Helicobacter Forums

I got diagnosed with HP earlier this week. I am on the second day of treatment and have been feeling miserable due to the side effects...
I am currently attending college (the semester just started) and find it difficult to get through my classes.

I take 4 pills in the morning + at night. I’m required to continue the treatment for 2 weeks...
After I take the medications I get a strong gross taste in the back of my mouth, an uncomfortable feeling I could probably only describe as mild nausea, fatigue, and for some reason since I’ve started the pills I’ve been having very strange dreams/nightmares.
I have cried both days since starting the treatment and it is very stressful.

I am completely miserable. I have been reading the forums now almost obsessively for the past two days just to find comfort in knowing I am not the only one who is suffering through this dreadful treatment and that it will be worth it in the end.

I have depression and it’s been very hard for me to deal with this. Any comments on your own treatment experiences and success stories would be immensely appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

ari wrote: Thu Jan 31, 2019 3:27 pm I got diagnosed with HP earlier this week. I am on the second day of treatment and have been feeling miserable due to the side effects...
I am currently attending college (the semester just started) and find it difficult to get through my classes.

I take 4 pills in the morning + at night. I’m required to continue the treatment for 2 weeks...
After I take the medications I get a strong gross taste in the back of my mouth, an uncomfortable feeling I could probably only describe as mild nausea, fatigue, and for some reason since I’ve started the pills I’ve been having very strange dreams/nightmares.
I have cried both days since starting the treatment and it is very stressful.

I am completely miserable. I have been reading the forums now almost obsessively for the past two days just to find comfort in knowing I am not the only one who is suffering through this dreadful treatment and that it will be worth it in the end.

I have depression and it’s been very hard for me to deal with this. Any comments on your own treatment experiences and success stories would be immensely appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

Ari, you will be fine. The pills exhaust you, and that's a decent sign that it's working on clearing the infection out. What you seem to describe are mild side-effects of the treatment so, you should be good. I'll let the experts respond to that as well, but again you will be good.

I went through the treatment back in Oct, I initially had symptoms starting July, diagnosed in September, finished treatment in Oct ( 2 weeks on Amoxy, Clarithromycin and PPI). Got tested in Nov and confirmed that HP was no longer present. I had mild side effects, similar to what you're describing apart from the gross taste.

I had a severe case of anxiety and depression being diagnosed around the time I took treatment so I exactly know how you feel. All I can say is, 3 months later I feel like I have everything back to where I was prior to the infection. It takes a toll on you but, you'll be okay, you'll be fine and you'll do great. I wouldn't worry too much. Folks here are really supportive so it does help take your mind off anxious thoughts as you read the forums. Regardless, follow the regime, eat good food after you're done. Not sure which part of the world you're from but, try to have good food, and certainly supplement your antibiotics with yogurt ( preferably home made ) and continue on with yogurt after you're done as well. Helps heal all the chaos the antibiotics are throwing down there. Again, you'll be fine, don't stress too much.

Thank you for your response, Vishrvn.
It makes me feel better about treatment with how you explained that my symptoms are signs of the medicine doing it’s job and that we are similar in the sense of struggling with depression (and anxiety).

I will keep your words in mind the next time I’m feeling sad about how I’m feeling and that I will be fine. I definitely plan to continue and try to solve this problem sooner rather than later.

Thank you again, Ari.

My teenage daughter found the treatment to be just as you describe. I am so sorry for your pain, worry.

My daughter was reading this link tonight that was very interesting regarding the link between the gut and the brain:

http://blog.katescarlata.com/2019/01/04 ... -get-help/

Definitely make sure you Google “FODMAP” diet and the book we purchased and she’s been following in terms of post-treatment diet is “Low-FODMAP 28-Day Plan” by Kate Scarlata, RDN, LDN. We have found if my daughter eats something Hugh in FODMAP her pain is significantly increased. Your stomach has been damaged by H.pylori and the antibotics literally wipe out both good and bad bacteria so you are miserable.

Just know you can beat it and your stomach will heal. My daughter (16 years old) has been miserable and sad to be ill during what should be a wonderful time in her life and a very stressful year as she preps for college but it’s something to look back on later and see how you overcame it.

Hang in there!!

Atxjen,

Wow I can’t imagine having to endure this treatment being a teenager. Thank you for your reply and encouragement your kind words are very relieving.

Your daughter must be very resilient to have made it through the medication and side effects.

And thank you for the links and advice I will look into it.

Very much appreciated, Ari

Dear Ari,

I feel your pain. I went through the triple antibiotic plus PPI inhibitor twice a day in December and I thought I was going to lose my mind.
I could not work except for a couple of hours. I had trouble sleeping. I had manic symptoms. I was told that my reaction was rare .

Make sure you take PPI inhibitor on an empty stomach and then wait30 minutes to eat. Sprinkling the PPI inhibitor on organic applesauce is a good thing to do as well and makes it act fast. Then eat and then IMMEDIATELY take the 3 antibiotics.

I couldn't believe I was handed the medications and not told to be locked in a padded room and take off work for three weeks. My husband at one point wanted me to stop taking the medications since it made me so irritable and exhausted and the like.

The Flagyl I was on made me think I was going to lose my mind. Truly manic symptoms.

I felt like I was on my deathbed and dreams were vivid - sort of like the ancestor dreams and about my life.

Keep up pre-biotics and pro-biotics. See my note in forum on someone who is post-treatment.

Be SUPER careful with diet.

I got deyhdrated - get Scratch or an excellent electrolyte without additives and junk. But if you can't find that use Pedialyte or the type of electrolyte replacement for children. It tasted like mannah from heaven.

Do not drink alcohol. A few sips of tequila may be okay.

Avoid dairy and find non dairy probiotics. Do not give those bacteria anything to hang onto. I'd also go gluten free since that helped me as well.

Now having finished that I now have a set of new problems that I think are related to the H Pylori (candidas on esophogus) and thank goodness I INSISTED on an upper endoscopy. Please do that. Now I am on Diflucan to kill the candida which can be fatal if not treated. Of course, doctors say it's from the antibiotics - and that could be true but if I hadn't insisted I'd still have that.

Be vigilent and persistent. And it's not just you. But I guess there are some people who go through the treatment that have few issues. Maybe people like us have had it a longer time or it's just our bodies or there are other issues. Who knows. But you're not imagining...

Best regards, Tracy from Los Angeles

Dear Ari,
I have also been very miserable during the treatment. You can read my post viewtopic.php?f=12&t=206094 I experienced so many side effects even the doctor told me she got scared and called the specialist to be sure I should continue! But my life changed! Every pain and sleepless night was worth it! I feel so much better!
I also wrote in my post what I took to relieve the symptoms and what I ate to make it better.
The main symptoms stopped very quickly after the end of the treatment. I could go back to wirk the day after the end of the treatment.
I don't know what is the reason for your depression. Mine was due to my digestive issues (fructose intolerance and the helicobacter pylori). I have a strict fructose diet and the bacterias are gone. So is the depression. Hope it will be the case for you!
Good luck!!!

Thank you all for the encouragement and advice.
I’m about halfway done with treatment with 8 more days to go and have found the side effects easier to manage- as long as I make sure to eat enough when taking the medications.

I am feeling better compared to the first few days of treatment mentally and physically. At this point I’m just eager to be finished.

Sincerely, Ari.

I dont understand, when you say ..."eat enough when taking the medication", the antibiotics have to be taken on an empty stomach, no??

Nice to hear it's getting better... Stick to the regime. I can see so many posts confirming the anxiety connection to this bug! I am one of them. Although I have not officially had that confirmed.