H Pylori Problems

[zackrspv]

I am having quite a bit of problems removing this bug from my system.  My doctor confirmed h pylori with the blood test, and backed it up with a blood culture.  They gave me the triple drug treatment:  Amoxiclian, Omeprozale and clarythromycine, backed with bismuth as well.  Took that for about 4 weeks.  It didn't help, my doctor said to wait another few months.  I did, and after 3 months after the end of treatment, i was back to normal.

Now, 4 days ago, the symptoms came back even worse.  Abdominal pain to the point where I find it hard to stand up during the day.  Complete lack of energy (I sleep in excess of 16 hours a day), no appetite (hard to force even soup down), dizzy spells and nausia.  All of these were present (in fact I even passed out and was rushed to the ER from the doctors office because of it) in my previous experience with H pylori.

What I need to know is what to do now.  If the most common first line defense didn't work, what are the chances that it will work again?  It is to the point where I can't even work because of this.  My doctor is stumped too, she doesn't understand how I can be having these symptoms with h pylori (she hasn't seen it that bad before), but nothing else turned up int he tests to explain it.

What are my options?

[zackrspv]

UPDATE:  I have spent the last 2 days in the Emergency Room for extreme adbominal pain.  They did x-rays and CT scans and they all turned out inconclusive, but the Doctors said that my lower bowls are very tired and that the upper bowls are trying to push into them and can't.  So, they are making me take Miralax, another stool sophener, and then a suppository.  As it is the pain is so intense whenever I have to goto the bathroom, eat, drink or even bend over.  We'll see what my doctor says tomorow.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Eradication of H pylori can be difficult.  The regimen you were on is normally first-line, but does not have a 100% eradication rate.

Re-treatment with an alternative antibiotic therapy can be considered.   A proton pump inhibitor (PPI) twice daily can be combined with bismuth (525 mg four times daily) and two antibiotics (eg, metronidazole 500 mg four times daily and tetracycline 500 mg four times daily) for two weeks.  

A third treatment option would be levofloxacin (250 to 500 mg), amoxicillin (1 gm) and a PPI each given twice daily for two weeks.

These options can be discussed with your personal physician.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
www.kevinmd.com

[zackrspv]

So anyway, whatever you need to know, what tests, what symptoms, etc, i am wiling to provide.  I just want to rid myself of this darned bug.  Thanks in advance!

[zackrspv]

Back Story:  My symptoms started earlier in the year, with a progressive abdominal pain to chest pain, and then to lack of energy and loss of stool passing.  It eventually got so bad that I went to my doctor (the first time), who did all the tests and confirmed h pylori.  My doctor visit was very bad, i might add, I had to be rushed (as stated previously) to the ER because I passed out on the Lab tech.  My heart started to race and I lost all sense of where i was for several minutes.  EKG was done, with nothing showing wrong.  

I've had these symptoms before throughout my entire life.  In fact, the stomach pain is nominal for me.  Since I was a child, I was used to the constant pain.  I remember when I was taking piano lessons that a few times a year, I would go to the bathroom and just about pass out from the pain.  My parents didn't seem to think it was much, and the doctors back then didn't seem to think so either.  But, over the last few years, the symptoms are persisting.

I was given prozac in the military (for another non-related issue (depression)) which caused me to gain about 120 pounds.  Ever since then, my body hasn't been quite...right.