Newly Diagnosed

[kiddycat123]

I am recently diagnosed as well (unfortunately) via an endoscopy. I'm glad I found this website. I am on my second week of Prevpac. It is the most brutal medication I have ever taken, but I'm not stopping it and I really hope it works. As far as your throat, I also had/have that. It started with a severe burning feeling in the back of my throat, but has subsided some. I am guessing it is due to the acid reflux?? I had a ct scan on my throat and the ENT did an exam just to be sure it wasn't my throat and they found nothing, that is why I'm assuming it's the acid.

[kiddycat123]

I also had a question for the expert. When should I notice my recovery once I start taking the Prevpack (14 days - I'm on day 7) and once my H Pylori is eradicated, will my reflux and heartburn go away?

[Helico_expert]

It's important that once you started the treatment, dont stop until you finish the antibiotics. that will prevent bacteria becoming resistant to the antibiotics.

about reflux... if you are taking the triple therapy, you should already been taking PPI. Hence, there wont be any acid for reflux. Since CT scan showed nothing, I think you just need to use mouth wash more frequently, drink lots of water and eat lots of fruits.

let us know how it goes with your treatment. get a followup breath test 3 weeks after your treatment.

[kiddycat123]

Thank you for your quick response. This has been one of the worst experiences, not to mention frightening for me healthwise. I had never heard of it and people I spoke to had never heard of it which made me very nervous. Now I see that I'm not alone. As far as the PPI, they were trying me on various medications before the H Pylori diagnoses, but there is a PPI with my Prevpac medication which is reducing the acid. I thank you so much for your response. I think with something like this that everyone doesn't know about, it's important that the patient get some comfort.

I have read where many people said they are experiencing anxiety since they were diagnosed. Is it possible that the pain they have (and I have) in the throat (feeling that it is closing) due to being tense from anxiety?

[Helico_expert]

50% of the world population is infected with this bacteria and many of them still not knowing. So, yes! you are not alone. It is a very common infection. It is so common that it is like a normal flora, eg. skin bacteria or bacteria that's on everyone. Some scientists even believe that H. pylori infection reduces allergy. eg. asthma.

http://www.jci.org/articles/view/45041

About anxiety, I believe everyone has certain level of anxiety. In fact, anxiety can lead to many psychological effect. There was a human trial case about feeding people with H. pylori and placebo. This patient had so much trouble (eg. vomit, headache, stomach pain, restless leg, almost die and was sent into hospital). He was treated due to his extreme symptoms. However, at the end of the trial, we found out that he had placebo.

So, I think everyone should just think positively. It'll be better. And really, H. pylori is a very chronic infection. you will not die from it next week or month or years. As long as you confirm that your H. pylori is eradicated, you really shouldnt be worrying. Unless you have family history of stomach problem (eg. cancer). H. pylori is just one small factor that contributes to cancer. I think genetic history plays a more significant role. of course, the diet too (eg. high salt food leads to stomach cancer).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2682234/

[xceL]

Hey everyone!

I suggest you read my thread located here: viewtopic.php?f=33&t=202997
It's kinda been like a diary will all the crazy symptoms I've had with H pylori!

You may experience heartburn, so much so that you have so sleep in a seated position for a few nights. - Continuing PPI treatment and keeping antacids near you/your bed will be a good idea! near instant relief!

You may experience issues breathing, burping and an inability to eat much food at all. But this will pass in time! Time is healing!

You might also feel like the antibiotics are a god send and you can eat again! But then 2-3 days later you're back to feeling the H. Pylori symptoms!

I also had serious panic attacks. Two nights in a row, I was doubled over on the ground struggling to breathe. Scariest moment in my life! Almost called an ambulance. Went to the doctors, my lungs are perfectly fine and my body was just reacting even though my mind was not in a panic mode. I found that playing video games when I felt symptoms coming on as a great distraction, got rid of the symptoms within minutes. How crazy is that??

As for the throat issue. I've had plenty of them! I've been off my Antibiotics for nearly 2 months now, and just last week I've been feeling a lump in my throat again, same as when i had my panic attacks. It contributes to my early satiety when eating and it has caused some mucus build up too. So for 4-5 nights in a row I would wake up with the feeling that I was going to vomit, but it ended up being mucus just sliding down my throat causing a gag-like reflex.

So my advice is, persevere!! It WILL get better. Very bloody slowly, but it will gradually get better. I strongly suggest buying a probiotic and taking some mastic gum. Not sure if taking this combination caused my better health the following day of taking them or if it was a coincidence, but do consider it!

Your stomach is also going to be WRECKED. H. Pylori + Tonnes of anti-biotics = concoction of stomach killing!! I suggest you ask your GP or Gastroenterologist to prescribe you a couple months worth of PPIs to take once a day, just to let your stomach recover from the crazy inflammation and to potentially heal any ulcers that may be present.

Best of luck, I wish you all good health!

[bbad]

I was diagnosed yesterday with H Pylori after a biopsy checking for celiac disease. 6 months ago I was diagnosed with microscopic (Colliginis Colitis) which seems to have symptoms exasperated by gluten intake. The only symptom's of the H Pylori I have realized is outrageously bad breath. I have migraines and take amatriptaline as a preventative, also have WPW. Been prescribed the triple therapy and there are counter indications with the clarithromycin and the amatriptaline which appear to cause heart arrhythmias which the med line website states are serious.
Because today is the start of the Memorial day 3 day weekend, I called the Publix pharmacy where my script was filled and asked about this- the pharmacist told me it would be fine because I take the smallest dose of amatriptaline- don't think she was considering the WPW because I do not have medicine for this.
Research of this topic on the web has shown that this remedy can cause severe migraine. Also, everything I ready about the remedy suggests horrible diarrhea, and possible colitis resulting???? Im already having chronic microscopic colitis, I'm female 48 y/o. Please if anyone has any suggestions...

[kiddycat123]

I just wanted to give you an update on my progress. I completed the 14 day Prevpac treatment on Monday. I was feeling pretty good Tuesday, but today the nausea is back and I'm starting to feel the burning sensation in the back of my throat. I don't have the burning in the chest as I did before treatment. Is it normal to have a good day, then bad day like I seem to be having during the recovery? Are the antibiotics still in my system and working? I'm not sure how long they stay in the system to fight. I'm eating a lot of yogurt to help with the side effects and drinking plenty of water even after my treatment ended. I just want to make sure I'm doing everything right because this is one thing I never want to go through again. My next appointment with my GI is in a week.

Oh, almost forgot. I developed a bad case of oral thrush from the antibiotics so I am on medication for that. It seems to be helping. Something that has perplexed me though is that thrush has many of the same symptoms of H Pylori. When I started getting the symptoms, I also had a peritonsillar abscess at the same exact time. I'm wondering now if they are all related.

[Helico_expert]

To Kiddycat

So you just finish your treatment? give yourself a week or two and we'll see how it goes. The recovery time different from case to case as everyone has different severity of stomach lining damage. Normally it takes a week or two for the stomach to recover.

if you find yogurt is helping, then you just keep doing it. Just remember, even though yogurt is good, if you eat too much, you'll probably feel bad. it's very important to keep a balance of diet.

[kiddycat123]

Thank you. I guess I spoke too soon because today my stomach is a mess. I'm only doing 1 yogurt a day to try to help. Is there something they can give me to help other than that? Also, you mention a balanced diet. Since I'm new to this whole balanced diet (I was eating junk food and soda before this), do you have suggestions on what I should eat?