H pylori testing?

Digestive health
1

Hi all,

I was wondered what experiences people had with getting H Pylori testing? Can you request it from your GP and were they reasonably sympathetic to the request? My symptoms are both upper and lower GI, reflux, dyspepsia, fullness, left and right abdominal ache, gas, some constipation and some undigested food. I had an endoscopy 3 years ago which came out normal and I didn't ask about H Pylori, however my digestive symptoms have worsened significantly since then.

I've eliminated many foods to no avail, to the point were I was malnourished from such a restricted diet. I know I struggle with dairy, bulk fiber, eggs, gluten and night shades.

2

You can ask your GP for a blood or stool (poo) antigen test, I doubt they'd moan about it in your case

There's a Patient UK leaflet : Health Information > Gut / Bowel / Stomach > Helicobacter Pylori and Stomach Pain

3

Also an Ultrasound of your Abdomen may be diagnostically helpful

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Doctors have generally been pretty good with me , proton pump inhibitors (Nexium etc.) are the most commonly prescribed medicine I have been told by doctors.

They may suggest a breath test which will tell you if the H Pylori is active in your stomach, However If you are taking Nexium (emeprazole) or (Protium,Somac)Pantoprazole you will need to refrain from taking either medication for two weeks prior to the breath test . They will do a blood test for you also , this can be done while taking the medication , however it just tells you whether the bacteria is present but not how active it is ( thats the understanding I got from the doctor as im not one) .

I have also met one or two others who have been told after 3 seperate courses of antibiotics that they would have to learn to just manage the bacteria and that theyd just have to live with it.

I am 32 now and live a healthy life , dont drink , dont smoke and excercise regularly and eat healthily but every year or two this resurfaces and causes reoccuring symptoms . 

Have you tried pure aloe vera juice ( 50ml a day in a glass of water) , cabbage water , camomile tea . Ive even given this Spirulina tablets a go , not sure if any of these things have really done too much but still a few possibilities for you . Im no doctor but just sharing things that I have tried myself .

On the subject of Doctors , I am not a racist but I have found some of the african doctors not to be very sympathetic and can seem a bit superior to you . In saying that I have been to one or two that were very good . 

To me it makes a big difference when you get a doctor/gastrologist that can smile and put you at ease , as I am the kind that hates hospitals and fears things going wrong with my health . 

hope this has helped in some way , just my own personal experiences 

 

5

Hi,

I went to see my doctor four years ago due to gas, extreme bloating, and pain in my stomach which radiated to my back. The pain woke me up and kept me up at night. The pain and discomfort was so bad and I was unable to find relief no matter what I did. It almost always culminated with nausea and vomiting. One episode was so bad that after emptying my stomach of its content, I vomited nothing but bitter, green bile. I finally had to go see my doctor. 

 

Blood work came back positive for H. Pylori. I was relieved to know what I had. I was given two types of antibiotics and omeprazole, which I took for two weeks. The meds seems to work and enabled me to sleep throughout the night for the first time in many months.

Once the antibiotics were gone, I continued to take 20 mg omeprazole. I found myself dependent on it because if I stopped taking it for a few days, the burning sensation came back. I could almost taste the food and acid in my throat, especially when lying down. I was concerned about the long term effects of omeprazole. I did some research and I knew it interfered with your body's ability to absorb certain nutrients. It also made me constipated.

I tried taking probiotic pills, but it did not work for me. In fact, it caused whatever was wrong with my stomach to worsen. I then went to see my doctor again, thinking that the medication failed. The second H. Pylori test was a stool test and not blood. I was told a stool sample was needed because blood would show antibodies to the bacteria. The stool test came back negative for H. Pylori. My doctor said I probably had stomach ulcers and recommended an endoscopy. I also had x-rays done and my organs looked normal. I went to a GI specialist made an appointment for an endoscopy and biopsy. I cancelled both. I was not comfortable with the idea of anesthesia.

While I was relieved to be rid of H. Pylori, I was concerned because my stomach issues were continuing and seemed to be getting worse. I read somewhere that mastic gum helped so I went to the local GNC and bought a bottle. I took it for about three weeks, but it made no difference.

I had resolved myself to a lifetime of omeprazole and pain. The constipation was chronic and ongoing. Tired and sleepless nights. It was effecting my ability to function at work. I was afraid to take overnight trips. It was affecting my quality of life and I was helpless to it. I always kept rolls of antacid in my bag and a bottle of omeprazole stashed nearby.

Then after four years of suffering, something unexpected and wonderful happened, prompting me to share my experience with you. In fact, this is the first post ever on any forum. I hope it will help someone who is going through what I went through.

For the past month, I noticed that my stomach pain, back pain, bloating, acid reflux, and gas gradually went away to the point where I haven't had to take omeprazole at all. I slept throughout the night and am awake and alert in the morning. I racked my brain wondering why I am better and what I am doing differently. My diet and habits haven't changed at all.

It dawned on me that I had started drinking green tea. I drank about two cups of tea (six ounce cup) per day.

I wondered if green tea had anything to do with it. I did some research and I found out that the chemical compound in green tea, catechin, has potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant that may help reduce symptoms of stomach ulcers caused by Helicobacter Pylori. It also stated something about inhibiting the effects of H. Pylori.

I had prayed for many years for the pain to go away and I stumbled upon green tea by accident. I never used to drink tea. I never knew it could help with stomach ulcers. A friend gave me tea and I liked drinking it.

I don't know if green tea will work for you, but it is a life-saver for me. Try it for a few weeks and see if it has made any difference for you. Something so cheap and simple to make and a pleasure to drink did it for me.      : )

   

6

This is in addition to my earlier post:

For the first time in years, I am able to drink the occasional soda, orange juice, and spicy food without feeling like I am dying.