Pylera and Dark Stool: What Users Say

• Abe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 2, 2019

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I was diagnosed with IBS syndrome with very bad diarrhea and bloating but went for blood test (and gastro test) for Helicobacter. They found massive infection in my stomach and I got Pylera and PPI (omeprazole). Today is day 10 of my procedure and I have to say starting day first I have no symptoms of IBS so it looks it works very well! Zero side effects (just black stool but this is normal during Pylera treatment). You can find many negative comments here but typically people are writing these only if something goes wrong. My advice is don't be scared (don't panic) of Pylera treatment, I was lucky for no side effects and never felt that good (after 3 years of problems). Everybody is different."

• sic...
• October 30, 2014

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "Had a hard time pretty much since the second day. Some people stated you should eat first. Unfortunately, that makes me want to vomit after taking it. No diarrhea (I took probiotics and ate Activia), but weird stools (very dark and frequent). I think my bowels are empty at this point. Appetite is gone. Lost almost 10 pounds. Difficulty sleeping due to nausea and gas pains. Threw up twice. Little energy. Headaches. Feeling stressed and somewhat depressed at times. Crying bouts in the middle of the night. What I described wasn't constant. It came and went throughout the day, but nights were hardest for some reason. Tomorrow is the final day. Can you survive it? Yes. Is it hard? For sure. If H. pylori is gone, then it's worth it. Be strong."

• Puf...
• October 3, 2018

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I know so many people have posted about how terrible the medication is. I had a hard time the first 5 days and almost stopped it. I finally figured out the secret to getting through it. Drink tons of water and eat food between each capsule. It might take 10-15 minutes to take the dose, but it makes a huge difference. I still did get the black stools, which were gross, but now they are back to normal. Since finishing the 10 days a week ago, I am feeling great, no pain, and so glad I got through it. Now I'm just waiting to go in for the breath test, hoping that all is good. My advice to everyone is to stick it out. You can do it!!"

• dr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 18, 2024

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I'm at day 7 of taking this med, and day 6 and 7 were the hardest by far. At the beginning of taking this med, I just had bloating and abdominal pain (manageable) and dark stool, but during day 5, the nausea started, and it became so severe on day 7 that I had to talk to my doctor. The doctor recommended me to take motilinium and to decrease the dosage to 3 times per day instead of 4. Currently, the nausea is kinda better. Wish me luck to push through these bad days. Stay strong."

• Meh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 24, 2019

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "Read all the reviews here and started to think whether I will take it or not since I'm a very anxious person. I decided to take it since it's the only way to kill this strong bacteria that can cause stomach cancer! I'm on day 6 now, my only side effects are feeling so tired, dizzy all day, and dark stool. Advice for everyone: drink a lot of water and eat proper food without gluten, eat soups, chicken, lentils, avocado, and bananas, as well as eat oats (gluten-free) in the morning before you take your first pills, it will make you full and relaxed for a while. 4 days to go! Just feeling anxious all the time, hope this will kill this bacteria. I will come back here to update everyone if it's gone."

• Kno...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 2, 2013

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I was on a ten-day treatment taking three pills four times a day. I was also taking omeprazole twice daily. It helped a lot as far as the sickness and nausea go. Dark urine and stool was about the only side effect I experienced except for dry mouth during the night. The key is to make sure you eat plenty before each dose. Do NOT eat or drink dairy while taking it. I made that mistake one time, and that's all it took. Other than that, I felt pretty good. I will also suggest a good brand of probiotic to take daily as well. It was a tough ten days, but I believe it's well worth it."

• Ang...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 9, 2019

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "After reading all the odd side effects, I hesitate to start my treatment with Pylera, but I need to start sooner or later, even if I don't have any symptoms of this infection. I had just three side effects: on my day one, I had a headache all day, and on day two, I felt weak all day, dark stools until I finished the treatment, and that was all my bad side effects. I stopped all my medications and vitamins one week before starting to take Pylera and cut all dairy and red meat. I think the key is to drink a lot of water and have a proper meal. I had a full bottle of water (17.9 fl. oz) every time I took my Pylera capsules and omeprazole, and more water in between my meals and fruits during the day. I'm just waiting for a couple of weeks to see my doctor and find out if this treatment got rid of the pylori bacteria. Good luck to everyone, and remember you need to drink a lot of water, water, water, and more water during the day, fruits, vegetables, fish, and poultry."

• hyv...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 27, 2021

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "Just gotta say to everyone that we all have different experiences and reactions to medicine, the side effects people talk about shouldn’t scare. I followed through with the antibiotic + omeprazole, 12 a day/2 a day each, making sure to stay hydrated and eat very well before each dose, added natural remedies and probiotics onto the mix as well to surround the bacteria like they do in battle. I went through little to no side effects, the only ones I had were dark stools because the bismuth is strong and makes your stool either dark green or absolute black, a bit of cramps here and there on the first days, and that’s totally normal, minimal cramps mean the antibiotic is doing its job. Tons of water kept the nausea away, double the suggested amount. Fatigue wasn’t so prominent, I only felt very sleepy towards the end of the day. Now I don’t have as much gas, no more diarrhea, I feel refreshed and good."

• Ola...
• May 28, 2013

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "It's my 10th day. The first 3 days, I had a general feeling of being ill, like all was not well, but I couldn't place my hands on the illness, but I was strong enough to work. I felt slightly lethargic and had a metallic taste in my mouth, which my pharmacist had warned me about. I didn't feel nauseous, but by the 4th day, I woke up feeling good and bursting with energy and felt like my body was asking for the next dose close to the time of taking the next dose. I ate a good meal before each dose, and it decreased any feeling of unease. My stool is black, a lot more, and is like coffee grounds. I wish my doctor had told me about taking probiotics to replace good bacteria."

• Ang...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 4, 2017

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I just finished my 10-day course of Pylera, and I can't believe I got through it. My side effects were bad nausea, even with food, black stools, dark urine, extreme fatigue, headache, feverish feeling, and it seems like every bit of phlegm in my body is coming out one way or another. My nose runs like a sieve, and also phlegm is running down my throat constantly. Just awesome. I feel like I've been ingesting poison and calling it medicine. I'm hoping this takes care of the infection because I've been profoundly ill for over a year, not realizing what was making me so sick until my EGD uncovered Helicobacter. The only thing I can advise is to be kind to yourself, don't expect too much of yourself, try to not work if possible."

• ano...
• May 23, 2012

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "My experience with this medication has been awful. I'm on my 10th day, but I have missed 5 doses. This medication made me so sick I had to go to the emergency room. Severe headache, nausea, bloating, black stool, and urine. You are supposed to eat with it, but I couldn't because of the bloating. Which in turn made me sick because I wasn't eating. I have completely stopped taking the medication in the hopes that the H. Pylori is gone."

• GAA...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 9, 2022

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "H. pylori. (13.00) Pylera 4x3 + omeprazole 2x1 for 10 days. All doses were taken at the same time 6-7 am/12 pm/6 pm/12 am. Days 1-3 were insane. The nausea - exorcism-like!! I cut all the dairy, multivitamins, products high in calcium and iron. No alcohol. No cigarettes or vaping, which as a smoker I had no cravings at all. Pills after meals and with a little bit of food, it helped to ease the nausea slightly. Was afraid it could affect the treatment. I made sure I was not laying down for 10 mins post-pills. Currently day 9, most symptoms became better after day 5. However, then I felt very exhausted mentally and physically and nearly cried every time taking pills, even when symptoms were not as bad as at the beginning. Over the 9 days, I had many changing side effects: nausea, muscle contractions, dark stools, back and chest rash, sweating, lightheadedness, fever, loss of appetite, sadness, sensitivity to noises and light, fatigue, sour taste, and bloating that never went away :/"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 5, 2018

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I can honestly say I was scared to start my regimen of Pylera and omeprazole since I’m very sensitive to medication. The only side effects I had were dark stool, metallic taste, and dizziness. I started out every morning taking ginger capsules for the dizziness and probiotics for my gut. I also ate before each dose of Pylera and drank plenty of water. It was a little intimidating to see the box of antibiotics before I started, but I did it!"

• Tan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 16, 2018

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I'm just finishing my 10-day protocol, and I am hoping that I never, ever have to take this poison again. Yes... I felt like I was being poisoned with some toxic combo pill pack. It was horrible. I just knew the 'ends justified the means,' so I pushed through. The side effects I experienced were extreme fatigue, headaches/migraines, dark stools, phlegm, blurry vision, body aches, heart palpitations with cough (which I had to go to the ER for because I almost passed out), neck pain, weird taste in mouth, loss of appetite, nausea, and stomach cramping. It's a good thing I don't work, or else I probably would've been fired. I was literally in bed almost the entire time. So, no... uh-uh... not taking this stuff again."

• Ste...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 12, 2019

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "Tip for taking Pylera: Make sure you eat a good amount of food before taking this medication. Also, take it with a lot of water, at least 8 oz. I did this, and my nausea was not nearly as bad as when I didn’t. It did make me poop a lot, and it was black, so just be aware that it’s normal with this medication. I did get tired about 5 days into it, but it was nothing I couldn’t handle for a few days. I’m sure everyone is different, but hopefully, this helps."

• Ran...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 5, 2019

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I took 2 antibiotics 2 months ago, and the test was still positive. The doctor prescribes Pylera. I am on day 9. I was so scared to start after I read all the reviews. My side effects are fine, some nausea sometimes, dark urine, and very dark and soft stool. On day 5, I ate nachos with cheese, and I was so ill with nausea. Then I stopped eating dairy food at all, and it’s much better. I still have bloating. Hope Pylera killed the bacteria, and when I test again, it’s negative. Good luck, everyone."

• Efa...
• January 26, 2018

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "This is day 10 for me, and I made it. Based on bad reviews, I was refusing to take this medication for nearly a month, I was terrified to start taking them. But my doctor said I have to take them. Well, the only side effect I had was dark stools, and that's it. No dizziness, no stomach pains, no black tongue, no dark urine, a bit of tiredness in the evenings, but nothing dramatic. I was strict with the times of taking them: 6:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 5:00 PM, 9:30 PM. Always with meals: well, rice, pasta, bread, avocado, bananas, egg, any other fruits. No sauces at all. 3 to 4 liters of water every day. I believe food and water made the difference in not having side effects."

• She...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 1, 2019

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I had no idea that I had this H. pylori infection, found out by submitting a stool sample. I am on the 9th day of taking Pylera, and I pray I am cured when I return to the doctor. I also hope I never have to take it again because of tired feeling, black stools, irritability, and overall bad feeling. So thankful that tomorrow is my last day!"

• Anonymous
• June 11, 2017

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I am on day 5 and all I can say is I hope this Pylera helps. I've been getting a bad taste in my mouth, insomnia, which makes it so hard to function. Also headaches, stomach pain, extreme fatigue, mood swings, dark stools and urine, loss of appetite, etc. But I am hopeful that this works versus all the other antibiotics I've taken. It seems like a never-ending battle, just about a year now, and getting aggravated with this and being so limited on what to and not to eat to upset me. Hoping for the best. Good luck to all."

• Min...
• April 29, 2014

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "Today is my 9th day on this medication. The first day, I had no symptoms. As the days went by, it got worse-very nauseous every day after that. I am extremely tired and have a metal taste in my mouth all day that makes me even more sick to my stomach. I recommend chewing gum. Some cramping and black stool. I hope this medicine takes care of the problem. Taking a breathing test in a month-fingers crossed."

• Bel...
• May 19, 2015

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "Day 3, and these are the symptoms I've experienced: dizziness, anxiety attacks, numbness in toes and fingers, joint pain, nasal congestion, metallic taste in mouth, funny stuffed ear sensation, paresthesia all over, dark stool, low blood sugar if I don't eat every 3 hours, loss of appetite, nausea, brain fog, eye pain, blurred vision, muscle weakness, back pain, malaise, funny feeling in the pit of my stomach, gas, belching, off balance, jaw pain, speech difficulty, irritation, agitation... I am praying that these symptoms will stop today. My doctor told me to tough it out. There must be a better treatment for H. pylori."

• Edm...
• August 7, 2018

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I’ve had stomach pains off and on for a few years. Just recently, I went to a new gastro, which ran some tests that included blood work and a stool sample along with an abdominal ultrasound. Everything came back fine except I tested positive for H. pylori. I was prescribed a 10-day Pylera course along with omeprazole. Besides having dark stool, it was going smoothly for the first couple of days, but on day 6 is when all hell started breaking loose. I began having sharp abdominal pains, dizziness, nausea, and I was very tired. The only thing that helped was eating, as soon as I ate, my pains and symptoms went away temporarily. Two and a half more days to go, and I’m done. Hopefully, I won’t have to go through this again."

• Val...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 31, 2019

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "Well, I had a 120-pill course in Germany from January 7 till January 16. I had black stool and dark urine and went to bed after 10 PM, although usually I do it around midnight. No other side effects, though. And during taking Pylera, my stomach felt pretty comfortable. Now, the feeling is not that comfortable. I do not feel pain, but I experience some discomfort in my stomach. Maybe this is due to the fact that Pylera killed all the flora in my gut. I will have my next gastro in the beginning of February."

• wen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 25, 2023

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "Before starting this medication, I was really scared after reading the reviews. I also want to preface this by saying that I have lupus nephritis and was already taking additional medication, so adding Pylera meant I was taking over 20 pills a day. The only side effects I had were dark stool, abdominal cramping (sometimes between doses), and slight joint pain. My diet could’ve played a large role. I ate mainly fruit and vegetables from home, drank a lot of water, and always ate a full meal with doses. Please listen to the instructions and do not lie down after taking this medication for at least 30 minutes. Also, avoid foods with added calcium like cereals, bagels, milk, etc. Read your food labels and try your best to avoid highly processed foods for the course of antibiotics. I still don’t know if my H. pylori is gone, but I do feel better than before I started taking it."

• Glo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 30, 2019

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "The most horrible feeling in the world: tired, nauseated, black stools, depressed, and I just wanted to feel normal again. What helped me was eating big meals, try to eat your first meal as early as possible so that you can take your last pill not so late and get your sleep. I had mints in my purse, it always helps with the bad taste in your mouth, but most of all, sparkling water was by my side constantly. It helped settle my stomach and kept me hydrated. I never again can I go through that! Day 10 was yesterday, today I’m meds-free, and I have a sour stomach and heartburn. I hope this goes away soon."