Unknown Bacteria that Infects Your Gut! H-Pylori
Helicobacter Pylori Bacteria
I got diagnosed with Helicobacter Pylori bacteria in 2013. How it all started? I lost so much appetite in almost all foods including fruits that I used to over indulge in. That led to weight loss, constant nausea with no vomiting other than when I worked graveyard shifts where I would find myself vomiting intermittently. Work became hard to attend, I would find myself always wanting to rest. I would sleep for long hours, yet wake up feeling extremely exhausted.
My visit to the doctor became frequent to the point she thought I was hypochondriac .Pregnancy was ruled out, viral diseases were ruled out through tests. Then my doctor requested to have a Helicobacter Pylori test. She stated it’s mainly common in third world countries even though living in first world country doesn’t rule out the chances of infection. My results came back positive of the Helicobacter Pylori bacteria through a breath test.
What followed was a two weeks with 2 sets of antibiotic treatment with a proton pump inhibitor. I wouldn’t go to work while under treatment as the medications came with their own side effects like diarrhea , massive burping , abdominal cramping, and just needing to be by a toilet especially an hour after ingesting the medication. So there are side effects that you experience from the treatment and from having the bacteria itself. I will summarize them below. After the treatment my results came back Negative, which was good news for me as this bacteria can cause stomach cancer if not eliminated.
Quick Summary
Helicobacter Pylori Bacteria infects your stomach. The signs and symptoms varies from person to person. In some cases it causes problems but in others it doesn’t. It can also lead to Stomach cancer and Open Sore(Ulcers).
Common Causes of H-Pylori Bacteria
- Living with someone who already has the bacteria
- Crowded living situation
- Unavailability of clean reliable water
- Developing countries with unsanitary crowded living situations
Not everybody exhibits the Signs and Symptoms listed below, to some there’s none;
- Upper abdominal pain
- Feeling bloated/gassy
- Poor or lack of appetite
- Nausea or Vomiting
- Colored bowel movement as a result of stomach ulcers(open sores)
- Abnormal Exhaustion
- Halitosis (Bad breath )
- Heartburn
- Peptic Ulcer
Pylori Diagnosis (Tests)
- Breath test
- Blood Test.
Potential Medical Treatment side effects
- Diarrhea
- Hemorrhoid development
- Abdominal Cramping
- Black Stool
- Constipation
Follow up with your doctor for a breath test. Repeat test to ensure the treatment was effective. It’s advisable to complete the treatment to ensure maximum effectiveness. Also NOTE that the medical treatment can also strip down almost all good bacteria in your gut, hence the importance of taking probiotics or foods rich in probiotics to maintain a healthy gut flora.
Non-Medical Treatments
- Probiotics
- Black seeds
- Broccoli Sprouts
- Green Tea
- Garlic
- H-Pylori Diet
- Stress
