by Kitkat
(North Yorkshire)
Soon after my diagnosis, my consultant said he found a patch of Helicobacter, so he prescribed me with some antibiotics for it. when I got home I searched what it was. It is a type of bacteria that is present in most people suffering gastritis and gastric ulcers, such as Crohn's. I think that is what was giving me horrible acidic reflux now and again. mostly after I had eaten something sugary. I took the antibiotics and then in July he said he wanted me to have a breath test to see if it has gone. Near the end of August I am going to Hull for it. It only takes between 10 and 20 minutes I've heard, I have to swallow a tablet, about the size of a paracetamol, with a little bit of water and then breathe into a tube a couple of times. I am allowed nothing to eat or drink before hand and that means no medication, Ketavite, Ferrous fumarate or solvazinc, Solvazinc doesn't taste very nice but it depends how long you've left it in water. I tend to leave it until it goes flat because I'm not meant to have fizzy stuff but it makes it taste worse.