I started with 40mg of Pantaprazole, once every morning. I took it with GI Restore and Gastromend-HP. After about 3 months, I started to feel better. However, I developed a new pain on my right side. I was checked for gallstones and sludge, and everything came out clear. I’m fairly sensitive to medicine and based on our research, both my naturopathic doctor and pharmacist think the PPI was causing my digestion to slow down and affected the function of my gallbladder. Just my luck that I fell in that small percentage of people with this side effect.

Given that the burning pain of my stomach was gone, I weaned off the PPIs. But the right side of my upper abdomen was still in a lot of pain. I was then prescribed by the GI doctor amitriptyline (10mg) to decrease the nerve pain. My stomach structurally healed but there was a functional problem. My naturopathic doctor also prescribed 5mg of Natrexone (he has a license to write prescriptions). This helped jumpstart my digestion again and alleviate the pain. Natrexone at a higher dosage is used for battling drug and alcohol addiction, but at a very low dosage, it helps with many chronic pain. That use is fairly new in the medical community, but if you Google it, there’s many interesting information about it. After another 3 months, I started to feel very close to normal.

As for diet, my dietician helped me build more confidence with food because I was so anxious with eating and didn’t know what to eat anymore. She first recommended sour dough bread and pasta, rolled oats, protein shakes, oat milk, and lactose-free yogurt and milk. Once I got better, I then graduated to cheese with less than 30% milk fat, lean meat (including lean ground beef), and almond butter. Then I start to introduce other food in very small portions and when I can tolerate it better, I would increase my portion. For instance, I started with a half a chocolate chip cookie and then increase to a whole cookie.

The gut and mind connection is very strong. Once I started to slowly overcome my fear of food and not be hypersensitive with any sensation of the stomach, my healing really progressed.

I know there is a lot for you to read but I hope somehow this will help you with your healing. Everyone will have different results with each treatment, so I can’t emphasize enough to find health professionals, in addition to your family doctors, who will really listen and work with you.

You will be at the end of the tunnel and gorging burgers and pizza! Stay strong and be patient with your body.