HP & anxiety disorder--any likely link?

[scubadiva]

Hi

About a year ago my Mum was diagnosed and treated for HP after experiencing heart palpitations and digestive problems.

She recently began experiencing the same HP symptoms and has also suddenly developed acute anxiety. She has no history of anxiety disorder (she's always been a very happy-go-lucky person), so it's sudden onset has us scratching our heads. Aside from the HP, she has always had excellent health.

I'm curious if there is a possible link between HP and anxiety. It occurred to me that the old thinking was that ulcers were caused by stress/anxiety and I wondered if the corollary might have some basis.

I've found these papers that seem to suggest a possible link:

• http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/co ... 1.abstract
  http://jech.bmj.com/content/63/12/1016.abstract
  http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/38/3/21.2.full

Mum's GP has booked her in for, (I think), a laproscope, but she lives in regional NSW, so it is some weeks away (I'm not sure why they aren't doing a breath test for HP).

So, my question if there is a potential link:
is treatment for HP likely to be effective on the anxiety (ie: is HP directly causing the anxiety through some biological affect), or is it a secondary effect (perhaps due to malabsorption of a key nutritional factor [eg: zinc, B6/12, etc.])?

I've noticed a few websites claiming HP causes nutritional malabsorption and that this can affect mental health. I'd love your opinion on whether this is quackery or worth pursuing.

Thanks
Rachel

[Helico_expert]

hi,

i am not expert in anxiety, but from a microbiologist point of view, i dont think it has a link between anxiety and HP. i dont think those paper you presented is either relevant or in any significant.

so why is your mum going through laproscope? i do hope you meant gastroscopy.

nevertheless, you are right that your mum should get a breath test done before pursuing for gastroscopy. unless your mum is suffering from some stomach discomfort. then perhaps it is worth looking at the stomach, perhaps there is non-HP related ulcers.

[scubadiva]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I did mean a gastroscopy--I knew it was some kind of 'scopy'!

I'll dig further re: the breath test.

Cheers

[IainJac]

My daughter has been diagnosed with HP approximately 4 months ago, and she also seems to be very anxious. She has just had her second round of treatment, and we have our fingers crossed it has worked, although there does not appear to be any improvement as yet. She is in constant pain, and I cannot get her back to school, even thought the term started 4 weeks ago.

I have made her an appointment to see our GP tomorrow to discuss this, but i'm wondering if your mum, like my daughter is so uncomfortable with the pain associated with HP, she just isn't coping full stop. I believe her anxiety is associated to the level of pain, and whether she is able to cope outside if it gets bad.

I'm desperately hoping this round of treatment works, as i'm very concerned about her.

I hope your mum recovers soon.

[Helico_expert]

Let's hope your daughter able to get rid of this nasty bug. the next fail treatment, you'll need to bring your daughter for endoscopy check up.

[wrocnrob@yahoo.com]

I'm a 48 year-old male and have a similar problems with GERD, asthma, afib and possibly hiatal hernia with helicobacter related ulcers. My anxiety is partially the result of these symptoms, not the cause. I am not sure what to do other than treat the symptoms and live with it since I'm a US citizen without health insurance.

[Helico_expert]

Hi,

I am not sure how the health system works in US. but, have you checked if you carry H. pylori?

[Surviving]

I myself, have not ready anything that has found a link to helio and anxiety disorders. I have had interactions with many professionals with expertise in this area and have not been warned of this possibility. Was there anything else going on at the same time that may have triggered the anxiety side of things? Also, is there a chance she became anxious about her health after the diagnosis and this may have triggered the anxiety? These may be some questions she should investigate with her physician.

[sabahat]

I was give Clarithromycin, Amoxicillin, Omeprazole, which I took for 10 days, when the pain then came back i was give more of the antibiotics for 7 days, but nothing since even though I still get the pain the doctor has told me if I get the pain just to take a Omeprazole

[Helico_expert]

you need to find out if your H. pylori has been eradicated. try stopping omeprazole for a month and repeat the breath test.