Gastritis symptoms for 7 months on/off

Yes, this is happening to me and is distressing. It started one day after eating too much of 100% dark chocolate and a pound? or so of fresh figs. I often eat this combination over the the last 7 years (often daily in the morning) but sometimes I binge on it especially in the fall as the figs are in season. I also was probably drinking too much wine, especially acidic red wine in the last while. Anyway, this went on for 1 month of agony with gastritis type needle/like pressure in stomach and very full from eating just a few morsels of food or even liquids. This would cycle between the stomach pressure-pain and nausea in the middle below the sternum. Then it evolved into some nausea in the throat when swallowing and belch-burps after ingesting anything, even liquids. Overall it appeared a bit like reflux illness without any major heartburn but the gastritis seemed a weird combination. Strangely, the symptoms would improve in the evenings and aggravate throughout the day, especially the nausea would peak in the afternoon but be constant daytime, especially when moving and the gastritis would usually come on after eating dinner or a big meal or long walk, but then everything would be better until bedtime. rinse-repeat.
I did have some brief early morning nausea about 4-5 times in the last year or two and looking back that was probably a sign to stop the chocolate, figs and alcohol routine.

In any case, it suddenly went away after about 1 month of taking lots of herbs, teas, supplements like licorice, gaviscon, antacids, marshmallow root, iberogast, etc., or it was just random. I was overjoyed and began to eat normally , but not alcohol or chocolate except perhaps a token sliver once in that 8 day period. After 8 days it all came back slowly at first and now I'm at the 1.5 month mark and back to square one sadly.

There is a doctor online Dr. Jamie Kaufman who says that there is a certain pattern of the 'straw that broke the camel's back' with these lifestyle things. I also think the recovery, if possible, is going to be proportional to the binge.

But what I don't understand is why some GERD cases appear so a-typical. I mean no heartburn at all mostly. And i don't know if gastritis is so common with gerd, maybe others know. I also thought for a bit it might be a phytobezoar because of the tannic acid in chocolate and the cellulose in figs, prunes, and I eat lots of this stuff. However, i read it is rare and I have no clue except the treatment for one is opposite of treatment for the other (higher vs lower acid).

This time around I'm going to take less herbs and supplements and just suffer again a very strict diet and reduce my daily 10km of walks. I hate having to lower this so much but how can someone eat 3/4 of their daily calories AND walk 10km, you would just lose too much weight and disintegrate if you are already underweight.

One question I have is restricted or elmination diets have to be strict to work? In other words if you eat very safely for 1 week but have just 1 or 2 pieces of dessert or something off the diet do you go back to step 1 or the body is somewhat forgiving? I mean if you knew that even a tiny deviation would reset you back, you wouldn't do it. But if you eat 99% to treat a condition and just have a small treat as a reward, would that work still?

Hello, CraigJulian,

If you have an endoscopy during one of your bouts, it should reveal whether you have gastritis or not. That is how my chronic gastritis was diagnosed. At the same time, I had my stomach acid tested, was cleared as far as ulcers/tumors, and was tested for H pylori, which was negative. No test for IBS that I know of. I believe they say an IBS diagnosis is a diagnosis of "exclusion," meaning they will diagnose IBS if all other tests are negative. Best of luck to you!

I'm commenting re binges from no preservatives, no chocolate, no raw fruit or veggies. No chocolate, no alcohol. No red meat, no acidic. No red sauce like pizza & spaghetti. We have to be dedicated. Either all in or suffer terrible symptoms. If you can deviate & not feel any worse, that would be terrific! From my experience w GERD & gastritis they dictate what I eat. I was eating only fish & chicken 4- days week. No bm. Fast 3-4 days, plenty fluids & walking.
I know it is miserable. My kids say you need to say I can eat this... but it's a life style game changer. Best of luck

You do not eat raw fruit? Any safe fruits? Frankly, I find the symptoms weird. One day I will eat too close to bedtime and wake up just fine with no nausea (well until I start moving around upright). Other days I'll not eat 2.5 hours before bed and wake up early with nausea and upset stomach. It is hard to treat an illness where the symptoms are often random day by day.

Canned fruit & canned veggies - corn. I went to dr today. he ordered gastric emptying scan/? (GES). I've learned I'm allergic to artichoke root. Lost electrolytes w D & tossing. Gatorade regular has lots of sugar. Drink zero gator no sugar. This test I'm praying for this to be positive. There's a ring surgery where stomach meets duodenum. I woke up today feeling great. I cheat 1x a week w one meal. I'm a fish Wheat & Rye fan. I'm in AA since 85 w relapses-short lived. Alcohols a no go w stomach issues. The red flag should have been when I went on a salad diet two weeks w hard boiled eggs. w Gastroparesis takes long time to digest. & I learned today I knew I had a redundant colon. I mentioned I read on mayo clinic connect that I'm hearing talk of a torturous colon. Dr said I definitely have that. Oh 4/2022 GI didn't tell me & that is not in my chart.