Negative Biopsy - Positive For H-pylori

[Sue C]

Hello

Before two weeks ago I had never heard of Celiac Disease. Now I think it has been my problem for years. I have a history of constipation (diagnosed as IBS), unexplained abdominal pains, insomnia, hypothyroid, gastric reflux (had surgery for that and the reflux came back), almost no menstrual cycle (sometimes 2x a year) and ongoing fatigue. In November the doctors discovered that I was anemic. They immediately panicked and told me I must be bleeding internally. They did a colonoscopy (normal), a small bowel X-ray (normal), and the camera that you swallow. The camera indicated an abnormal area in the small intestine. That's when they asked me if I had ever been tested for celiac disease. They did a blood test and advised me that the numbers were inconclusive. This past Monday they did a biopsy and have advised me that it came back negative for celiac disease but positive for H-Pylori? Now they have me on two strong antibiotics which have already brought on a yeast infection. I feel like I am falling apart. Luckily one of my co-workers has celiac disease and has been a godsend for me. Under her encouragement I started a gluten free diet a week ago. Though I don't feel any better yet, I am hopeful that by staying gluten free some of my other issues may improve. Anyone else diagonosed with H-Pylori? Do you think it can be attributed to celiac disease?

SueC

[jerseyangel]

You do have many symptoms that could point to Celiac. You inconclusive test also makes me wonder--if you'd like, you could post the actual numbers and see what some of the "experts" think.

Another thought I had--a reason why you are not seeing any changes on the gluten-free diet right now could be that you are on 2 antibiotics. Those are notorious for causing GI problems. I'd stick with it and see how you feel a month or so after you are off the meds.

During the months right before I was diganosed, I was severely anemic--and my doctor did the same thing yours did--panicked and started looking for abnormal bleeding. Despite years of GI problems and at that point chronic D and weight loss, it was I who asked for a referral to a GI who I then asked to test me for Celiac.

When I told my original doctor I had been dx with Celiac, she just raised her eyebrows and said--did it help your symptoms?

We know ourselves best, go with your gut (so to speak)

[Sue C]

I was told they did a full panel and these are the results they gave me:

Celiac Disease Comprehensive Panel

Tissue Transglutaminase Antibody, IGA TTG Antibody, IGA 6 H Reference Range 5-8 Equivocal

IGA, Serum 216 Reference Range 81-463

[nicodemus]

H. pylori is a cause/risk factor for ulcers. Combining a positive h. pylori test with anemia, your doctors probably thought that you have a perforated ulcer. The two antibiotics are standard treatment for an infection of h. pylori. I don't know if you have an ulcer or not; same goes for celiac disease. But, if I were you, I would continue with the antibiotics until they have eliminated the h. pylori. Ulcers are not fun, especially perforated ones.

Good luck, and I hope you get this figured out!

[AnneM]

H-pylori is the reason i found out that i had celiac disease. I was horribly sick from it, nauseated all the time, couldn't eat, tired, the list went on and on. My dr sent me to a gastro, no one mentioned celiac at all to me until after my endoscopy. I had a long list of digestive problems they discovered, you have to take all those meds for h-pylori to clear up and i was told you can never get h-pylori again in your life. Keep with the gluten free diet it takes awhile to feel better, it doesn't happen overnight. It took me months before i seen a difference.