This is a subject close to my heart because my whole life has been affected by these very issues. The knock-on effects of a medical condition that medical science has developed to such an extent as to make it highly curableStomach Ulcers
Gastric Ulcers in the stomach come under many names but are commonly known as Duodenal or Peptic. These are quite common but thankfully medical science has improved to such an extent that you rarely hear of fatalities, and they are often curable with treatment.
In previous years they were much more serious, and patients were often hospitalized.
Heavy Bleeding
My own father was found hemorrhaging blood on the floor of his toilet cubicle at work and rushed to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in 1963, I have particularly vivid memories of that because I joined him there aged 14 years, for observation of an appendix scare. My diagnosis eventually was that my illness was a psychosomatic response to my father’s and I was released after 24 hours. Basically, my mental fears had made my body come out in sympathy with my fathers. Stress can bring on so many problems.
Symptoms
Common symptoms of stomach ulcers are nagging or burning pain in the abdomen or tummy. They may also not even show as a pain in the stomach but instead as a general sickness, indigestion, or heartburn.
You should always seek urgent medical attention if you show any symptoms, especially if you vomit blood, and that blood has a brown or grainy look a little like coffee grounds, or alternatively, it is a very bright red.
Other symptoms are if your turds are very dark, almost black, and sticky like tarmac or that tummy pain gets progressively worse.
Treatments
Treatments are very effective, rather different from just a few years back when it seemed that all my friend’s fathers, along with my own suffered from them. The one common denominator back then was that they had all returned from World War 2 some years before. If a common cause is a stress then I guess that is understandable, these days that would probably be considered as post-traumatic stress.
With modern treatments, depending on the cause, ulcers will be healed in 1 or 2 months.
Antibiotics and a medication called a proton pump inhibitor are very effective in the case of a bacterial infection known as H.Pylori. Often your medical team might prescribe antacids as a medication. The proton pump inhibitor also reduces the acid in your stomach and helps the healing process.
The doctors can see what is going on and check with gastroscopy and know when the ulcer is healed.
Causes
The most usual cause these days is a bacterial infection known as Helicobacter pylori which attacks the stomach lining and helps the stomach acids cause some damage.
The other cause is from certain painkiller medications like Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Naproxen, or Diclofenac. These medications are known collectively as NSAIDs. Paracetamol is considered to be much safer.
Like most sicknesses, if you are a smoker it increases your risk and can reduce the effects of any medications. As much as is possible you should avoid spicy foods, too much alcohol, and of course stress.
Always consult your medical practitioners, doctors, and pharmacists about treatments. If you feel that any aspirin or similar that you are taking for another condition such as reducing your risk of blood clots, do not stop until discussing with your doctor.
My Mother stopped taking prescribed aspirin for a blood clot in her neck because of reading a report in a newspaper about them causing ulcers. Within 2 weeks she had a stroke brought on by that same blood clot. A good example of following your medical professional’s advice.
Links:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stomach-ulcer/
