Is H. Pylori something I should seriously consider?
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2016 1:52 am
I won't go into anything too far back in my past, only what has happened these last nine months. I don't want to muddle anyone up with symptoms from years past. Any insight, medical or otherwise, is greatly appreciated. I'm desperate.. And feel like I've taken my good health for granted when I had it.
It began in October, with the sensation I would call growing pains, in my left arm. Unpleasant enough that I had trouble sleeping on it. Sometimes it would be more localized in my shoulder, then my elbow, and then my forearm. One doctor said it was a pinched nerve. Another, tendinitis, after I went through some physical tests with it. Around two months after I developed the tendinitis, (now mid December) I began to get sores in my mouth. Rarely on my tongue. They were cankor sores but would come and go rather quickly. Sometimes healing in the same day. Shortly after those symptoms appeared, I got a sore mouth and throat. This too, kept me up at night. I'm not sure if my tongue was coated but it certainly bled. Swollowing hurt as well.
By late Feburary these symptoms just.. Disappeared. With very mild flare ups. So naturally I didn't think anything of it. In mid March, I was hit with an awful migraine, the worst I've had in a year or so. Drove home with one eye covered to focus on the road and certainly thought I'd vomit. The next two weeks I was plagued with what, to me, seemed like a sinus infection. I've had them a couple times and this was no different. Right before I was about to see the doctor, it cleared up. Again, not focusing on it too much, I moved on with life.
Then, on April 9th, my upper lip swelled and pounded. I developed itchy, dry skin around my eyes, and a circular rash/lesion on my right hand. Two weeks, my eyes heal. But they had what looked like lizard skin.. Clearly seperat sections, like tectonic plates, of dry skin. The swelling on my upper lip/Cupids bow goes down. But till this day I am still suffering with it. It slightly itches but is a vibrant red. Both hands as well, still break out in these itchy, round sections. They get close to healing, just like my lip... Then come back. As far as an allergic reaction, I've tried everything. The only thing that works is steroid ointment.
Then.. On May 17, I got very nauseated. It lasted all day. A few days later, it comes back. This time with diarrhea. Each time I have a BM, it made me feel a little better. I think it's just a stomach bug.. but it hits me again, with a slight fever. I can't believe my luck! Two stomach bugs in the same month. Then slowly.. The pain sets in. In the upper right side of my stomach. Each day, it gets worse. I take a 14 day treatment of nexium. Nothing. On the last day, I wake up and take a bite of a peach. The pain is excruciating, that I go to the hospital. They told me I have gastritis but not from what. And that I must see a GI doc. I get put on 20mg omeprazole in the meantime. Still, no relief. Get into the doctor and tell her my symptoms. Tells me she thinks H. Pylori is unlikely, stating it usually doesn't cause diarrhea. But thankfully, tests me anyway. Have not received results. But I realized I'd taken almost a months worth of PPI's before I took the fecal. She also knew I'd been on PPI's.
She gives me 40mg omeprazole and sends me on my way. I develop a UTI, which she gives me an anti-biotic, Nitrofurantoin. Since I've been on this for the UTI my stomach has actually gotten a little better. I've been taking 2 30ml of pepto a day, which has also helped. Though my joints have begun to ache a little and I've developed what looks like burns on my tongue with smokers breath( but I don't smoke). They hurt too. If that fecal comes back negative, should I keep pressing my doctor? Are any of these symptoms related to H. Pylori? Or have I just lost my mind?
It began in October, with the sensation I would call growing pains, in my left arm. Unpleasant enough that I had trouble sleeping on it. Sometimes it would be more localized in my shoulder, then my elbow, and then my forearm. One doctor said it was a pinched nerve. Another, tendinitis, after I went through some physical tests with it. Around two months after I developed the tendinitis, (now mid December) I began to get sores in my mouth. Rarely on my tongue. They were cankor sores but would come and go rather quickly. Sometimes healing in the same day. Shortly after those symptoms appeared, I got a sore mouth and throat. This too, kept me up at night. I'm not sure if my tongue was coated but it certainly bled. Swollowing hurt as well.
By late Feburary these symptoms just.. Disappeared. With very mild flare ups. So naturally I didn't think anything of it. In mid March, I was hit with an awful migraine, the worst I've had in a year or so. Drove home with one eye covered to focus on the road and certainly thought I'd vomit. The next two weeks I was plagued with what, to me, seemed like a sinus infection. I've had them a couple times and this was no different. Right before I was about to see the doctor, it cleared up. Again, not focusing on it too much, I moved on with life.
Then, on April 9th, my upper lip swelled and pounded. I developed itchy, dry skin around my eyes, and a circular rash/lesion on my right hand. Two weeks, my eyes heal. But they had what looked like lizard skin.. Clearly seperat sections, like tectonic plates, of dry skin. The swelling on my upper lip/Cupids bow goes down. But till this day I am still suffering with it. It slightly itches but is a vibrant red. Both hands as well, still break out in these itchy, round sections. They get close to healing, just like my lip... Then come back. As far as an allergic reaction, I've tried everything. The only thing that works is steroid ointment.
Then.. On May 17, I got very nauseated. It lasted all day. A few days later, it comes back. This time with diarrhea. Each time I have a BM, it made me feel a little better. I think it's just a stomach bug.. but it hits me again, with a slight fever. I can't believe my luck! Two stomach bugs in the same month. Then slowly.. The pain sets in. In the upper right side of my stomach. Each day, it gets worse. I take a 14 day treatment of nexium. Nothing. On the last day, I wake up and take a bite of a peach. The pain is excruciating, that I go to the hospital. They told me I have gastritis but not from what. And that I must see a GI doc. I get put on 20mg omeprazole in the meantime. Still, no relief. Get into the doctor and tell her my symptoms. Tells me she thinks H. Pylori is unlikely, stating it usually doesn't cause diarrhea. But thankfully, tests me anyway. Have not received results. But I realized I'd taken almost a months worth of PPI's before I took the fecal. She also knew I'd been on PPI's.
She gives me 40mg omeprazole and sends me on my way. I develop a UTI, which she gives me an anti-biotic, Nitrofurantoin. Since I've been on this for the UTI my stomach has actually gotten a little better. I've been taking 2 30ml of pepto a day, which has also helped. Though my joints have begun to ache a little and I've developed what looks like burns on my tongue with smokers breath( but I don't smoke). They hurt too. If that fecal comes back negative, should I keep pressing my doctor? Are any of these symptoms related to H. Pylori? Or have I just lost my mind?