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H pylori, moderate gastritis

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:20 am
by sms08h
Hello,
I was found to have an h pylori infection via a blood test. I completed 7 days of triple therapy (amoxicillin, omeprazole, and clarithromycin) 6 weeks ago. Eradication was confirmed 2 weeks later via a stool antigen test. 4 weeks after the treatment ended I decided to have an endoscopy because I still felt nauseous and had some burning in my stomach if I went awhile without eating.

The endoscopy showed moderate chronic gastritis in the Antrum of my stomach which is where h pylori usually causes gastritis, or so I hear. The endoscopy was negative for h pylori too. I do not have any hernias, crohns, celiacs, GERD, or any other problems going on. Only the gastritis. Sometimes I feel kinda normal and other times I feel I am going to throw up. I just feel nauseous and queasy sometimes for seemingly no reason. I am burpy and hiccupy a lot too. Acid reflux medication hasn't helped me at all so I can't have reflux. Much of the time my throat feels like it has a lump in it. Can gastritis cause a sensation like that? I don't eat spicy or acidic foods anymore, nor have I ever smoked. I have drank before but very seldom, only 1-2 drinks in a social setting. I've been "sick" now since March 13th. The last time I touched alcohol before that was last year. My GI tried putting me on a PPI to help the gastritis but it didn't make me feel any better. He said I didn't have to take it. My GI does not seem to think that the gastritis in my stomach is even severe enough to cause my symptoms. He thinks it's due to stress. (my diagnosing and treating physician is a different doctor than my GI). He almost seems to reject that I had h pylori at all.

I have read a bunch of studies online about non ulcer dyspeptic patients who don't feel better following treatment. Those people have no gastritis or anything PHYSICALLY wrong with them, right? I am trying to stay strong and positive but I worry I could do something and my gastritis will get worse or my condition will. Or that it could get worse for no reason at all. I hate feeling nauseous and queasy everyday.

1. Is the nausea that I still have most likely my stomach/body healing?
2. Is gastritis an organic disease?
3. Am I classified as one of those non-ulcer dyspeptic patients that don't feel better following treatment?
4. Will all of this eventually go away or will it always be this way?

Re: H pylori, moderate gastritis

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 8:12 am
by Helico_scientist
Hello,

It can takes several months for your stomach to recover after H.pylori eradication. The good thing is that, apparently, H.pylori has been eradicated. I think you just have to be patient.

Good luck

Re: H pylori, moderate gastritis

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 10:11 am
by sms08h
thank you for response.

a friend of mine was treated empirically with flagyl twice a day for giardia for 3 days and then got a blood test checking for h pylori as well as giardia antibodies. the h pylori antibodies came back positive and the giardia was negative. would the flagyl make his blood test inaccurate? he isn't convinced that he has an h pylori infection. since i have had one I'm trying to get him to get treated. i know untreated h pylori can cause cancer and im really worried about him...

Re: H pylori, moderate gastritis

Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 7:10 am
by Helico_scientist
The best way to know if your friend has H.pylori is to do a breath test. I don't know about flegyl but, since the blood test is based on antibodies, it is pretty accurate. However, the blood test is going to tell you if you have and/or had H.pylori. It will stay positive even after eradication. That's why we prefer using the breath test. Also, I wouldn't worry too much about your friend. Indeed, I think its better to be treated when you know you have Hp. But remember that only a very small % of people having Hp have cancer/ulcer. Lots of people live all there life with this bacteria without having any symptoms.

Re: H pylori, moderate gastritis

Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 3:06 pm
by Helico_expert
flagyl is actually an antibiotic metronidazole. I just want to comment that if you had metronidazole before, and then you were tested positive for H. pylori, there is a risk that your H. pylori will become resistant to metronidazole and fail the standard therapy.

Other possibilities are:
1. metronidazole killed most of the H. pylori and so the breath test result come back negative.
So, one should do the breath test at least 2 to 3 weeks after antibiotic treatment.

2. metronidazole kill off all the H. pylori (unlikely, but possible), you'll never see positive result again.
So, if breath test came back negative 2 to 3 weeks later and you are not satisfied, you can get another breath test a few months later to double confirm.

Re: H pylori, moderate gastritis

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:49 am
by sms08h
Is there any timetable for how long it takes the gastritis caused by h pylori to heal?
Does it ever heal completely?
My h pylori has been eradicated but could my gastritis get worse? By just eating normal food? I avoid spicy foods, acidic foods, salt, alcohol etc. I feel like the acid that's always in the stomach would never let it heal.

Re: H pylori, moderate gastritis

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 3:51 pm
by Helico_scientist
The gastritis should not get worse after Hp eradication. However it can take a long time to heal. How long? Every body will heal differently so its not easy to answer this question.

Re: H pylori, moderate gastritis

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 9:22 pm
by sms08h
You guys are the best at responding promptly! :)
Do you know if gastritis completely heals or is it something we have to live with forever?
Thanks!

Re: H pylori, moderate gastritis

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 6:32 am
by Helico_expert
gastritis is inflammation in your stomach. If it is cause by H. pylori, and if you successfully eradicated H. pylori, the answer will be YES, gastritis will be completely healed.

Re: H pylori, moderate gastritis

Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 12:08 am
by sms08h
SWEEEEEET! That's the best news I've heard in a long time. I guess now its just a matter of patience.

I have tried PPIs but I didn't really notice a difference on them and I actually sometimes would feel worse. I have tried H2 blockers before bed but don't really notice a difference with them either. Is there natural herbs/remedies to help this gastritis heal? I tried a fruit juice fast for 2 days to try to give my stomach a chance to heal but since I've stopped it I kind of have been feeling worse...

I avoid spicy foods, chocolate, alcohol, citrus fruits, acidic foods, etc but could gastritis from an h pylori infection get worse without treatment with an acid suppressor? (NOTE: my h pylori has been fully eradicated and now I'm just stuck battling gastritis day in and day out) One doc told me I didn't have to take an acid suppressor and another told me that without one it could get worse. I don't know what to do :?
My stomach doesn't burn. It just feels a little upset at times and I feel nauseous all the time. Sometimes I feel more nauseous then others.