I just learned that a dear friend of mine has bleeding duodenal ulcers. She runs marathons so this was quite a surprise.
This diary is for Madeline and any here would might enjoy a one stop Duodenal Ulcer resource. The text you see in either brown or orange are links. If you click on the colored text, it will take you to the resource.
Duodenal Ulcer
When a peptic ulcer is in your duodenum, it is called a duodenal ulcer. This type of peptic ulcer develops in the first part of the small intestine. Some of the symptoms of a duodenal ulcer are interestingly quite opposite to those of gastric ulcers. Duodenal ulcers are the most common ulcers found in the Western world.
Bleeding Ulcer
Internal bleeding is caused by a peptic ulcer which has been left untreated. When this happens, it is now referred to as a bleeding ulcer - this is the most dangerous type of ulcer. See your doctor immediately if you are showing symptoms.
The upside with treating duodenal ulcers is that complications are quite rare.
Complications are normally in the form of bleeding ulcers caused by the perforation of the intestinal wall, or an obstruction preventing the passage of food.
Most bleeding duodenal ulcers are caused from H Pylori and/or use of NSAIDS. In very rare cases, they are not.
H Pylori and Duodenal Ulcer Study
Most ulcers are caused by H Pylori bacterium.
However, if the rapid urease test, histologic examination (corpus and antral biopsies), AND C-urea breath test show no H Pylori it is rare.
Of the 472 patients who had duodenal ulcers, 95.7% were H. pylori-positive and only 1.69% were negative for both H. pylori infection and NSAID use.
Questions to ask if your doctor finds your H Pylori is negative and you have bleeding duodenal ulcers:
1. Did the Doctor do all three tests to rule out H Pylori? Again, the tests are (1) rapid urease test, (2) histologic examination (corpus and antral biopsies), AND (3) C-urea breath test.
2. If all three tests are done and show no H Pylori, do you take NSAIDS? Three of the most common over-the-counter NSAIDS are Ibuprofen (e.g. brand names Advil, Motrin, Nuprin)Advil, Motrin, Nuprin, Naproxen (e.g. brand names Aleve, Naprosyn), and COX-2 inhibitors (e.g. brand name Celebrex)
If you don't have H Pylori and don't take NSAIDS, what can you do?
RECOMMENDATIONS
DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional. Study this information and follow your inner voice. Of course, always check with your Doctor; however and sadly, few Doctors are nutritionists. Neither am I.
Like you, I am logical. Drinking water and eating a proper diet reduces the hyper-acidity which causes and aggrevates ulcers. It's not rocket science.
I have gathered information to help you craft your lifestyle so that the offending acid can be reduced. I recommend reading all this information and then following the recommendations made in the conclusion.
You can do this! You have to do this! In a few short months, you can heal these ulcers and follow some of these guidelines to prevent a recurrance.
Emotions: Use The Letter
The Letter can be used for resolving negative emotions. It is not to be read. Burn it when you are finished. Go to the link for more instructions.
Breathing to Calm the Emotions
Breathe in to the count of ten, hold to the count of ten, exhale to the count of ten.
Picture healing and relaxation entering your body as you breath in.
Picture the breath capturing tension, negativity, and toxins as you hold your breath.
Picture the tension, negativity, and toxings leaving your body as you breathe out.
For information go to this linkRelaxation for Anxiety in the Stomach
Water
Drink 8 glasses of water a day.
The doctor found that, in most cases, a glass of water relieved ulcer pains within three to eight minutes. Patients with particularly severe pain sometimes required two glasses. For the duration of the experiment, patients drank a glass of water a half-hour before and two and a half hours after each meal to prevent recurrences. Water was all these patients got; antacids or other ulcer medications were not available, and didn't seem necessary.
Diet
Until the ulcers are healed I would recommend using plain yogurt instead of milk. For oatmeal I thoroughly mix the yogurt with water to thin it down. Yogurt is probiotic. In time, you will prefer it to milk.
I would also follow the Hays diet below and eat often enough to keep the stomach acid at a minimum. Don't skip meals.
The only oil I use is olive oil.
Diet is the most important aspect for treating ulcers. Food and eating habits MUST BE CONSIDERED YOUR MEDICINE and not taken lightly. Hunger creates acid, so get in the habit of healthy snacking. I recommend making a goal of having 6 small meals a day.
Certain foods are known to aggravate ulcers, which may lead to increased symptoms and complications like bleeding.
MayoClinic.com and University of Maryland Medical Center recommend limiting foods high in fat or spices because they may exacerbate symptoms. Examples include deep-fried foods and foods made with a lot of butter, oil, cream, cheese or chilies.
UMMC also notes that a high-fiber diet may prevent ulcers from developing in the first place and speed up recovery. High-fiber foods include fruits, vegetables, seeds, dried beans or peas and whole grains like brown rice, 100 percent whole-wheat bread or pasta, oats, barley and cornmeal.
Treatment for a peptic ulcer focuses on reducing the amount of acid in the digestive tract to decrease pain and promote healing, notes MayoClinic.com.
According to UMMC, coffee and carbonated beverages should be avoided with a peptic ulcer because they tend to increase stomach acid. MayoClinic.com says alcohol should be avoided because it can irritate and erode the lining of the digestive tract and cause inflammation and bleeding. The National Institutes of Health adds that alcohol can also prevent ulcers from healing.
Basic Ulcer Diet Guidelines
GOLDEN RULE NO. 1
Stay within these guidelines and use only the foods that you are not reacting to - eat in moderation, excess is dangerous!
GOLDEN RULE NO. 2
Rather try a vegetarian diet for a while to reduce inflammation and stop consuming ANY food that you can feel is aggravating your condition.
The Bad Stuff - The bad stuff in short is anything that hurts you. The most common of these are;
abrasive roughage - like bran, nuts, popcorn, and seeds.
red meat in large quantities - animal proteins are high in acids.
High-fat breads and cereals such as croissants, biscuits and crackers, and granola-based cereals. Also breads with nuts or dried fruit, or seeds.
Wild rice
Raw vegetables, corn, tomatoes and tomato based products
Berries, figs, lemons, grapefruit, oranges, pineapples, and tangerines
Orange, pineapple and grapefruit juice
Highly processed or seasoned meats or poultry or fish - such as corned beef, polonies, sausages, sardines and anchovies
All fried or fatty meat, poultry, or fish
Snacks - Highly seasoned salad dressings, cakes, cookies, pies, pastries, chips, doughnuts, fried potatoes and buttered popcorn, Coconut, chocolate.
Also sweets and desserts containing nuts, coconut or fruit should be avoided.
The Hay Diet: Food Combining For Health
The following looks complicated. To simplify, I don't eat meats with starches, only veggies. Meat and potatoes creates a large acidic mass. Not good for ulcers.
So peruse the Hay Diet and simplify it for yourself.
Benefits of the Hay Diet
The rules that make up the Hay Diet are not only important for accelerating natural weight loss but the diet can also help turn around some degenerative health conditions like indigestion, constipation, asthma, arthritis, and allergies.
Rules and Principles of the Hay Diet
Some people refer to the Hay Diet as food combining. There are five rules that must be adhered to in order for the diet plan to be successful:
1. Carbohydrates cannot be eaten in the same meal with proteins and acid-based fruits.
2. Salads, fruits, and vegetables should be the main part of the diet.
3. Proteins, starches, and fats should be eaten in small amounts.
4. Only unprocessed starches and whole grains should be part of the diet. Never eat refined or processed food like white sugar, white flour, and margarine.
5. There should be four to four and a half hours between meals that are made up of different types of foods.
Dr. Hay prepared a chart of food combining guidelines that is still in use today. The chart lists certain food groups, what that food group consists of, what these foods can be combined with, what they should not be combined with them, and exceptions to the rule, if there are any. Here are a few examples from the chart:
· Protein – This includes things like, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, nuts and seeds, and dry beans. These may be combined with vegetables with low or no starch but should not be combined with other proteins, carbohydrates, and starches.
· Low or no starch vegetables – Things like asparagus, green beans, broccoli, cabbage, onions, and carrots can be eaten with proteins but not with fruit.
· Carbohydrates and starches – This means foods like pasta, breads, grains, and potatoes. They can be eaten with low or no starch vegetables and with fats, but not with fruits and proteins.
· Fats – Avocado, butter, olives, cream, and most oils can be combined with low or no starch vegetables, carbohydrates and starches, but not with protein and fruit.
This is just a small portion of the chart. Anyone willing to try this diet plan must be committed because the one drawback to the diet is that planning meals and recipes can become complicated. You are not allowed to eat certain foods at specific times of the day, so planning ahead is important. Many people find themselves carrying a set of the principles with them.
There are a few key things to remember while on the Hay Diet. First of all, you can eat a variety of foods, but you can’t mix most of the food groups in one meal.
Secondly, it is important to learn how to classify the foods you are allowed to eat and how to combine correctly. Another key is that you must also eat your meals at specific intervals. This is vital in order for your body to digest the food from the meal before.
HEARTBURN
Nexium is used to treat heartburn resulting to acid.
NEXIUM What is Nexium® used for?
Nexium is used to treat diseases that are related to acid in the stomach and gullet. These include:
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) where acid from the stomach escapes backwards into the gullet causing inflammation of the swallowing pipe (oesophagitis) and heartburn (a burning feeling rising from the stomach or lower chest up towards the neck).
Ulcers (see peptic ulcer) in the stomach or upper part of the intestine, associated with infection by the microscopic bug (bacterium) "Helicobacter pylori". This is treated by a combination of Nexium and antibiotics.
The effectiveness of baking soda for heartburn sufferers
If you have a tendency to high blood pressure, this is not the remedy for you. Check with your doctor.
If your blood pressure is normal, this is a very effective treatment for heartburn. I take a half teaspoon with 8 oz of water when I have a big meal as a preventative treatment.
More references to check for Baking Soda and Ulcers:
Rich Man’s Poor Man’s Cancer Treatment 2nd Edition
Administration Methods for Baking Soda
Bicarbonate is the universal mainstream treatment of acidosis and is used by oncologists to neutralize the heavy acid nature of their chemo agents, which are quite dangerous to the patient.
CONCLUSION:
Bleeding ulcers must be addressed as soon as possible.
1. Endoscopy is the first line of treatment.
2. Do the three tests for H Pylori. If it is positive, you will have to decide whether to use natural treatments or the H. Pylori Quadruple Therapy
3. Stop using NSAIDS and aspirin if you take them.
4. Have a chat with yourself ASAP to explore your diet habits and determine what better habits you can maintain based on the diet information above.
5. Drink 8 glasses of water a day.
6. Find a way to manage stress like 30 minutes of mild aerobic exercise each day.
Here's to your good health!
Cheers!