Pylera and Headaches: What Users Say

• 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."

• Jil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 5, 2019

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "Just took my last 3 pills of Pylera... woohoo! Contrary to what I read about this treatment, it was not as bad as I thought. I believe what made it easier was drinking at least 10 ounces of water and taking pills after eating. I also tried to eat as clean as possible. The cons were eating more than usual for me and keeping to the schedule. I also had some headaches in the morning, but nothing intolerable."

• Bab...
• July 23, 2019

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I'm on day 8 of taking Pylera, and it hasn't been bad, surprisingly. My only complaint is taking so many pills for 10 days can be frustrating and exhausting. I did experience a slight headache and nausea. The nausea didn't start till day 7, but it wasn't bad. Had a headache the first couple of days. I have been fine. It was hard to find things to eat as I did not want to eat anything I was not supposed to. I ate at 7, 12, 4, and 8. Took meds at 10, 2, 6, and 10. Also, I ate very little as there is hardly anything you can eat while taking this. I had trouble finding what to eat, so I hope this helps out for people finding something to eat. I ate hummus, apples, chicken, tuna, eggs, guacamole, spam (all spam is gluten-free)! Gluten-free oatmeal. Duke's mayo is also gluten-free and dairy-free! Mustard is also. Black olives, and I got organic vegetable broth to drink also for my late snack. I drink a 16 oz bottle of water with taking Pylera instead of the 8 oz recommended, and it's all good!"

• Emi...
• September 27, 2018

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I had a positive experience with Pylera. As with any other antibiotic, you MUST eat before taking the medication. Moreover, drink water copiously throughout the day and with your meals. The instructions say 8 ounces: double this! Avoid foods that are high in calcium: calcium prevents the medication from working, making you feel worse. This includes ALL dairy but also many replacements like soy milk, etc. Read labels carefully. Unless explicitly told so by your doctor, stop multivitamins/supplements. NO ALCOHOL! Regular intervals will help. Taking the medication right after meals at 7 a.m., noon, 5:30 p.m., and 10 p.m. worked for me. Regularity is key. I took the full course of Pylera and had minimal side effects. I was rigorous about eating and drinking. I was somewhat tired. But I experienced none of the nausea, headaches, etc. that others describe. And I ascribe that to being regimental about the intake of food and water, and timing. Please do not be afraid of Pylera."

• Cal...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 14, 2019

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I am on day 7 of this Pylera pill. I really hope it works because I don’t think I can do it again. The headaches, the nausea, the weird taste started after day 4. It’s hard to find things to eat, so if anyone has ideas, please share. Full meals are helpful and lots of water. Fresh fruits, no dairy. It’s very draining, so lots of rest is needed. Glad I found this site. Stay strong."

• Mel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 26, 2014

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I completed the 10 days of Pylera on September 18. The first few days were not too bad, though like others think, the sheer number of pills each day is inconvenient and overwhelming---especially when you take other meds as well. On or about the 4th day, things changed. I was able to go to work, but the last 6 days were really hard: explosive diarrhea, headaches, bloat, gas, extreme fatigue, irritability, inexplicable crying bouts, and loss of appetite. I felt a bit better the first few days after the medication was finished, but now one week later, I am still experiencing the side effects! I feel worse than when I started the meds. When does it stop? Please share experiences."

• 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."

• Mr ...
• December 10, 2012

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "Before I started my treatment with Pylera, I read the reviews; quite honestly, I was terrified and almost did not take the medicine out of fear of experiencing these side effects. My experience with Pylera: I am on my 6th day, and I have not experienced anything besides a slight headache in the morning that goes away as soon as I drink water. My symptoms have almost gone away entirely, and I feel much better. It is a pain in the rear to have to take 14 pills a day and not be able to drink alcohol and milk products (both my favorites), but if it is the price for making this feeling of having a wet sock in my chest, I will gladly pay it."

• Dee...
• July 25, 2021

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I wanted to share my experience for those out there feeling anxious about taking this medication. I too read the horror stories and warnings that fill these message boards. Of course, the schedule that you must keep for Pylera is no fun, and there will probably be a few uncomfortable moments of headaches and nausea. But truly, we should thank our lucky stars that we live in a moment of human history with such incredible innovations as antibiotics. I was sick from H. pylori for years. Burning, dyspepsia, tightness in my throat-I was scared that something was really wrong until I was finally diagnosed. It’s been a month since finishing my course of treatment, and although I don’t feel 100% better, the H. pylori is eradicated, and I’m on my way towards healing my stomach. I’m so grateful every day that I committed to getting rid of this malady. These drugs are your ally. Take it! And remember that only a few generations ago, you would have had no choice but to endure H. pylori forever."

• Sai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 26, 2020

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I’ve been on Pylera for 10 days. Tonight, I take my last 3 pills. Yes, it’s been so awful. I’m tired, the headaches are awful, and the nausea is horrible. I’ve dealt with H. pylori for the last 14 years. Literally. I’ve taken multiple doses of the PrevPac, but it keeps coming back. I get severe stomach cramps, constant vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, and so on with H. pylori. It’s like having an ongoing flu. Worst of all has been the lightheadedness and being dizzy. I hope like anything that after this it gets rid of the H. pylori. I can deal with 10 days of this if it eliminates the H. pylori. It’s tough, but don’t give up. It’s worth it in the end. Yes, I’ve been irritable because the headaches have been so severe. Hopefully, this works."

• 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."

• 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."

• Tho...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 8, 2016

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I was prescribed Pylera after a triple therapy failed. I'm now on my last day of it. The gastritis pain is slowly going away, but still there (you will have to wait the next 4 weeks for it to heal). The first 5 days I didn't feel anything different, then on day 5, I had a terrible headache, anxiety, and nausea. Day 6 and onward, my body adapted, and it became less powerful, but still pretty crappy. I'm not gonna lie to you, you basically feel hungover for the last 4 days. Drink a lot, force yourself to eat, and go out (the computer will make the headache horrible). Stay strong, brothers, it's a pain, but this has a 90% success rate."

• Sue...
• March 8, 2021

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I’m on my 2nd day, and I feel like quitting. My whole body is aching, and I have sleepless nights. My stomach is inflamed and bloated. I'm having headaches. I noticed some blood in my urine and blood in my stool. I don’t have access to my gastrologist because he's fully booked. I can only see him in a month's time. I have to see a GP to explain to him the side effects because I feel like it’s not working on me. I’ve used metronidazole before, and it doesn’t really work on me. I hope my body is not resistant to it. I’m just praying for strength because I’m not sure if I can pull through. I wish I had read these reviews before starting the meds."

• stu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 25, 2014

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "It's three days after finishing the tenth day of taking Pylera. The first four days of taking the medication, I felt no side effects. On days five through ten, I was nauseous, dizzy, and had a headache, especially right after taking my daily doses. I took the medicine with a meal three times a day and with a light snack before bed. Stools also turned a dark greenish color and were often irregular throughout the day, bordering on diarrhea. I also had a feeling of uneasiness, like a panic attack, right after taking the medicine on three occasions. I'll have to check with my doctor to confirm if the H. pylori has been eradicated and also wait a few weeks to see if my ulcers heal (which I've read can take from a few weeks to a few months)."

• Man...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 28, 2019

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I was terrified to take this medication after reading about other users' experience. I did experience some of the common side effects, such as headache, fatigue (especially on day 8), some diarrhea, a bitter taste in my mouth, etc., but it was not as bad as described by others. It is critical to eat a full meal prior to taking it and a good snack at bedtime (one time I took it on an empty stomach at night and had bad diarrhea the next morning). Directions call for taking it with 8 oz of water, but I drank more. Having large scheduled meals and drinking a lot of water was challenging, but it seems to help with side effects. Staying away from dairy, red meat, and spicy foods was difficult. My doctor recommended taking probiotic Align for 1 month after finishing the course to restore good bacteria."

• 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."

• Ali...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 21, 2016

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I'm going to start off by saying DO NOT READ INTO EVERYONE'S SIDE EFFECTS. I did, and it freaked me out even before I started this medicine. I'm almost finished with day 4 and have had really no side effects. I've had a headache for a few days, but I just got my period the same day I started the pills. Sorry, TMI."

• Mes...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 12, 2015

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "Had an endoscopy a few weeks ago for the main purpose of dilating the esophagus. I received a call a week later telling me about the H. pylori, so I began the regimen 7 days ago. Today has been the worst of the 7 days, I am very dizzy and nauseous. I am never hungry, so it's been difficult to force-feed just to get the pills down. I have headaches and a metallic taste in my mouth. The two worse times are lunch and dinner. I'm only 107 lbs, so may just cut back a pill on my own, pray that helps. I have neck pain and headaches, but that could be due to a nerve block on the neck done 8 days ago. Will repost after the breathing test. I was told to stay away from Motrin, which helps with my neck pain, that's another aggravation. No bowel issues."

• Mor...
• January 22, 2018

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "Talk about a medicine with side effects. I tried Prevpac, which failed to eradicate H. pylori, so here I am. Before I start, remember not everyone's body reacts the same to medicine. Some are sensitive to these medicines while others are not. First day of medicine, no side effects. Second day, I started with a really bad headache. Third day, headache, fourth day, nausea and very tired. Fifth day, aches, pains, nausea, and weak. Rest of the days, very nauseated, my blood pressure dropped, and I was very lightheaded and shaky. Tried to sleep as much as I could. I am on day 8, and CANNOT wait for this to be over. Praying it works because I don't think I can go through it again."

• 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."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 6, 2016

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "Ok, I'm back to share my experience with Pylera. I completed a 10-day dose of 12 pills/day. Glad that I read reviews before beginning, or else the side effects would've concerned me. From day 1, I experienced daily nausea even though I ate a small meal with each dose, had a slight headache for about 3 days, my feces turned blackish brown by day 3 and lost its stink! No kidding! I also felt a little off, i.e., a feeling not quite right and a little tired. I drank a lot of water with each dose, just as stated. I won't know the results for another 2-3 weeks. In the meantime, I am taking Omeprazole 2x daily and a probiotic."

• nav...
• May 14, 2015

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I'm on day 4, and I can't wait until this is over. The dark, runny stool, headaches. I'm over it. I don't like yogurt, but if it'll help, I'll try it! Note: If you feel the urge to pass gas, go to the bathroom ASAP."

• Fra...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 13, 2018

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I'm on day 7. I've been eating a strict diet of no sugar, no wheat, no dairy, no red meat. Basically, everything that takes digestive robustness or helps bad bacteria. I take the Pylera with a half-sized meal and eat the other portion of the meal a couple of hours later with either a probiotic supplement or a healthy scoop of live (not pasteurized) sauerkraut. I've been drinking lots of water by sipping it all day, and I force myself to hit the elliptical for 20 minutes every other day. My poop was dark and like the consistency of wet clay on day two. Day three was a LOT of green loose stool. Now, I'm pooping every other day, and it smells like fresh grass! I get tired just past lunch, and I have a pretty steady headache from about 10 AM on. Still better than dealing with this infection. Excited to rebuild my gut after and see how I feel without H. Pylori."

• Sca...
• February 22, 2022

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I'm taking Pylera for HP. It has been over nine days today; I feel like crap. My skin is dry; my anxiety is at its highest, stomach discomfort, anal discomfort, headaches. This treatment is a challenge, honestly. Please stay safe."