Endoscopy.. Varices or something else

[Male47]

Finally got my endoscopy appointment for May. I have cirrhosis and ascites, I understand that varices develop when blood flow through the liver is obstructed by scarring, increasing the pressure inside the portal vein, portal hypertension. I'm already on diuretics and I can take propranolol if needed. My question is.. given my symptoms n diagnosis am I likely to have varices? I don't believe I have any stomach issues, I can eat and go to the toilet bladder n bowl absolutely fine. I have no sign of bleeding in stools. If no bleeding what does banding achieve? Any info would help.

[AyrshireK]

You would only have banding if there are varices present and which are large enough to band or which look like they could potentially burst. The endoscopy is to firstly check for potential varices and other possible symptoms associated with portal hypertension.

Having cirrhosis and portal hypertension then varices are a potential risk.

My hubby had a massive bleed of 7 burst varices which had to be immediately banded. Over the next 2 years he had 42 varices banded, this causes the blood vessel walls to scar up and this can help prevent further varuces/further bleeds. His consultant went for an aggressive banding regime (every 8 weeks or so) and this eradicated my hubbies varices.

Katie

[Male47 in reply to AyrshireK]

Thank you 😊

[Rshc in reply to AyrshireK]

hi Katie can I ask as your husband recompensated did the varices go away. My partner has been suspended from transplant list as ‘too well’ but still has the odd banding , he has never had a huge issue with varices just one or two and no bleeds. Surely if the liver is scared they will always crop up?

[AyrshireK in reply to Rshc]

My hubby no longer has portal hypertension. I don't know whether you recall but during his transplant assessment they found numerous aneurysms in his splenic artery and he underwent an embolization operation which ended up causing a splenic infarction (spleens blood supply cut off so it shrivelled up & in effect died - spleen size reduced from 19.5cm to 8cm). This means not as much portal veinous pressure, platelets rose from 20 to 200 and all liver numbers normalized.

No banding needed since 2014.

Next endoscopy due in June so we'll see what current situation is then.

*it's possible with repeat banding to scar the oesopageal blood vessels so much that the walls can no longer bulge and form more varices - this is what hubbies consultant went for when she was banding every 8 weeks.

Katie

[Rshc in reply to AyrshireK]

thanks for explaining Katie

[Yellowsydney]

I had absolutely no symptoms of varicies until I vomited up nearly all the blood in my body, first and only symptom of liver disease. When I got to hospital they assumed I had a bleeding ulcer as there was no suspicion of liver problems and they thought I was exaggerating the amount of blood I had bought up so I wasn't treated straight away, ended up having a stroke and unconscious for 3 days.If they find varicies during your endoscopy they will be banded if needed, if they are forming you will have regular endoscopy to monitor them.

Good luck

Hilary

[Bs1524]

Hi. Y husband was diagnosed in May 2019 and he had two grade two I think they said varies. He was decompensated since then he has improved now compensated off most meds supposed to take a beta blocker to stop portal hypertension but he does take it. Never had a problem with his varicose and never had another endoscopy either which I thought was odd but they seem unconcerned. Also where he was diagnosed ARLD they now put fatty liver/ARLD to sure if that is significant or not.

[pushthrough]

Hello Male, I just want to add that I had two varices and have portal hypertension. No ascites. After eating well and making a commitment to not drinking ever again over two years ago. At my last endoscopy my varices were gone in quite a miraculous way. The gastro could not believe it. Try to be as optimistic as possible. If you have them follow the specialists orders and hopefully one day they go away.

G.

[Male47 in reply to pushthrough]

Love positive outcomes. Thank you and best of luck

[MississaugaLiver]

My husband also has no other issues, but continues to experience varices. He’s only had one esophageal varice, thank goodness. This month he was extremely jaundiced and went into hospital. The endoscopy revealed nothing. Once he was stable and feeling better he came home. Two weeks later he had both a bleed in the stomach and one in the small intestine and required 5 units of blood! Unfortunately he has very weak blood vessels, and the portal hypertension will continue to pose a risk for him. May you be fortunate to never have this problem.

[Nat107 in reply to MississaugaLiver]

hi sorry for jumping on your reply, but just been reading your husband had a stomach and bowel bleed, can I ask how they found this, I had a massive bowel bleed over 3 days with exception and passed a very large dark blood clot in April, and had ongoing belly pain since October. Had a colonoscopy at weekend but that came back clear so just trying to see if anything could of caused the bleed from anything in upper gi area tia

[MississaugaLiver]

Anytime my husband experiences a bleed they do an endoscopy. If the bleed is still active they see it. If it has recently healed they see it as well.