Treatment:

Patients who have H. pylori and also have an ulcer are most likely to benefit from being treated. Patients who only have heartburn or acid reflux and H. pylori are less likely to benefit from treatment.

Treatment must be taken for 10 to 14 days. Medications may include:

• Antibiotics, such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), amoxicillin, tetracycline, or metronidazole (Flagyl)
• Proton-pump inhibitors, such as omeprazole (Prilosec), lansoprazole (Prevacid), or esomeprazole (Nexium)
• Histamine H2 blockers, such as cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), famotidine (Pepcid), nizatidine (Axid, Tazac), and sometimes bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol)

Expectations (prognosis):

Once the H. pylori bacteria is gone from your body, the chance of it coming back is very low.

Complications:

H. pylori infection is linked to stomach cancer and ulcer disease.

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if you have blood in your stool, abdominal pain, ongoing indigestion or heartburn, or any of the other symptoms mentioned above.

Seek immediate medical help if you are vomiting blood.