“Do peptic ulcers require surgery?”
I went to the doctor about some pain that I've been experiencing in my stomach, and realized that it was a peptic ulcer. This happened a few weeks ago, and I'm still in pain. I've been taking medications and they do not seem to be working. Would I need surgery for this?
2 Answers
Consult Functional Medicine. You have to radically change your diet.
With the advent of PPIs (proton-pump inhibitors), also known as acid blocking medications such as Omeprazole (Nexium) or Pantoprazole (Protonix), surgery for peptic ulcer disease is rarely warranted. If you have persistent pain, you need to make sure that you had an upper endoscopy (EGD) to evaluate for ulcers and to obtain a biopsy to rule out a cancer or other pathology. You should also be test for an infection called H. pylori that can cause ulcers. H. pylori treatment includes antibiotics.
Surgery for peptic ulcers is typically reserved for perforations, bleeding, or pain that lasts longer than 6 months.
Surgery for peptic ulcers is typically reserved for perforations, bleeding, or pain that lasts longer than 6 months.
