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Thread: Stomach issues (IBS/gastritis/GERD ?) following on from coronavirus

  1. #1

    Stomach issues (IBS/gastritis/GERD ?) following on from coronavirus

    Happy Easter. These are tough times for all but hope we can make it through ok and enjoy the small things on the way.


    I (34m) came down with what I reckon was covid-19 4 weeks ago. I woke up in the middle of the night with a fever and a shortness of breath. I then developed a tightening chest, fatigue and other generic viral symptoms. The shortness of breath peaked on the evening of day 3. I was worried about how my body would be able to cope if it kept getting worse. It was pretty scary, especially as I live alone. I phoned NHS 111 but they told me just to take paracetamol and keep taking lots of fluids. Sleep was a challenge without being able to draw deep breaths but on the morning of day 4 breathing came slightly easier. After that the fever ebbed away and breathing continued to improve bit by bit so by the end of day 7 it was back to about 95% of normal (just a subjective sense). I still felt some tightness in the chest but lung capacity was not a worry.


    About a week after getting over the worst of the virus (so two weeks ago now) I started feeling nausea and fatigue. I then started to feel a dull pain on the right side of my abdomen, roughly between my belly button and my right ribcage, which I have had been experiencing since. There is an occasional stabbing sensation but mostly it is a discomfort, and it comes in waves. It comes on most commonly somewhat above the belly button area, just below the right pectoral muscle. Sometimes I feel it on the right side of my back as well. And sometimes these sensations spread to the left side of the abdomen, and lower down, but they are less noticeable. I phoned my GP who recommended taking antibiotics just in case I might have caught a bacterial infection.

    I will phone again for further advice. I likely won't be able to be seen in person for a while yet (with any luck I'll be better by the time it becomes possible!) so I would like to be prepared.

    At the moment I am just taking two Rennies an hour after eating - which is better than nothing but leaves a lot of pain and discomfort. I have tea made with infusions, fresh ginger and lime juice (it is acidic of course so maybe that doesn't help - hadn't thought of that!) between meals which seems to have a generally calming effect. I have tried antispasmodic medication but that hasn't helped - and it does say on the packaging only use for cases of medically confirmed IBS. I have cut out coffee, alcohol, tea (except green tea every few days), fatty foods and confectionery. Beyond that, I am a bit confused about food guidance as the foods that are contraindicated by the low FODMAP diet are sometimes recommended by diets to treat IBS - and vice versa. I guess I am just going to have to start safe, experiment and see what causes issues.

    I have had gastro issues in the past. This was initially caused by an H. pylori infection which caused problems following on from a winter flu. This was six years ago. I was initially told I had IBS but after about 4 months they tried an H Pylori test which was positive. It took a while to flush out the infection with antibiotics - and then a while for my body to return to normal. It was about 8 months from the initial viral infection to feeling generally back in good health - so the longest bout of illness I have had by a long way. So IBS has been indicated in the past but it turned out to be related to this H Pylori infection. I have had mild IBS-type problems since then in times of stress but usually peppermint oil or antispasmodics and relaxation techniques have been enough to see them off. After that experience, I know that anxiety tends to go to my stomach. But this seems like the first problem I have had since then that I haven't been able to fix in this way.

    What do you think I could do to narrow down the likely cause of my current problems?
    What should I say to my GP to give the most relevant information?
    What kind of foods or other products would it be worth trying? (I was interested in some kind of Aloe Vera juice I could order online for instance).

    Thanks - and keep safe.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2013
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    1,065

    Re: Stomach issues (IBS/gastritis/GERD ?) following on from coronavirus

    Hello
    How scary for you. I'm glad you've past the worst. As you say, by the time you can get to a doc you might be better.
    I found aloe vera juice very good for my stomach issues.
    I would be careful with certain herbal teas as some can be a bit irritating. I think chamomile is a good one for tummy. I would go for a very bland diet for a few days see if that helps. I'm sure feeling so unwell must have been stressful and scary and that might have upset your stomach.

  3. #3

    Re: Stomach issues (IBS/gastritis/GERD ?) following on from coronavirus

    Thanks Sial. I realise I was having lots of fresh lemons, limes and oranges throughout the last month, squeezed into drinking water and added to dishes. Fresh chilli peppers too - I was going through a packet every 3-4 days, as the capsicum boosts my immune system. Or I feel like they do me good anyway. I placed them in the good-for-me category and didn't think about overall balance. So I think that's partly what it is, added on top of the body going through a lot of stress in clearing the illness and the psychological impact of these moments we are living through. I'm having a cup of chamomile right now!

  4. #4

    Re: Stomach issues (IBS/gastritis/GERD ?) following on from coronavirus

    I actually could have written this post. Even down to the illness that you had. I am just recovering from a similar illness. Shortness of breath, sore throat, fatigue and headaches which have lasted for 10 days now. I’m unsure if it’s COVID as I haven’t been able to be tested.
    I am 95% better but I have just developed a pain under my ribs when I breathe in or move a certain way. I feel a bit better seeing that someone else has had it too.
    How are the pains now? We’re yours worse when breathing?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
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    816

    Re: Stomach issues (IBS/gastritis/GERD ?) following on from coronavirus

    Covid does not cause sore throat we found out I had covid in feb, my symptoms were I lost my sense of smell and taste first, (think head cold), could not breathe chest tightness (think bronchitis), body aches like someone hitting me with a hammer over and over, fever of 102 -103, extreme fatigue, mine lasted three weeks, I thought I had the flu. I live in California, Southern San Diego, WHO and CDC said that those of us that live here most likely got it around that time and thought it was the flu as we had a big cases of it.
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  6. #6
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    4,185

    Re: Stomach issues (IBS/gastritis/GERD ?) following on from coronavirus

    Sore throat could be allergies.

  7. #7

    Re: Stomach issues (IBS/gastritis/GERD ?) following on from coronavirus

    @Beautyon I am feeling better except for the (assumed) gastritis, which is a real pain but of course it could be a lot worse. At first I was worried about lung capacity because that was the last viral symptom to heal, and I felt like there was some pain or pressure in the chest. But that is gone now (and it has only been four weeks). I would just say go easy on yourself and don't be too complacent after symptoms ease off. I was knocking back glasses of wine catching up with friends online in the days after feeling better, drinking coffee to spur me on in the day as I wanted to dive straight into some volunteer projects, thinking I would have built up immunity to covid after recovering, and running fast around the park for an hour... So think that is why my system buckled and I happened to take it in the stomach. Looking back I would avoid these things and remind myself that I can take it slow while healing.

  8. #8

    Re: Stomach issues (IBS/gastritis/GERD ?) following on from coronavirus

    Just an update for the benefit of anyone stumbling upon this later.


    My stomach is in a much better state now. I stopped taking the Omeprazole last week (after two and a half weeks) and that seems ok. I have been having a restricted diet but starting to relax that now. For breakfast I have had porridge with nice local honey, cinnamon and ginger, accompanied with green tea. Since it is advisable to snack through the day I have been going through tonnes of oatcakes, like a pack (of four packets) a day. Miso soup has also been really good as local supermarket sells a pack of 6 for £1.80 and it has felt stabalizing - not sure if the seaweed is alkaline or something like that. Avocados have also seemed good - and lots of chamomile tea through the day. I have had a mostly vegan diet making most meals mostly plant-based. I stopped trying to prepare 'proper meals' following recipes and would just do, eg, boiled kale with some rice - or cook onions, aubergine and mushroom and lightly season. But nothing more elaborate than that. I always had a fresh veg soup made up (for one of my daily meals, or more accurately 2 of the 6). I avoided gluten (mostly but not rigorously) just in case. In general I erred on the side of caution as I wanted to strip down to the diet most likely to help resolve the gastritis - so may have cut out more than I needed to. I reintroduced gluten last week and that seemed fine - so good to have some nice soft fluffy bread with butter. & I had smoked salmon with cream cheese yesterday as a treat - and also a small corner of dark chocolate after. I'm still going to take care but think I am well enough to reach for forbidden fruits and see what happens.


    Looking forward to my first cup of coffee later this week.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
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    816

    Re: Stomach issues (IBS/gastritis/GERD ?) following on from coronavirus

    glad you got it sorted . I am having tummy issues right now , tenderness, feeling sick to my stomach loose stool, am going to eat bland foods for a few days and hopefully that will help oh and I feel a bit tired and headachy.
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