Helicobacter Forums

Hi
I am a male from Sumatera Indonesia. I suffered the symptoms probably associated with Helicobacter infection.
Symptoms like:
indigestion (big time... feeling full most of the time) I usually have big appetite...nowadays, I get full with just small amount of food, heartburn at night. I often get upset stomach after consuming sugary foods and drinks. The strangest thing is... the symptoms often go away after I take diarrhea medication such as coptidis tablets (berberine). The one most annoying symptom I have is bloating. Usually, I can easily pass the gas (burp) but nowadays it is difficult. It feels like you have all the gas in your stomach but you can't expel it. All of this feeling is situated just below the middle of ribcage.
Am I infected?

Now in a country where the hygiene is not good and frequent reinfection is possible, do you suggest complete eradication?
Or are there any drugs that can be used to suppress the bacteria?

I also by chance encounter articles that tetracycline usage has some negative effects on fertility. Is it possible during the standard eradication treatment of helicobacter resulted in fertility issue later in life?

Sci Rep. 2012; 2: 375
Human Reproduction vol.13 no.7 pp.1878–1886, 1998

Thank you for your attention

Indonesia is a very interesting place. The H. pylori prevalence is very low among the "natives". I highlight "natives" because what I meant is non-Chinese and non- Indian. Nevertheless, the best way to find out if you are infected is to visit your local GP and get a breath test done.

that is very interesting...are you sure about that? I know locals take antacids regularly...I happen to be chinese ethnic.
Is the breath test specific? can other pathogens cause false signal? urea breath test right?

I am pretty sure about that.

reference:
http://www.gutpathogens.com/content/6/1/42

How about you try help me ask around your "Native" Indonesian friends. See how many of them have heard of H. pylori or have been diagnosed with H. pylori? Perhaps, when you are getting a breath test done in your local GP, help me ask your GP and see what he thinks.

Urea Breath test is very specific. the false positive or negative error is low IF you take it correctly.