Just had blood drawn for h. pylori, i was on nexium (esomeprazole) & zantac though, will that affect the test? and how long till results come in?

Helicobacter: No, nexium (esomeprazole) and zantac will not affect results of the test. Several ways of testing exist; a blood antibody test, stool antigen test, or with the carbon urea breath test. The most reliable method is a biopsy during endoscopy with a rapid urease test, histological examination, and microbial culture. Also, a urine ELISA test is available. Don't know what you had done.

NO: The H. pylori blood test checks for antibody response to H. pylori infection. It is not affected by use of acid blockers or proton pump inhibitors. The H. pylori breath test however cannot be done if you are taking a PPI, bismuth or antibiotics. The test results should be available in a few days, depending on the lab.