Has Anyone Had An Ulcer?

[GlutenFreeManna]

For the past week I have had heartburn/acid reflux bad no matter what I eat or drink. For the past two days it has felt like I've been punched in the gut, only the pain is mostly above my navel and all the way up to the top of my throat. I had been drinking a lot of soda lately and I decided to cut that out last week. Problem is, I'm hooked on the caffiene and having really bad withdrawl headaches/brasin fog too too. When the heartburn first started I thought I had been glutened but it has been constant for over a week now and I have not eaten anything out of the usual since eating the two suspicious foods. Then I thought maybe I got a stomach bug. But my husband usually gets whatever bugs I get after a few days and he is fine. He has also eaten all the same food I have so I know it's not food poisoning.

So now I'm thinking an ulcer from the soda. Does this sound plausible? Would the sympotms show themselves when I cut the soda out and my stomach is getting less acid?

[Roda]

I had an ulcer last April. I had horrible reflux and epigastric pain. I had a repeat EGD that showed a very small one in my stomach but I was negative for h pylori. I was prescribed zantac for 6 months, but only took it for two. I knew that the ulcer was heald at that time because those symptoms dissappeared. However, I still had severe diarrhea and fat malabsorption and I finaly realized that I was reacting to oat cc in products. I truely believe that the cc/oat cc from even gluten free products is what caused my ulcer and overall imflammation from my stomach to intestine.

[GlutenFreeManna]

I had an ulcer last April. I had horrible reflux and epigastric pain. I had a repeat EGD that showed a very small one in my stomach but I was negative for h pylori. I was prescribed zantac for 6 months, but only took it for two. I knew that the ulcer was heald at that time because those symptoms dissappeared. However, I still had severe diarrhea and fat malabsorption and I finaly realized that I was reacting to oat cc in products. I truely believe that the cc/oat cc from even gluten free products is what caused my ulcer and overall imflammation from my stomach to intestine.

Thanks Roda. I also have to avoid oats, even CC from gluten free oats (can't do Bob's Red Mill products). One of my suspected triggers was Rice Krispies and while I now think they are gluten-free I'm not going to eat them again for a very long time. I have not been able to find out where they are processed. They may be made in the same facility with gluten-free oats. I will try some Zantac. I've been taking Pepto but it hardly touches the heartburn and doesn't do anything for this feeling like I've been punched in the stomach.

[burdee]

For the past week I have had heartburn/acid reflux bad no matter what I eat or drink. For the past two days it has felt like I've been punched in the gut, only the pain is mostly above my navel and all the way up to the top of my throat. I had been drinking a lot of soda lately and I decided to cut that out last week. Problem is, I'm hooked on the caffiene and having really bad withdrawl headaches/brasin fog too too. When the heartburn first started I thought I had been glutened but it has been constant for over a week now and I have not eaten anything out of the usual since eating the two suspicious foods. Then I thought maybe I got a stomach bug. But my husband usually gets whatever bugs I get after a few days and he is fine. He has also eaten all the same food I have so I know it's not food poisoning.

So now I'm thinking an ulcer from the soda. Does this sound plausible? Would the sympotms show themselves when I cut the soda out and my stomach is getting less acid?

Excess acid does not cause heartburn and reflux. However, certain foods and beverages (esp. caffeinated drinks) cause the lower esophageal valve to relax and allow stomach contents (including acid) to reflux. Cutting out caffeinated soda will help reduce the reflux. However, reflux may have made your esophagus very tender. So you need to avoid foods that irritate your esophagus as well as foods that cause reflux. The following foods can cause reflux: caffeine, alcohol, chocolate, mints (esp. peppermint), sugar, onions, fats and any food allergens. The following drugs can cause reflux: nicotine, bronchodialatros, valium, demerol, nitrates, NSAIDs. These foods and drugs can irritate an already inflamed esophagus: citrus fruits and juices, tomato based foods, spicy foods, coffee, carbonated drinks. These drugs can irriate the esophagus: aspirin, NSAIDs, Tetracycline, Quinidine, potassium chloride tablets, iron salts.

If you are consuming any of the foods and/or drugs which can cause reflux or irritate the esophaus, avoiding those should allow your throat to heal. However, if you suspect an ulcer, ask your doc to test you for H. Pylori, the bacteria which causes ulcers. I had H. Pylori and treated that with mastic gum. I healed my stomach with L-glutamine and turkey rhubarb tincture. I was clear of H. Pylori on my next test and have had no further symptoms. However, I avoid all the foods which can cause reflux.

[GlutenFreeManna]

Excess acid does not cause heartburn and reflux. However, certain foods and beverages (esp. caffeinated drinks) cause the lower esophageal valve to relax and allow stomach contents (including acid) to reflux. Cutting out caffeinated soda will help reduce the reflux. However, reflux may have made your esophagus very tender. So you need to avoid foods that irritate your esophagus as well as foods that cause reflux. The following foods can cause reflux: caffeine, alcohol, chocolate, mints (esp. peppermint), sugar, onions, fats and any food allergens. The following drugs can cause reflux: nicotine, bronchodialatros, valium, demerol, nitrates, NSAIDs. These foods and drugs can irritate an already inflamed esophagus: citrus fruits and juices, tomato based foods, spicy foods, coffee, carbonated drinks. These drugs can irriate the esophagus: aspirin, NSAIDs, Tetracycline, Quinidine, potassium chloride tablets, iron salts.

If you are consuming any of the foods and/or drugs which can cause reflux or irritate the esophaus, avoiding those should allow your throat to heal. However, if you suspect an ulcer, ask your doc to test you for H. Pylori, the bacteria which causes ulcers. I had H. Pylori and treated that with mastic gum. I healed my stomach with L-glutamine and turkey rhubarb tincture. I was clear of H. Pylori on my next test and have had no further symptoms. However, I avoid all the foods which can cause reflux.

Thanks Burdee. Other than the onions and tomatoes I have not had any of those foods or drugs for the past week. I will avoid onion and tomato and see if I can heal it. I do eat a lot of fats but mostly good fats like lean meat (chicken and turkey), avocado, and olive oil. Could egg irritate it? I had some scrambled eggs yesterday and noticed they were especially hard to get down (like they were stuck in my throat or somethign) and then I felt sick to my stomach. I really hope I'm not developing an egg allergy too. For sugar I only use honey, molasses and pure maple syrup as sweeteners but I have not used any of those things except for a single spoonful of local honey in the past week. I already have a drs appointment scheduled for next week so if this keeps up I will be asking abotu testing for H. pylori and ulcers.

[Roda]

Thanks Roda. I also have to avoid oats, even CC from gluten free oats (can't do Bob's Red Mill products). One of my suspected triggers was Rice Krispies and while I now think they are gluten-free I'm not going to eat them again for a very long time. I have not been able to find out where they are processed. They may be made in the same facility with gluten-free oats. I will try some Zantac. I've been taking Pepto but it hardly touches the heartburn and doesn't do anything for this feeling like I've been punched in the stomach.

Yeah, all Bob's products are out for me also. The RX zantac helped get the ulcer healed. I don't like taking medications but in this instance I needed some relief and healing. I was able to taper off of it only after 2-2.5 months. Doctor wasn't happy, but I knew my body and I haven't had any trouble with it since. I will get reflux when I get glutened though but it is different and goes away and there is no pain. When I had the ulcer symptoms it didn't matter what I ate it was always there. Being negative for H pylori and not a heavy nsaid user (only occasional use), I can only surmise it was the oat cc in products. Since I have eliminated all of those products and took creon for awhile to help with the fat malabsorption, I am so much better. However I have been having on and off problems lately and don't know where it is coming from. I also have a low functioning gallbladder so for me it can be hard to figure which one is giving me problems.

[Neshema1]

Yes, from anti-inflammatory drugs. Also have RA since age 9. Didn't know NSAIDs were often poorly tolerated with celiac but then my dx of celiac was thought to be wrong at that point.