Sore after gastroscopy with biopsies and unsure about restarting meds

[LadyCastellioni]

Just had a gastroscopy 2 days ago and mild gastritis was found in one area of my stomach and 2 biopsies were taken. I have dreadful anxiety and I am getting myself into a state over it and annoyed with myself as I didn’t ask more questions at the time. Probably because I was scared beforehand and then also had sedation and I was just so pleased it was over I didn’t think.
So, is it normal to feel a bit sore and sometimes get pains in the biopsy area. Will it be tender until it heals? I know it’s normal to have sore throat afterwards, which I haven’t got. Am I just imagining this pain as I am anxious?

I was taking famotidine, which isn’t a ppi but does similar job. I stopped this 2 weeks before the test and assume I just start taking it again now? Again, I forgot to ask. I didn’t see the doc after the procedure but spoke to a nurse. I have a follow up with the doctor in 8 weeks but meanwhile not sure what to do.

Tbh I think stress and anxiety have a large part to play in my symptoms anyway and I just feel pathetic. Can anyone kindly help?

Sounds like they were doing an overall check of your stomach area, and the biopsies were to test for Helicobacter Pylori, an infection that can cause ulcers and inflammation/gastritis in the gut. You would have been advised to stop the famotidine so that the test would be accurate as if taken it can give a false negative result. It sounds to me like you are still having mild discomfort from the gastritis, and I think that will ease when you restart the famotidine.

I would get back to them to see when they will have the biopsy results, and if they are testing for H Pylori. Sounds to me like a long time to get results since the treatment for HP is very successful, lasts a week or two and should sort out your issue, IF it is H Pylori that they tested for.

Contact the nurse on Monday.

Thank you.
I’ve already been tested for H Pylori which was done via stool sample. I stopped the famotidine myself as apart from helping with my indigestion, it wasn’t helping with the stomach pains. That’s the reason I was referred for the gastroscopy. I did ring the hospital to ask about it (it’s a private hospital where they do nhs stuff) and the pre assessment nurse didnt even know what famotidine was, so I wasn’t too impressed and did my own research and stopped it.
I was told that the results can take up to 6 weeks so they might not be testing for h pylori anyway. Surely the doc would have seen the previous test results on my referral?

It depends what they are testing for. Yes H pylori tests are available in a few days but if they are growing stuff in the labs this can take weeks. Also if you do test positive for H Pylori, I am sure they will contact you asap.
I am sure it will do no harm to restart your meds as if you have gastritis then this will help with the acid production and pain. You could ask your gp on Monday.

I know myself how anxiety can exacerbate and create symptoms as I suffer from it as well. Hope you feel better and calmer soon.

Ah OK. Are you negative for HP? That's great if so. You should not try and diagnose yourself, but having been through similar I know that PPIs do help gastritis symptoms so ask about taking them. They will give great relief. Famotidine is not a ppi as you know, and it is very short acting i.e. Pepcid. PPIs are the gold standard though.

I suppose at this stage you will have to wait for the results before any form of treatment for the gastritis can be prescribed.

Thank you both so much.
I was actually on omeperazole when this first started for indigestion/reflux but by the end of the course it was giving me stomach pain, which I didn’t have before. I know there are different ppi’s to try so will have to wait until I see the doc.

I was more concerned in case the biopsies have caused any damage which is they way my anxious mind works. And I agree about not trying to diagnose myself. That’s half my problem.

I am assuming they took the biopsies from the area where you have gastritis so that’s going to be tender to start with. So taking chunks or scraping bits or whatever they do, from this area is going to result in a bit of extra pain I would have thought. That would explain it.
This gastro doc might even write to your gp and suggest starting a ppi now to treat the gastritis.

Thank you. DH is telling me the same thing and that if I had an infection I would know about it and would have more than a few twinges and a sore stomach. Damn anxiety!