Ulcer remedies

Hi all!

So, I'm a little over 3 years out from my RNY (revised from a Lapband). At the end of last year, I began having horrible back, abdominal, and chest pain that would interrupt my sleep and get worse after I ate. My PCP diagnosed me with acid reflux (although I wasn't having the classic acid reflux symptoms of acid in the esophagus). When I went for a checkup with my surgeon in January, he disagreed and though it could be an ulcer. He prescribed me with Misoprostol to heal it. It worked and I've been doing well since then. A couple of weeks ago, the back, check, and abdominal pain started again. I refilled the Misoprostol prescription and have been taking it for over a week now, but not feeling much better.

For those of you that have had an ulcer, what were your symptoms? What did you do not to aggravate it?

you could have both. Acid reflux can cause ulcers.

Your treatment could have healed your previous ulcers and continuing acid reflux has caused them again.

you can have "silent reflux" with no symptoms. Are you taking a PPI like Nexium to stop the acid production?

I am taking an over the counter acid reducer in addition to the Misoprostol.

I've had 3 ulcers. My surgeon prescribed omeprazole and carafate for 3 months. The way I was told to take the omeprazole was bizarre, but I took it as prescribed and I'm fine now. My surgeon had me popping open capsules of the omeprazole, and putting the medication "beads" in a a small amount of water and adding a drop or two of lemon or lime juice. In typical me fashion, I used a shot glass. I took that twice a day, and the carafate twice a day. ( I was told to let the carafate melt in a small amount of water and then take the "slurry". It was vile. )

My main symptom was a very intense, deep-seated gnawing hunger pain right in the middle of my torso. It didn't move or radiate, but it would come in waves. When I wasn't feeling pain, I felt very, very hungry-and not the usual kind of hunger that I feel.

I was told to avoid caffeinated coffee and tea, all soda, and anything spicy or acidic. It was hard for me because I'm a coffee fiend, and I could only manage a few days without coffee. ( I drank one 6 ounce cup of cold brew dark roast coffee as opposed to my usual 16 ounce brewed medium roast. ) I now use calcium carbonate powder to help neutralize the acid in my normal brand of coffee, though I've stayed with a smaller serving.

I know I'm probably playing with fire, but I love my coffee and everyone is happier when I have my coffee!

Omeprazole and carafate seem to be the standard prescriptions for ulcers. And avoiding things that can contribute to ulcers -- no NSAIDS of any kind, at all. No smoking, no alcohol, etc.

My symptoms were intense stomach pains, they would double me over. It wasn't coming from one specific area but seemed to be diffuse. I took the prescription I was given for cramps- hycosimine from my lactose intolerance and it didn't help the pain.

I was prescribed omeprazole 20mg 2 times a day, and carafate 1gm 4 times a day-it was really hard because they wanted me to take it on an empty stomach 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal. I took the pills which were definitely "horse pills" and if you didn't get them down the first try they would melt in your mouth. It really threw off the timing for my vitamin regimen. I will say that as soon as I restarted the omeprazole the pain went away.

I'm not sure what caused mine, but it started after I quit taking the omeprazole from my surgery. The nurse I talked to said sometimes when you quit taking a PPI your stomach overproduces acid, which could have caused it. I'm not sure if they really know. My first EGD was 7/5 and my second on 8/28 and the ulcer was gone. I did have 1 cup of coffee a day, and my doctor suggested switching to half decaf, which I never got around to doing.

Pre-op I did have heartburn and acid reflux that I used nexium to control.

Good luck to you, an ulcer is no fun and I hope you get some relief.