Vitamin D deficiency = Treatment failures?
Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2020 11:00 am
Dear Helico Expert,
Can you please weigh in on this article I have recently found:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6308038/
A couple of years ago I had low levels of Vitamin D, supplemented for a little while then stopped. There was no followup to ascertain levels after supplementation. I then found out that Rifabutin can also lower Vitamin D levels (https://supp.ai/i/vitamin-d-rifabutin/C0042866-C0140575), and I had been on eradication therapy with Rifabutin in early 2019 which failed. I have also had decreasing ferritin levels and finally became fully anemic around end of last year. I did notice that starting after the Rifabutin regimen I came down with more frequent infections and have suffered about a half dozen UTIs since then (amongst other things). I tried to do oral iron supplementation but had to stop taking them when I had an accident (fell and broke 2 vertebrae) at the very end of 2019, because the iron supplements were causing terrible "plumbing" problems and along with the H.Pylori, creating terrible abdominal distention that exacerbated pain from the spinal injury. So, I had to go on an extended course of laxatives to help ease the discomfort and "make room" for healing. [I have very recently read that laxatives can deplete Vitamin D levels too (ugh)!] After the fall I developed worsened joint pains all over, nerve pains in my extremities, itching with pustules, fatigue, more cognitive difficulties, irritability, and became depressed. On a whim I took a high-dose D3 supplement (10,000 IU) and my symptoms improved by at least 10% (whether a real improvement or a placebo effect, I don't know). I have no idea what my current blood levels are and hope to get a blood test to determine how badly a deficiency I might have at this point in order to know how to proceed.
My question is, to your knowledge is the article linking low Vitamin D levels to H. Pylori eradication failures accurate? If so, then why are these blood levels not routinely ascertained prior to eradication therapy, in order to have better chance at success? Could low Vitamin D levels have contributed to my 7 treatment failures? If I get Vitamin D levels up could that be the missing the link to finally eradicating this nasty bug?
I was supposed to get the endoscopy redone for sensitivity panel at the end of last year but the $&@*%%*! accident caused me to have to cancel the procedure. I want to get stronger before I board this merry-go-round again!
Thanks!
Can you please weigh in on this article I have recently found:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6308038/
A couple of years ago I had low levels of Vitamin D, supplemented for a little while then stopped. There was no followup to ascertain levels after supplementation. I then found out that Rifabutin can also lower Vitamin D levels (https://supp.ai/i/vitamin-d-rifabutin/C0042866-C0140575), and I had been on eradication therapy with Rifabutin in early 2019 which failed. I have also had decreasing ferritin levels and finally became fully anemic around end of last year. I did notice that starting after the Rifabutin regimen I came down with more frequent infections and have suffered about a half dozen UTIs since then (amongst other things). I tried to do oral iron supplementation but had to stop taking them when I had an accident (fell and broke 2 vertebrae) at the very end of 2019, because the iron supplements were causing terrible "plumbing" problems and along with the H.Pylori, creating terrible abdominal distention that exacerbated pain from the spinal injury. So, I had to go on an extended course of laxatives to help ease the discomfort and "make room" for healing. [I have very recently read that laxatives can deplete Vitamin D levels too (ugh)!] After the fall I developed worsened joint pains all over, nerve pains in my extremities, itching with pustules, fatigue, more cognitive difficulties, irritability, and became depressed. On a whim I took a high-dose D3 supplement (10,000 IU) and my symptoms improved by at least 10% (whether a real improvement or a placebo effect, I don't know). I have no idea what my current blood levels are and hope to get a blood test to determine how badly a deficiency I might have at this point in order to know how to proceed.
My question is, to your knowledge is the article linking low Vitamin D levels to H. Pylori eradication failures accurate? If so, then why are these blood levels not routinely ascertained prior to eradication therapy, in order to have better chance at success? Could low Vitamin D levels have contributed to my 7 treatment failures? If I get Vitamin D levels up could that be the missing the link to finally eradicating this nasty bug?
I was supposed to get the endoscopy redone for sensitivity panel at the end of last year but the $&@*%%*! accident caused me to have to cancel the procedure. I want to get stronger before I board this merry-go-round again!
Thanks!