Could this be H. pylori, and has anyone found treating it helped?

[Wombat140]

Hello everyone,

 

Alongside my various psychological symptoms (which nobody has ever got to the bottom of so far...), I have a problem with not having any appetite. It's been that way for years (in fact I've always had a small appetite, though it wasn't until the last few years that it became extreme enough to be a problem), but it's been particularly awkward in the last few months. It's not that I don't need to eat more - I can have got to the low-blood-sugar stage and really feel I need something to eat, but my stomach still feels so full, I can't face eating anything. If I get hungry between meals, or even if I'm just late for breakfast, I have to think very carefully about whether I dare eat anything or whether I won't have room for dinner if I do.

 

A nutritionist I was seeing last year about my other symptoms suggested that this might be silent H. pylori. Does that seem plausible to any of you? I'd like to feel that I do have some kind of a case before I try going to the doctor about this. I don't have any other digestive symptoms, but in the last few months, especially, my weight's gradually been falling further and further, in spite of me making myself eat as much as I can possibly manage, and there wasn't really much to spare to begin with.

 

Also, has anyone found that treating H. pylori helped with other symptoms, I mean psychological/neurological ones?

 

Many thanks,

Wombat140

Edited July 28, 2014 by wombat140

[Wombat140]

Anyone?

 

Thinking about it, it's interesting because apart from this, I never have any unusual physical symptoms, at all (except for straightforward colds and things, and not many of those). It's all mental/neurological stuff. This is the only one. I'm wondering if it might be a clue to something. Usually, when I ask for help on this site, or read other things about PANDAS or alternative Tourette's treatments, one of the first things I'm asked is what my physical symptoms are and what they react to... and I have to say, um, I don't have any so there's nothing to be got out of that!

[searching_for_help]

wombat - maybe this link will be helpful. This is a case of h. pylori causing a B12 deficiency:

 

http://evolutionarypsychiatry.blogspot.com/2012/11/b12-deficiency-and-psychosis-case-study.html

 

Sounds like for some, H. pylori can be the cause for deficiencies, one being B12, that can cause lots of problems (mentally and physically). I've read that testing B12 levels isn't very accurate, so many docs are unwilling to treat. But there are 3 types of H. Pylori tests - one is a blood draw, one is a breath test, and another is a stool test.

 

The breath test requires you be off antibiotics and aspartame for 2 weeks prior to test. I can't remember, but I don't think you're supposed to use anything like peptobismal either, but check with your doc.

 

That being said, my daughter tested positive for H. Pylori. She had absolutely NO physical symptoms of stomach problems (intestinal problems - YES, but not tummy issues.) We were hoping after being treated that her anxiety and OCD would calm down. Sadly, didn't happen. She is going to retest for H. pylori in about a week. Seems abx don't always get rid of it, but we aren't sure what is causing dd's problems. Doc thinks it could be mold or metals and we are checking on those as well.

 

Hope this link helps.

[Wombat140]

Fascinating article - thanks. I never knew that B12 deficiency and mental symptoms was actually a recognised thing.

 

We've decided that since I'm definitely losing weight, in spite of my best efforts to eat as much as I can, this is something the doctor will take seriously, so appointment booked for next week. I'll raise the question of H. pylori - it's lucky that for once it's something that doesn't require a blood test!

 

Thanks for the warning about the breath test. I haven't been on any antibiotics for quite a while anyway (and I can't stand aspartame, don't know how anyone can like it).

 

I'll let you know how it goes.