Question on H. pylori

[Cajunmc]

I know this is not a medical forum. But I also know there are a bunch of smart experienced guys on here. I just found out that I have H. pylori. I am in a long term committed relationship but enjoy some outside entertainment that includes rimming and kissing.

So my questions are:

Is H. pylori more prevalent with gay men due to rimming?

 

how long could it be in your system before it is diagnosed?

 

Since my partner and I enjoy rimming and kissing I assume we both have it

 

going to meet with my doctor later this week. Just want to throw this out there to get educated in advance.

[+ g56whiz]

Congratulations on being diagnosed. H.pylori is readily treated with 14 days of rather common (and inexpensive) antibiotics. I know. I was just so cured. But only after enduring a variety of expensive treatments for idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura a condition that ate my platelets (almost all of them) putting me in danger of bleeding to death internally. H.pylori can also cause ulcers or stomach cancer. I never knew I was infected. Several Hematologists asked if I’d been sick. I said no. I’d had no symptoms. But after 6 months of ineffective treatments, a local hematologist tested for H.pylori because here in south Texas along the Rio Grand it’s common. Sure enough I’d had it and the antibiotics did the trick quickly.

 

Were I you, I would focus on getting prompt treatment for you and your partner. A fortnight of celibacy while on the antibiotics might be better than worrying about infecting your ever lov’n.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

I believe that H. Pylori was the predecessor to I.M. Pei

[+ purplekow]

The treatment is two weeks of two antibiotics and a PPI such as Nexium or Pepcid.

[+ g56whiz]

The treatment is two weeks of two antibiotics and a PPI such as Nexium or Pepcid.

Thank you @purplekow . I forgot about the Pepcid.

[jjkrkwood]

Congratulations on being diagnosed. H.pylori is readily treated with 14 days of rather common (and inexpensive) antibiotics. I know. I was just so cured. But only after enduring a variety of expensive treatments for idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura a condition that ate my platelets (almost all of them) putting me in danger of bleeding to death internally. H.pylori can also cause ulcers or stomach cancer. I never knew I was infected. Several Hematologists asked if I’d been sick. I said no. I’d had no symptoms. But after 6 months of ineffective treatments, a local hematologist tested for H.pylori because here in south Texas along the Rio Grand it’s common. Sure enough I’d had it and the antibiotics did the trick quickly.

 

Were I you, I would focus on getting prompt treatment for you and your partner. A fortnight of celibacy while on the antibiotics might be better than worrying about infecting your ever lov’n.

 

 

Is this the same illness that used to be known as "Amoebas" back in the day ? If so, I also have had experience with that.

[mike carey]

Is this the same illness that used to be known as "Amoebas" back in the day ? If so, I also have had experience with that.

No, it's a bacterium. Amoebae are a different life-form.

[Beancounter]

For those who have never heard of this condition (like me) here’s a link describing causes and symptoms.

 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/h-pylori/symptoms-causes/syc-20356171

Edited October 3, 2019 by Beancounter

[Chad Constantine]

I got it after coming back from China. I would eat something and just regurgitate it. At first I thought I just eating to much oily/ or greasy food so I stop eating them. When that didnt work I got my stomach checked and they gave me a small pack of pills afterwards I was good.

[Cajunmc]

So does this inflict gay men more because of rimming? Or does this hit up everyone equally? I have not traveled to any 3rd world countries recently.

[+ g56whiz]

So does this inflict gay men more because of rimming? Or does this hit up everyone equally? I have not traveled to any 3rd world countries recently.

It’s not just 3rd or 2nd world countries. It can be anywhere hygiene is not pristine. It’s very prevalent here in very south Texas along the Rio Grand. So is Diabetes but for other reasons.

[Guest]

I know this is not a medical forum. But I also know there are a bunch of smart experienced guys on here. I just found out that I have H. pylori. I am in a long term committed relationship but enjoy some outside entertainment that includes rimming and kissing.

So my questions are:

Is H. pylori more prevalent with gay men due to rimming?

 

how long could it be in your system before it is diagnosed?

 

Since my partner and I enjoy rimming and kissing I assume we both have it

 

going to meet with my doctor later this week. Just want to throw this out there to get educated in advance.

It hasn't been shown that rimming transmits it, but it wouldn't surprise me. Not known to be more prevalent among gay men. You can have it your whole life and not have it diagnosed (probably the case for most people). Since it can (somewhat rarely) turn into cancer, probably a good idea to get rid of it, as others have mentioned. As long as you're not on a PPI inhibitor such as Prilosec or Nexium, it can be diagnosed by a simple breath test (and the effectiveness of treatment by the same breath test). It may or may not cause symptoms, which are non-specific. I would probably treat anyone who has it, but treatment is only essential if you have an ulcer or cancer due to this organism (the treatment will cure the caner in most cases, BTW).

[+ g56whiz]

It hasn't been shown that rimming transmits it, but it wouldn't surprise me. Not known to be more prevalent among gay men. You can have it your whole life and not have it diagnosed (probably the case for most people). Since it can (somewhat rarely) turn into cancer, probably a good idea to get rid of it, as others have mentioned. As long as you're not on a PPI inhibitor such as Prilosec or Nexium, it can be diagnosed by a simple breath test (and the effectiveness of treatment by the same breath test). It may or may not cause symptoms, which are non-specific. I would probably treat anyone who has it, but treatment is only essential if you have an ulcer or cancer due to this organism (the treatment will cure the caner in most cases, BTW).

Ulcer, cancer or idiopathic thrombocytopenia Purpura. In my case there was no breath test and a stool sample failed to show it but a blood test did.

[Guest]

Ulcer, cancer or idiopathic thrombocytopenia Purpura. In my case there was no breath test and a stool sample failed to show it but a blood test did.

Blood tests cannot show whether you have an infection or not, just whether you were exposed at some point in your life or not. There are three ways to check for a current infection (1) a stool test, (2) a breath test (the easiest, and therefore the most commonly done these days), or (3) put a tube into the stomach and get a biopsy. The first two tests do need you to be off of PPI's (Nexium, Prilosec, etc.) for several days in order to be accurate.

[Cajunmc]

So is it considered a STD? Or is it more commonly contracted in other ways?

[+ keroscenefire]

So is it considered a STD? Or is it more commonly contracted in other ways?

 

It's a very common bacteria...some estimates say that as many as 50% of the world's population have it (though most do not experience ulcers and other symptoms caused by the bacteria). It's transmitted via oral-oral or oral-fecal, often through contaminated food or water (more common in areas that have less hygienic food and water available). Probably could get it from rimming, but that's probably not how most people get it and it's not really considered an STD.