Gastritis

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Gastritis is when the lining of your stomach is irritated and swollen. The stomach lining helps prevent acids from damaging your stomach.

AFTER YOU LEAVE:

How to manage your gastritis at home:

• Avoid NSAIDs. NSAIDs (medicine such as ibuprofen and aspirin) may irritate your stomach. It may help to take them with food, but you may not be able to take NSAIDs at all.
  
  
• Avoid alcohol. If you drink alcohol, it can make your gastritis worse. Ask your primary healthcare provider about ways to quit drinking.
  
  
• Do not eat foods that bother your stomach.
  
  
• Quit smoking. Cigarette smoke can make your gastritis worse. If you smoke, it is never too late to quit. Ask your primary healthcare provider for more information about how to stop smoking if you have trouble quitting.

Medicines:

• Antacids: You may need antacids to decrease stomach acid. These are available over-the-counter and can be used when you have symptoms.
  
  
• H2 blockers: These medicines decrease the amount of acid in your stomach. They are available without a prescription. They work best if they are taken regularly.
  
  
• Proton pump inhibitors: These medicines reduce the amount of acid in your stomach. Some of these medicines are available without a prescription. They work best if taken regularly. Tell your caregiver if you experience any side effects, such as headaches, diarrhea, or constipation.
  
  
• Antibiotics: You may be given antibiotics if you have an H. pylori infection. Antibiotics help kill the germs that cause infection. Always take your antibiotics exactly as ordered by your caregiver. Take this medicine until it is completely gone, even if you feel better. The medicine may not kill all of the germs if you stop taking it too soon.
  
  
• Take your medicine as directed: Call your caregiver if you think your medicine is not helping or if you have side effects. Tell your caregiver if you are taking any vitamins, herbs, or other medicines. Keep a list of the medicines you take. Include the amounts, and when and why you take them. Bring the list or the pill bottles to follow-up visits.

Ask for information about where and when to go for follow-up visits:

For continuing care, treatments, or home services, ask for more information.

For more information:

Contact the following:

• American College of Gastroenterology
  P.O. Box 342260
  Bethesda , MD 20827-2260
  Phone: 1- 301 - 263-9000
  Web Address: http://www.acg.gi.org/
  

• American Gastroenterological Association
  4930 Del Ray Avenue
  Bethesda , MD 20814
  Phone: 1- 301 - 6542055
  Web Address: http://www.gastro.org
  

Call your caregiver if:

• You feel weak or more tired than usual.
  
  
• Your pain has not improved after several days.
  
  
• You have a fever.

Seek care immediately or call 911 if:

• You have severe stomach or back pain.
  
  
• You vomit blood (may be red or look like coffee grounds).
  
  
• You have black or bloody bowel movements.
  
  
• You develop chest pain or become short of breath.

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

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