Have i been given the wrong treatment

[wiperpaul]

I am 18 Years old
Male
I have been suffering H pylori for just under a year now. I was told by my GP (general practitioner)/family doctor that it was likely i contracted helico from someone abroad or the pool, i did not know much about the transmission so thought this to be true. I have been given two courses of treatment for helico the first was just omeprazole 200mg once a day, after completing my course i and still suffering i was then given ranitadine and more omeprazole which i found strange seeing as i had already had omeprazole before. I also looked into both of these medications and although my GP called them antibiotics i keep finding information suggesting these drugs do similair things both seeming to specify on acid reduction in the stomach. Have i actually been given antibiotics at all ?

I havent came on these forums to winge but simply to acquire some information/advice, do you think i should see a specialist of somekind or ask for the breath and urine test to check for other stomach/gut parasites?

any advice welcome, im sick of being in pain and this getting in the way of my life.

-EDIT forgot to say i have been diagnosed via blood test

[Helico_scientist]

Hello,

Omeprazole and Ranitadine are definitely not antibiotics. They can only reduce the acidity in your stomach. To eradicate Helicobacter you need to take Omeprazole with at least 2 other antibiotics (triple therapy) such as Amoxicillin, Metronidazole or Chlarithromycin. These antibiotics are recommended as a first treatment and have an eradication rate of 80%.
I would recommend to ses a specialist or another GP. If the blood test was positive, it is very likely that you still have Helico but if you want to be sure I would suggest a breath test or stool test which will give you the current infection. And don't forget to do breath test or stool test 3/4 weeks after treatment to confirm eradication as some people are resistant to treatment (in which case you can use other antibiotics).
Hope this help. Good luck

[wiperpaul]

Thanks for the fast reply,

Yes i will inquire with my GP before going to a specialist and ask if she is aware that i have not previously had any antibiotics course.Is the specialist i would need to see a Gastroenterologist consultant ?

[Helico_scientist]

The specialist would have to a gastroenterologist but perhaps you could seek a second opinion from a different GP first. Normally any GP should be able to prescribe the triple therapy. If it become more complicated (resistance, pain after eradication...) then a specialist will be able to help you.

[davehompes]

wiperpaul,

Hpylori_apprentice is dead right.

The meds you've been given are for shutting down stomach acid, not for killing H pylori.

Omeprazole shuts stomach acid production off completely. If your symptoms remain while
taking that med, your issue is very unlikely to be caused by high levels of stomach acid, in
which case the med is pretty much useless. Same goes for Ranitidine.

Finding the root cause is your key.

If you picked something up on holiday, it may or may not be H pylori. Many bad bugs lurk in
swimming pools, including Cryptosporidium and Giardia.

There are many bugs that cause similar symptoms, but H pylori is the most common for sure.

If I were in your shoes, I'd ask your GP for a H pylori test, whether it's blood, breath or stool.

I'd get that done ASAP.

Then, if it comes back negative, I'd look into a more comprehensive stool test that looks
for other bad bugs.

In the UK, there are a few good providers - I personally use the Metametrix GI Effects 2100
test with all my clients. I find all sorts of invaders in their results, most of which are missed
in the conventional medical labs.

See:

www.Metametrix.com
www.h-pylori-symptoms.com/h-pylori-testing

But first, try to get the H pylori test from your doc.

Warmest regs,
Dave Hompes.