Gastritis or ulcers & NSAIDs

Hi, Sharon. I’m sorry you’re in pain! I don’t think Robaxin is an NSAID, and it isn’t the most likely cause of your stomach/esophageal pain (and I’m glad it helps you). Huge numbers of people have GERD without NSAID use. The acid blocker you’re taking (omeprazole, I think) is a good choice, and it sounds like it’s helping while you wait for more definitive diagnosis and treatment. It may eventually lose efficacy - I recently had to switch from omeprazole to pantoprazole. If you have a true ulcer you might need a cocktail of antibiotics the get rid of H. pylori, but you could have plenty of pain without that. I hope regular use of omeprazole fixes you up, and I don’t think you should worry about the Robaxin.

Sharon, when I have sciatica pain that makes it painful to sit down, or to step off a sidewalk curb, or knee inflammation to the point where I can’t climb my stairs, I take Mobicox. I think it is also called Meloxicam. It is an anti inflammatory by prescription from my doctor. When Advil does not work, I only need to take one Mobicox per day, for two days, and the pain is gone. I am allergic to Robaxicet. I hope you find an answer.

Thank you so much Winterberry, Scott,

The Canadian Costco house brand of Robax (OTC in Canada) does contain an IBProphene.

I have it brought to France via visiting friends...they are life savers...but as you have said, Scott, that may not be the problem, it may very well be H-pylori bacteria...I am hoping that that is it!

They have advanced my appointment to January 25th so I am hoping for answers asap. I will ask about the Meloxicam, Winterberry,...but I just read about it and it mentions causing bleeding and ulcers so I am not sure if he will agree...

For now, the stomach protection is helping but not 100%...I still can't eat solids (my diet consists of homemade blended vegetable soup,  plain greek yogurt, white rice, apple sauce and pudding...) and even with that, I feel sick to my stomach...

At least it is doing a good job on my diet!

Thanks for the help guys

Sharon

I’m glad you were able to get an earlier appointment! In addition to the omeprazole you could add Gaviscon tablets for a while for tighter acid control - Gaviscon usually works a bit better than Tums. But the pain is more likely from the irritated (or ulcerated) mucosa rather than the acid itself, even though the acid can further damage vulnerable tissue.

Thanks Scott, I will look into it...

Ideas for pain management? I already do physio 2xs/week for years, use heat packs nightly under my spine, execise 5xs/week to maintain muscle mass and flexibility...not sure what else I can do to maintain myself without hurting myself even more...I walk everywhere although fewer kilometers recently and pull a buggy or carry all of my groceries 1 mile each way (yes, a very active lifestyle)...as years go by, I find that it takes longer each time to 'heal' from the pain after carrying groceries or going to work (hours of subway, stairs galore (you know!), walking...).

I need a longterm solution.

Pain management without NSAIDs can be difficult. You might get some results by combining strategies rather than focusing on one. Here are examples of the kinds of things I mean:

• Tylenol should be safe for you if your liver is okay. I think most people get some benefit, even if it isn’t the whole answer.
• For arthritis I take Glucosamine Chondroitin. It’s far from a miracle, and the best data is in knee arthritis, but I think it may have helped my hands a bit.
• I take NSAIDs (Celebrex) only 2-4 times per week, when I anticipate a particularly strenuous activity. Taking NSAIDs sporadically probably won’t damage you, but daily use often has serious consequences. Coupling them with acid blocking probably makes them a bit safer, at least in the upper GI tract.
• Not all physical activity is equally beneficial - perhaps there are some particular activities that are exacerbating your aches more than their benefit is worth (maybe a lot more). Careful, patient testing with an open mind might reveal some culprits. I walked with a limp for almost a year because I didn’t realize that my cross-country ski machine (Nordic Track) was crippling me.
• You’ve probably already done this, but it’s worth trying like heck to make sure your diagnoses and treatments are optimized. If some of the pain(s) are from an undiagnosed condition then diagnosis (and treatment) might be the best answer.
• I had chronic pain for quite a while that *might* have been related to low Vitamin D. In any case I manage Vitamin D pretty carefully now and those pains eventually disappeared.
• Once in a great while I take some prednisone. This doesn’t work on everything, of course, and it’s a bargain with the devil, but it can also get me out of a jam almost miraculously sometimes. Prednisone is probably worse at causing GI irritation than NSAIDs, though.
• You could even try hypnosis and/or biofeedback.

Good luck!

Thank you Scott,

I have stopped, for the most part, carrying my groceries and gave in and bought a buggy...but occasionally, there is just too much to fit into the buggy! Or when I come home from work I pick up a few things (too many) and carry them...it is a juggle with books, computer, h.w. etc I will try not to!

I've finally given in and seen the school doctor who has put me on 'distance work' whenever I do not have classes on campus or an obligation to be there (it is 2hrs on subway/walking and strenuous to access) so at least I am rarely there 5days/week...I know that when I go 3 days in a row I cannot walk or function for at least 2!

We've moved to a place with no stairs and a "walkable city" (medical center, grocery stores, subway, market within 10 mins on foot...) compared to the old place that was a nightmare and required me to climb hills to get anywhere...that was a major improvement! I even put security bars in the bathroom and made the place 'ageable'.

My PT is great but limited...My Chiro in Fla is an angel but I only get to see him 1-2xs/year...he has done miracles but there are limits.

I am having liver issues...it has doubled in size and is painful (forbidden certain meds now). No cirrhosis, FLD, or cancer...just cysts that they regularly remove and adhesions...we are working on the why but don't have answers...

I think I will try your suggestion...juggle meds & treatments...up the appts w/PT and try to lower the meds...

Thanks for listening...I am so frustrated right now...Afraid to take the meds, afraid of the pain...

Sharon