Medication Not Working
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| Tue, 11-07-2006 - 2:17pm |
It seems that every medication the doctor has put me on for me 3 gastric ulcers does not work. I went in for a stomach scope this past Friday and my new ulcer is now bleeding and bigger. The doctor had me on Prevacid prior to this scope but it did nothing. He now has me on Nexium twice a day for 10 days and one time a day after that, plus I have to take Carafate to coat my stomach. He also sent me for a gastric level test and I won't know the results until the end of this week.
I've been on Prevacid, Aciphex, Zantac and Nexium over the last 3 years and nothing is working. I even asked about having the ulcers removed but did not know that they remove parts of your stomach where the ulcers are and ulcers may come back even after surgery.
Is anyone getting relief from any medications? I can't deal with this ulcer pain anymore. I am losing weight because I am afraid to eat because every little thing bothers me. I know I have to at least eat something because acid will just continue to produce in an empty stomach. But my life is miserable dealing with ulcers.

Welcome! I am so sorry that nothing has helped you so far. Have you considered getting another opinion? If you have been on this many medications and are getting worse, it may be time to seek another opinion and treatment plan.
Your doctor is correct that the surgery will remove some healthy stomach tissue and that an ulcer can recur. Whatever is causing the ulcers has to be determined, so they won't return.
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<Thank you for responding.
Yes, I have seeked a second opinion and its the same things. Put me on medications to see what works and do endoscopes (had 4 already). The doctor wants to exhaust all treatments before they would even consider doing stomach surgery and that is a definite last option. I have even looked into taking licorice root pills as another alternative because I hate putting all of this medication in my system. I don't think there are any other options after they exhaust all medications except for surgery.
I am waiting for the results of the gastric level test. I did ask what would happen if my levels are high and they said I would be on medication for the rest of my life. But if medication doesn't help, I don't know what will.