Blood found during endoscopy

[redpoint72]

Hi folks,not posted in quite a while.....Had endoscopy done Friday gone, long story short.

Altered blood was found in my antrum.

Unfortunately they had to band 4 varices,they were large,but said no sign of bleeding from them.

Several other small varices ,so another endoscopy in 6 month.

Portal hypertensive gastropathy, with no bleeding. Vascular lesions

Watermelon stomach.stomach lining friable, Gastritis, erosive with no bleeding.

They didn't even go through the report as running very late.

Only when got home read it.

Ive contacted endoscopy department, hep consultant, liver nurse, gp....all to no success with a reply as of writing this. Medication, told to keep on current dose of carvedilol, and to up my lansoprazole to 30 mg twice daily.....I'm already on that dose.....someone didn't read my Current medication list I gave them!!!!!

I'm just a little concerned, as to where the blood has come from,as everything seems to say no sign of bleeding..... but some was found.

Ive not noticed that I'm passing any blood from either end....sorry if to much info!!.

Thanks for reading. Just any ideas really.

My best. Chris

[DD75]

Aww Chris,

What a mind blowing result. I think (in my non medical professional way) if they've managed to band varices then is that possibly where blood had come from?

Have You tried ringing your Consultants secretary?

Thinking of you

[redpoint72 in reply to DD75]

Thanks love.Yes i rang all the above, but no reply yet.

Yes they did band,and said they were large and contorted, so I'm glad the endoscopy was done....but they said there wasn't any sign of bleeding .....

So I don't know where the altered blood has come from.....with it being altered,its been in my stomach a while I presume...

I'm surprised that they haven't upped my carvedilol dose, regarding the varices.

Still, alot of folk worse of than me.

Thanks for replying.

Take care love.

Chris

[DD75 in reply to redpoint72]

No problem Chris,

Take care 🤗

[BritishLiverTrust8 Moderator British Liver Trust]

Dear redpoint72

If you would find it useful to talk things over, our nurse-led helpline is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm on 0800 652 7330 (excluding bank holidays)

Best wishes

British Liver Trust

[redpoint72 in reply to BritishLiverTrust8]

Thanks, will do tomorrow. Chris.

[Aotea2012]

Sorry to read this. Try to keep your chin up and give yourself a treat. Take care. My best wishes.

[redpoint72 in reply to Aotea2012]

Thanks for that love.I shall try and keep my chin up!

My best.Chris.

[Millie09]

Hey Chris Sorry I've just seen and read your post

I'm sorry that your in limbo regarding meds and current situation regarding the endoscopy and banding

May I say your really brave !! I have dodged all my endoscopy since 2017 , I had a bad experience and that was with so called sedation .. I just can't go thru having them .

How are you feeling? I do hope you find answers Chris, I know if it were me I'd be phoning the gastro team and my hepatologist secretary .

Thinking of you ...

Fingers crossed you get answers soon

Lv linda x

[redpoint72 in reply to Millie09]

Hello Linda love..Great to hear from you. As mentioned before, I've contacted all who I should contact regarding the endoscopy and blood,im playing the waiting game for some sort of response. I will try again tomorrow 🤞. They are so busy.

How am I feeling???.I have been feeling extremely tired of late,also Fed up to the back teeth love......ultrasound is months behind.

If no response tomorrow, im leaving it,what will be ,will be.

I can't keep pestering them, as that's what it feels like.

This endoscopy was not a good one at all.....I didn't do well.

I very much hope that your settled in your new home? And the 3 amigos 😺!.

Thanks for getting in touch love.

My very best wishes. Chris

[Millie09 in reply to redpoint72]

Hi Chris, Your most welcome , and I can only hope that maybe tomorrow you actually get some answers..very frustrating indeed.

Bless you , im so sorry your not feeling so well at present, I hope that things settle down and you start to feel better in yourself.

Yes im settling down in my new place thank you for asking ☺️.

The three amigos are still happily driving me crazy 🤪 but wouldn't have it any other way ..

How's your Ruby doing? Good I Hope.. blessing in disguise really aren't they.

Try keep your chin up Chris.. you can always chat to me anytime .

Thinking of you

Linda x

[redpoint72 in reply to Millie09]

Hello Linda.Thanks for taking the time to reply love.

Ive spoken with my liver nurse not long ago....she is great though,very reassuring....so feel abit more settled since then.

She has seen the report,so has mentioned it to my hep consultant.

She thinks the blood has come from my stomach lining, to do with the portal hypertensive gastropathy....I had a big bleed from that nearly 2 years ago.....so similar, just a smaller scale.

There isn't alot they can do apart from up the dose again of lansoprazole.....I saw a dietician 2 years ago,about certain food triggers.....so I have to steer clear of certain types of food. Only bland foods really!!!!

My Ruby is doing ok thanks......its certainly never quiet with a siamese in the room!!😆.

I'm glad you've settled in your new place,,thats worth alot,just to feel settled.

Thanks for your concern love.

Best wishes .Chris

[Millie09 in reply to redpoint72]

Hi Chris My pleasure..

Oh I'm so pleased, you have some answers eventually, your consultant secretary seems a but like my one, she's very helpful and takes time to answer you .

..

So not really much they can do then as opposed to your diet and meds , but good thing is your mind must be at ease today, especially on how worried you were regards to where the blood came from

Aww I'm happy to hear Ruby is good 👍, just love siamese cats ,I've always wanted a burman or Egyptian mow lol ..

Maybe one day hey ..if I'm lucky

Yes settling in thank you Chris

You take care now ..

My very best

Linda x

[Dinah48]

hope you get the answers soon. Your report is quite detailed so that’s a positive. Ours tends to be much less detailed, just whether varicies found and banded or not.

[redpoint72 in reply to Dinah48]

Hello love,yes it was quite a detailed report.I seem to be getting some where with my liver nurse now,

Thanks for taking the time love.

Chris

[Chick_atee]

I’m sorry you are going through all of this and not supported satisfactorily from the medical side. While I don’t have advice for you because I don’t know enough I would say BE A PEST! You need answers on this long journey you’re on. The medical people would be very persistent I would imagine if they had to go through what you are to get answers.

I experienced a terrible endoscopy too and I really don’t want to have another.

Keep going Chris, you can do this! 💪

Ann.

[redpoint72 in reply to Chick_atee]

Oh ann,thank you. Ive been a pest this morning 😄.

I'm slowly getting somewhere, it just takes a while to get to speak to the right person!!.

Thanks for replying,its good to know someone is out there,especially if your single like myself,it can be a lot at times to cope with when your on your own,no one to have a cuppa with.

Take care love. Chris

[Chick_atee in reply to redpoint72]

Good on you for doing that. Yes, it’s not easy Chris but we will get through it with the support here.

Keep going!

[Sharonmcfarlane]

hi Chris ,

My mum is just out the hospital from getting two varcies banded , but has been feeling really tired , pain in stomach , not sleeping , pale , itchy skin and only when they done blood tests they found out her blood count was 49 then got taken into hospital, mum was asked if she had been passing blood , and she didn’t think so as she had never seen any visibly blood but her stools were dark , so she was told that she could of had a small leaking bleed in upper gastro … and by the time it passes through your body it comes out black, maybe something to keep an eye on , or get bloods checked , as you and my mum sound similar . How much carvediol you on , and mum on40 mg lanzoperazole twice a day and Spironolactone for portal hypertension and enlarged spleen. Take care and hope u feel better soon .

[redpoint72 in reply to Sharonmcfarlane]

Hello love,I hope mums feeling a bit better,she is lucky to have you around. I responded to your post the other day didn't i?. My carvedilol dose is 12.5 mg daily, so my liver nurse,is wanting to up that,she needs to clear it with my hep consultant.

I should be receiving blood cards in the post in the next few days, as she was wondering if I may be anemic again......so bloods will be taken in the next week or so. I couldn't see any sign of blood loss at all,but I suppose it doesn't have to be a massive amount.

Thanks for your time love.

My best.Chris

[Sharonmcfarlane in reply to redpoint72]

Hi Chris,

Hope you get your blood tests done soon a as nd get the results to make you feel better and yes you may have never noticed the blood …hope things get better for you to .

Take care

Sharon

Yes you did reply to myself the other day,

[Kristian]

Hi Redpoint, it would be rare for the endoscopy team to go through in much detail the meaning of any results from your endoscopy. They may go through a summary of it it but usually they'll let your own consultant complete the assessment with regards to what the results mean for you and whether any changes in medications or management are needed as a result. I'm guessing once your consultant gets to see the report they'll be in touch if anything needs changing before your next appointment. Or, if not, they may just wait for your next clinic to go through them with you.

Just looking at what you've written its good that they didn't see any evidence of bleeding from the varices in your eosophagus. Clearly the presence of large varices that needed banding will be of note, but if this is not a change from previous then it may not be as significant a finding and may not necessarilly lead to any change in management.

The report makes several remarks about the lining of your stomach, including the phrases friable, watermelon appearance and vascular lesions etc. All of these things can lead to some blood loss. However, this isn't necessarilly the type of drastic blood loss that comes with say a burst varices. Its more of a gradual weeping sort of blood loss that comes from say a bleeding ulcer or from something that may have just scraped the lining of your stomach. Vascular lesions include things like ulcers. They clearly didn't feel, despite the blood, any emergencency intervention in addition to the banding was necessary, probably due to the fact they didn't see any active bleeding at the time. So that at least is a good thing.

If any of the issues above are new then these will be flagged to your consultant and I'm sure they'll be in touch if anything does need to change.

Hope thats helpful.

[redpoint72 in reply to Kristian]

Hi kris.Yes thanks fella,all been helpful.

As you say stomach lining is not to good,but they are limited with what they can do,I did have a massive bleed nearly 2 years ago, ulcers caused by portal hypertensive gastropathy, which is cirrhosis linked. I spoke to a dietician, 2 years ago,so I'm very careful what I eat,as to not aggrevate my stomach, they are going to increase my lansoprazole dose,to try and prevent things getting any worse. as you say,it was good that there wasn't any active bleeding seen from anywhere,but obviously altered blood there all the same.

To be honest,they have usually said quite alot after my endoscopy, and I've had quite a few now ,I've lost count!!!!

They were just so rushed of there feet,but that doesn't stop us worrying about it.

But I do appreciate there time .

Thanks alot kris for bothering to reply.

My best.Chris

[Nat107 in reply to redpoint72]

hi im sorry to jump on your reply but could I ask when you say you had a massive bleed, was it blood from back passage, Iv had a 3 day bleed in April then a positive fit test and had my colonoscopy on sat but that was clear thankfully but still in the dark as to where it came from, list a large dark blood clot too and need to find where this bleed has come from wether it could be from my upper gi thank you

[redpoint72 in reply to Nat107]

Hi there.Well to be honest it was from both,I noticed very dark stools,then,vomited copious amounts of fresh blood....

Have you had a recent endoscopy?.

My best.Chris

[Nat107 in reply to redpoint72]

so very sorry to hear that, I had a colonoscopy as passing bowel blood thrn large clot, so had to do a fit stool test which was positive resulting in a bowel colonoscopy which was clear so really can’t understand where all the blood has came from wether it be my stomach or oesophageal

Thank you for reply