Helicobacter Pylori

[Neeranam]

I've been to the doc and got some medicine to take to get rid of this. 

I'd never heard of it before and have no idea where it came from.

Maybe a recent procedure on my oesophagus?  

[Ben Zioner]

It is a bacteria that colonises the stomach, extremely common, and is the sole cause of ulcers. The doctor should get you breath tested to verify the success of the treatment he gave you.

[Sheryl]

More or less as above except not sole cause of ulcers.  It is, however, the most common cause.

 

Easily spread through contaminated food. Many people acquire it in childhood, it can be present a long time before causing obvious symptoms, and indeed in many peopke remains asymptomatic, reason unclear.

[Sheryl]

An inappropriate post has been removed

[mstevens]

There's a protocol to treat H Pylori which is usually Omeprazole + two antibiotics (commonly, but not always, Amoxicillin & Metronidazole). Follow the protocol exactly as per your doc's instructions otherwise this pesky bacteria will stick around.

 

H Pylori often becomes an issue with dysbiosis (where the mix of bacteria and fungi in your gut is out of balance). This can happen for many reasons but is commonly due to excessive past use of antibiotics.

 

Good luck dealing with this and for sure, it is worth getting tested once you have completed the protocol to make sure the treatment has been successful.

[scubascuba3]

Op, how do you know you have H Pylori? test?

Edited April 18 by scubascuba3

[Neeranam]

8 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Op, how do you know you have H Pylori? test?

yes, a test after an op.

[Neeranam]

12 hours ago, Sheryl said:

More or less as above except not sole cause of ulcers.  It is, however, the most common cause.

 

Easily spread through contaminated food. Many people acquire it in childhood, it can be present a long time before causing obvious symptoms, and indeed in many peopke remains asymptomatic, reason unclear.

Interesting, thanks. 

Just wondering if I get rid of it with my antibiotics and my wife has it , could I get it again easily? 

 

[MeaMaximaCulpa]

Stomach acid protects against this and other bacteria, so keep the carbs low and try to avoid antacids for reflux, which seems to more often than not be caused by low acid, not too high.

[Neeranam]

10 hours ago, mstevens said:

There's a protocol to treat H Pylori which is usually Omeprazole + two antibiotics (commonly, but not always, Amoxicillin & Metronidazole). Follow the protocol exactly as per your doc's instructions otherwise this pesky bacteria will stick around.

 

H Pylori often becomes an issue with dysbiosis (where the mix of bacteria and fungi in your gut is out of balance). This can happen for many reasons but is commonly due to excessive past use of antibiotics.

 

Good luck dealing with this and for sure, it is worth getting tested once you have completed the protocol to make sure the treatment has been successful.

Thanks, I'm taking Amoxicillin and Clarithromicin

[Neeranam]

I am taking Omeprazole, I didn't know it helped with this bug. 

[scubascuba3]

21 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I am taking Omeprazole, I didn't know it helped with this bug. 

It reduces stomach acid so maybe allows the stomach to heal, certainly helps with gastritis 

[Peabody]

During the '80s and '90s, I was working at the University of Virginia Department of Immunology, where Barry Marshall, the doctor who discovered this, was working. He was somewhat mocked for a period of time, even in the university community, before his proposal that H. pylori is the major cause of ulcers was shown to be accurate. Pushback from pharmas, of course, as it eliminated the lifetime addiction to antacid formulations, in favor of simple antibiotic treatment.

He shared the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2005 for this discovery, along with an Australian colleague. Marshall, with no stomach problems, actually drank a solution containing H. pylori, demonstrated that the bacterium infected his tissues, and then eliminated the bacterium with antibiotics. A classic example of the use of Koch's Postulates.

Edited April 19 by Peabody

[Sheryl]

3 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Interesting, thanks. 

Just wondering if I get rid of it with my antibiotics and my wife has it , could I get it again easily? 

 

Yes, you could get   re-infected  via food she prepares.

[Sheryl]

2 hours ago, Neeranam said:

I am taking Omeprazole, I didn't know it helped with this bug. 

Treatment of H. Pylori requires triple or quadruple therapy. Omeorazole (or similar) plus 2-3 antibiotics.

[Sheryl]

3 hours ago, MeaMaximaCulpa said:

Stomach acid protects against this and other bacteria, so keep the carbs low and try to avoid antacids for reflux, which seems to more often than not be caused by low acid, not too high.

H. Pylori is adapted to be able to live in stomach acid, unfortunately. A unique feature of it.

 

Eradication of HP requires temporary use of acid suppressjng drugs (usually a PPI) along antibiotic combination.

 

In OP's case he was on  PPI anyway for an esophageal condition.

 

 

[Dancer57]

My wife suffered from this and it was discovered with an endoscopy procedure.

The specialist told us that when left untreated it can lead to cancer.

Perhaps Sheryl can confirm?

[bg53]

In the worst case, H. pylori infection can progress from asymptomatic to stomach ulcers to cancers. What the specialist said is true. I have asymptomatic friends who chose not to go through the treatment. 

[Sheryl]

15 minutes ago, Dancer57 said:

My wife suffered from this and it was discovered with an endoscopy procedure.

The specialist told us that when left untreated it can lead to cancer.

Perhaps Sheryl can confirm?

Yes, it is a risk factor for gastric cancer. 

[Neeranam]

46 minutes ago, bg53 said:

In the worst case, H. pylori infection can progress from asymptomatic to stomach ulcers to cancers. What the specialist said is true. I have asymptomatic friends who chose not to go through the treatment. 

Why would they not want treat? 

[MeaMaximaCulpa]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

H. Pylori is adapted to be able to live in stomach acid, unfortunately. A unique feature of it.

 

Eradication of HP requires temporary use of acid suppressjng drugs (usually a PPI) along antibiotic combination.

 

In OP's case he was on  PPI anyway for an esophageal condition.

 

 

I am not disputing that, but perhaps sometimes the same thing can be both cause and effect?

This is from Cleveland clinic, see the last sentence:

[bg53]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

Why would they not want treat? 

 

Personal choice. Asymptomatic and they don't like the side effects of treatment. 

[Dancer57]

2 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Yes, it is a risk factor for gastric cancer. 

Thanks Sheryl, he also stated that it is common in Thailand as was transmission by food.

[newbee2022]

On 4/18/2024 at 9:06 PM, Neeranam said:

I've been to the doc and got some medicine to take to get rid of this. 

I'd never heard of it before and have no idea where it came from.

Maybe a recent procedure on my oesophagus?  

Wait till the most famous expert will tell you here🤗

[newbee2022]

On 4/18/2024 at 11:23 PM, Sheryl said:

More or less as above except not sole cause of ulcers.  It is, however, the most common cause.

 

Easily spread through contaminated food. Many people acquire it in childhood, it can be present a long time before causing obvious symptoms, and indeed in many peopke remains asymptomatic, reason unclear.

And now please some advice how to get rid of it and advice to prevent?👏

[tandor]

On 4/18/2024 at 9:06 PM, Neeranam said:

I've been to the doc and got some medicine to take to get rid of this. 

I'd never heard of it before and have no idea where it came from.

Maybe a recent procedure on my oesophagus?  

pre 1983 was known as Campylobacter, now known as Helicobacter pyloris...dirty water, chicken, seafood etc.

Luning G et al. Campylobacter pylori becomes Helicobacter pylori. Lancet 1989 Oct 28 2 10191020

FYI.

[Satcommlee]

Had it like 30 years ago, dont drink with the meds.

[tandor]

2 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

And now please some advice how to get rid of it and advice to prevent?👏

Please see a Gastroenterologist, he may wish to do a Gastroscopy to visually identify and take a Biopsy for Microbiology...common antibiotic cocktail is amoxicillin, clarithromycin (Biaxin®), metronidazole (Flagyl®) and tetracycline. They usually do a follow-up Gastroscopy to verify the drugs effectiveness or adjust the combination.  Good luck. 

[newbee2022]

19 minutes ago, tandor said:

Please see a Gastroenterologist, he may wish to do a Gastroscopy to visually identify and take a Biopsy for Microbiology...common antibiotic cocktail is amoxicillin, clarithromycin (Biaxin®), metronidazole (Flagyl®) and tetracycline. They usually do a follow-up Gastroscopy to verify the drugs effectiveness or adjust the combination.  Good luck. 

That's funny. I asked Sheryl and YOU answer. Probably you're her sibling or Avatar 😂

[qwab32]

I'm half way through the 7 day medication.  2 x antibiotics plus 1 anti acid twice daily.  I had my blood tested in the UK before moving to Thailand.  No symptoms but the doctor says it's better to treat the bacteria as medical insurance may not pay out if it's noted on my medical records but not treated.  Only drawback is no alcohol for 7 days 🙈