GERD, gastritis and chronic nausea

[Wmoejg]

I’ve been struggling with almost daily nausea for almost a year now. It started when I was taking fluoxetine and never went away (even after stopping the medication). I’ve since undergone testing (blood tests, upper endoscopy, stool samples) which have determined that I have GERD, gastritis and a lax cardia. I take omeprazole daily and cyclizine for the nausea as well as popping strong mints when the nausea gets bad and drinking a gallon of gaviscon. I wondered how other people manage it and what diets/lifestyle changes have helped?
My gastritis is not caused by h-pylori, so antibiotics aren’t needed, but feel a diet change might be.
Just not sure where to start.
I have good and bad days.
Today is a bad day, I’m currently sat up whilst my partner and daughter are sleeping because the reflux is on a rampage and I feel SICK!

I have an acid reflux wedge under the top of my mattress. But when it flares up I sleep more propped up and follow the GERD diet for a month.

It sucks, it's boring and you feel positively deprived. But it works. I think I average a repeat once a year or 18 months if I ignore early symptoms.

@gamerchick never seen anything about that diet so will look it up now.
I find all healthy stomach based diets are bland as anything but I presume worth it... thank you x

Crikey. How unpleasant for you (and potentially dangerous). Do you need more Omeprazole? I take two on very acidic days, and some Gaviscon - spread out across the day, of course.

Have you some idea of what you're eating that triggers it? With me, it's not really food or drink but stress. Well, unless I try to relieve the stress with too much alcohol, then I know about it! I can sometimes head it off with a bit of 'mindful breathing' but, once it's started, all I can do is mainline Gaviscon. I use the tablets, but imagine the liquid's the same stuff.

@Garlicnorth what's dangerous can I ask?

@Garlicnorth oh unless you mean the gallon of gaviscon (which was a poor attempt of a joke)! I think anxiety is a big trigger of mine although diet probably doesn't help as I comfort eat, and probably not the best things. Will see about upping the omeprazole!

I get lung infections from 'aspiration'. I remember they told me at the hospital there are heart health implications as well ... didn't see anything online about that, though. Untreated reflux also fucks up your teeth and increases risk of mouth, oesophageal and intestinal cancer. I also choke quite a lot, which is obviously dangerous but could be due to the particular reason I have it (a submucous cleft palate).

@Garlicnorth for want of a better term that sounds like a shit show doesn't it!
I guess it is currently being treated but I suppose it's being under treated and that's where I need to step in and change things. That's interesting you say about lung infections because I used to get them LOADS! I'm sorry you struggle with it too! I've never heard about cardiac implications before but have heard of greater risks of certain cancers. I'm going to look into some dietary changes and see what dosage of omeprazole I'm on and see if my gp is willing to up it.

@Garlicnorth I'm currently on 20mg, I'll see if I can possibly take more?

Yep, 40mg is standard for some conditions. The maximum safe dosage is something bonkers like 120mg. Hope you'll find an increase helps!

Is it possible that it's caused by stress?

I had problems like this and it went away after 10 years of therapy, a massive bust up with my MIL, a course of antifungal pills, and 1L IV saline.

The saline particularly seemed to help. I noticed that I didn't need any mint for a long time after that, but then I gradually got dehydrated again and am back on the mint.

Learning to set boudaries with relatives was the biggest thing, but getting hydrated seems to be enormously important somehow.

@ItsProperlyColdOut I wouldn't be surprised if stress does play a part. I'm an anxious mess! I go to therapy weekly but hopefully will begin to make some progress. I'm also a new(ish) mum so think I'm sort of always in some level of high alert. Interesting you say about hydration, I probably don't drink enough!

@ItsProperlyColdOut glad therapy helped you and you e been able to set boundaries. That's not easy x