New to this: near total villious atrophy, chronic gastritis.

[Phosis]

Hello. I was just diagnosed with Celiac yesterday. Conditions in the title.

Currently, I have been prescribed with a PPI. I have not started taking this. Apart from the usual diahrea, and inability to properly digest fat, I have also been diagnosed with chronic gastritis. This seems to be what is causing all of my major indigestion problems. This has not manifested as anything else, and my biopsy was negative for H. Pylori. I take no medications. I do not drink alcohol. I do not smoke.

My question is: can celiac be responsible for gastritis? No other damage appeared to be in my stomach, so I am looking for opinions on the best route to treat gastritis. Currently I am waiting for a follow up appointment, but wanted opinions.

Thanks!

[NNowak]

That’s a tough Dx. I’m not certain if gastritis is connected to Celiac, but it seems present the majority of time for myself and my Celiac/NCGS family members. My father has Crohns but doesn’t seem to have gastritis issues.  I recently was diagnosed with B12/Folate deficiency, then prescribed cyanocobalamin injections.  After a short time on the injections, my lifelong affliction of diarrhea stopped, along with many other issues that remained despite 24 years on a gluten-free/DF diet. My new primary physician (a young doc) knew of the connection between B12 and chronic diarrhea, whereas my previous doc and gastro thought I was crazy. Make sure SIBO is ruled out. As far as healing your GI, I highly recommend a bone broth powder to mix with organic coconut milk. I also add coconut oil and collagen powder for added nutrients. That’s a family go to with our gastritis flares, and keeps me off daily Omeprazole. 
 

I hope you feel better soon. 

[cyclinglady]

Welcome!  

I was diagnosed with celiac disease (Marsh Stage IIIB) about six years ago.  No gastritis, no H.Pylori.  About two years ago, I suspected a celiac disease flare-up.  I struggled to recover.  I tried to figure out how I had been exposed to gluten (DGP IgA antibodies off the charts).  I had with theories, but no proof of my gluten exposure.   I developed chronic autoimmune hives which my allergist thought was related to my Hashimoto’s.  My GI wanted to re-scope, but I resisted.   I went on a strict gluten-free diet that Dr. Fasano and his team developed.  Still I had lingering  GERD- like symptoms.  I slept on a wedge pill to elevate my head.   It burned to even drink water.  

I finally caved and had the endoscopy.  No H.Pylori.  My small intestine had healed!  No active celiac disease despite an elevated DGP IgA.  But, the pathologist found Chronic Autoimmune Gastritis which might to be related to Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.  Heck, I think all autoimmune is related.  Heal from celiac disease and your body may calm down enough to heal from your other autoimmune disorders.  Celiac disease heals faster because we know the triggers — gluten.  I am trying to identify my Gastritis and thyroid triggers and I think active celiac disease contributes to it!   

I do not like taking any drugs or supplements because I get these weird reactions like facial/mouth swelling, hives, vomiting, fainting, itching, abdominal pain related to a slight Mast cell issue.  

Instead, I focused on clean foods and relaxation  techniques — anything to reduce stress.  My stomach improved and I have been well now for months and months.  Occasionally, I will consume something that my body does not like, and feel off for a few days, but nothing severe like two years ago.  The AIP diet (autoimmune Paleo) is something safe to consider.  

Research PPI’s well before you decide to take them.  There are many side effects.  Besides, autoimmune gastritis is not about too much acid, but too little.   I occasionally use apple cider vinegar if I can not digest something well.  Make sure your doctor keeps an eye on your B-12 and iron levels.  

Research is your best defense.  I look for the root cause and do not like “bandaid” solutions.  

 

Edited December 6, 2019 by cyclinglady

[Corinne D.]

I had erosive gastritis at my celiac diagnosis too and I think it is related to celiac. Mine was not autoimmune in nature and slowly healed with the gluten-free diet. I was also prescribed PPIs, but never took them, having found out about the side effects.

Diet-wise, I would recommend well-cooked bland foods, which are easy to digest, like soups and stews with meat and veggies, and I would greatly reduce sugar, processed foods and coffee until healed.

[Corinne D.]

I forgot to mention that you might consider trying ginger as a natural remedy for gastritis. You can brew some tea with fresh ginger root and sip it throughout the day. It's supposed to both be soothing and restore gastric acid production, so you can digest foods properly and absorb nutrients. It's also a natural anti-inflammatory, so good to calm down an immune system in overdrive.

[Phosis]

Thanks for the replies. Sorry it was a long weekend! Went to emergency for stomach issues, and they figure it was just a stomach bug that happened coincidentally. So hard to tell anymore.

Anyways, I am noticing some problems are definitely starting to reduce. I really do need to eat every few hours to keep the indigestion intact. I am on a low fodmap, low fat diet. I concocted a soup out of chicken, bone broth, and vegetables that I am eating a few times a day. I started drinking licorice tea. The indigestion hits me hardest at night. I had my first normal bowel movement in months today. It has been so long I actually forgot what it was like. Gluten free about two weeks-ish now, I do not eat out at all. 

Now they have found microscopic blood in my urine, but they said that was most likely from the stomach virus. So I go to family doc to day, and will get to urinate in yet another cup. Yeesh, gimme a break already. Even though its a minor thing and they say its very common, I got home from emergency for the dehydration, picked up my wife to take her to work and had a five minute nervous breakdown. Then was fine the rest of the day. Can't tell you, the stress that this has put on me is bad...but but the biggest stress is seeing my family worry about me, and not being able to be there for them as much as I'd like too. I'm a pretty traditional "mans man" and don't know the meaning of self care til now, it has alwyas been go to work, get it done, come home, take care of business and family, go to bed, repeat. So this is tough on my mentally to be crippled some of the time.

But...things ARE improving, my good times are longer than the bad now! I justneed to be super careful

[cyclinglady]

I am glad that you are seeing some improvements.  

When you were diagnosed with Gastritis, was it just based on a visual observation made by your GI or was it identified by the pathologist?  I ask because you can have inflammation in the stomach from undiagnosed celiac disease (causing GERD, indigestion, etc.) or you can have autoimmune gastritis which is the destruction of the cells that produce stomach acid.  If it is due to celiac disease, it can heal on a gluten free diet.  

My strategies for dealing with a Gastritis flare-up is to sleep elevated, eat ready to digest foods like soups and stews, do not eat after 7 pm, and to fast for about 14 to 16 hours just to give my GI tract a break.  Actually, I follow that advice daily, except for sleeping elevated when my Gastritis is not flaring.  

A new diagnosis can be overwhelming.   Everyone actually goes through a grieving process.  Expects ups and downs.  This is normal.  Soon, you will feel better.  Really, it will happen!  Hang in there!  ?

Edited December 9, 2019 by cyclinglady

[Phosis]

It was found in biopsy. But they did not identify it as autoimmune gastritis. So hopefully not?

 

[cyclinglady]

41 minutes ago, Phosis said:

It was found in biopsy. But they did not identify it as autoimmune gastritis. So hopefully not?

 

Maybe, but clarify with your GI.  In any case, there is not much you can do.  My strategy is to reduce inflammation and slow down or stop the autoimmune process.  Good dietary practices, relaxing and exercising are good coping strategies for me.    Healing from celiac disease is critical.  

I am doing well.  It has been over a year since I pulled out that pillow wedge.  My Gastritis must be in remission as I am not bothered by symptoms.  You sound like you are in the right track.  

You will get better!  Avoid gluten like the plague!  

[Phosis]

Thanks cyclinglady!

[Posterboy]

Phosis and Cyclinglady,

You might try sleeping on your Left Side...if the heartburn/GERD comes back...it has been shown to be a simple/easy trick to help alleviate heartburn...here is an article in the NYtimes about this technique...https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/25/the-benefits-of-left-side-sleeping/ it is thought that by doing this (left side sleeping) "that left-side sleeping keeps the junction between stomach and esophagus above the level of gastric acid."  I hope this is helpful but it is not medical advise.

Posterboy,

[cyclinglady]

34 minutes ago, Posterboy said:

Phosis and Cyclinglady,

You might try sleeping on your Left Side...if the heartburn/GERD comes back...it has been shown to be a simple/easy trick to help alleviate heartburn...here is an article in the NYtimes about this technique...https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/25/the-benefits-of-left-side-sleeping/ it is thought that by doing this (left side sleeping) "that left-side sleeping keeps the junction between stomach and esophagus above the level of gastric acid."  I hope this is helpful but it is not medical advise.

Posterboy,

Thank you!  ?

[Phosis]

I had an apppointment with my non GI family doctor to get her up to speed with all this.

Despite "near total villous atrophy" and my GI doctor thinking I have celiac, she said "I think it's just your anxiety." and was really dismissive about the whole thing.

Time for a new family doctor.

[NNowak]

That appears to be your official swearing in as a Celiac. Welcome to the club!  It took 24 years after my diagnosis to get that from my doc. who also accused me of purposely dropping 30# in a short period of time while dismissing my symptoms for over 2 years. After running tests I was found to be deficient in D, B12 and Folate with an extremely high Ferritin level. My Ferritin has come down in the 4 months I’ve waited to get into the GI for the scopes.  Since I’ve started B12 injections my lower GI issues have normalized leaving the upper GI as my daily struggle.  I’ve been diagnosed with both esophagitis and gastritis in the past, so I suspect that’s where I am again. 
 

As cyclinglady suggested earlier, the wedge pillow at night and GI rest is very helpful. My system also seems to do best on a mostly liquid diet. I stopped taking Prevacid years ago because of the long term side affects. That may be unavoidable, however. 
 

Give yourself time to heal and find a doc that listens to you. 

[Phosis]

Thanks NNowak. It was the recommendation of my doc to take the Pentaloc for a few weeks, and the reason is to heal my gastritis. I am definitely noticing big improvements. I had some fatty food last night which caused me some issues but the rest of me week has been fantastic. I will have to wait til new year to see my GI doc, but my old clinic told me this morning that they have a new family doctor there taking patients so I have a meet and greet with them in a couple weeks as well.

[cyclinglady]

Anxiety is common when you have celiac disease.  Remember, it is systemic and effects so many different parts of the body, including your brain!  And who would not be anxious when you are feeling awful, probably not sleeping well, and having to think constantly about every bite of food you consume (at least in the early days of diagnosis).  

I agree time for a new doctor.  My Internist recently left the practice (work closer to where she lives) and I had to find another Internist.  I selected a young doctor.  Even before my first visit, he read went through my files and pre-ordered all the tests necessary for celiac disease follow-up and my other health issues.  He is a keeper!