How is your treatment working?
For most acid-related conditions, medical treatment
is highly effective.You can usually expect rapid relief of symptoms.
If you have damaged the lining of your gullet (oesophagus), stomach or duodenum,
this should be on the way to healing within the first few months.Your doctor has
probably discussed what you can expect from treatment in your particular case. It
is important to tell your doctor if your condition does not improve or if you have
any unexpected or troublesome side-effects from your treatment.
Fortunately, the drugs used to treat problems in the upper part of the digestive
system are generally effective and well tolerated. However, you may have to continue
to take your medicine even if you feel much better. If you have had heartburn or
an ulcer, there is a risk that your condition will return if gastric acid attacks
the area again. For this reason, you may already be taking a “maintenance” course
of treatment. It is important to stick to your maintenance course. If you stop,
the gastric acid will no longer be suppressed and it may cause further damage, even
if you do not feel any symptoms immediately.
If you have been given a course consisting of antibiotics and an acid-suppressing
drug to eradicate H. pylori, the bacterium usually associated with ulcers, you must
take the whole course. It is likely that you will feel less pain from the injured
site within a few days. However, you must continue to take all the antibiotics and
acid-suppressing drug, as some bacteria may still be alive and these survivors may
be more difficult to eradicate in the future if they are allowed to live to fight
another day.
Nobody knows better than you whether your condition is improving or getting worse.
However you may find it useful to keep a record of your symptoms, what they were
like and what you were doing when they occurred. If you have the same sort of symptoms
but they become less severe and less frequent, that is a good sign that you are
on the mend. Your doctor will probably want to see you if your symptoms do not improve
or if you experience new symptoms or a different kind of pain. If you have any of
the symptoms listed on this page you should seek medical advice straight away.
Other symptoms:
- Unintentional weight loss of more than 3 kg (about half-a-stone)
- Significant loss of appetite
- Persistent vomiting or vomiting with blood
- Worsening symptoms, especially if you have a previous history of a stomach ulcer
or stomach operation
- Black, sticky, tar-like stools
- Food sticking in your throat
- Pain on swallowing
You should seek medical advice straight away if you have any of these symptoms.