# Atrophic Gastritis



## visc (Feb 22, 2014)

So for the last 4 years I've been plagued with myriad of symptoms.

Brief Health History:

Time 0 - Stomach problems, heart burn, refluxing food, sick feeling, smoking marijuana daily, eating badly, lazy.

1 Year - Major sick feeling, smoked pot after school played video game, panic attack all night in the hospital.

1 Year - Discharged from hospital with anxiety/headaches and mild mild mild low potassium. Given Xanax told to go to primary care doctor. QUIT marijuana!

1.5 Year - Try different benzos, allergy meds, pycho therapy, and PPIs. I have neuro symptoms and severe GERD.

2 Year - Get a complete cardio and neuro work up. b12 is normal, no ms or any other findings.

2.5 Year - Diagnosed with GERD and gastritis, nodularity of terminal ileum.

3.5 Year - Diagnosed with Hashimotos, started Synthroid 50 mcg.

4 Year - Diagnosed with B12 deficiency, started taking B12 shots.

Symptoms:

Numbness/Tingling/Electrical Shocks

GERD/Heart Burn/Bloating

Sleep Disorder of some kind

Anxiety/Depression

Muscle Twitching

Sweaty/Hot/Cold

Muscle Fatigue

Dry Skin

Etc.............

I wanted to bring this up because I had done research and found that if you suffer from chronic gastritis due to a bad diet and smoking you can really screw things up. From what I found Atrophic Gastritis can increase your chance of getting Hashimotos significantly. It can also cause B12 deficiency, which is common but my doctors never look. So keep exploring other things if your not feeling ok after you're euthyroid.

Anyways,

I'm not sure I've gotten to the bottom of all of my troubles but I'm happy to know some of my answers.

I believe my case is significant but not unusual. I was always told that I'm a hypochondriac and that the basic testing my doctors have done have ruled out every possible disease. Like many of you I'm very intelligent and know when I'm hearing BS. I pushed and pushed my doctors to retest and explore other options, and you betcha I was right on the ball.

Because of all of my research and albeit stress/anxiety I basically knew my diagnosis.

I have experienced GERD/Heart Burn for over 4 years, long before my panic attack episodes, my hashimotos diagnosis, and my b12 deficiency. I never would have guessed what goes on in your gut has a huge impact on your health down the road, until now! We all should be mindful of not only what we are eating, but how much and how fast. Like the saying goes "Drink your food, and chew your drink."

When I discovered I had gastritis, i didn't research it beyond stress and diet. After I was diagnosed with Hashimotos I didn't go back to gastritis research because I became absorbed in thyroid health and symptoms. But once I become happily euthyroid (2.74, anymore and I freak out) I noticed I still have many of the neurological symptoms I've been complaining about. So I took a step back and looked at my complete health picture <- cliché, but it'll suffice. I thought maybe there was a connection between GERD and Hasimotos since all of my acid goes right up into my mouth close by to my thyroid and immune system. And so I found Atrophic Gastritis.

You can read about Atrophic Gastritis on the wiki, although I would recommend you find more valid sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atrophic_gastritis

Just to clarify, I found other sources that back up much of what is said on that wiki page; I just don't want to find/post all of the links right now.

Does anyone here have a similar health problem. My maternal aunt has the same things going on and she never knew what was going on. But I remembered she had told me that she has GERD and Hashimotos; my mom was the one who told her I take b12 shots and she said "So do I!" So I got on the phone with her and connected the dots. In the end we both agreed Atrophic Gastritis.

I hope this has helped someone on this forum. I like to stumble to this site when I'm not feeling optimal which has been all the time lately :-/ But you guys have been a great support and source of information. I really appreciate it

P.S. I got that Thyroid US and its all clear!

Good luck!


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

GERD is found in patients with and without Hashimoto's. Too frequently without Hashimoto's. So I say it's coincidental to have both.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Thyroid disorders greatly affect intestinal motility. So, it is not surprising to find the 2 connected.

How are you feeling now and are you still on Synthroid and if so, what is your current dose?

What do your current TSH, FREE T3 and FREE T4 lab results look like? Please include the ranges if you can.


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

visc said:


> I have experienced GERD/Heart Burn for over 4 years, long before my panic attack episodes, my hashimotos diagnosis, and my b12 deficiency. I never would have guessed what goes on in your gut has a huge impact on your health down the road, until now! We all should be mindful of not only what we are eating, but how much and how fast. Like the saying goes "Drink your food, and chew your drink."


Also the old, "you are what you eat". Honestly, your body may still be trying to straighten itself out after that first year or two and prior. Between the frequent MJ, poor nutrition, various prescription meds, stress, and so forth -- that's a *lot* to bounce back from. Sounds like you finally got some answers and are taking steps to better health.

I'm sure you already know this, but the gut impacts a lot of things -- everything from absorption of meds to even things like serotonin. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/gut-second-brain/

I do know of one person who had serious thyroid problems (eventually leading to a TT) and also wound up with really bad acid reflux years later. I believe the GI doc made some sort of connection between the two, but I don't recall exactly what.

Not sure of your resources or insurance, but you may wish to consult with an ND on some of this stuff. Much of it is right up their alley.


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## Calypso234 (May 11, 2014)

Thanks for your post, it's really informative and I am glad that as bigfoot has said you have gotten some answers. I have had recurring acid reflux for about a month, at one point it got so bad that i thought I had aspiration pneumonia as every time I breathed in I had a taste of vomit. I had contractions in my gullet and esophagus and I kept thinking I had better not breathe in case I suffocate. Panicking I went outside to get some air. It worked but it seems to be worse when I eat a curry and drink some orange juice with it, then eat chocolate about an hour or so later. Off subject, strange question but do you get any mouth problems at all? I once had this horrible iron taste in my mouth, too concentrated for it to be blood and after checking my mouth with tissues for what seemed like an age I was bleeding A LOT. I didn't even provoke it. It wasn't like a little speck of blood either! Not nice!


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

Azureblue said:


> It worked but it seems to be worse when I eat a curry and drink some orange juice with it, then eat chocolate about an hour or so later.


Ouch. Watch out for acidic and spicy foods.


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## Calypso234 (May 11, 2014)

bigfoot said:


> Ouch. Watch out for acidic and spicy foods.


 Thanks, will do from now on. It never used to be as bad as that.


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

Haven't you researched the foods you're to avoid when you've got GERD?

Rule: never eat anything solid 3 hours before bedtime.


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