Take the Urea Breath Test

If you've been recommended a urea breath test by your doctor, try not to worry. This test is a simple, non-invasive procedure that will check for the presence of H. pylori bacteria in your gut. This bacteria may cause certain types of gastrointestinal distress, and sometimes, it might eventually cause ulcers and gastritis. Before your exam, talk to your doctor about stopping certain medications, eating, and drinking. This will prepare your body for the exam itself, which involves taking a pill and breathing into a straw. Once you have taken the test, just wait for the results while following your doctor's treatment plan.

Steps

Avoiding Substances Before the Test

1. Talk your doctor. Your doctor will help you make the appointment at their office or at a medical testing center. Keep your doctor aware of any symptoms that develop, and let them know about any prescriptions, supplements, or over-the-counter drugs you are taking.
   • Common symptoms of H. pylori infection include heart burn, nausea, bloating, frequent burping, and abdominal pain.
   • Tell your doctor if you are phenylketonuric. If you are, you may not be able to take this test. Your doctor may recommend an alternate test, like a stool test.
2. Stop taking any medications. You may need to stop medications up to four weeks before the test is administered. Always talk to your doctor first before stopping any prescription or over-the-counter medication.
   • Stop taking antibiotics and any medications containing bismuth (such as Pepto Bismol) two to four weeks before the test.
   • Stop taking proton-pump inhibitors, such as Prilosec or Nexium, two weeks before the test.
   • You may be asked to stop taking histamine (H-2) blockers, such as Zantac or Pecid, six or more hours before the exam. Consult with your doctor.
3. Fast before the test. Food and liquids can affect your test results, so it is important to fast for an hour before the test. Do not eat or drink anything, including water. Your doctor may recommend fasting for a longer period of time, such as six hours or overnight. Your doctor should tell you the right amount of time to fast.
   • While you should not drink any fluids, it is ok for you to brush your teeth as long as you don't swallow any water, mouthwash, or toothpaste.
   • You should also avoid smoking during this period.

Taking the Test

1. Go to your doctor’s office or testing center. On the day of the test, come to the medical testing center or doctor’s office. Bring a list of your current medications with you. Let the doctor know if you are pregnant or breast feeding.
2. Swallow the pill or drink. Your doctor will give you either a pill or drink that contains urea. You can drink it or swallow the pill with water. Your doctor will instruct you to wait for the substance to spread through your body. This waiting period is usually between fifteen to thirty minutes.
3. Breathe into the straw. You will blow into a special straw. Your breath will be collected into a bag or tube, where the molecules will be tested for H. pylori. Follow the doctor’s or technician’s directions for this step. Once you have finished, you are done!

Finding Out the Results

1. Wait for the test results. You will usually get your test results about two days after you take the exam. This can vary, however, based on the lab the breath samples were sent to. Continue to follow your doctor’s guidelines during this time.
   • If the test comes back positive, it means that there are H. pylori present in your digestive tract. Visit your doctor for follow up treatment.
   • If your test comes back negative, it means that H. pylori was not detected. Return to your doctor. They may give you other tests to diagnose what is causing your symptoms.
2. Get other tests done if needed. Your doctor may want to do other tests to see if there is a H. pylori infection or to check if your symptoms could be caused by another underlying condition. Other tests that are commonly done include blood tests and stool tests.
   • If your doctor suspects that you have ulcers as a result of H. pylori, you may need to get an endoscopy. This is a procedure in which a tube is inserted through your esophagus to view into your upper digestive tract.
3. Follow your doctor’s treatment plan. If you have a H. pylori infection, your doctor may recommend that you take one or two different antibiotics. They may also prescribe a medication to reduce stomach acid. These medications might include:
   • A proton-pump inhibitor, such as Prilosec, Nexium, or Prevacid.
   • A H-2 blocker, like Tagamet or Zantec.
   • Bismuth subsalicylate, more commonly known as the brand name Pepto-Bismol.
4. Get retested four weeks after treatment. Once you have finished your round of treatment, your doctor may recommend being retested. This test will check to see if you have gotten rid of the H. pylori or if more treatment is needed. You can take the test again four weeks after you finish treatment.

Tips

• Always follow your doctor’s specific advice for stopping medications and fasting.
• This test can be done on both adults and children, although it may not be accurate for children under six years of age.

Warnings

• If you are phenylketonuric, you should not take this test, as the urea pill or drink may be mixed with aspartame.

Sources and Citations

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