Helicobacter Forums

Hi guys,
I have just been reprimanded by the nurse that i did the ubt test too early. I took triple therapy (amox, clari, and panto) for a week. It has been 2 weeks post treatment and I did the breath test again yesterday and it came back positive today in fact the index is 2x higher than before. I wanted to see the doc but nurse insist that it is not accurate that I should wait another 6 weeks before redoing the test.
Hope to get some expert opinion here, I have been battling this bacteria for like 3-4 months already and wish to end this asap...thanks...

a false positive after two weeks is less likely. I think we are more worried about false negative after treatment. Nevertheless, what is 2x higher? is it still around the borderline? if it is, the result may not be trustable. If it is way higher than borderline, then it is more likely to be a true positive.

That is what i am thinking too, the nurse is too rigid in the "6 weeks duration" without understanding the reasoning.
My index this time is 7.5 compared to previously 3.5. (Cut off index for positive is 2.5)

Could you advise me how to get rid of this bug 100%, I'm so so tired of this, it is getting way too ridiculous! I am not a person who take antibiotics (didn't take for like 2 years probably) how can the triple therapy not work?! Should I ask the doc for quad therapy this time? Btw, does taking vitamin supplements affect the treatment e.g. vitamin D and vitamin Bs as I'm deficient due to this bacteria? Thanks so much for your help.

unfortunately there is no 100% method. You should discuss with your specialist about the possibility of organizing another endoscopy, culture the bacteria and perform an antibiotic sensitivity test. I think that will be the most efficient method in kill off your H. pylori. However, even with the guidance of antibiotic sensitivity testing, we have a cure rate of about 95%.

Reference to our publication
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1 ... 242.f04t02

Guess I will show this to the doctor and ask her to prescribe me parc or pbrc.
I read someone else experience that we should be extremely precise with the antibiotics instructions specifically before meal, is this true? When I got my medications it was stated "before or after meals" hence sometimes I took it before sometimes after. Even the ppi was "1 hour before meal", which later I found out the norm is 30 minuted before meal.

Do all these details matter, coming from a person that want to maximise my chances. Appreciate your replies!

In addition, helico expert, can I continue taking the vitamin supplements while I am on the quadruple therapy treatments?

although we asked patients to take it after meal, assuming that the drugs will stay in the stomach longer, I dont think it matters much. The drugs will be absorbed into the blood anyway.

vitamin supplements should be ok.

I am really grateful of your advice!

Anyway, I went to see my gastro and showed her the study. I requested for parc but she refused. She insisted of me taking tetra, metronidazole, bismuth and panto instead. If I want parc then she said i should find another doctor lol. Well, according to her, (based on her sample size) so far she has only 1 patient failing this quad therapy, so I will assume it's about 99% then considering she treats about 5 patients a day...she also mention I should trust her more because she has been treating a lot more patients.

its the start of my 4th day on this combo, but frankly, I don't feel any side effects from the drugs in fact, I feel a lot better immediately, hmm, hope it will stay this way!

I agree with your doctor. She'll know the region best. I am confident that the quadruple therapy she prescribed will work for you. Glad to hear that you suffer little to no side effect. Do keep us updated with your treatment.

I guess I spoke too soon, I'm now in the middle of the treatment and I'm starting to have stomach pain and discomfort from time to time. Is this normal because the first few days I was really feeling a lot better...now it seems to becoming worse...

(Btw I'm prescribed 14 days treatment)