Question on Stomach Infection

Dear Dr. Spence,
I am currently being treated for some kind of stomach infection. Sounds crazy to me. How could I have contracted such a thing?
Signed,
Bellyaching

Dear Bellyaching,
I presume you have been diagnosed with the bacteria heliobacter pylori, or H. pylori. Incredibly, it is estimated that one half of the world’s population is infected with an estimated prevalence of thirty percent in North America. We know that H pylori has been implicated in gastric and duodenal ulceration as well as in the development of gastric cancer. Treatment appears to decrease the risk of rebleeding from peptic ulcer disease while at the same time decreasing risk of cancer. It is unknown at this time how H.pylori is transmitted though it seems more prevalent in conditions of poor socioeconomic conditions or family overcrowding. There may be an ethnic or genetic predisposition as well. Diagnosis is generally confirmed one of three ways. Serum antibody testing is a rapid and readily available technology but positive results do not necessarily confirm active infection and may represent previous exposure. Better screening methods include breath testing, stool analysis, or endoscopy with biopsy. Treatment consists of multi-drug regimens that extend from one day therapy to two weeks. Assuming the patient can tolerate eighteen pills in one day (most can in my experience), I prefer one day therapy given its 95% likelihood of H.pylori eradication and relative low expense.

Dear Dr. Spence,
My legs ache at night or any time I rest and I always feel like I have to move them. I was told that this could be restless legs syndrome. Is this a possibility?
Signed,
Jumpy Legs

Dear Jumpy Legs,
Restless legs syndrome, or RLS, is a very common neurological problem that may affect up to 2-15% of the population. Most patients generally describe a relentless achiness, pulling, burning, creeping, crawling or bug like sensation under the skin. Many describe simply a restless feeling. It can be extremely debilitating and often interferes with one’s quality of life due to pain, fatigue and sleep disturbances. Though most cases are of unknown origin, your doctor may request lab work in order to rule out other conditions such as iron deficiency, kidney problems or even pregnancy (less likely in males!). Treatment can be challenging. I prefer, in most cases, to use medications like clonazepam. They tend to be highly effective, are relatively safe and most importantly, are quite cheap. For treatment failures, I often try anti-Parkinson drugs like mirapex or requip which have shown efficacy in clinical studies. Patients generally have dramatic improvement in their symptoms and general well-being. More information is available through the Restless Legs foundation at rls.org or by contacting them at 877-INFO-RLS.

Do you have any medical questions or concerns that you would like addressed? You can contact Dr. Spence by email at scripna@hotmail.com or by mailing your question to Weekly Dose, P.O BOX 6107, Marianna, FL 32446.