Help - Stomach Ulcer Rapid Test

How to collect your stomach ulcer rapid test sample

Taking this test is a quick and easy way to screen for a potential stomach ulcer through the presence of H. pylori bacteria but to obtain an accurate result, it’s essential that you do it correctly.

Watch our video here for clear, step-by-step instructions on how to take the test. It will show you how to collect a stool sample and perform your test as well as how long you’ll need to wait for a reliable result.

We recommend watching the full video before you start, to ensure you’re ready to collect your sample. You can then use your SPACEBAR to pause the video where needed as you follow along with the step-by-step instructions.

Understanding stomach ulcer rapid test results

To help you understand what steps to take once you have received your results, we’ve put together this page to help you interpret what your results may mean and what you may want to do with these results. Remember: you should always consult a medical professional before making changes to your diet and lifestyle.

Before you continue its important that you have:
• Read the ‘instructions for use’ leaflet included in your kit
• Taken the test according to the instructions

Interpreting your results

Understanding your stomach ulcer rapid test results

Once you have collected your sample and performed your test, you must wait 10 minutes after applying your sample into the test cassette, before you read the results. Do not interpret the result after 20 minutes.

If your test result shows two coloured lines in both the control (c) and test (t) regions, it means the Hy. Pylori bacteria has been detected in your stool sample. The intensity of the line in the test (T) region can vary depending on the concentration of H. Pylori in the sample, so any visible line should be considered positive.

A positive result indicates that you have H pylori bacteria in your digestive tract. For some people, this will not cause any symptoms, but others may experience digestive issues such as heartburn, indigestion, gastritis (inflammation of the stomach), or stomach ulcers.

What next?

This test can only detect the presence of H. pylori bacteria in your stool and not whether it has caused stomach ulcers. It is very common to have an H. pylori infection, over half the world’s population has it. But to understand whether its presence is causing any other problems, you should seek advice from a healthcare professional, who can confirm your result and decide if further investigations are required. They will also discuss what treatment is needed.

When one coloured line is in the control (C) region but not in the test region (T), it means that no H. Pylori bacteria has been detected in your stool sample.

What next?

It is important to note that stomach ulcers can also be caused by erosion from stomach acids, so if you are experiencing symptoms such as burning or pain in the centre of the stomach as well as indigestion, heartburn, and acid reflux, you may still have a gastrointestinal issue that warrants closer inspection. Therefore, we would encourage you to seek help and advice from a healthcare professional if these problems persist.
There are also some steps you can take to minimise your chances of getting stomach ulcers in the future. These include refraining from using anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen too frequently, avoiding smoking and not drinking too much alcohol.