ulcers, Hpylori, recurrent? - Acid Reflux / GERD Message Board

Susanheb · 05-20-2007, 11:05 AM

Hi
I didn't know how to post a subject title for this one and to be frank, I'm not sure if I'm even posting on the right board.
I was diagnosed with an ulcer a couple of months ago and was given 6 weeks of Nexium. On the 5th week, the surgeon also gave me antibiotic treatment for the Hpylori (never tested for this). The treatment was clarith & metronidizole (?). It's been about 2 month or so since I finished the treatment, but I'm starting to feel like the ulcer is coming back. I'm scared because I don't know if it's in my mind or not.
The first ulcer was *totally* asymptomatic...I was initially going to the gp for back pain and constipation turned to semi-diarhea (sorry). The only real symptom was the anemia which was BAD.
Anyway, I'm just wondering how prevalent it is for an ulcer to come back even after having the double dose of antibiotics. I'm getting tired and headachey again (onset of anemia ???) and I'm super scared and confused about what to do because my family doctor FIRED us sooo...I would have to go to an emerg for this. Just stupid...
Sue

taape · 05-20-2007, 10:45 PM

My doctor suspects that I had an ulcer as my stomach hurt and I had heart burn when taking pain medication. I was given Protonics to take and took the prescription for 5 months. I then had an endoscopy and there was no hpylori found so I didn't take antibiotics.

I think ulcers can come back but I don't know about ones after taking antibiotics. All I know is that I can't take the pain medications anymore and as long as I eat non spicy food and avoid the pain medication I'm mostly ok. Some antibiotics can be hard on the stomach and cause irritation to an ulcer. What antibiotic were you taking?

It doesn't seem like 6 weeks is long enough to totally heal some ulcers. Especially if you go back to your same diet, medications or whatever it was that caused it. Without a doctor this could be difficult if you do need more antibiotics and/or more stomach meds.

Susanheb · 05-21-2007, 06:51 PM

Thanks for your response,
I think I'm going to make a concerted effort to cut out the coffee. I only drink one cup a day but just the same, I'm going to try to quit. Maybe this will do something. The doc didn't test for Hpylori but that was probably the cause because I'd never really taken any NSAID's. Fairly healthy, but everything started to go downhill when I started jogging. hmmm
I'm just going to try to modify the diet (not much to go on...I eat pretty healthy as it is lol) and see where that gets me.
thnx
Sue

Quote:

Originally Posted by taape

My doctor suspects that I had an ulcer as my stomach hurt and I had heart burn when taking pain medication. I was given Protonics to take and took the prescription for 5 months. I then had an endoscopy and there was no hpylori found so I didn't take antibiotics.

I think ulcers can come back but I don't know about ones after taking antibiotics. All I know is that I can't take the pain medications anymore and as long as I eat non spicy food and avoid the pain medication I'm mostly ok. Some antibiotics can be hard on the stomach and cause irritation to an ulcer. What antibiotic were you taking?

It doesn't seem like 6 weeks is long enough to totally heal some ulcers. Especially if you go back to your same diet, medications or whatever it was that caused it. Without a doctor this could be difficult if you do need more antibiotics and/or more stomach meds.

taape · 05-21-2007, 07:18 PM

Eliminating coffee sounds like a good idea it's supposedly very irritating to the stomach. I've never drank coffee but I stopped drinking OJ and eating anything with tomatoes in it.

Your doctor just fired you? Does that also mean that you lost your insurance? Maybe you could go to a low cost or free clinic to follow up on this and get a copy of your records from the last doctor to take with you.

Susanheb · 05-22-2007, 08:24 AM

Hi taape,
My doctor dismissed my whole family from her practice and didn't give us a reason as to why she would do so. I think it was a personality clash: I saw myself as an intelligent person in need and she didn't.
We're in Ontario, Canada. It's just a bit different up here. We have provincial healthcare which covers doctors' visits and my family also has private health insurance with SunLife which covers the cost of meds etc.
I went to the Walk-In clinic today. I thought I would 'get the jump' on the other sickies...but it seems they all got the jump on me. lol The room was packed full so I walked back out. (I could practically SEE the germs everywhere.) I'll go back tonight when everyone else is eating supper. :-)
Sue

Quote:

Originally Posted by taape

Your doctor just fired you? Does that also mean that you lost your insurance? Maybe you could go to a low cost or free clinic to follow up on this and get a copy of your records from the last doctor to take with you.