H. pylori Symptom & Appointment Prep Checklist
Helicobacter pylori, commonly called H. pylori, is a type of bacteria that can infect the stomach lining. Some people have few or no symptoms, while others may experience upper abdominal discomfort, bloating, nausea, reflux-like symptoms, changes in appetite, or other digestive complaints.
Because many of these symptoms can overlap with other digestive conditions, symptoms alone cannot confirm whether H. pylori is present. Testing is needed to determine whether an infection may be involved.
This checklist is designed to help you organize your symptoms, medication history, previous testing, treatment history, and other patterns that may be useful to discuss with a healthcare provider or functional health practitioner.
Symptoms to Track
Check any symptoms you have been experiencing regularly:
☐ Upper abdominal pain or discomfort
☐ Burning or gnawing feeling in the upper abdomen
☐ Bloating
☐ Frequent belching
☐ Nausea
☐ Feeling full quickly when eating
☐ Reduced appetite
☐ Reflux or heartburn
☐ Indigestion
☐ Stomach discomfort when the stomach is empty
☐ Stomach discomfort after eating
☐ Unexplained changes in appetite
☐ Unexplained weight loss
☐ Fatigue or low energy
☐ Symptoms that come and go over time
☐ Symptoms that seem to worsen during periods of stress
☐ I have few digestive symptoms but have previously tested positive for H. pylori
Upper Digestive Patterns
Check any patterns you have noticed with your upper digestive symptoms:
☐ Symptoms are worse when my stomach is empty
☐ Symptoms are worse shortly after eating
☐ Symptoms are worse after large meals
☐ Symptoms are worse after high-fat meals
☐ Symptoms are worse after spicy foods
☐ Symptoms are worse after coffee or caffeine
☐ Symptoms are worse after alcohol
☐ Symptoms are worse at night
☐ Symptoms sometimes wake me from sleep
☐ Eating temporarily improves the discomfort
☐ Eating sometimes makes the discomfort worse
☐ Antacids or acid-reducing medication temporarily improve symptoms
☐ Symptoms seem unpredictable
☐ I cannot identify a clear pattern
When do your symptoms usually feel the worst?
☐ First thing in the morning
☐ Before meals
☐ During meals
☐ Shortly after meals
☐ Several hours after eating
☐ Evening
☐ Overnight
☐ No clear pattern
Anything else you notice about when symptoms appear or what seems to make them better or worse:
Meal and Food Patterns
Check any meal or food-related patterns you have noticed:
☐ Symptoms worsen after large meals
☐ Symptoms worsen after high-fat meals
☐ Symptoms worsen after spicy foods
☐ Symptoms worsen after acidic foods
☐ Symptoms worsen after coffee or caffeine
☐ Symptoms worsen after alcohol
☐ Symptoms worsen after chocolate
☐ Symptoms worsen after eating late at night
☐ Symptoms worsen when I eat quickly
☐ Symptoms improve when I eat smaller meals
☐ Symptoms improve when I eat more slowly
☐ Certain foods seem to trigger nausea or upper abdominal discomfort
☐ I avoid certain foods because I am concerned they will trigger symptoms
☐ I cannot identify any clear food-related pattern
Foods or drinks I suspect may worsen my symptoms:
Foods or meals I seem to tolerate better:
Reflux, Burning, and Stomach Discomfort
Check any symptoms or patterns you have noticed:
☐ Burning in the upper abdomen
☐ Burning behind the breastbone
☐ Acid reflux or regurgitation
☐ Sour or bitter taste in the mouth
☐ Frequent burping or belching
☐ Pressure or discomfort after eating
☐ Feeling overly full after a small meal
☐ Nausea after eating
☐ Symptoms worsen when lying down
☐ Symptoms worsen at night
☐ Symptoms improve temporarily with antacids
☐ Symptoms improve temporarily with acid-reducing medication
☐ Symptoms return when acid-reducing medication is stopped
☐ I cannot tell whether my symptoms are reflux, stomach irritation, or something else
How would you describe the discomfort you feel most often?
☐ Burning
☐ Gnawing
☐ Pressure
☐ Aching
☐ Cramping
☐ Fullness
☐ Nausea
☐ Hard to describe
Anything else you notice about the location or timing of the discomfort:
Medications and Acid-Reducing Drugs
Some medications can affect stomach acid, digestion, symptoms, or H. pylori testing. Check anything that applies to you now or recently:
☐ I currently use a proton pump inhibitor (PPI)
☐ I have used a PPI in the past
☐ I currently use an H2 blocker or other acid-reducing medication
☐ I use antacids regularly
☐ I use bismuth-containing products
☐ I take aspirin or anti-inflammatory medications regularly
☐ I take prescription medications that affect digestion
☐ I recently started or stopped an acid-reducing medication
☐ My symptoms changed after starting or stopping acid-reducing medication
☐ I have used acid-reducing medication long term
☐ I am unsure whether any of my medications may affect testing or symptoms
Current medications and supplements:
Acid-reducing medications I have used and approximately how long I used them:
Antibiotic History
Antibiotic history can be important when reviewing digestive symptoms and previous H. pylori treatment. Check anything that applies:
☐ I have taken antibiotics within the past 3 months
☐ I have taken antibiotics within the past year
☐ I have taken multiple courses of antibiotics in the past
☐ I have previously taken antibiotics specifically for H. pylori
☐ I do not remember which antibiotics I was prescribed
☐ My symptoms improved temporarily after antibiotics
☐ My symptoms returned after finishing antibiotics
☐ My symptoms worsened after antibiotics
☐ I experienced side effects during antibiotic treatment
☐ I did not complete a previous antibiotic treatment
☐ I have taken antibiotics for other infections since my digestive symptoms began
☐ I am unsure whether antibiotics affected my symptoms
Antibiotics I have taken recently or in the past:
If I previously received H. pylori treatment, approximately when was it?
Testing and Previous Treatment
Check any H. pylori testing or treatment you have had in the past:
☐ Urea breath test
☐ Stool antigen test
☐ Blood antibody test
☐ Endoscopy with biopsy
☐ GI stool testing that included H. pylori
☐ I have tested positive for H. pylori before
☐ I have tested negative for H. pylori before
☐ I was treated after a positive test
☐ I completed the full treatment prescribed
☐ I had repeat testing after treatment
☐ Repeat testing confirmed H. pylori was no longer detected
☐ Repeat testing still showed H. pylori
☐ I was treated without repeat testing afterward
☐ I am unsure which test I had
☐ I have never been tested for H. pylori
Approximate date of my most recent H. pylori test:
Result of my most recent test, if known:
Treatment I received, if known:
Possible Triggers or Changes Before Symptoms Began
Think back to the months before your symptoms began or noticeably worsened. Check anything that may have happened around that time:
☐ I had a stomach bug, food poisoning, or gastrointestinal infection
☐ I took antibiotics
☐ I started or stopped an acid-reducing medication
☐ I began using a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) regularly
☐ I went through a highly stressful period
☐ My sleep became worse
☐ My diet changed significantly
☐ I began eating more processed foods or added sugar
☐ I traveled internationally
☐ I had surgery or another major medical procedure
☐ I started or stopped another medication or supplement
☐ I had another digestive condition diagnosed
☐ My symptoms seemed to begin gradually without one obvious trigger
☐ I cannot identify anything that clearly happened before symptoms began
What was happening in your life around the time your symptoms began or changed?
Did your symptoms begin suddenly or gradually?
Questions to Bring to Your Appointment
Consider writing down the questions that matter most to you before your appointment. These may include:
☐ Should I be tested for H. pylori based on my symptoms and history?
☐ Which H. pylori test is most appropriate for me?
☐ Could any medications I take affect the accuracy of testing?
☐ Do I need to stop a PPI, antibiotics, or bismuth before testing?
☐ If I previously had H. pylori, should I be retested?
☐ If I test positive, what treatment options should I discuss?
☐ How will we confirm whether treatment worked?
☐ Could another digestive condition be contributing to my symptoms?
☐ Are there warning signs that would require additional testing or an endoscopy?
☐ What should I track between appointments?
My other questions:
When to Seek Medical Care
H. pylori symptoms can overlap with other digestive conditions, so ongoing or worsening symptoms should not automatically be assumed to be caused by H. pylori. Speak with a medical provider if you experience persistent upper abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, difficulty swallowing, unexplained weight loss, anemia, black or tarry stools, or blood in the stool.
Seek urgent medical care for severe abdominal pain, vomiting blood, black or tarry stools, fainting, severe weakness, significant bleeding, or other symptoms that feel sudden or concerning.
Work With Executive Functional Healing
If you are dealing with ongoing bloating, reflux, upper abdominal discomfort, nausea, food-related symptoms, or a history of H. pylori and want to look more closely at the patterns that may be contributing, Executive Functional Healing works with clients nationwide through virtual consultations.
Schedule a free 15-minute discovery call to discuss what you have been experiencing and whether Executive Functional Healing may be a good fit for your next steps.