hello, I’ve had H Pyloi found in my stool sample and I am just wondering if anyone knows what causes it and if it can go on to cause cancer or other problems. I’m puzzled as to how I’ve got it. I have introduced the odd coffee and odd wine to my lifestyle but apart from that I haven’t a clue. Love to get some advice on this one please.
H Pyloi : hello, I’ve had H Pyloi found... - Atrial Fibrillati...
H Pyloi
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Electricblue1
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BobDVolunteer
H Pylori used to be considered a cause of many stomach issues including reflux, ulcers etc but never heard of it causing cancer. I remember having tests for it when first diagnosed (wrongly as it happens) with stomach problems. It is a form of bacteria (the H is helibacter)so can come from anywhere.
I too had it discovered whilst checking for other things. They put me on a course of strong antibiotics and I noticed a marked improvement on stomach upsets, ability to process alcohol and shall we say wind odours!
Hi, I’ve had terrible wind 😂and it’s all happened since I’ve introduced alcohol and coffee back into my life , only small quantities though , it might not be related but I can’t think of how I have caught it.
Hi my mother had it along with a stomach ulcer
Hi, well I thought that maybe my heart meds had caused a stomach ulcer but doc said it was unlikely.
Most people who have H pylori have picked it up in childhood, from within the family or being around other kids, such as at school or nursery. Many people can live with H pylori and never develop symptoms, but it can cause stomach ulcers and can increase one’s risk of stomach cancer. H pylori has increasingly difficult to treat because of antibiotic resistance and many people are reporting a recurrence of H pylori after treatment. Just because you carry that bacteria, it’s not a certainty that you’ll develop ulcers or worse, but it’s not always easy to clear.
Hello, thank you, do you know if coffee and the odd alcohol drink will make it worse. I’m just puzzled as to why it has flared up now.
No, I doubt that very much. Unless you have sympathy of an ulcer there’s no need to change anything. If you are concerned, ask your GP for an H pylori breath test to confirm (or rule out) H pylori. If you have upper GI symptoms you are best to get it investigated by endoscopy.
I didn’t know you could get a breath test to check for that, it’s got to be easier than a stool sample .
Most people will have it - it’s the quantity that causes problems ie: when there is an overgrowth and imbalance in gut flora.
Like Bob - never heard of it causing cancer but I believe there have been rare cases - less than 1-2% of gastric cancers correlated with HP and if memory serves me right - those were in patients with ulcerations in GI tract? Don’t rely on that info but be assured it’s Very rare.
A course of antibiotics normally sees it of but THEN you need to work on encouraging helpful bacteria through diet & supplements so overgrowth doesn’t recur and for that - see nutritionist.
Hello, do you know what causes overgrowth and would drinking something like kefir help.
If you want to drink kefir for its general health benefits or for its nutritional value, go ahead. It won’t influence your H pylori infection.
H pylori is known and established cause of stomach cancer. It is estimated to be present in 40% of the population in westernised countries, so not “most people”. H pylori lives in the stomach and persists by burrowing into the stomach lining. It is typically acquired in childhood. Its presence has nothing to do with an “imbalance of gut flora”. You are either infected with H pylori or you’re not, and no amount of probiotics or fermented foods or fibre will influence that. Whether it affects what’s going on within the microbiome of the lower GI tract isn’t clear. It probably does, but in what way, it’s not yet fully understood. I worked with researchers who were investigating the role of H pylori in the development of other diseases and who were also researching the role of the gut microbiome at the same institution where T Spector did his studies. so these people know their stuff. The treatment of H pylori with antibiotics not easy because anti microbial resistance is a huge problem now. If someone has treatment resistant H pylori they really ought to have an endoscopy and a biopsy taken to establish which antibiotics will treat the infection.
Yes I’ve got the camera going down in November to see what’s going on so hopefully 🤞 nothing bad.
I hope so too.
From Mayo Clinic
H. pylori infection occurs when H. pylori bacteria infect your stomach. H. pylori bacteria are usually passed from person to person through direct contact with saliva, vomit or stool. H. pylori may also be spread through contaminated food or water. The exact way H. pylori bacteria causes gastritis or a peptic ulcer in some people is still unknown.
Risk factors
People often get H. pylori infection during childhood. Risk factors for H. pylori infection are related to living conditions in childhood, such as:
Living in crowded conditions. Living in a home with many other people can increase your risk of H. pylori infection.
Living without a reliable supply of clean water. Having a reliable supply of clean, running water helps reduce the risk of H. pylori.
Living in a developing country. People living in developing countries have a higher risk of H. pylori infection. This may be because crowded and unsanitary living conditions may be more common in developing countries.
Living with someone who has an H. pylori infection. You're more likely to have H. pylori infection if you live with someone who has H. pylori infection.
Kefir may help as it does assist repair mucus lining which Hp destroys - but make your own as shop bought may not be that effective I have found. I think you need to ask for more advice, a treatment plan and see a nutritionist for professional help.
You might be interested in this study however which does talk about diet and the benefits of sauerkraut - but be careful here as most sauerkraut is pasteurised which of cause will kill off any microbes which could be of benefit. AND of course, to be taken after antibiotics as they will just kill off everything without discriminating.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
Hope that helps.
Thank you that’s so helpful, would probiotic tablets help do you think and is fermented food ok with Afib as I’m sure I read somewhere that it could be a trigger.
The only way to know is to try, some people find a substance in fermented foods can be a trigger, I have no problems that way but I would suggest you get professional advice.
I've had gut problems all my life , aside reflux etc, had a bout of c dif years ago Coughton in hospital, I now have Activia yog most days and feel great , good luck with whatever u take
See your GP and get a breath test, and take it from there. These are routine and the GP knows exactly what these tests are. If you are positive, you can’t treat it with kefir or sauerkraut, or taking probiotics. I suggest you seek medical advice rather than asking strangers on the internet about kefir. Whatever an article on the internet says, it is not a substitute for medical advice. Strangers on the internet can’t treat you, don’t know you, don’t have your test results, don’t know your medical history. Get proper medical advice and proper treatment. Health Unlocked is not a hospital.
These suggestions won’t treat H pylori. It burrows into the lining of the stomach. That’s why it’s persistent and difficult to clear.
70 % of people had H Pilor and sometimes don’t know about,because don’t get symptoms…So i got it,and did the treatment classic with two antibiotics plus protector stomach pills.You don’t worry about.After treatment i was take another test and it is gone…and yes H pilory can turn ulcers an cancer as well.
Hello, I have to have the camera down my throat to look to see if anything bad is there. Hopefully all will be good .
Good.
Curious why the prescribe a PPI (I'm guessing) ...plus anti bios. PPI block acid which is there to kill bad bacteria / bugs etc seems a bit counter productive......Stomach not been the same since I was put on PPIs under one size fits all, eased a little when stopped, but not better. Don't really want to start on that road again..
Stomach acid actually causes the H Pylori bacteria to bury deeper into the stomach mucosal lining, which exacerbates the inflammation. To eradicate H Pylori infection the patient must be on a regime of at least two different antibiotics together with a stomach acid reducer - either PPIs (such as omeprazole) or H2 Blockers (such as famotidine). Additionally, it's also helpful to take bismuth tablets concurrently with the above medications. Bismuth is toxic to H Pylori bacteria.
I had H Pylori infection in the 90s - I believe I was infected with the bacteria by way of consuming questionable drinking water whilst working in the Middle East (specifically southern Iran). The infection caused terrible gastritis and it took two separate regimes of medication to fully eradicate it.
Thanks for your reply, it's interesting. What I can't understand then....
Why did my symptoms ease a little when I stopped the PPI?( thus increasing acid)..prior to stopping PPI, I couldn't eat anything without severe abdominal pain afterwards, I can at least eat now but, have achey under ribs/bloated stomach usuallyin the afternoon. General feeling of unwell which I feel thinners aggravated.
I have done a home helibactor test - positive. Now waiting for GP results, should be interesting.
Hard to know why your symptoms eased a little when you stopped the PPI. Perhaps that particular PPI didn't work well for you (perhaps it was upsetting your gastro system). I've been on several different PPIs over the years, and definitely some have worked better for me than others. When I was diagnosed with H Pylori infection in the 90s I was "scoped" (endoscopic examination) which involved a biopsy of stomach tissue. Other methods to detect H Pylori infection were not yet available at that time.
What were your symptoms please?
PPS. Did you need to wean off the PPI or were you OK to just stop?
Because I have quite a long history of reflux and since having had a long, stubborn bout of H Pylori infection in the 90s, I'm now prone to having occasional gastritis episodes (usually brought on by spicy foods or alcohol). Because of this I still take PPIs to this day, which keeps my stomach happy and reflux at bay. As info, the PPI I'm currently taking is pantoprazole, 40 mg once a day. My stomach has never been better! 😀
Best wishes,
Richard
Curious....are you or have you been on a PPI? Having stomach problems also, about to do Helicobacter test also.
I’ve just been prescribed on, I was on omeprasol but didn’t get on with it so now have lanzoprasol , the spelling is probably wrong on those.
What were your side effects with Omaprazole? I was prescribed them, even though I'd never had an acid problem (stopped now 2.5 months ago) stomach not been the same since , working through tests, mostly at my request!
Really bad wind , stomached pain and felt sick.
The doc thinks it could be an ulcer , said I’m on them for life but when it’s all settled I’m coming off them , to me it’s just another pull to add to the collection.
I’ve sometimes wondered whether it might even be a natural bacteria that resides harmlessly in the gut, but in some people it overgrows or mixes to the stomach and can lead to gastric ulcers and gastritis. It’s easily got rid of with antibiotics.
You needn’t worry at all.
Steve
Not so easy to get rid of these days, unfortunately, due to overuse of antibiotics. It’s not necessary harmless, the researchers I worked with were adamant about that. It’s implicated in other diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases and it may have a detrimental effect on the gut microbiome in the lower GI tract. Many people may not have obvious GI symptoms but it could play a role in other conditions, in the same way that we now know the bacteria that live in the mouth and cause gum disease may play a role in CVD.
That’s all very interesting. Thank you. I thought I might have had it a couple of times but, no.
Steve
I also read today that periodontal disease may play a role in the development of rheumatoid arthritis. I know that’s not H pylori, but it seems that the “holistic” view of health is certainly something to consider. Having said that, I also heard on a podcast with Tim Spector that H pylori may be protective against childhood asthma, although the researchers did say to me that the only good Helicobacter is a dead one!
PS I’m not a Tim Spector stan! (There’s a lot of them about these days 🤣) I’m very much in agreement with Dr Nicola Guess about non diabetic people wearing continuous glucose monitors, which is the basis of Prof TS’s “personalised nutrition” programme. (There are other companies offering a similar product, not just his company.)
I’ve read different things on periodontal disease and it seems there’s no certainty of a link with heart disease (which has been mentioned). It’s always seemed so unlikely to me.
I think I’ve read before that a form of PD can to be an aspect of autoimmune conditions, for example, lupus, which can be related to RA. I could imagine such a link (i.e. with autoimmunity) more than a link with infection.
Steve
There’s a statistic correlation between PD and CVD but it may not be a direct cause. It’s thought that bacteria could enter the bloodstream via the gums. I know that people who have valve surgery need to get their teeth and gum health checked out before surgery, so it’s certainly something to consider. Not the be-all-and-end all to everything of course. The link between periodontal disease and systemic inflammation seems plausible.
Now you mention it, a friend did have to have his teeth looked at before his heart valve surgery. Hmm… interesting!! And a bit worrying
Steve
It is. Especially when you’re a bit “long in the tooth”! 😂
Ha ha! 😂
Coincidentally a friend found that in his stool sample and was given a special double dose of a mixture again of a special antibiotic
He was told by the consultant that in fact he was lucky he had it because only people who had the Hp could have this particular treatment and it meant that it actually helped prevent any sort of stomach cancer.
All the best
That’s what I’m worried about as stomach cancer is in the family.
Try not to worry as if you do have this your consultant will give you the special antibiotics our friend had. I wish I could contact him for you but he emigrated to Spain and we can’t contact him like we used to be able to. I will try though
Thank you.
Please try not to worry although I know that’s easier said than done
Pat xx
I will try not to , I used to be healthy and I’m only 54 but a couple of bad choices in life has led to all this.
Well you’ve joined the right forum everyone will be supporting you xx
It’s bad enough with the Afib and now this.
I can relate and feel sorry for you, new to this as well. Having pain /discomfort for months, GP kept saying it's the thinners (perhaps still might be, I feelthat they aggravated things ) several changes and 10 days off them , still stomach bad . It's only my research and hours online, that thought it might Helicobacter pylori. Time will tell....
With luck they’ll take a biopsy and be able to work out which antibiotics will kill off the H pylori infection. Perhaps you could discuss this beforehand. Good luck. I hope that whatever is causing your symptoms will be treated by clearing the infection. Many people find that niggling upper GI problems get better after H pylori treatment.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar... is the brave doctor who proved the heliobactor pylori was responsible for stomach ulcers/ cancer despite the big pharma denying that, as they were making vast fortunes selling ulcer drugs which merely masked the conditions and which would be taken for life. There was a BBC Horizon documentary on this in the 1990s.
Read up and this and you will learn a lot.
Thank you , that’s interesting, I think all big pharma drugs make things worse , if i could come off the heart pills I would.
My husband sent off for the info from the BBC Horizon team and it was actually Michael Moseley who replied! We took the info to the GP who was very interested and referred him for a endoscopy and colonoscopy (done at the same time) and H pylori was identified from the stomach biopsy. But … you need medication to clear the infection. Before then, people thought stomach ulcers were caused by stress and eating curries and stupid nonsense like that.
Brilliant
Never heard of it causing cancer. It is a bacteria that can cause stomach ulcers and gastric problems. Normally treated with two types of antibiotic at the same time. It is treatable and curable.
I think it’s over many years if not treated it can cause cancer.
Ok. If you are worried re. stomach cancer in the family, l would ask if you could have a check up to monitor the situation. They would have checked for anything else sinister in the stool. The antibiotics should nail it. Best wishes
Thank you , I have the camera going down in November so 🤞it’s all ok xx
That’s good. You are fully covered. Hope it’s all ok. I have lots stomach problems. Mine run in the family as well. Let us know how it goes. Tests make you anxious, but it’s worth it all, in the long run, to put your mind at rest.
