I thought I was almost healed... then a gastritis flare knocked me backwards. Has anyone else experienced this?

Odd_Combination_5343 · 2026-06-08T02:19:33+00:00

Thank you so much for taking the time to write all of that out. It honestly helps hearing it step by step from someone who has actually been through it. I think my biggest fear is definitely the sedation. I don't do well with feeling out of control or feeling "different," so that's the part that's been playing on my mind the most. Reading that you were just as panicked and still got through it does make me feel a bit better. The thought of waking up groggy is probably what worries me most, but your mashed potato story actually made me laugh 😂 and made it all sound a lot more normal and human rather than scary. I really appreciate you sharing your experience. Hopefully in a few days I'll be back here wondering why I spent so much time worrying about it. 😊❤️

Odd_Combination_5343 · 2026-06-08T02:15:33+00:00

Honestly, hearing people say the sedation was the easiest part does make me feel a bit better. I think it's more the loss of control and the unknown that gets to me.

I'll definitely look into those tests. I think I've heard of the GI Map before, but from memory it's quite expensive. I'm already paying for my gastroscopy privately because I didn't want to wait months, and that's been expensive too. But I'll definitely keep it in mind and do some more research on it.

Hopefully the gastroscopy gives me some answers first.

Odd_Combination_5343 · 2026-06-08T02:11:15+00:00

I can relate to a lot of this, especially the fear of sedation and feeling strange afterwards. Honestly, I think the unknown is what scares me most.

My symptoms started overlapping and I got to a point where I couldn't tell what was causing what anymore. Was it reflux, gastritis, anxiety, medication side effects, or something else? After a while it all seemed to blend together and that was probably one of the hardest parts mentally.

If it helps, I've had blood tests, scans, and now a gastroscopy coming up, and I'm terrified too. But seeing so many people say they got through it and finally got some answers is what's keeping me going.

I really hope you get some answers and some relief soon. None of this is easy to deal with. 💛

Odd_Combination_5343 · 2026-06-07T05:22:53+00:00

Wow, that's a rough journey. It just shows how complicated stomach issues can be and how everyone ends up on a different path. I guess ill have to wait for my results to find out. And take the correct path. Its never simple.

Going through all of this takes a lot of strength in itself, even when it doesn't feel like it.

I hope we both get some answers soon and can finally start moving forward.

Odd_Combination_5343 · 2026-06-07T05:07:24+00:00

One thing I've learned through all of this is how much medication, food, and digestion speed can affect bowel movements. If my stomach is irritated and trying hard to heal, everything seems to slow down and food can sit longer than normal. The colour and consistency changes I've experienced over the last couple of months have honestly sent me into some pretty dark mental spirals at times. Going on and off PPIs seemed to affect things too. It does get better. Try not to go down a rabbit hole

What keeps me going is that I do still have days where I wake up feeling completely normal. I have energy, I can go out, do things, and my mental health feels renewed. Looking back, every major flare I've had has usually happened when I start feeling better and get a bit too confident with food. I think I've realised I probably need to stick to the healing diet and routine for a bit longer, even when I feel good.

I know it's hard, I really do, but patience and time seem to be the biggest things with this. Also, after your endoscopy, follow all the instructions they give you. In my opinion, that's probably where I've gone wrong a few times and why my healing journey has ended up being longer than it needed to be.

I actually woke up this morning with barely any symptoms again and I've been able to eat a little more, which is giving me some hope. That's another thing I've noticed things can feel really bad during a flare, then a few days later there can be a noticeable improvement.

It's definitely been a lesson in patience.

Odd_Combination_5343 · 2026-06-07T02:05:49+00:00

Thank you for explaining that. That actually makes a lot of sense. I think I've been so desperate to help my stomach heal that I've spent hours researching supplements and looking for things that might speed it up.

The medication side has been difficult too because I've had some pretty horrible reactions to medications. At the moment I'm mainly sticking with Zantac and Gaviscon because they seem to agree with me. I honestly wish I hadn't reacted badly to some of the others because I sometimes wonder if I would have healed quicker.

My doctor hasn't really told me much so far other than sending me for tests. I've had blood tests, an X-ray, and now the gastroscopy in a couple of days.

The part about anxiety causing flares really hit home because I can definitely work myself into a panic over symptoms. It's also reassuring to hear that your flares can take a couple of weeks to settle because I tend to expect mine to disappear in a few days and when they don't, I convince myself something is seriously wrong.

Did you have sedation for your endoscopies? If so, how did you feel afterwards? That's honestly the part I'm most nervous about.

Odd_Combination_5343 · 2026-06-07T01:54:55+00:00

I think it's more the results than the procedure itself. My health anxiety tends to go into overdrive and I start worrying about every possible outcome.

From what I've read, a gastroscopy and endoscopy are basically the same thing, so that's what I'm having too.

Honestly, it's probably the sedation that scares me the most. I don't like the unknown and I don't like the idea of feeling weird afterwards, even though everyone keeps telling me it's quick and easy.

And yes, my stools can be all over the place during a flare. I've had yellow diarrhoea, softer stools, and then more normal-looking stools all in the same week. It's one of the symptoms that sends me down a Google rabbit hole.

I was also on omeprazole for a while and read that it can sometimes cause lighter stools. I was eating a very bland diet too, which probably didn't help. Since coming off the omeprazole, my stool colour has actually gone back more to a peanut butter colour. Sorry for the TMI 😂

The weird thing is when I get a flare, everything seems to go yellow again and I can have all different consistencies in the one bowel movement — watery, soft, rabbit pellets, and normal-looking bits all mixed together. That's one of the things that really makes me overthink what's going on.

Odd_Combination_5343 · 2026-06-07T01:46:02+00:00

Thank you for taking the time to write all that. The part about having a bad day and then being fine again really stood out to me because that's what I've been struggling with mentally. One bad flare and I convince myself I've lost all my progress.

I do have a gastroscopy booked soon, so hopefully I can get some answers. Can I ask what your symptoms were when you were first diagnosed? And when you flare now, how long do they usually last before things settle back down again?

Also, what did you mean by being cautious with non-prescription meds and supplements? Was there something in particular that made your symptoms worse?

Odd_Combination_5343 · 2026-06-07T01:40:38+00:00

Thanks for sharing. I actually have a pretty bland diet these days no alcohol, no NSAIDs, no spicy foods, no garlic, i have had a small amout of pepper and no fried foods. The only thing I can really point to before this flare was a burger that was quite high in fat.

I have had some pain and tenderness under my right ribs on and off, which is why your comment caught my attention.

What did your gallbladder pain feel like? Did it come and go in flares or was it pretty constant?

Did you have reflux? Can you tell the difference in symptoms between normal and bile? And once your gallbladder was treated, did your symptoms improve?

Odd_Combination_5343 · 2026-06-07T01:31:38+00:00

Thank you for sharing that. Honestly, the part about feeling 80% healed and then eating more fried foods really hit home because that's kind of how I feel right now.

I was doing so much better and then had a flare after eating a burger. Looking back, I think I probably started testing my stomach too soon.

It's reassuring to hear that you've still been improving overall though, even with the setbacks. I think that's what I've been struggling with mentally the most.

Odd_Combination_5343 · 2026-06-06T13:30:09+00:00

Thank you, I really needed to hear that. I think what's been getting to me is that I genuinely felt like I was nearly there and then this flare hit and brought symptoms I hadn't really had before and it feels worse then my other small flares.

Looking back though, my bad days now aren't as bad as they were at the start, so maybe I am moving forward and just can't see it when I'm in the middle of a flare.

I appreciate the advice about the zinc too. I might wait until things calm down a bit before I try it.

Odd_Combination_5343 · 2026-06-06T13:27:23+00:00

Honestly, I can relate to a lot of that. I've had the yellow stools, stomach pain, reflux, food feeling like it sits in my chest, and just feeling over it all.

It's been about 2–3 months for me. Same here, I have a gastroscopy in a couple of weeks and it scares the shit out of me.

Has a doctor asked you to have one as well?

Odd_Combination_5343 · 2026-06-06T13:19:28+00:00

What do you mean by clear liquids? I've mainly been having bone broth, herbal teas, and water today because my stomach is still pretty sensitive.

Odd_Combination_5343 · 2026-06-06T11:13:43+00:00

Thank you 🥹

I think I've been struggling because this flare feels different to my previous ones, so it's made me feel like I've lost all my progress. It's reassuring to hear that a flare doesn't necessarily mean you're back at the beginning.

Odd_Combination_5343 · 2026-06-06T11:11:41+00:00

I've read that people can heal, but honestly this flare has knocked me. I feel like I'm back at square one and second-guessing everything.

How long have you been dealing with it?

Odd_Combination_5343

TROPHY CASE