P: I TESTED positive for H. pylori.
I finished a seven-day eradication treatment, but I’m no better. What can I do?
A: Most stomach inflammation and ulcers caused by H. pylori heal within a few weeks after treatment.
Therefore, if you have just completed a week’s treatment, you may need to wait longer for your symptoms to disappear.
But sometimes symptoms persist after treatment. This may be because antibiotics have not worked due to antimicrobial resistance.
It could also be a recurrence of the infection or there is an additional cause, such as smoking, stress or taking medications that cause ulcers.
People with gastritis or gastric ulcers should not take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen as they can damage the stomach lining.
If your symptoms do not improve after a few more weeks, or if they get worse, you should go back to your GP.
Depending on other factors, including age and risk, they may refer you for an endoscopy.
TIP: One of the best things we can do to support brain health and combat aging is to have a purpose in life. It’s a mantra in many nations, such as Japan (ikigai) and Costa Rica (pura vida), but not so much in the UK.
Join a club or charity to meet people and be part of something. You only need to go once to try it out. It could be anything from a choir to a walking group, befriending service or local food bank.
Email Dr. Zoe: Health@thesun.co.uk
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
