Question:
H. Pylori two years post-op?

I'm two years post op. Just received a 'blanket-type' letter from my surgeon indicating that I may have had H. Pylori in my stomach at the type of surgery and what the complications this could mean (Ulcers, stomach pain and stomach cancer). I must take two stool samples in at two separate times for examination. Has anybody else this far post-op been exposed to this worry?    — Vicki S. (posted on March 1, 2005)

February 28, 2005
My teenage son was diagnosed with this last year when he became extremely ill and I had to take him to the ER. He was given Prev-Pak. Each PREVPAC contains daily dose cards for a 10- or 14-day treatment cycle. Each dose card contains three different prescription drugs for one day's treatment. There is a morning dose and an evening dose. It includes Prevacid (lansoprazole) and two antibiotics called Trimox (amoxicillin capsules) and Biaxin (clarithromycin tablets). If you have any drug allergies, I would suggest that you check to make sure none of the ingredients of those drugs are in this medicine regimen. My son is allergic to penicillin and we didn't realize until we got home that he would be taking four doses of penicillin a day (the Trimox). We had to call the ER and get them to phone in another prescription to take in place of the Trimox. The irradication rate with PrevPak is averaged to be 90% successful. It is also possible to be reinfected. You also shouldn't take it if you're taking certain types of medications, which your doctor should be able to find out, or if you have certain kidney problems. H. Pylori is very common. About 2/3 of the world's adult population are infected with it. Almost everyone who has a duodenal ulcer has H. pylori, but not everyone that has H. pylori develops an ulcer. With people like us, with such small pouches, this is not something that we want to develop. So, if your tests are positive, take care of it immediately. Good luck!
   — SnowWhiteDove459

March 1, 2005
WHile I do not have H Pylori, I have sat in on several endoscopies in which the surgeon took the time to explain the Pathophysiology of H. Pylori. I think that y first question for your surgeon would be, "Why exactly might I have been infected with this at the the time of surgery?" Was this a fault of his, the labs, or the practitioner that proformed the procedure? WHile I would agree with most of what the previous poster stated, H.Pylori is not as common as she would have you believe. According to the National institutes of health only about 20 percent of people under 40 develop this. It is not conclusively known how it is contracted, but it is thought that it might be through food or water. It has also been found in the salave of infected people and has been known to be transmited via salava exchange during kissing. (Did your surgeon kiss you during surgery? heehehehe) Stool tests may be used to detect H. pylori infection in the patient's fecal matter. Studies have shown that this test, called the Helicobacter pylori stool antigen (HpSA) test, is accurate for diagnosing H. pylori. Drugs Used to Treat H. pylori Peptic Ulcers Antibiotics: metronidazole, tetracycline, clarithromycin, amoxicillin H2 blockers: cimetidine, ranitidine, famotidine, nizatidine Proton pump inhibitors: omeprazole, lansoprazole, rabeprazole, esomeprazole, pantoprozole Stomach-lining protector: bismuth subsalicylate The use of only one medication to treat H. pylori is not recommended. At this time, the most proven effective treatment is a 2-week course of treatment called triple therapy. Unfortunately, patients may find triple therapy complicated because it involves taking as many as 20 pills a day. Also, the antibiotics used in triple therapy may cause mild side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dark stools, metallic taste in the mouth, dizziness, headache, and yeast infections in women. the preceding was excerpted from: NIH Publication No. 05-4225 I hope that this is of help for you. I wish you uch success! Christy Riederer, RN/BSN-S RNY 3-8-2005 264lb,128 lost, currently @ 136 pounds, 10 till goal!!
   — Tiny Pixie

March 4, 2005
Am I missing something here? DId you say you were 2 years post-op and they are just now telling you? That is WRONG!!! I would try to find out how he thinks this happened and why. Did he make an error? I'm so sorry for you. I think the last poster is completely right in her answer. Good luck...
   — debi327