C14 UBT and opinions needed
Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 12:51 am
Hi guys, found this site through an online search and it looks like an amazing resource/place for all things related to H. Pylori.
I just wanted to ask some questions before going ahead with treatment I was prescribed a few months ago and haven't started doing yet. I was looking to find the answer to one specific question, but didn't realize there was a website like this, so since I have a bunch of other questions, I thought I may as well ask since you guys seem very knowledgeable about this.
I'll start by saying, I've been having gut issues for years now and have slowly/gradually changed my diet over the past 4-5 years (starting out by cutting out sugar, grains and just eating whole foods, but also still eating pretty high carb, and then eventually the past 3 years doing a ketogenic diet). On all the diets I had similar symptoms (bloating, gas, belching, mild burning sensation in my stomach when I haven't eaten for a while, heavy feeling in stomach/gut even after eating a small amount of food, average/mediocre energy most of the time no matter what I ate, not feeling satisfied/satiated after a meal, stools that are semi-formed/sticky/loose and diarrhea for stretches of time etc.). I thought a dietary issue was the cause and I could fix it that way, but none of that has really worked the way I wanted it to (Great energy, better mental clarity, better bowel movements are the main things I wanted to improve), so after a lot of reading 4-5 months ago I ended up doing a consultation with an online doctor and asked for tests such as H. Pylori and any other tests they deemed relevant for gut issues.
I didn't see a regular GP, though, as I went with a low carb high fat doctor because the last time I went to a regular GP, the doctor I saw said a high fat diet is bad and I had to stop doing it. I never went back as I tried to tell them I was already having issues before going LCHF, and overall, I feel better on LCHF. I was a bit upset being told to stop my diet when they weren't listening to why I was there. Anyway, the LCHF doctor was much better, and he was the one that ordered a more comprehensive set of tests. When he looked at my previous test results from a couple of years ago, and compared to the current ones I had now that were more comprehensive, he said it looked like I had a malabsorption issue as I'm not getting the nutrients from the food I eat. Same thing I tried to tell the GP I saw a couple of years ago, but for whatever reason, they wouldn't listen .
Anyway, I had both a stool and breath test (C14 here in Australia), and the stool test came back negative for most things (H.Pylori, parasites, and whatever else they tested for expect for Faecal Calprotectin which had a score of 186 I think it was, which apparently indicates inflammation). As for the H. Pylori breath test, that came back with a positive score of 66 (not sure if the same measurements are used in all countries, but here in AU, apparently it's on the lower end of the scale). I also fasted without water a lot longer than I was told to, probably for about 12-14 hours or so. Not sure if this is too long as I was told to fast for 4-6 hours without water and food.
Basically, I wanted to ask, looking at my symptoms, and the negative stool test and positive/not so high breath test, would you guys say I do have H. Pylori? I've held off getting the H. Pylori eradication medication as I don't usually like taking anything pharmaceutical, but from what I've read, going the natural route might not do much, and this is one instance where antibiotics would be better. I've also read the opposite where people have had to take numerous rounds of antibiotics as the treatments didn't work, so I am a bit worried about that. I am willing to take it, though, as I've had enough of not feeling optimal even though I've had a very clean diet for the most part, and it can get very depressing at times when you are trying that hard and not seeing results.
Here is some questions I have :
1. I haven't had antibiotics since I was younger (probably 15 or so years ago is the last time, but I don't think I finished the whole course for whatever reason. I didn't know back then that you should finish the course if given one. Would that be an issue if it was that long ago?), anyway, would not having it for that long of a time be better or worse? Would I have a better chance of getting rid of the Helicobacter Pylori since I haven't had any antibiotics in a long time?
2. I read something about having H. Pylori in your mouth. I have quite a bit of dental plaque behind my front teeth that seems to form pretty quickly even after getting a teeth clean no matter if I bush everyday (I usually always have a dry mouth when I wake up despite drinking water before going to bed, but not sure what is causing the rapid build up). Do I need to get the tartar/calculus or whatever it's called removed before taking the H. Pylori eradication treatment? I can't really afford to go to a dentist right now, but will make an effort to do so if you guys think that should be done first?
3. How long after the antibiotics should I take the next breath test? Also, is it safe to keep taking the C14 breath tests as I was told the tablet they have you take contains radiation?
4. I'm not sure about what to eat while taking the antibiotics as I'd rather stay on my high fat keto diet, and I only ask because I've read eating fatty meat isn't good for H.Pylori (if true, why is this?). I haven't had a cold of flu for the 3+ years I've been doing this way of eating, either (I used to get 4-5 bad colds/flus a year when on a carb based diet), so I'd rather continue on with it while taking the H.P eradication treatment if it's not detrimental to having it work. I will also add that sometimes I have cheated for 1-2 months at a time (sugar and some carbs) as I've felt depressed due to my main symptoms not resolving, but I do mostly go 9, 10 month stretches where I am strictly keto.
5. I was also told to take a bunch of supplements (vitamin c, d, creatine, glycine, magnesium etc.), should I take them after the H. Pylori eradication treatment? Would taking supplements during lower it's efficacy?
Thanks for any help or advice you guys can give me.
I just wanted to ask some questions before going ahead with treatment I was prescribed a few months ago and haven't started doing yet. I was looking to find the answer to one specific question, but didn't realize there was a website like this, so since I have a bunch of other questions, I thought I may as well ask since you guys seem very knowledgeable about this.
I'll start by saying, I've been having gut issues for years now and have slowly/gradually changed my diet over the past 4-5 years (starting out by cutting out sugar, grains and just eating whole foods, but also still eating pretty high carb, and then eventually the past 3 years doing a ketogenic diet). On all the diets I had similar symptoms (bloating, gas, belching, mild burning sensation in my stomach when I haven't eaten for a while, heavy feeling in stomach/gut even after eating a small amount of food, average/mediocre energy most of the time no matter what I ate, not feeling satisfied/satiated after a meal, stools that are semi-formed/sticky/loose and diarrhea for stretches of time etc.). I thought a dietary issue was the cause and I could fix it that way, but none of that has really worked the way I wanted it to (Great energy, better mental clarity, better bowel movements are the main things I wanted to improve), so after a lot of reading 4-5 months ago I ended up doing a consultation with an online doctor and asked for tests such as H. Pylori and any other tests they deemed relevant for gut issues.
I didn't see a regular GP, though, as I went with a low carb high fat doctor because the last time I went to a regular GP, the doctor I saw said a high fat diet is bad and I had to stop doing it. I never went back as I tried to tell them I was already having issues before going LCHF, and overall, I feel better on LCHF. I was a bit upset being told to stop my diet when they weren't listening to why I was there. Anyway, the LCHF doctor was much better, and he was the one that ordered a more comprehensive set of tests. When he looked at my previous test results from a couple of years ago, and compared to the current ones I had now that were more comprehensive, he said it looked like I had a malabsorption issue as I'm not getting the nutrients from the food I eat. Same thing I tried to tell the GP I saw a couple of years ago, but for whatever reason, they wouldn't listen .
Anyway, I had both a stool and breath test (C14 here in Australia), and the stool test came back negative for most things (H.Pylori, parasites, and whatever else they tested for expect for Faecal Calprotectin which had a score of 186 I think it was, which apparently indicates inflammation). As for the H. Pylori breath test, that came back with a positive score of 66 (not sure if the same measurements are used in all countries, but here in AU, apparently it's on the lower end of the scale). I also fasted without water a lot longer than I was told to, probably for about 12-14 hours or so. Not sure if this is too long as I was told to fast for 4-6 hours without water and food.
Basically, I wanted to ask, looking at my symptoms, and the negative stool test and positive/not so high breath test, would you guys say I do have H. Pylori? I've held off getting the H. Pylori eradication medication as I don't usually like taking anything pharmaceutical, but from what I've read, going the natural route might not do much, and this is one instance where antibiotics would be better. I've also read the opposite where people have had to take numerous rounds of antibiotics as the treatments didn't work, so I am a bit worried about that. I am willing to take it, though, as I've had enough of not feeling optimal even though I've had a very clean diet for the most part, and it can get very depressing at times when you are trying that hard and not seeing results.
Here is some questions I have :
1. I haven't had antibiotics since I was younger (probably 15 or so years ago is the last time, but I don't think I finished the whole course for whatever reason. I didn't know back then that you should finish the course if given one. Would that be an issue if it was that long ago?), anyway, would not having it for that long of a time be better or worse? Would I have a better chance of getting rid of the Helicobacter Pylori since I haven't had any antibiotics in a long time?
2. I read something about having H. Pylori in your mouth. I have quite a bit of dental plaque behind my front teeth that seems to form pretty quickly even after getting a teeth clean no matter if I bush everyday (I usually always have a dry mouth when I wake up despite drinking water before going to bed, but not sure what is causing the rapid build up). Do I need to get the tartar/calculus or whatever it's called removed before taking the H. Pylori eradication treatment? I can't really afford to go to a dentist right now, but will make an effort to do so if you guys think that should be done first?
3. How long after the antibiotics should I take the next breath test? Also, is it safe to keep taking the C14 breath tests as I was told the tablet they have you take contains radiation?
4. I'm not sure about what to eat while taking the antibiotics as I'd rather stay on my high fat keto diet, and I only ask because I've read eating fatty meat isn't good for H.Pylori (if true, why is this?). I haven't had a cold of flu for the 3+ years I've been doing this way of eating, either (I used to get 4-5 bad colds/flus a year when on a carb based diet), so I'd rather continue on with it while taking the H.P eradication treatment if it's not detrimental to having it work. I will also add that sometimes I have cheated for 1-2 months at a time (sugar and some carbs) as I've felt depressed due to my main symptoms not resolving, but I do mostly go 9, 10 month stretches where I am strictly keto.
5. I was also told to take a bunch of supplements (vitamin c, d, creatine, glycine, magnesium etc.), should I take them after the H. Pylori eradication treatment? Would taking supplements during lower it's efficacy?
Thanks for any help or advice you guys can give me.