Helicobacter Forums

Two weeks ago I had shared food and spoon with my new bride who tested H Pylori positive recently and now I suspect I contracted H pylori from her because we shared spoon and food for the camera on the wedding day since I have started getting discomfort, bloating and nausea after meals. Since we are under covid lockdown so can't dare to go out and get myself tested. Until the lockdown is over what should I do to keep it under check?

First of all, H. pylori is a very chronic infection. If you just caught it, it doesnt matter. It will take decades before you start experiencing discomfort. Many people carry H. pylori without knowing.

Second, most people catch H. pylori when they are young from their mother. So if you are indeed positive, it does not mean it comes from your wife. Unless you have tested negative before. Then maybe your current infection is from your wife. Nevertheless, we have seen many married couple who lives together for many years and never infect each other. Most important it oral hygiene. If both of you brushed your teeth in the morning, the chance of transmission is very low.

Lastly, H. pylori infection can be tested via GP. You dont have to go to the hospital to get diagnosed. When the lock down is over, you can find time to visit your local GP and get tested.

Wife was diagnosed with polypoidal lesions and blockage in deudonum and a horde of other issues.
I suspect whether her H pylori strain was more dangerous than an average strain

it is true that some H. pylori may be more virulent than others.
However, I believe the immune response plays a more important role.
if your wife has very aggressive immune response, it is more likely for her to develop symptoms.

It is why many people is infected with similar type of H. pylori but have different disease outcome. some develop ulcer, some cancer, some no symptoms.
I believe it is the immune system that leads to different disease outcome.

She also has ongoing ulcers, collection of yellowish fluid in her GI tract and obliteration of pancreatic fat with fat infiltration of the liver and had been taking antibiotic and other treatment regimen for some weeks before sharing spoons of food with me on that day, so is it possible that she had H Pylori or any other infectious bacteria still present in her saliva when she shared those spoons of food with me and possibly passed it to me even if she had her antibiotics?

When she informed me about her infection, I abrubtly took amoxicillin 500mg twice a day for 2 days but then stopped it when my family suggested me to discontinue that and get myself tested after lockdown is dropped.

The only things that worry me that for some days I experience intermittent bloating, discomfort, feeling of indigestion and nausea after eating but that is not so intense although we have been sitting idle at home these days with little or no exercise but still it makes me think of getting myself tested.

Doctors are even speculating that she could also have tumors caused by those lesions in her deudonum, so the biopsy results are being awaited.

The good news is, people with stomach ulcers are less likely to get cancer.

Taking amoxicillin without a diagnosis is a bad move. Lucky H pylori doesn’t become resistant to amoxicillin easily.

If your wife brushes her teeth frequently, then your chance of having H pylori from her is low. But, you could already have it since young without knowing.

Your symptoms could come from anticipated stress. The more you think about it, the more likely you get to experience the symptom.

So stay positive and follow the right protocol. See the doctor and he will guide you through.

Getting back to you after sometime, I just wanted to confirm whether Low stomach acid is one of the initial symptoms of a new H Pylori infection ?

about 10-15% of the HP infected person will get high acid secretion. (risk of ulcer)
about 80-90% of the HP infected person will get no acid secretion change. (no symptoms)
about 5-10% of the HP infected person will get low acid secretion. (risk of cancer)

Well, I gotta get myself tested anyways to clear this doubt but just because of this lockdown I am being forced to wait unwillingly. I have decided to get a stool antigen test first. Last time when I had it in 2012-13, I tested negative for helicobacter.

I am taking Norfloxacin (400mg twice a day for 3 days) for UTI these days and experience some discomfort/pain while on an empty stomach, however, it is relieved after eating food. I get a lot of hunger pangs for 2-3 days . All these things give me so many negative thoughts...I am also hyperglycemic, have an 8 year old IBS and gall bladder removed so can't say much. Could be anything !!

Although I don't specifically say that I might have the infection, I just had another general question; How long does H Pylori take to cause an ulcer after the initial exposure ?

it's a bit like the COVID. everyone has different level of severity.
in an clinical trial that we done a while ago, where we gave healthy people H. pylori, they 1 out of 10 develop ulcer within a week.

But from our understanding, people can carry H. pylori for decades before they develop ulcer, usually at the age of 20-40 years old.

Lastly, you cannot do breath/stool test while you are on antibiotics. you will have to stop antibiotics for at least 2 weeks before the test.