Your Care Instructions
Gastritis is a sore and upset stomach. It happens when something irritates the stomach lining. Many things can cause it. These include an infection such as the flu or something you ate or drank. Medicines or a sore on the lining of the stomach (ulcer) also can cause it. Your belly may bloat and ache. You may belch, vomit, and feel sick to your stomach.
You should be able to relieve the problem by taking medicine. And it may help to change your diet. If gastritis lasts, your doctor may prescribe medicine.
Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse call line if you are having problems. It’s also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.
How can you care for yourself at home?
- If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, take them as directed. Do not stop taking them just because you feel better. You need to take the full course of antibiotics.
- Be safe with medicines. If your doctor prescribed medicine to decrease stomach acid, take it as directed. Call your doctor or nurse call line if you think you are having a problem with your medicine.
- Do not take any other medicine, including over-the-counter pain relievers, without talking to your doctor first.
- If your doctor recommends over-the-counter medicine to reduce stomach acid, such as Pepcid AC (famotidine), Prilosec (omeprazole), or Tagamet HB (cimetidine), follow the directions on the label.
- Drink plenty of fluids (enough so that your urine is light yellow or clear like water) to prevent dehydration. Choose water and other caffeine-free clear liquids. If you have kidney, heart, or liver disease and have to limit fluids, talk with your doctor before you increase the amount of fluids you drink.
- Limit how much alcohol you drink.
- Avoid coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolate, and other foods with caffeine. They increase stomach acid.
When should you call for help?
Call 911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:
- You vomit blood or what looks like coffee grounds.
- You pass maroon or very bloody stools.
Call your doctor or nurse call line now or seek immediate medical care if:
- You start breathing fast and have not produced urine in the last 8 hours.
- You cannot keep fluids down.
Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor or nurse call line if:
- You do not get better as expected.