Possible 'bug' Growing In Stomach?

[crisgal]

my 19 year old recently told me has acid reflux, after everything he's eaten - and always has had, for as long as he can remember.
He never mentioned it ebcause he thought everyone had it!
He went to the dr and he gave him ranitidine. They are going to give him a test to see if he has a 'bug' thing growing in his gut, as apparantly some people do.

Does anyone know what this is, what it's called and how it's treated?

[karenmac60]

Would it be helicobacter pylori? If so they treat it with antibiotics and antacids.

[rojash]

I was diagnosed with Helicobacter shortly after the test became available. In those days it was something like 3 weeks of antibiotics. I believe it's a lot less now.
Best thing that ever happened to me. Prior to that I was treated on and off for years with various "anti-ulcer" drugs, including tranquillisers. Within a few weeks of diagnosis, I was fit as a fiddle, and have been ever since.

[crisgal]

that's fab - thanks.
When he wa a baby, he had reflux all the time - it took me an hour to feed him his bottle!
As he was growing up, he would be sick for no apparent reason. I always put it down to something he'd eaten (Usually blamed nana for too many treats!) but now i'm wondering if it was this bug.

[Scylax]

It sounds like he's suffering from a duodenal ulcer caused by H.Pylori. It's common enough in males, and can be even commoner in young intelligent males.
These small ulcers usually heal, then break down again repeatedly, leaving a little scar tissue which contracts, and bit-by-bit narrows the pylorus- the exit from the stomach into the duodenum (small intestine).
This causes the regurgitation of acid and stomach contents. It is a chronic condition, usually persisting for years, unless it is treated. Happily, these days the condition is easily treated without surgery. Meantime, Ranitidine or Omeprazole will help considerably. H.Pylori needs to be cleared from the stomach first - a short regime of antibiotics.
However, the condition needs to be investigated first, to exclude other causes. A barium meal (X-ray) will reveal any ulceration, or whatever.

[Sqad]

I agree with karen/rojash

Unlikely to be due to a duodenal ulcer in a 19year old, more likely, if present be due to gastritis secondary to his gastric reflux.

[Mamyalynne]

Scylax

//can be even commoner in young intelligent males.//


I would love to see the medical science paper behind that.

[Scylax]

Lynne - years ago, when studying the subject, it was noted that stressed individuals, prone to anxiety, figured higher among those with D.U. than in the general population. The Type A personality. prone to psychosomatic disorders, Bright but worriers. Can't cite the paper at this remove of course - too far back, but usually correct in my experience.

[Scylax]

Mamyalynne...The ref. you require for relationship between psychosomatic illness and personality :

Hayes, N. 'Foundations of Psychology'
Routledge, Lond. 1994
Ch. 12 pp. 452-454

citing esp. the work of Friedman & Rosenman (1974), Jenkins et al (1978).
Intelligence, as an integral part of personality is shown to be central in the 'Personality A' group.