3 weeks after quad therapy symptoms still exist :(

[country girl]

Hello
I have no idea how long I have had h pylori, diagnosed when went to doc for severe stomach pain upon waking. Other symptoms, bloating, lack of appetite, gas, fullness, fatigue. Just finished 2nd antibiotic treatment May 11th.Still have symptoms. Gastro doc said shouldn't have to be tested to see if it's gone because I have no ulcers. Initial triple therapy was clarithimycin, amoxicillin , testa. Did breath test after treatment neg for h pylori(2013)
2015
Endoscope & colonoscopy. Positive for H pylori. Quadruple therapy=Tetracycline metronidazole rabeprazole Pepto Bismal

I thought breath test was considered accurate, doctor said bacteria was likely dormant, & likely never gone. So frustrating as therapies are difficult & you continue hoping for positive outcome.

No test as of yet to say positive or negative. Have read could take months years to feel normal. Should I be re tested & don't think I should do breath test.
I should mention my iron storage is low was on iron supplements for over a year hence GP sending me for endoscope, said he couln't understand why iron levels so resistant to come up. I believe everything my anemia, low iron, fatigue, are all related to h pylori.

I can't believe people live with this dreadful bug, my gastro doctor said I didn't have to treat it if I didn't want to. How many times can you take antibiotics for this? And why would you not treating this ever be suggested.

[Helico_expert]

I think it's important that you do a test to find out if your H. pylori has been eradicated. Or else you'll never find out what's wrong with you. If your iron level is associated with H. pylori, its eradication will slowly raise your iron level. So, that's one extra justification to check your H. pylori status.

your second treatment is a strong one. H. pylori should be eradicated. If you still get a positive breath test, you'll need to do endoscopy, collect biopsy, culture bacteria and antibiotic sensitivity testing.

since i believe your breath test will most likely come back negative, maybe we can discuss strategies of preventing reinfection.

who do you live with? perhaps you should get them check too. You have a pet dog or cat? it's rare that H. pylori jump host. But if you share food with them constant enough, it might just happen. the best practice is to avoid sharing food and water; practice hygiene such as washing hands after toilets and mouth cleansing. Unfortunately, everyone who stays under the same roof will have to practice hygiene to prevent transmission of H. pylori.

[country girl]

Thanks so much for your reply. I live in Canada in the province of Ontario. I do have a 2 dogs but practice pretty good hygiene. I work in retail (liquor store) in a fairly low income area. Individuals with pretty low character, so hand washing, not touching my face & gloves at work are always on my radar. Weird though that one of my customers was telling she had H pylori & spent the night in the hospital. Can bacteria survive on money? Also what about flys? We live in the country so there always around. Again I am pretty germ conscious so practice safe handling of food. I'm certain it is not from my own home, I like to think I am pretty clean. No one else has any symtoms except me. Should household be tested. I am very fussy about cleanliness and germs at home, so it so weird that me of all people contracted this. And I don't mean to toot my own horn or brag but I just can't fathom how I got it. Breath test cost 80.00 so stool sample may be route for me. Can bacteria lay dormant as my GI said it had? Or is it likely I got reinfected? Truly appreciate these forums and will definently donate to keep them going.

[Helico_expert]

You can donate your time and experience to help other members.

Most likely you have been infected with H. pylori as a child. Studies have shown that children as young as 2 years old is already infected with this bacteria. Normally, it'll stay quietly in people. Only a handful of people become sick and start to discover their infection. It is still debating if H. pylori is a pathogen. Because children grew up with H. pylori were found with less allergies and immune diseases. They think H. pylori has something to do with taming or training the immune system as it is developing.

it's hard for adult to get infected because we dont simply put things in our mouth like young children. H. pylori has very short life outside human body. So how adults get transmitted is still a myth. We like to believe that it comes into us via oral route. So kissing, sharing food, sharing unclean toilet, and poor hygiene would be the reason.

Your initial negative breath test in 2013 and later positive endoscopy result in 2015 suggest to me that someone very close to you may have past the bug back to you.

Can fly be a media? very likely. There is a research group that has been sequencing genomes of flies have identified H. pylori on the flies. I helped catching and donated some Australian flies to this group and I am yet to see the data for this claim.

[cognibrain]

Hi friends,
I am a new to this forum, happy to join here.
What I read I really like that, Thank you.

Medical research News

[sunshine37]

"It's hard for adult to get infected because we dont simply put things in our mouth like young children. H. pylori has very short life outside human body. So how adults get transmitted is still a myth. We like to believe that it comes into us via oral route. So kissing, sharing food, sharing unclean toilet, and poor hygiene would be the reason."

Thank you for sharing that kissing and sharing food, etc., may be the culprit...

[Helico_expert]

just want to stress that kissing is a possible route. we still have no proof of viable H. pylori from mouth yet. However, we are able to detect H. pylori DNA from the saliva from infected person. So, please dont get too paranoid.