Helicobacter Forums

Is it possible that h.pylori eradication cause increased acid secretion?

This reply is for Ajeeth.

I started having h pylori symptoms in early March. I started feeling burning pain in my stomach, belching, acid reflux, bloating, and severe shortness of breath.
My gastroenterologist diagnosed me with irritable bowel syndrome and gerd.
I continued insisting something else was wrong so he proposed an ultrasound for my gallbladder.
I went to my primary and asked for a stool sample to get tested for h pylori. I had to do my own research and self diagnose myself sadly enough.
Unsurprisingly, it came back positive. Similar to you, I have never experienced acid reflux or gerd in my life and I'm almost 40.
I did a treatment of metronidazole, Tetracycline, ppi 2x a day, and bismuth 4x a day.
I wasnt able to tolerate metronidazole. I called the doctor about the side effect of hand numbness and burning in my hands and he told me to stop taking it but to continue with tetracycline, bismuth, and ppi. I suspected that my treatment would fail but remained quiet.
It ultimately did fail but im in a worse position now because I developed reflux esophagitis while taking tetracycline. I haven't been able to swallow solid or soft food for 3 months now.
Initially, the doctor thought I had candida on my tongue, throat and possibly stomach and gave me nystantin and baking soda rinses which further irritated my throat and thats why I can't eat food now. They did a culture and a endoscopic biopsy in my stomach, throat and mouth which was all negative. I have a white tongue now after the antibiotics but its not candida.
I take simethicone or gas x to control the burping and belching. The ppi does not suppress the gas sufficiently to stop the belching but gas x and has been helping me to recover from tightness in my throat, burning in my lower esophagis, and to stop the burping with acid reflux.
Simethicone helps me to taje a full breath because its antibloating. When I stop taking simethicone, my throat gets very tight and I burp much more. It stays tight for a few days without simethicone. Therefore, I have concluded for myself that simethicone helps to control the gas, burping, and bloating symptoms of h pylori where antacids fall short.

Hi TinaSF,

Thank you so much for your reply and I understand you have been through a very hard time.

Are you considering any secondary treatment for H.Pylori? As its still positive.

Im 24 and Yuh I have never had acid reflux, its strange that I keep getting it most of the time now. Somedays I feel better, somedays I don't. I would have constant burning sometimes. I do not belch a lot. Its a minimal but its there. I'm getting blood test done for H.Pylori today and my doctor told if its positive we will do a quad therapy. I guess I'll have to wait patiently.

How certain are you that tetracycline gave your reflux esophagatis? I do get white tongue too but its been there with me my whole life now I think. Even my doctor thought I had candida amd thats what causing my reflux. I tried nystatin oral suspension for 2 weeks now but still no relief. Guess its not candida. I am waiting for an endoscopy appointment to see whats happening inside my body and hopefully get a biopsy for H.Pylori as well.

Have you tried taking any PPIs for acid reflux?

I hope you get better. This constant burning and bloating is so frustrating.

Plotun wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 1:10 am

Is it possible that h.pylori eradication cause increased acid secretion?

Yes. as your stomach gets healthier, you can sometimes produce more acid. In fact, that's why many people have better appetite after HP eradication and gain some weight.

@Helico_expert

Does that mean our stomach acids will be more than normal level after H.Pylori is eradicated completely.?

Yes, I definitely plan on doing another treatment once my throat heals. I was diagnosed by manometry with reflux esophagitis. My doctor wants my throat to heal sufficiently before attempting to start another treatment. He's right because at the moment I'm unable to swallow tablets because it requires throat contractions and muscle strength in my throat which I'm currently lacking.
I started taking prilosec 20mg, 2x a day during treatment and treatment for reflux esophagitis is prilosec 20mg, twice a day so I have stayed on prilosec since the treatment 3 1/2 months ago.
I noticed I experienced throat tightness every time I would swallow a tetracycline tablet after 1 week of taking it. I think my stomach acid got worse during treatment and prilosec 40mg a day wasn't strong enough. Tetracycline is known to cause localized acid burns in the throat so it could be it got more irritated but the irritation was already there from acid reflux. Then when they misdiagnosed me with candida and had me swish and swallow nystantin and baking soda, it burned up my throat even more and that's why my throat isn't working normally now.

You might want to try taking a good quality probiotic like Florastor in the meantime until you get your results. It might help with overall digestive health. It takes a few weeks to start working and if you do have h pylori, which I hope you don't, you'll have to be on a probiotic anyway to improve eradication rate and to help protect yourself against stomach complications from antibiotic use.

Thanks a lot for your suggestions TinaSF. I hope your throat heals well and you get better results from your second treatment.

Yuh I talked to my doctor today and I have planned to take Mastic gum, probiotics, Manuka honey. Though these won't eradicate H.Pylori in the system, they might help the antibiotics in the eradication process.

I'll wait for the blood results and yuh I hope I don't have this bacterial infection.

Even my doctor thought I had candida and I'll finish my nystatin oral solution by this Wednesday but its not helping much.

All my symptoms seem to be very minimal expect the heartburn. I only get mild heartburn that too I'm able to manage if I drink lots of water or chew gum occasionally, but that's all temperory solution. I'm trying so hard to understand whats causing all this. I hope I get some answers from the blood results or my endoscopy. My anxiety has been an issue lately as well, and sometimes it kinda intensifies my heartburn. I could feel it.

Does that mean our stomach acids will be more than normal level after H.Pylori is eradicated completely.?

probably yes. That's why some people develop reflux symptoms after HP treatment. However, majority of the population has no problem with it.

I'll wait for the blood results and yuh I hope I don't have this bacterial infection.

Blood test for HP after treatment is probably not a good idea. Your blood test will most probably be positive for H. pylori as your immune response has memory of the bacteria. It can take months or even years for the antibody to go away.

Helico_expert wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 8:35 am

Plotun wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 24, 2020 1:10 am

Is it possible that h.pylori eradication cause increased acid secretion?

Yes. as your stomach gets healthier, you can sometimes produce more acid.

Could You please explain the mechanism behind this?