Eradicate H Pylori in NYC?

March 15, 2014 5:55 AM

I'm 99% sure the symptoms I've been experiencing for years are caused by a chronic H. Pylori infection. My understanding is that eradication is only 70-80% likely to actually work. I'd like to do this right. Can you recommend a doctor in NYC?

I'm looking for a doctor who knows the research and has also has a track record of practical success. Of course, I know that they'll want to actually test and see if I have it, and maybe something else is wrong with me, etc.

posted by zeek321 to Health & Fitness (6 answers total)

While ultimately H. pylori infection and its consequences are part of the practice domain of GI docs, testing and treatment are generally fairly straightforward and are both routinely handled by primary care doctors. I'd suggest going to your current PCP to address this issue, if you have one, or establishing with one if you don't.
posted by killdevil at 6:58 AM on March 15, 2014 [1 favorite]

Yeah. Even this third year med student knows the appropriate tests and treatments for H. pylori infection. Physician skill has little to do with the course of peptic ulcer disease until the patient fails second- and third-line treatments. Assuming you have PUD, you'll get the same three drug cocktail no matter who you saw.
posted by The White Hat at 7:05 AM on March 15, 2014

It's not that anyone is doing it wrong, it's just that some people require additional treatment. But there's no real art to the treatment itself. You could probably get it done via urgent care, if they had the lab resources.
posted by Lyn Never at 7:17 AM on March 15, 2014 [1 favorite]

I had mine treated successfully by a GP. It took two courses of those big football-shaped antibiotics, followed by six months on a PPI (Nexium, in my case) to heal fully.

Fair warning: the antibiotics can really knock you on your behind for a couple of weeks.
posted by bonehead at 7:55 AM on March 15, 2014

I've had to go through two rounds of hardcore, totally-kicked-my-ass antibiotics, and go soon to see where we stand. This was all through a gastroenterologist.

I certainly feel a hell of a lot better.
posted by Superplin at 10:22 AM on March 15, 2014

FWIW, I think many doctors almost expect that it will take multiple rounds of antibiotics. Mr. 26.2 had a go-round with h. pylori and his physician was very pleasantly surprised that it only took one round of antibiotics.

And yeah, getting the h. pylori knocked out has a huge impact on quality of life. If you do have it, then get it gone. If it take a few rounds of antibiotics, then so be it.
posted by 26.2 at 11:25 AM on March 16, 2014