View Full Version : Gastritis fears - HELP!
Elsa_Alkaseltzer
21-10-13, 16:18
Hi, everyone. Three years ago I had an upper endoscopy. I was really surprised that they found a couple small ulcers, since I had no ulcer symptoms. They also told me my test showed gastritis, which I didn't even really give a second thought, since I figure it just meant a little generic inflammation. Well, because I have been having some digestive discomfort lately, I decided to read more about gastritis today. Big mistake. Now I've scared myself badly. My biggest health fear is that I have a serious undiagnosed autoimmune disease due to several chronic symptoms of unknown cause. Anyway, by Googling I learned that autoimmune diseases can be a cause of gastritis! The most common cause of gastritis is infection with the h. pylori bacteria, but when I had my endoscopy they did a biopsy for that and it was negative. Anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen can also cause gastritis, and while I take such medicine sometimes, I don't take it regularly. So that's why I really fear that gastritis is an autoimmune issue in my case! Oh, and I also learned that long-term gastritis can put people at risk for digestive cancers. I am really concerned!
You know what else can cause gastritis, and is far more common than rare autoimmune diseases? Stress and anxiety! lol
When I get badly stressed or upset my stomach is one of the first things to get upset, and gastritis flares up. It also happens if I have too much of the foods that disagree with a sensitive stomach like spicy foods or caffeine/fizzy drinks. In my family many of us have a sensitive stomach, it's just in our genes unfortunately, so it's something we just have to learn to handle when it flares up.
It's far more likely that anxiety or diet are the source of your gastritis, autoimminue diseases are rare and you'd likely have far more serious symptoms than stomach inflammation. Have a thorough look at your lifestyle and see if it could be contributing, it could be that you just have a sensitive stomach from constant anxiety or stress.
If you tend to get flare ups of gastritis like me then you just need to learn to look after your diet and lifestyle to see what you can do to help yourself. Worrying about having an undiagnosed illness is only going to do you more harm in the long run, you cannot worry about something that hasn't happened. I know that's hard, but it's a thought you've got to make an effort to hold on to when you catch yourself worrying.
Yeah, stress can do it too. A friend of mine was diagnosed with gastritis a few years ago, no H.Pylori, no anything else, it just struck her fairly suddenly. For her, her doctor said it was her diet (basically too much rich food, as far as I can gather) and she's controlling it with diet and omeprazole (not sure of the right spelling). Digestive stuff doesn't have to have a sinister cause...
Elsa_Alkaseltzer
21-10-13, 16:57
Thanks for the replies. I think gastritis is a term many people use to describe stomach discomfort, sometimes triggered by stress. Yet actual gastritis as confirmed by an endoscopy isn't triggered by emotional stress---I don't think. Not from what I read, anyway. Ugh, wish I didn't Google. Thanks for the replies and support!
My friend's gastritis was diagnosed by endoscopy; she also had no sign of H.Pylori (though her doctor did say it's not impossible that she'd had had it in the past, but there was nothing showing on the results), and she's not a regular taker of NSAIDs. Hers was not just "stomach discomfort caused by stress". For what it's worth, gastritis just means inflammation of the stomach, so it's not incorrect to use it for any inflammation of the stomach.
Thing is, you were diagnosed THREE YEARS ago with gastritis. My understanding of the disease is that with medication and proper diet, it can be cured totally.
I would think that's the case with you as you've not had any symptoms for three years. First off, how do you know it's gastritis again? This could be a little bug or a reaction to something you ate, stress related or a combination of several things.
Even if it were a gastritis flare-up, for it to be caused by an autoimmune disease is ridiculously rare. I'm not a doctor but I would venture to guess this may be stress related to your anxiety...acid reflux or the like. Have you tried any OTC remedies for acid stomach?
If it persists, it would be worth seeing your GP about it.
Good Luck!
Thanks for the replies. I think gastritis is a term many people use to describe stomach discomfort, sometimes triggered by stress. Yet actual gastritis as confirmed by an endoscopy isn't triggered by emotional stress---I don't think. Not from what I read, anyway. Ugh, wish I didn't Google. Thanks for the replies and support!
Elsa my gastritis was confirmed by an endoscopy I had early last year because of months of stomach problems. They also confirmed a h pylori infection, which I was treated for, but they said that it *might* be the reason for my symptoms but wasn't necessarily the main cause - many people have h pylori in their stomachs without any problems, but if you have a chronic stress problem then it makes it easier for the h pylori to affect your stomach lining.
The gastro consultant spoke to me about stress and it's effect on our gastrointestinal health, and gastritis absolutely *can* be caused by stress - stress makes our stomachs more acidic and our muscles very tense, this can irritate the stomach lining and lead to the gastritis inflammation.
What did the doctors say to you back when you had the endoscopy? With mine they really didn't seem to be worried about the gastritis to be honest, it doesn't indicate any serious problems on its own.
Elsa_Alkaseltzer
21-10-13, 19:43
Thanks! I just wish I would have listened to that voice in my head that told me not to Google gastritis. It used to be something I didn't even worry about!
It's OK Elsa, the urge to Google is strong in us health anxiety sufferers! Are you working on the anxiety in any way?
Is there are reason why the HA has flared up for you recently? Is the gastritis back?
Elsa_Alkaseltzer
22-10-13, 16:29
I don't really get upper GI symptoms associated with gastritis and probably wouldn't have know I had it if not for the endoscopy. I do have other symptoms, though, which fuel the anxiety. Thanks for the support.
Anyone else have gastritis w/out h.pylori infection? It's too bad I am fretting so badly over a condition that doesn't even physically bother me.
I've had it I've had hpylori for 14 years I can't get rid of it still alive to tell the tale x
Elsa_Alkaseltzer
23-10-13, 03:32
Thank you for the reply. I think my main concern isn't having gastritis, but instead worrying why I have it. Since I don't have h. pylori, I worry maybe some horrid autoimmune disease is behind the stomach inflammation (and other chronic health issues). I always test negative for autoimmune disease markers, but that doesn't erase the fear, as I know such diseases can be hard to diagnose.
I was diagnosed with chronic gastritis back in 2010 via a gastroscopy. There was NO bacteria found during biopsy even though they said the condition of my stomach seemed consistent with a past h.pylori infection. At the end of the day there was no bacteria found so to this day I'm not really sure what caused my gastritis except that I was under extreme panic / stress ... I underwent the treatment for h,pylori anyway - the antibiotics were terrible but I felt better, probably because I stopped stressing when nothing too serious was found.
Unfortunately I started having GI issues again last two months and am undergoing another gastroscopy on Monday and I'm terrified! I'm glad you aren't experiencing any symptoms. I wish I could say the same.
However, I just wanted to say yes you can have gastritis without having the bacteria OR an autoimmune disorder.
Thank you for the reply. I think my main concern isn't having gastritis, but instead worrying why I have it. Since I don't have h. pylori, I worry maybe some horrid autoimmune disease is behind the stomach inflammation (and other chronic health issues). I always test negative for autoimmune disease markers, but that doesn't erase the fear, as I know such diseases can be hard to diagnose.
How do you know that you still have gastritis Elsa? Were you not treated for it at the time? Why were you having the endoscopy that diagnosed it? Usually endoscopies are used to look for things like ulcers or gastritis I thought?
Autoimmune diseases can be hard to diagnose not because they're not very obvious, but because many of them can have similar symptoms and they often tend to come and go in little periods of remission and relapse. But believe me, if you had an autoimmune disease you'd know that you had a problem and it would likely affect other members of your family too. It would be far more than unexpected gastritis.
Elsa_Alkaseltzer
23-10-13, 12:45
Thank you for the replies. I don't fear an autoimmune disease because of gastritis alone. I have other unexplained issues that fuel my anxiety - chronic neuropathy-type pain, a bacterial overgrowth in my small intestine, a mild case of Raynaud's. The gastritis just added to the list. I have told every doctor my fears, and they act like I shouldn't worry. I even went to a rheumatologist this summer and had seven pages of blood tests - all negative. Oops, I guess I already mentioned that in a previous post. I am just afraid I can't rely on the results in case they are false negatives. Because I just feel like there is too much wrong with me to be OK. :(
Elsa, if I were you I'd focus on some anxiety reducing techniques and lifestyle measures for a couple of weeks and see if it helps you feel any better. Your doctors have already checked you out and told you that you're ok, so perhaps taking a look at your anxiety, why it started and how you can help yourself would be a good measure. It's amazing how much stress can affect the body and make us feel bad, so try some stress reduction for a while and see where it takes you x
Connie2013
30-10-13, 15:23
Hi I'm new to the forum
I was diagnosed in April with erosive gastritis and 4 cm sliding hiatus hernia by endoscope , I tested negative by biopsy for h pylori , I have however tested positive a few years back but was treated with antbiotics etc.
I am currently going through a flair up at the moment and no antacid is helping , I'm sick of feeling sick every day of my life an having constant brain fog, I can't get on with my life an do what normal people do.
Is there anyone else who suffers with the brain fog or should i explain it as groggy drunk feeling .
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