I had h. pylori last year and the cure for it was a nightmare. If it hadn't gone away, I told my gastro she would have to hospitalize me and do an IV drip before I would ever take that combo of meds again. Ghastly!
I suffered from ulcer problems for 20 years. Had to sleep sitting upright many nights. Couldn't have a beer. Spent a fortune on Maalox and Tums. Had many upper GI studies performed. Took every new medicine that came around. Finally asked a new internist about an H.Pylori test. Came back positive. A simple two week regime of an antibiotic and Prilosec cured me. Had a terrible taste in my mouth during the last week. But I was cured! Thirteen years without pain or Maalox. No diet restrictions. There are some indications that h. pylori may be the cause of several problems including coronary and arterial. Don't hesitate to ask your doc for the blood test. It could improve your quality of life.
Helidac isn't that bad...