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General health

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Original poster

Really scared to take pylori treatment

88 replies

elllyyyyyy · 01/08/2023 18:34

Sorry for the double post but I'm getting more and more anxious as it gets closer to taking my first dose for h pylori. I've read people say the treatment is brutal and seen people say they had a raised heart rate, shakes, diarrhoea, weakness. I have anxiety and this is really scaring me, I reckon I would be straight on the phone to 111 as I'm so scared of health related issues. Please can I have positive experiences from people who have took the treatment, surely it can't be that bad right? It's really scaring me and making me not want to take it, but I have acid reflux and stomach pain so often now I don't know what else to do :(

OP posts:

UnicornStarfish · 02/08/2023 20:20

h.pylori lives in acid, freaking acid!!! How tough is that!? It wants to stay alive and survive! You're trying to kill it! Every single side effect making you think you're about to die is the effing bitch trying to make it. It wants to live, you want it dead. You want a funeral for it, that's what you want. Keep your eye on the ball. In my experience the side effects of Flagyl get better with time. Keep going, don't stop. Every pill is a nail on its coffin. Bury the bitch!

CynicalCake · 02/08/2023 20:36

I've had the treatment for probable h pylori. I did feel a bit crap with diarrhea and tiredness but it was manageable.

You've 2 antibiotics and a ppi there - I'm not sure which one you're scared of? Let's break it down specifically. Which potential side effect of which drug is scaring you here? Or is it just the fear of taking new medicines?

Definitely you have to keep going now - you don't want to create antibiotic resistant h pylori.

I had incredible heartburn, and it did continue after the treatment, not as bad but gradually crept up. I had an endoscopy and colonoscopy and I have a hiatus hernia like many of us on this thread, with gastritis as well (and duodenitis, oesophagitis, diverticulitis -basically everything was bloody sore). PPIs are my friend for life at this point.

SerenityNowInsanityLater · 02/08/2023 20:52

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Original poster

elllyyyyyy · 02/08/2023 20:56

TheShellBeach · 02/08/2023 20:10

Why are you checking your heart rate?
You can take travel sickness tablets to stop yourself feeling sick.

I have asthma so I keep an oximeter on me always, I just checked it because it felt like my heart was beating quick and I feel so exhausted, I was really hoping they wouldn't affect me but boy was I wrong😭

OP posts:

Original poster

elllyyyyyy · 02/08/2023 21:00

This reply has been deleted

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

I really don't think I can continue. It really is awful. Weird because I never have bad effects like this with anti biotics but I guess because it is two ...

OP posts:

Summerslimtime · 03/08/2023 01:45

Keep going! Your heart rate is high as your body is fighting something and working hard. It will get easier. One day ✔️

QuestionableMouse · 03/08/2023 01:53

Morph22010 · 02/08/2023 06:39

Would the antibiotics have even kicked in that quick if you only started yesterday?

Show quote history

It can.

Metronidazole (for a dental infection) made me feel extremely strange and utterly exhausted (genuinely, I couldn't even walk from the bedroom to the bathroom).

Hope you're doing okay @elllyyyyyy - try lots of distractions.

QuestionableMouse · 03/08/2023 01:55

elllyyyyyy · 02/08/2023 07:09

I've had this for a year now, at first I did refuse the anti biotics but it was that or stay off PPI's for 3 weeks to do a stool sample and I can't do that, my reflux keeps me up at night and I get random on and off stomach pain which can be so painful even ibuprofen and paracetamol together don't help. I would rather know that I tried than not and then if not I get my referral quicker! To me, it's a win both ways this could go.

Show quote history

Taking ibuprofen with severe reflux isn't helping you. You need to stay off it at least until your stomach heals. It is very hard on you stomach and is likely making any pain worse.

lljkk · 03/08/2023 09:03

What treatment are you getting for the health anxiety, OP?

What other healthy lifestyle choices can you make, right now?

Do you work?

UnicornStarfish · 03/08/2023 09:33

"Taking ibuprofen with severe reflux isn't helping you (...) is likely making any pain worse. "
Completely agree. Ibuprofen makes my stomach hurt, I can take it every now and then but not everyday. In fact I was told not to take it during treatment at all and just avoid it before I've healed properly.

Appin · 03/08/2023 17:38

So many people on this thread with hiatus hernia, I don't know anyone else in real life!

OP, keep going. It was never going to be pleasant, but it is necessary.

Boredofmyguts · 03/08/2023 17:43

How you’re still taking the drugs, OP and don’t feel too bad today.

Original poster

elllyyyyyy · 05/08/2023 09:26

Boredofmyguts · 03/08/2023 17:43

How you’re still taking the drugs, OP and don’t feel too bad today.

Sorry I haven't been on here since my last post, I did take them for one more day after I felt to stop but I honestly could not do it, I had every side effect going it was truly horrific. I don't know how people do it, spoke to doc and we are just going to do the stool sample, il just have to try and stay off PPI's for as long as I can and hope for the best. Personally I do not think I have pylori, but I guess we will find out soon!

OP posts:

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