H. Pylori, recurring

bonnielass · April 7, 2009

I'm from Canada. Before I was banded in Oct, 2008 I was tested for H. Pylori bacteria (as I have previously had ulcers and been treated for the H. Plyori bacheria), before I left to Mexico for the surgery. I also got an upper GI done at the hospital (just to make sure there was no problems). I recently just tested positive for H. Pylori again.

I remember reading, on a previous post, that many lapband patients have this problem afterwards.

I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has had this happen and any words of advise on how to avoid it from recurring. I am undergoing treatment again. Do I need to get an unfill?

Thanks.

HeatherO · April 7, 2009

I have had it before banding but I am not sure if it has ever reoccurred. It is so easily treated with antibiotics, it shouldn't be a very big issue. As long as you get checked every once in a while and treat it if necessary you should be good.

Antibodies to h pylori can be detected by blood tests or breath tests can detect active infection with h pylori so there are easy ways to diagnose it that aren't too invasive.

I read that the usual treatment is a combination of antibiotics and an acid-blocker/proton pump inhibitor for 1-2 weeks which should cure it 85-90% of the time. Once it is truly cured, reinfection rates are less than .5 percent per year. It is a little more difficult to resolve if you have an ulcer.

It could be that your initial infection was not cured 100% and it came back again. I am not sure that you can prevent it as much as just treat it when it occurs. Perhaps after this occurrence is resolved, you should get retested.