Tummy issues... suggestions?

[Leah]

Went to the doctor this morning. It was my first visit with him, since the doctor I was going to before was a dummy (She was the first one that I tried after my pediatrician kicked me out when I turned 18. I insisted on going to see a woman dr. instead of just going to the guy that both my grandparents have been seeing for at least 30 years, and before him his dad who actually started the hospital, and that my mom and all her siblings go to).

Told him everything that was going on, and about all the problems I've had in the past (the possible gallbladder issues back in October, etc.). He said that he thinks that all the pain in the past and what's going on now is connected, but just to be safe, he wants to weed out any possibility of it just being too much acid in my stomach lining. He gave me a sample pack of ten pills plus a prescription. He said to take the sample pills one a day for the next ten days, and if they seem to be making me feel better, then to get the prescription filled because it is antibiotics for the stomach acid stuff. He said that if I take all the pills and am still having trouble, don't get the prescription filled because it wouldn't do any good anyway. I also got some blood drawn and am supposed to come back and see him in 3 weeks.

Oh yeah, he put me on a bland diet for the next 3 weeks. He said no tomato paste based stuff, caffeine, stuff like that.. only soups, mashed taters, bread, etc. Anyone know what all I can/not eat with the bland diet? I mean, I got the basic idea, but he said to make sure I strictly follow it because it will provide optimum results in helping us narrow down what's going on. I used to eat nothing but fast food, but that's hardly the case anymore. If anything, I'll eat it once a week. The boyfriend and I eat a lot of grilled/boiled hot dogs, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, french fries, etc. I'm also a ketchup fiend, so I gotta cut that out What's good for me to eat?

Hopefully this will clear everything up, because I have no idea what the next step is.

 

[mishellyshel]

What samples did he give you? Nexium? Protonix? Prevacid??
Also did he test you for H. Pylori? (probably with the blood test he did)

If you are to be on a bland diet, and trying to reduce acid, you should avoid:
fast food
fried food
tomatos (paste, ketchup, sauce, fresh)
citrus juice or fruit
onions & garlic
coffee & tea (unless green or herbal)
ALL soda whether it has caffeine or not
too much red meat
bacon or any processed meat (i do allow myself boars head lunch meat)

there is so much more!! but start with that.
since I have been on the meds, I have slowly and very infrequently gone to mcdonalds or had french fries or an onion here and there with little discomfort.

 

[Leah]

The sample medicine is AcipHex 20mg, and yep, the blood work was the H. Pylori thing. What is he testing for?

 

[mishellyshel]

Aciphex is good. I personally like the Nexium 40mg better. But they do the same thing. So hopefully it will work! Good Luck. Oh and if you slip up and eat some acidic stuff, you can also take an over the counter Pepcid AC 20mg at night so the acid doesnt wake you up! After taking 80mg of Nexium, supposedly you cant take more, that is why the Dr recommended the additional 20mg of Pepcid.

 

[Sasha]

Helicobacter pylori is a bacteria that can grow in the stomach with usually no symptoms. Though, it has been found to be the cause of stomach ulcers. Antibiotics usually help clear it up.

 

[mishellyshel]

Exactly what Sasha said. It is a bacterial infection. If you have it they will give you a run of 2 different types of Antibiotics. For me the side effects of the antibiotics were worse than the darn infection. but i sucked it up for 2 weeks!!
Look it up on the internet. It can come from eating food that was not prepared properly or from someone not washing their hands or some other ways that i cant remember!

 

[Leah]

I finished up the 10 days worth of sample medicine that the doc gave me, and as far as the burning/pressure feeling, it's gone. However, I've still been getting very sick to my stomach a LOT. Honestly, I think it's because of stress, because whenever I get upset or anything like that, I get very sick to my stomach. I got very upset the other day about something and there was blood when I used the bathroom. My mom called the doc today and asked him if I should get the prescription of the medicine filled, and he said since I'm still getting sick to my stomach, no. He's calling in some other sort of medicine for me to try. He also said the blood work for the bacteria came back negative. I have an appointment to go back to see him on the 21st.

I'm glad the burning feeling is gone, but I still have to use the rest room after I eat or workout or when I get upset. It really, really sucks.

You would think that because I've been so sick to my stomach lately that I would be losing weight, right? No, of course not. I've also recently started (mostly because of having to eat that bland diet stuff) eating healthier. I've been going to the gym at least 4 days a week for about the last month. I can see muscle definition in my arms and legs, but as far as the weight around my stomach, no sign of reduction. It's really frustrating. I know it takes a while to be able to notice results, but it's been a month or more and I can see results everywhere except where I truly want. Nothing to do with the stomach issue itself, just needed to rant.

 

[mishellyshel]

Maybe you have IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). For that I take Bentyl and just started taking Librax. And it is most definitely related to stress!!
Congrats on going to the gym.........having a better fit body will put anyone in a good mood!!

 

[Jenn]

I have a spastic colon and a severe bend in my lower colon so I go through a lot of tummy pain, but it is worst when I am stressed. But I also have to be careful with what I eat. I have a prescription but I am not one to medicate, so I try to control it with diet and exercise. But IBS is very common and your tummy troubles could be just that...?

 

[Leah]

The prescription the doc called in for me in Nexium. He said to take it once a day, but I can take more than one if I don't feel any results. He also said when I come back to see him on the 21st, he's going to refer me to have some sort of test done. My granny's had it done. She said they dope you up where you can't feel anything, but are still awake and run a hose w/a camera on the end of it down your throat. Sounds like fun..

 

[mishellyshel]

aaaahhhhh................the endoscopy. I just had my second one a couple months ago, which is actually how they found the h pylori plus a polyp and that i have a small hernia and all the other stuff!!
its really not that bad, the worst side effect is a mild sore throat. and they get the results immediately! good luck.
though if you have IBS they will not be able to diagnose that with an endo, they usually just rule out everthing else and treat IBS with meds and diet control. Then if you have further symptoms they may want to do a colonospopy (which is the camera on a hose going in the other end!!) havent had the displeasure of that yet!