Question
My husband, age 53, has Ankylosing Spondylitis, diagnosed about 10 years ago. In March 2003 he had a heart attack, and now has 5 stents in 2 arteries. For about 3 weeks, he has been experiencing stomach pains, which at first he figured was a virus. When he gets these pains, it helps sometimes if he drinks some milk or lies down. His family doctor ordered a stomach x-ray, which he had 8/17. His nurse called Friday and said that he doesn't have an ulcer, but he has an inflamed mucosa. My husband has been taking Prevacid for 5 days, and it hasn't helped much, and the doc gave him samples of Zegerid to try, which he hasn't yet.
This is a list of his medications:

Azulfidine Entabs 500 mg   2 in AM, 1 in PM                             
Arthrotec 75   2X a day
Procardia 30mg  1X a day
Foltx 1X a day
Lopressor 50 mg  ?tab 2X a day
Diovan 80 mg 1X a day
Isosorbide 30 mg 1X a day stopped 8/5/05
Enteric Aspirin 81 mg 1X a day  
Buspar  15 mg  1 tab 2X a day
Nitro Tabs as needed
Remeron 30mg 1X at night, as needed
Norco Tabs  as needed for pain  
Multi Vitamin  1X a day
Vitamin E 400 iu 1X a day

Can you tell me what an inflamed mucosa is? Could this be the beginning of Irratible Bowel Syndrome? If the Zegerid doesn't give him relief, what would you suggest he do next?
Thank you for any direction you can give us.


Answer
Dear Betsy,   Mucosa is the moist tissue that lines paticular organs and cavities through out the body, such as the mouth, nose, lungs and gastrointestinal tract....

As for this being the beginning of IBS, "NO", it sounds like your husband is suffering from gastritis....  

Here is a web site that may help and I really can't tell you if the Zegerid will work or not since this drug is used to treat excessive stomach acid.....

www.emedicine.com/med/topic850.htm

Your husband's doctor needs to find out what is causing this as you will read in at this web site....  If this inflammation is being caused by bacteria, then he should be having treatment by anti-biotics....

thank you,    karen  

Dear Betsy,  It is 9/1/05 and this is the ORIGINAL answer I sent to you on 8/20....  If you have more questions, just ask and i will try to help.....    karen