not going to get anywhere without coming off the naproxen, I absolutely have to though and I will ask the gastro to recommend something more suitable. The weight gain is unfortunate but I know that's not going to change until the acid is under control. again, I'm so sorry you had the same and I hope it won't be too long before you're happy with your weight again!

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow - I also have gastritis from duodenal reflux….I’m relatively recently diagnosed. I really hope you don’t mind me asking how long you’ve had it, what meds you’ve been given that work etc, any diet suggestions you may have? Thanks for any advice you might give, and 💐 for the misery of gastritis. Apologies also for the thread hijack!!