Help for peptic ulcer

As I mentioned earlier, tapering off the pantoprazole was quite a challenge due to the rebound effect. I researched quite a few OTC products to help make it through. I found Esophageal Guardian by Life Extension very helpful. It contains an algae product that forms a barrier on the top of the stomach and keeps the acid down. I still take a couple tablets after my biggest meal of the day as a preventative measure to make it through this transition. Just thought I'd mention it. It's available through Walmart's website. Best, LL

Took 9 weeks for mine to heal to the point where there is no longer any pain in my front or back.
I am now down to Pepcid/famotidine 40 mg twice a day. I usually can wean off of that easily.
But it was a long road to get to this point. Bad pain in chest, stomach, esophagus, upper and middle back. Chronic burning.
Along with the PPIs, I used Sucralfate/Carafate, all kinds of antacids and alginate products like Khelp.
One product that really helped me sand I still use is Prelief. It lowers the acidity of your drink or food. You take it right before eating/drinking. It allowed me to start enjoying watered down coffee again.
There is a version in powder form that you can mix into your drink too. I even bought PH testing strips to make sure my drinks were as neutral PH.
Good luck everyone. It’s not an easy or quick healing. I barely ate for two months.

@katemu
Didn’t sucralfate give you constipation

@mitch4444 I was barely eating anything due to the pain. So I don’t know if I had constipation or I just didn’t have to go since I was barely eating. I did take fiber gummy’s and stool softener though. The sucralfate started making me feel even worse after a week. So I started only taking it in the morning and before bed and then started weaning off of it all together.

@katemu
I’m frustrated, I can’t seem to get relief. The pantaprozole seems to cause more burning. I’ve been on it for 3 weeks and the burning is worse. I speak to the gastro doctor on Wednesday. They say “oh that should work”. It’s really getting me down. I also take an antidepressant which I want to increase but I am hesitant while my stomach is so upset. It makes my anxiety worse.

@mitch4444 are you sure you are eating properly? Avoiding anything acidic? Drinking lots of water? Did they give you sucralfate too?
Are you taking any Tums or Gaviscon?
I would wake up at 6. Take my PPI. Wait 45 minutes and then take the sucralfate. Wait an hour and then I’d eat breakfast. 5 weeks doing that.
Then I started weaning off the PPI. Took 40mg of Famotidine (Pepcid) at night instead of the PPI. My past experience with PPIs is that they can make me feel worse because they lower my stomach acid too much. Low acid can be as miserable as high acid.
Then I weaned off the sucralfate.
I also used a product called Prelief. It is marketed for people who get bladder irritation from acidic food. But works great for gastritis/acid reflux. You take it with your acidic food or drink.
I’m just taking famotidine morning and night now. I finally feel healed after 9 weeks.
Don’t forget to drink water frequently.

@katemu
Thanks for the reply, yes I am watching what I eat .i don’t eat anything acidic. I think like you said not enough acid I tried Sucralfate but I find it to constipating. I do drink lots of water. The doctor put me on 2 Pantaprozole a day. I think it’s to much

@mitch4444
Did you have an upper endoscopy to diagnose the gastric ulcer? Or is the doctor just diagnosing it from your symptoms?
Pantaprazole is the strongest PPI. I was taking Omeprazole.
Try cutting back the dose for a few days.
I would replace the evening dose with 20mg Pepcid/Famotidine. This is an H2 blocker as opposed to a PPI. It only blocks 2 of the 3 acid receptors, unlike a PPI, which blocks all 3.
Just try it for a few days and see if you notice any difference.
If you have any pain through the day after eating or drinking, take an antacid with calcium and/or magnesium, like Tums or Prelief. That will help calm down the acid in your stomach from the food you recently ate.

@mitch4444 And for the burping/gas, try the Tums + Gas Relief during the day. Simethicone is what is in an anti-gas product. I would chew them throughout the day.
Keep in mind, an ulcer can take a minimum of 4 to 8 weeks to heal. And they can easily come back. That’s why even though I am drinking watered down coffee now, I still take two of the Prelief tablets with it to lower the PH of the coffee even more.

@katemu
I had an endoscopy. I’ve had chronic gastritis but this time it’s an ulcer as well. I am only taking 1 Pantaprozole today. I have pepsid . Maybe I will take it in the evening.