In Need of a Treatment Pep Talk

[ACP17]

I received DNA stool test restults last week positive for HPylori and since then have been doing a lot of research on the bacteria and treatment options.

I'm just feeling stuck between a rock and a hard place and no clear path. It doesn't appear that the antibiotics are as effective as they should be. The detox scares me. Going through rounds of antibiotics (which I have avoided for years!) scares me. Not getting rid of it scares me. Not doing anything isn't an option. I'm severely anemic and have been for 3 years, so I have to believe the HPylori is connecting the dots of severe fatigue, unresponsive iron, other bad bacteria overgrowth (Clostridia, Strep), low minerals, etc. Thankfully I am not having any other digestive problems. Although a thermography scan did show I have inflammation in my descending colon.

Of the three friends I know who had HPylori, they all did conventional antibiotic treatment and all still have major (or even worse) digestive issues and one has intestinal cancer. Maybe they still have the HPylori and received false negative testing after treatment? Maybe the antibiotics did more harm than good?

I've read a bit about natural supplements that thin mucus and that lowering Ph (to tease out the HPylori) will help reach the bacteria whatever treatment we choose. What about combining these with antibiotics?

I'm just feeling overwhelmed and scarred. I'm not hearing anyone say "Its gone and I feel great!". Are those people here? Does Dr. Marshall see the majority of patients get better?

[Helico_expert]

I think you should give antibiotics a try. the side effects you heard or read, is just a small group of people. I mean, most people experience mild side effect like diarrhea, headache and weird taste in the mouth. very little people actually get into severe side effects. the conventional triple therapy uses very common antibiotics. So you may be lucky, like myself, have experienced no side effect.

should try other natural supplements with antibiotics? there is no guideline. so you can try whatever probiotics that you think can help you calm the side effects. Nevertheless, dont try too many things as they may interact with the antibiotics and mask the effect.

this forum is gathered with people with treatment difficulty. only people who tried multiple treatments and is desperate for alternatives and advise come here. majority of the people who had great success in their treatment will not end up here.

Majority of Dr. Marshall's patients do get better. some even life changing. There was a very good interview by BBC, unfortunately the youtube is now private. http://www.alanhoward.info/ah/index.php ... all-story/

anyway, when BBC was interviewing the patients, one of the patient said he was about to get pushed into the surgical room to have his stomach removed. He was so lucky that he heard Barry's discovery on news and he ask the surgeon to let him try Barry's method. At early days, Barry's treatment was like a black magic where very little people believes. Anyway, the patient tried Barry's treatment and got better. He was so pleased that he avoided a major surgery and get to keep his stomach. That is a life changing story.

[ACP17]

Thank you SO VERY MUCH for the insight. That makes sense that the people that are having problems are the stories I am finding.... those that got better have gone on with life. Antibiotics are my best shot, so thank you for letting me know some people have no issues with them.

Few more quick questions when you are able....

Do you agree with the combination of a PPI with the antibiotic?

I am severely anemic, which is my main issue and causing severe fatigue. After treatment, how long does it usually take for levels to come back up?

I read on the forum that it is very hard to get re-infected with HPylori after it is eradicated? I hope that is true.

What do you feel is the most accurate test to detect HPylori. I had three false negatives on the stool antigen and finally got a positive on the stool DNA test. I've not tried any other testing, but was wondering for post treatment what is most accurate to make sure its gone.

Do you feel my general practitioner family Dr is ok to work with, or should I see a Gastroenterologist? I am sure it is based on the individual. Other than the severe anemia and fatigue, I don't have any other stomach issues going on (no pain, no diarrhea, no constipation). I have had several stool tests come back negative for blood in stools (which is great), but did have couple of thermography scans done in the last 12 months and both showed inflammation in my descending colon. I am also showing some bacterial overgrowth on other stool tests. I'm thinking the HPylori, plus bacterial overgrowth of other strains, plus another parasite Giardia are causing the inflammation. I do plan to have another thermography scan in the summer (I do them instead of mammograms, but can tell you quite a bit about any inflammation in body).

[Helico_expert]

HP is associated with iron deficiency, which studies have shown that after curing HP, iron level does go up.

PPI is needed for HP treatment because the antibiotics work better in neutral condition.

I believe it is true that it is hard for adult to catch HP. Because we hardly detect HP in oral cavity.

DNA Testing produce a lot of false positive results. Without a sequencing data from the DNA testing, I simply won't believe it.

I think breath test is the most accurate test, follow by stool test. But it all depends on the laboratory and who is doing the test.

[ACP17]

Thank you, very, very, very helpful.

I'm not sure if the lab that did my test does sequencing data. My test was done with DRG labs and this is the link to their test https://drglab.com/gi-pathogens-plus-profile/ Does this look like an accurate test?

[Helico_expert]

it's interesting and fancy. I dont think they produce sequencing result. Sequencing cost is a lot higher and you'll need a specialist to analyse the data.

Nevertheless, I see they used more than one marker. That increases the accuracy. Do you have a report to share?

[ACP17]

I erased my personal information, but I think you can read most everything. I'm working with a dr who is a former Biologist specializing in DNA and also naturopath - Dr. Amy Yasko. For the last 10 years she has been working with autistic children and adults with chronic fatigue... and both groups have a high incidence of HPylori. I've been with her for over a year and she has always been very open about the challenges of testing for HPylori (she was using the antigen test). But she seems to think this new DNA test is much better and it is my understanding that it is a new test offered by this lab.

I did ask if the "Positive" number meant anything (since mine is low). She feels that any positive is worthy of treatment and she feels the low number could equate to the HPylori being in "hiding" at the point of testing (deeper in the mucous?). Not sure, but either way she is suggesting treatment. At this point, I'm planning on a combo if antibiotics and PPI, plus a few natural supplements.

[Helico_expert]

Thank you for sharing this. I'll alert Prof Marshall to have a look at this.

[ACP17]

Just checking back in on this to see if Dr. Marshall had any feedback.... Thanks

[Helico_expert]

Thanks for sending the report. Helico_Expert and Barjammar reviewed it and are impressed by the thoroughness of the DRG labs. The negative fecal antigen for Hp could be because you were recently taking antibiotics (in the same week?). To boost any treatment, I suggest take double the usual amount of PPI. Bismuth dose (if you are given such a combo) can be doubled also, its fairly innocuous in a 10-14 day course (we have a few hundred people treated that way).