Helicobacter Forums

Hi, I am new to this forum but have been reading all about HP for the last couple of months. My story is that I was diagnosed with HP in April after suffering severe gastritis. I had a stool test, which was negative then a gastroscopy and biopsy, which was positive, so was treated with Amoxcilyn, Clarithromycin and Omeprazole but this did not make a difference so I had another dose which helped but the symptoms returned after a few weeks. I had my last course of this therapy (3rd and final) in August and all symptoms disappeared for 10 days but since then have gradually returned. I am now on Esomeprazole (40mg) and Ranitidine (150mg). My consultant has disagreed that should need more than one course of combined antibiotics and although I am not clear of the symptoms has said that I have IBS and not a problem with gastritis/acid reflux, although I have all the symptoms. He wants to test for HP again to make sure I am clear by doing a stool test but has said I can stay on the PPI but I don't have confidence that this test will be acurate as it wasn't last time. I am now on IBS treatment but this is not helping the gastritis symptoms! Please can anyone tell me if there is an expert in the UK who will listen to my story and advise. I will not return to my consultant because when I saw him last he told me that I had too much time on my hands to come up with symptoms, so basically I'm imagining the problem now! I have paid privately to see this guy and I really need to be able to go through all the issues with someone who will listen. Please can anyone advise me?

Perhaps you would like to go for a Urea Breath test? It's fairly simple and very sensitive. Or, if endoscopy is possible, perhaps you should repeat the endoscopy BUT this time request for antibiotic sensitivity test IF there is H. pylori. Therefore, your specialist can prescribe you with the most effective antibiotic cocktail.

The CLOtest and histology during endoscopy will be able to tell if you are still infected with H. pylori. If you arent infected, at least the specialist can examine if the gastritis has reduced.

Thank you very much for your prompt relpy. The problem I have is that my specialist won't listen to me and insists that I can't have gastritis or acid reflux because the PPI will have turned off the acid (I wish it had!) and insists it is all down to IBS. Unfortunately, I still have the same symptoms as before only, I admit it is not quite so intense. He has told me that the breath test is not available in the UK now and he won't do another endoscopy as he feels it isn't necessary. So I'm a bit stuck and would really like to see a specialist who will listen and not blame everything on IBS...
Do you know of anyone who understands the routine of treating someone with HP? I really have lost confidence in my medical advisors especially as I have had the same combination of antibiotics three times (I was given a fourth dose but haven't taken it yet as I really don't think it will work).

unfortunately I cannot recommend anybody in UK. Hopefully some other members will be able to help you out. Mean while, if you have any other questions, I am happy to discuss with you.

As you say perhaps someone will be able to recommend someone to me. However, I have just emailed another GI specialist asking if he would be prepared to give me a second opinion and I can then go armed with the information you have given me, so your help is appreciated and it's given me the courage to try to sort this out. So again, thank you.

Further to my previous posts under HP Expert in UK. The update is that I have just been to see another GI specialist today who is going to do a 24 hour PH test to see what the acid levels are like, then once we have established whether on not this is normal he wants me to have another endoscopy. He is going to do a biopsy to see if I am clear of HP but before he does this he says that I will need to come off all antacids for 6 weeks. Please can you tell me if this is necessary? I have been on PPIs for 7 years for acid reflux and have had bad gastritis on and off, for the past few months, so I am dreading having to come off. I thought that HP can be detected by taking a biopsy without coming off PPIs...Please can you advise?

stop everything for 6 weeks is a bit extreme. Here are some references to how long you should stop for each drug before urea breath test.

http://www.imvs.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/conne ... OD=AJPERES

http://www.dynalifedx.com/Portals/0/pdf ... breath.pdf

Hi Helico_expert, thanks for your reply. I'm not going to have a breath test as the consultant is going to do an endoscopy and take a biospy to if the bacteria has cleared up. Unfortunately, they are not doing breath tests in the UK at the moment. Please can you confirm whether or not I have to come off Esomeprazole before the endoscopy?
Your help is most appreciated. Thank you.

Unfortunately, it is better you follow your doctor's advise. However, the guideline for the UBT should also work for stool test and endoscopy. You may use these guideline as a reference to discuss with your doctor when to stop your esomeprazole.