IBS and Gastritis

Hey , I'm sorry to hear that you were suffering from a flare! How are you feeling now? These two conditions are a common pair and it can be tricky to manage. A few of our members have written about their experiences with this. Here are some articles that you might find helpful:
https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/stories/gastritis-for-months

https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/gastritis

Hopefully someone can chime in here with more advice! Keep us posted if you find something that helps your symptoms!
- Kat (Team Member)

Peppermint gels and tea help a little.

I've got both, diagnosed 3 yrs ago (Erosive gastritis from an EGD and the IBS in 1988 via a colonoscopy after all other tests were negative). I just had another colonoscopy done last week, next one is due up next year, usually they are every 3 years.

It's been tricky. I get flares of both at bad times. My gastritis meds I take more on an as needed basis, but my IBS meds are taken daily. When I'm not having flares, I take 5 different meds at varying times. When I'm in a flare, it is a ton more, up to 27 med dosages in 1 day. (I should say, I do have other medical problems as well).

Diet wise, in flares it's more clear liquids or think about morning sickness foods, like saltine crackers, etc. Not in a flare, just be careful, don't overindulge, because you will probably pay a price for it, down the line. But there will always be one food that helps both, I just never know what it might be each time. And then it changes after the next big flare. Example, 2022 - Kozy Shack pudding; 2023 & 2024, 100 Grand candy bars; 2025, Green Olives. And a lot more before 2022. It's getting ready to switch again, but no clue yet as to what.

I'm sure you've probably looked up the diets for both and they kind of contradict each other. It's all very individualized, what might work for one person, might not for another.

I come up from clear liquids slowly, maybe full liquids or the BRAT diet, then work up further. It's hit and miss. I've done elimination diets a few times. The last one, citric acid, gums, and certain preservatives didn't like me.

My GI doctor has given me just about every tool (med), I might possibly need and I get to pick and choose, what might work the best in the current situation. And the maximum dosage I can have, but I rarely take that much.

Contact your GI doctor, they are a really big help on trying to make you more comfortable. I've been seeing mine since 1988.

I just found out, recently, that I was born with GI issues. That would have been nice to know sooner.

I've heard about the waiting times in Canada. I have friends in British Columbia.

In your case, work with the diet. If something causes problems, write down the problem and the ingredients in it. Eventually you'll find a correlational between certain ingredients. Elimination diets only allow for 1 new food a day, just in case, so you can pinpoint the exact food. I only do them when I'm down to eating virtually nothing.

I've learned to read all labels. You'd be surprised how many things have citric acid in them. But oddly enough, not lemon juice. Has to do with the processing to make the citric acid.

Work with what you can get over the counter, for drugs. There really are a lot of good substitutions for prescription strength types. Like the PPIs work the best, but antacids work too. I take a heavy duty anti-nausea drug, but motion sickness pills can work as well. My IBS likes to switch sides, 5 days of C and then 2 days of D. I know how to treat the D side, the C side, I'm still learning.

A lot of people have brought up stress causes some of it. I can't say that is my problem. I have major blood pressure problems, and after 2 deaths in the family, I was told to keep my blood pressure down at all costs.