Ulcer- Blahhh --What Helps?

Something else that might help is cutting down on high acid and spicy foods. Tomatoes and tomato products are a big contributer to reflux and related stomach issues. Also alcohol. You don't have to give them up forever but going to a really bland diet for a little while will help the stomach heal itself. A bland diet can also help with faster symptom relief then just the meds alone. Sorry I know that is not something you want to hear before going on vacation.

I would probably check with your doctor on this.... I would be worried about mixing various drugs.

Prevacid is a proton pump inhibitor. I have taken it for years for my acid reflux, but I have not gotten to the point of having an ulcer. It will take several days before you start to feel relief with it, though. I believe that it is also best if you take it 15-30 minutes BEFORE you eat, as its main purpose is to reduce the amount of acid your body produces (not get rid of existing acid).

As silly as it may sound, when my acid reflux flares, and I feel that burning in my throat, it's sometimes nice to eat a cold popsicle. Ah, soothing. :) Hang in there.

Didn't the doctor do any further tests? She "thinks" you have an ulcer? She should be working on a treatment plan. It's been proven that a bacterium causes ulcers (helicobacter pylori) and she should be treating you appropriately for that. Meanwhile, yes, find OTC relief of symptoms -- but the doctor should be the one to recommend something! Please be sure she's being aggressive here and not just guessing at an ulcer and throwing Prevacid at you!

Maalox is the alternative when Pepto doesn't work. Also use tums. My grandpa drank buttermilk and swore by it. I have used slippery elm root (find at local organic grocery) - it's a supplement used by the native americans that produces more mucous to line the stomach.

The problem with a lot of these over-the-counter liquids is that they contain emulsifiers to prevent them from separating (so they look good in the bottle!), and those are hard to digest. Taking pills is the worst thing for ulcers and reflux and other stomach issues, because they are so difficult to digest. They really work on irritating the stomach, and if you only absorb a portion of them (because of the fillers and coatings used to form the shapes and have them pop out of the mold during mass manufacture), you don't know how much of the medication you are actually taking in. I've worked with so many people whose stomach and intestinal problems were made worse - ulcerative colitis, for example. You need to work on healing the tissues, not inflaming or aggravating them even more, but it's not an overnight fix. I can help you with this but you have to have realistic expectations - there's a lot of damage and irritation in there.

And don't just consume "natural" potions from the "health food" store. You have no idea where they were manufactured (not where the distributor is located, where it's MADE), what quality ingredients are in there, whether what they say on the label is really in the container, whether there's been any testing for contaminants and purity, whether the ingredients are genetically modified, whether there's any clinical data or any study on the ingredients' efficacy and safety, or whether there's any reputable Chief Scientific Officer on staff. A lot of people get into plenty of trouble taking "all natural" or "organic" remedies because they assume they are completely safe in any dosage. They aren't. And the college kid working at the store, or even the manager, doesn't necessarily know anything - the job is to sell you something, anything. If you don't like one item, they have 20 others to sell you, and either way they make money.

In general, a single nutrient is ineffective in solving problems - your body is complex and requires a balance of nutrients and vitamins, minerals, trace elements, herbs, etc. Your body can't do much with a single (or a handful) of things. And medications are designed to treat the SYMPTOM, not the CAUSE. That doesn't mean there's no place for medications - it means you need to look at the whole problem and realize what meds can and cannot do, and also evaluate whether the side effects make things worse or put you at risk.

This also sounds like it could be your gallbladder/gallstones. I had a similar pain in my upper right abdomen, they thought it could be an ulcer but turns out it was my gallbladder/gallstones. The pain eventually passed but came back and was much worse. If this is still the case closer to your vacation, I'd go back to your doctor and get checked once again. Gallstones are extremely painful (almost as bad as labor contractions) and you don't want to be far from home/healthcare if you have a gallbladder attack. Hope you are feeling well soon!

I ignored mine for way to long! I ended up taking Nexium that didn't help and ended up being scoped (with some sort of cauterization) and having a blood transfusion. Extreme case and I was stupid for ignoring it.

Try PURE Aloe Vera.. It's suppose to be VERY healing not only for topical issues such as sunburn.. but I have read that it's also very healing for the inside... You can buy it at most health food stores.. I keep some around the house at all times and prefer to have it in my fridge.. this way it's nice and chilled... you can read more about its medicinal value on the net..

good luck