Bad Stomach Pain - getting me down

[Siffi]

Hello, hope you all are well
I'm experiencing some issues. At xmas 2019 I had horrible gurgly stomach, which was almost constant with painful bloating. I got prescribed PPI. I've had stomach and bowel problems all my life, so no need to worry about it. The PPI did calm down the bloating and gurgling a bit. Ever since then I've had the gurgling on and off, it's terrible. It sounds like my stomach is at war. I used to wake up with horrible nausea and gurgling too. Seen two doctors, they just prescribe me PPIs and say it's gastritis. A couple of months ago I caught COVID, had to isolate, stress of losing my friend due to arguments and going in isolation plus the added not being able to eat for a few days really ramped up my stomach problems. Now I have this awful pain at least 2-3 times a week. It makes me feel nauseous and dizzy and sweaty. Almost feels like someone is digging up under into my ribs. It's all across my ribs and goes up between my shoulder blades. First I panicked because I thought it was an aneurysm. Went to the urgent care centre, as advised by the telehealth nurse and they diagnosed me with gastritis again and prescribed PPI. Now it's back because I ran out of PPI, don't like relying on medication, as soon as it runs out the symptoms are back and now it's a week wait to see the doctor. Getting fed up of this pain and how it makes me feel. Anyone else got something familiar? Can gastritis really make you feel that horrible?
Thanks in advance

[Anglo]

Illnesses can affect us all in different ways. A lot of the time you're your own best judge when it comes to if something feels off with your body. Well done for seeing a doctor when you were concerned, are you able to ask them for a longer term solution rather than taking medicine all the time? If you're happy taking medicine for the time being, it might be worth asking for a repeat prescription or more medicine at a time so you don't have to keep going back.

Do you mind sharing what your lifestyle is like? How is your diet, do you get much exercise? It could be that changing what you eat or how much you exercise eases some of your symptoms and it could have a positive effect on your mind too.

Most of us can recognise that stresses and anxieties can make anything in that area bubble up a bit more than normal so it's no surprise you've struggled a bit more recently if you've had a tricky time with a friend and your COVID worries on top. It's possible that once your anxieties subside a bit then so will your physical symptoms.