Linda asks “how long should I wait before I am re-tested after finishing my H pylori treatment?”
This is a really, really good question, Linda.
I’m pleased to answer it because I think it will help a lot of people.
There’s some good news, bad news and more good news with this one.
First, the good news:
There’s a specific recommendation coming from the European Helicobacter Study Group, stating that people should wait 28-days after completing treatment before they are re-tested.
This makes it easy to know what to do.
There are reasons for this recommendation – if testing is done too soon, it can give false results.
The bad news:
Some doctors assume antibiotics work every time and they don’t re-test.
I recommend you nag your doctor to make sure you do get a re-test.
Symptoms can clear up, but it doesn’t mean the H-pylori bacteria have been totally cleared.
The good news again:
If your doc doesn’t want to test you, either stating it’s not necessary or the resources are not available, you can order stool test kits that can be done at home.
They’re known as HPSA, which means H pylori stool antigen test.
These kits are shipped to your home, you send the stool sample back to a private, specialized lab, and they analyse the sample for H pylori.
The tests are convenient and very accurate.
These are exactly the tests that I used when I had all my trouble back in 2007. They pretty much saved my bacon I reckon!
I have read you can get H pylori from your pets
Is this true and if so how can I have them tested and should I.
Yes i have H pylori.
Thanks
It’s not proven that H pylori can be passed from animals to humans, but
experts suspect it’s possible.
Animals carry “Helicobacter” organisms, but not so much Helicobacter pylori.
(they carry organisms such as H. muris and H. bilis, for example)
I actually don’t know how you’d test your pets: you might like to ask a vet
to see whether it’s standard practice to run the H pylori test.
Warm regards
Dave
* please see disclaimers at the bottom of this page: I can’t guarantee your results will be the same as me and others, but you have to keep moving forward to find the best solution for YOU ?
I have h pylori – what is the best diet to eradicate it or foods I can eat which will not aggrevate it.
Hi Denise,
I have written a comprehensive program to help people and included it in my book.
It’s called The H Pylori Diet: h-pylori-diet-ebook
Some foods to avoid are gluten, cow’s milk and soy (plus others)
Warm regards
Dave
* please see disclaimers at the bottom of this page: I can’t guarantee your results will be the same as me and others, but you have to keep moving forward to find the best solution for YOU ?
I experienced difficulty in burping for a couple of days and i feel bloated so I tried taking laxative. After taking the laxative, i became fine but days after i felt that there is something stucked on my stomach that after eating i feel like something is stucked on my throat. But after sometime, i feel fine. Yet, I still went to a doctor then required me to have blood test. The test result was positive to H. pylori. I’m on my 9th day of the 10 day medication with nexium 40mg (2x a day), flagyl 500mg (3x a day) and clarithromycin 500mg (2x a day). I experienced side effects like abdominal discomfort, weakness, loss of appetite, vomiting, difficulty in sleeping and nausea. In short, i felt so sick. I wanted to stop but i read that it will just make the bacteria more resistant and it’s worth the pain. So i forced myself to finish the treatment. I also read that manuka honey helps to eradicate H.pylori so I bought one right away. I felt a little better on the 8th day, less vomiting and nausea but i still feel abdominal discomfort. I can’t tell if it’s beacause of the medicine or the honey. I hope that the bcteria is gone after the treatment. I wante to do the post test right away so i don’t have to worry about it. I’m scared since my mother died from stomach cancer.
What is the fastest and most accurate way to test if the bacteria is gone?
And how long before i can take the test?
Please help.
Hi there,
It is important to wait 28 days after the treatment. Do not re-test before this time as you can get an inaccurate test report.
Your doctor should be able to test.
Do not use the blood test.
Use the breath test or stool antigen test.
If you prefer a more comprehensive test that looks for many different aspects of H. pylori, as well as a huge number of other important digestive health markers such as Candida, parasites, immune activity and gluten intolerance, see the information here:
h-pylori-testing
Best,
Dave.
* please see disclaimers at the bottom of this page: I can’t guarantee your results will be the same as me and others, but you have to keep moving forward to find the best solution for YOU ?
Could you just clarify that it’s 28 days after the 60 day treatment you propose in your book? Doctors will just prescribe two weeks of antibiotics and then say you’re done, and then re-test if they are willing. I’ve also got candida, I’m waiting for my stool test result for h-pylori. If it’s positive then I’ll get your book, but do you make any special note for candida in your book? I followed a 2 month Lisa Richards candida diet earlier this year. I felt great for 8 months and was even able to eat a little bread and sweets etc (the only thing that I can’t have is vinegar, other than raw Apple cider vinegar), then suddenly, all the symptoms came back and I’m back to square one.
Hi Stephanie,
In these situations it’s best, in my opinion, to work with a practitioner who can guide you through the process of optimising health.
“relapses” like the one you have described are common but avoidable if you work on balancing your body in the optimal sequence.
In answer to your question, yes, it’s best to wait AT LEAST 28 days before re-testing once your treatment is finished. Your doctor
should be able to guide you on this.
Best,
Dave
* please see disclaimers at the bottom of this page: I can’t guarantee your results will be the same as me and others, but you have to keep moving forward to find the best solution for YOU ?
Hi Dave thanks a lot for the focus you have in the subject of H pylori. I had positive test and my doc. Put me on antibiotics and antiaci etc all package for 7 days. I did try to use probiotics during 7 days of treatment and I feel good now. I am waiting to complete a month so I can retest. Question. Is there correlation between HP and appetite? Because I do have appetite even before the test?
I am man 34yo.
Please let me know what do you think.
Hi Aziz
Thanks for your message – YES, H. pylori can affect appetite by causing imbalances
in hormones like gastrin and ghrelin, which regulate appetite and digestion.
However, H. pylori is not the only influence on appetite.
It’s wise to get retested after 28 days and then see how you feel.
IF H. pylori has gone and you still do not have appetite, then it’s wise to do
some further investigation.
If H. pylori is still there, I recommend you seek an alternative, natural
approach, or ask your doctor for a different combination of antibiotics.
Best,
Dave.
* please see disclaimers at the bottom of this page: I can’t guarantee your results will be the same as me and others, but you have to keep moving forward to find the best solution for YOU ?
Why is it not good to retest with a blood test after 28 days:
It’s because the blood test does not look for H Pylori. It looks for your body’s antibodies to H pylori.
These antibodies can stay high for many months AFTER you eradicate H. pylori, meaning that your test can give you a false-positive result, in turn meaning H pylori has actually gone, but the test shows it’s still there.
There is a lot more information about which tests work best, and why, here.
Best,
Dave.
* please see disclaimers at the bottom of this page: I can’t guarantee your results will be the same as me and others, but you have to keep moving forward to find the best solution for YOU ?
Hi there…I finished triple therapy almost 2 weeks ago but still have some pain and nausea…is this normal?
Thanks
Hi Amanda,
Yes, some people can have symptoms long after H pylori has gone because the H pylori causes damage that takes time to heal.
Please also be warned that the food you’re eating, as well as low stomach acid, and other digestive infections can cause the same symptoms.
It’s worth taking a peak at http://h-pylori-symptoms.com for some help if you’re still struggling, or to check out The H Pylori Diet.
Best,
Dave
* please see disclaimers at the bottom of this page: I can’t guarantee your results will be the same as me and others, but you have to keep moving forward to find the best solution for YOU ?
After I finish the antibiotics can I go back to eating dairy products even if they contain some sugar (ex. Yogurt), pasta and citrus fruits? I am currently finishing antibiotics for h. Pylori
It depends how you feel. Your body will tell you whether these foods are right for you.
Best,
Dave
* please see disclaimers at the bottom of this page: I can’t guarantee your results will be the same as me and others, but you have to keep moving forward to find the best solution for YOU ?
After being diagnosed with h. Pylori I’ve lost 9lbs in 10 days and constantly feel hungry shortly after eating is that normal?
Yes, some people can experience weight loss. BUT it’s also important to get checked out for an ulcer with your physician.
Best,
Dave.
* please see disclaimers at the bottom of this page: I can’t guarantee your results will be the same as me and others, but you have to keep moving forward to find the best solution for YOU ?
Hello. I am currently being treated for H. Pylori with the triple meds. I have four days left on the antibiotics and acid reducer. I have a couple of questions. I do feel better but I have this continuous gurgling or feeling of constant hunger below my sternum which was there before I was diagnosed. I was hoping this would go away as it is driving me crazy. I had an endoscopy and no ulcer that they could see, only mild gastritis. Also, how long after the antibiotics do you normally stay on the acid reducer? I don’t won’t any long term side effects/damage.
Hi, I tested positive 3 months ago for H Pylori. I was on antibiotics pack for 2 weeks. I asked my daughter if I could do another stool test to make sure it was gone he said not necessary and said he would book me in to see a specialist for an endoscopy and take a biopsy to check H Pylori was eradicated. I was in to a walk in clinic with stomach pain the other doctor said she would send me for a stool test to check for H Pylori. I got my results back for both tests done.
Biopsy Negative for H pylori
and Stool test Positive for H Pylori
I contacted the endoscopy specialist to ask him why Biopsy would be Negative and Stool Test positive and he said he wasn’t sure.
I’m not sure now what to do about this issue and which test to go by.
I still have nausea, stomach sick after eating or drinking, burning stomach etc. I’m so tired of not feeling well all the time and my family and friends are tired of hearing me talk about H Pylori but I feel ill all the time.
Looking forward to your opinion/reply.
Thank you! 🙂
Doctor**
Hi.
I was diagnosed with H pylori last year.
I had the triple therapy.
Im still suffering with Gerd.
Ive treated myself with Mastic gum.And Acdophilus tablets.
Im on prescribed ppis but they give me headaches so have just started some zinc carotisine tablets.
I am hoping the Hpylori is gone but i get sypmtoms coming back when stopping treatment.
I have asked 2 seperate doctors to re-test.
But the wont they offer me either another course of antibiotics or a camera down my throat to me that surely costs more.
Ive tried one online blood test kit but dont believe it worked.
Is there any online stool tests that do not cost loads as im currently signed off due to fibromyalgia and cluster headaches.
And cannot afford £480.
Any help would be gratefully appriciated.
Hi Skip,
Thanks for your message. There are two things to do here: 1. grab a copy of my ebook, The H Pylori Diet.
Try changing your eating habits, as this can really help GERD and other symptoms as long as they’re not being caused by, say, a hernia (in which case you will need to see a manual therapist who can manipulate the diaphragm – a good osteopath should be able to do this).
If you take a look at this study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15020342 … you will see that there is close association between fibromyalgia and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
Some doctors suggest SIBO is caused by low stomach acid, which in turn may be caused by H pylori, so there is a link. Also see the work of Dr Alex Vasquez for additional research in this area.
To check for SIBO, you can ask your doctor for a hydrogen/methane breath test.
Don’t underestimate diet in all this – it’s of paramount importance.
Best
Dave
* please see disclaimers at the bottom of this page: I can’t guarantee your results will be the same as me and others, but you have to keep moving forward to find the best solution for YOU 🙂
Hello , i was diagnosed for H. pylori this week , and my doctor give me the treatment of 2 antibiotics for 14 days , but she said that I have to come back in 4 months , no do a stool exam , that is correct ? Because friends tell me that is 4 weeks no months . I want to know because I supposed to trust my doctor but I don’t know . Can you help me ,please .
Hi Ingrid – yes, the medical protocol for re-testing is 4 WEEKS after completion of treatment, not 4 months.
Best,
Dave
Hi,
I had hpylori a few years ago. My stomach has been burning near the bottom and I thought I might have it again. I also have acid reflux since I had the hpylori the first time. My doctor and I decided to treat as if I have hpylori without testing because of several reasons. (Pepto use in last few weeks, other antimicrobials,etc. ). I took two doses of pylera but now I’m wondering if I should take it without really knowing for sure. I have also been taking coconut oil, manuka honey, and some other supplements just in case I have it. Should I continue the pylera? Not sure what to do. I know you shouldn’t take antibiotics without a definite diagnosis. But after all this when would I be able to see if I really have it ?
Oh I have Gastromend Hp. Should I just start on it instead?
Hi Regina – please read my book, The H Pylori Diet to structure a natural stomach cleanse.
You can learn more here.
Best,
Dave
Hi,
If i have h pylori, can it be contagious that i can get my dog infected? Also my dr said to continue on prilosec for 2 months after the treatment is over, is that necessary? Thks for the help.
Unlikely that you’ll pass it to your dog, but you might have gotten it from the dog in the first place.
Regarding Prilosec, it depends on your symptoms. If you have heartburn/reflux, then probably best to continue, but this is quite a complex subject.
Sometimes LOW stomach acid causes the heartburn.
Sometimes the foods you’re eating cause heartburn.
It really depends on the person.
Best,
Dave
Good day doctor!i had a treatment for h pylori and I still feel nausea and loss of sense and smell of food.Pain went away and my tongue became pink(normal color).Is that ok that I have symptoms after treatment?Thank you!
Hi Tania,
Loss of smell or taste can be due to zinc deficiency (but not necessarily).
If you still have symptoms after treatment, you are best getting checked out as for the reasons why.
Take a look here:
https://h-pylori-symptoms.com/book-a-consultation/
Best,
Dave.