Confused

[Swiftmountains]

Hi everyone, I went to the doctors and she said she is referring me to have a fibroscan.

But then I got a text saying referral letter is waiting , so I went to pick it up.

It is for gastroenterologist.

What will happen on my appointment a bit nervous 😩

Thank you Rachel xxx

[farranccc]

A gastroenterologist will carry out the fibroscan. Well he did mine anyway...

What were you expecting?

[Swiftmountains in reply to farranccc]

I have no idea 😂 I am so new to this .

Thank you for your help . Xx

[farranccc in reply to Swiftmountains]

You will be fine. The fibroscan is super quick and and painless! Xx

[Swiftmountains in reply to farranccc]

Oh good , just really scared ... have a bad feeling about this xx

[Hidden in reply to Swiftmountains]

Hi Rachel and welcome

Please don’t be scared (well try not be)! It”s much better, if you can, to look forward to the experiences that may be coming up, and recognise you’re in great hands and everything that is going to be done is for You, to make you better!

Miles

🇧🇧

[Swiftmountains in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Miles, I want the appointment come quickly and make me feel much better.

Rachel xx

[Isabelle2]

It’s a little like the scan for a baby. A sensor with some jelly on it only they find your liver and use the sensor to send some vibrations. The way in which these vibrations ripple and get sent back give an idea of how flexible the liver is. You don’t want a hard liver. It doesn’t hurt at all and it’s a bit like when the Dr tests your lungs by tapping your back.

[Hidden in reply to Isabelle2]

H Isabel is that what it is then! It’ same as Ultra Soun scan?

Miles

🇧🇧

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I don't remember having any jelly applied at all!! Looking at the description of what to expect from 2 separate hospitals, there is no mention of jelly being applied either.

[Isabelle2 in reply to Hidden]

In truth now I can’t remember if any was applied🙊🙊🙊

[Hidden in reply to Isabelle2]

Totally get it!! When you have so many tests it is easy to forget what happens each time and some are best forgotten :))

[Swiftmountains in reply to Isabelle2]

Thank you Isabelle2 so they can see and hear if anything is wrong? Xx

[Isabelle2 in reply to Swiftmountains]

Exactly

[Hidden in reply to Swiftmountains]

I do think that this description is misleading. They can't hear anything and as far as seeing if anything is wrong, again this doesn't tell the whole picture. A fibroscan is painless and quick and as mentioned above does test for the flexibility of the liver.

Soundwaves are sent through the liver and generally solid things - a hard liver, will reflect the soundwaves back quicker than more liquid type things- a soft liver for instance. This gives them some numbers to interpret blah blah blah- probably already bored you with the science bit!!!

However, they do need to know what condition your liver is suffering from in order to interpret the numbers. There is a scale that applies if you have alcoholic hepatitis and a different scale that applies if you have fatty liver and rather unhelpfully, there is no scale if you have AIH (which I have).

Also, the fibroscan cannot be interpreted in isolation. It must be taken in context with blood results etc. My fibroscan score is very low for example, and yet I have portal hypertension (which would suggest I should have a much higher score). So when you get the results, don't read too much into them, the doctors need to see them alongside everything else. Hope this helps. Basically, it's quick and painless and will be over before you know it. All the very best