No endoscopy

[Oasisman]

Hi

I hope everyone is having a positive day.

I seen my consultant for the first time this week the previous 2 times with the nurse. And it is now back to the nurse for 6 monthly visits.

The consultant has advised she is going to prescribe a beta blocker to help prevent varices which they have advised I don't have despite not having an endoscope. My spleen, gallbladder, pancreas and kidneys are all fine and blood levels all normal except billirubin that is at 26 and and raised ALT.

I am sure the consultant by prescribing a beta blocker to help stop ascites forming but is it normal without an endoscopy first.

It should be noted I was on a ventilator for 10 days for a non liver related infection and ultra sounds of the area taken regularly

Have a great day.

S.

[AyrshireK]

Do you have portal hypertension?

They can often tell portal veinous flow direction on your scan so may have been able to say you don't but then again if they've now given you beta blockers to prevent varices it kind of points to you having portal hypertension. Beta blockers tend to be for varices prevention/treatment rather than for ascites.

Did you not ask "How can you tell I don't have varices as i've never had an endoscopy?"

Definitely something to ask at your next nurse appointment and to discuss after your next ultrasound scan which I presume you are having every 6 months as per normal monitoring guidelines.

Katie

[Oasisman in reply to AyrshireK]

No, apparently okay. Scan report advised normal hepatopetal flow. No focal lesion. Only thing which was previously confirmed was bright echo texture. Consultant dis say to prescribing beta blockers to prevent varices from forming and to try and give a longer life. That was it, not concerns wee raised as not had a drink for 7 months and then advised next appointment would be in 6 month with the nurse

[AyrshireK in reply to Oasisman]

All sounds pretty standard then, normal flow means less risk of varices so beta blockers obviously a preventative. 6 monthly appointment and scans is standard.

Keep up the good work with no booze and hopefully any damage there is can have some chance of repairing or at least get no worse.

Katie

[Oasisman in reply to AyrshireK]

Thank you for your reply and kind words, giving up alcohol isn't that hard for me as I don't really like the taste. Funny for someone who has been drinking since being 20 and now 55. The reasons for drinking are more complicated due to depression since childhood (8years), and no isolation and loneliness.

Kind regards

S.

[DK421 in reply to Oasisman]

I was told that these days the approach is to prescribe beta blockers (I was given carvedilol) to treat varices “in case” they were there as they had really cut back on the amount of endoscopy procedures since covid. I took them for about 2-3 weeks then reported they were causing me dizziness and I couldn’t tolerate them. After that an endoscopy was arranged for me. I had that a fortnight ago and they confirmed there were no varices.

I did raise the seemingly logical point of “why are you giving me medication for something you don’t know I have?” and tried to press for an endoscopy, but they just kept quoting process at me. I looked into paying for one privately but it was £2000. It was only when I said I couldn’t tolerate the carvedilol that an endoscopy was arranged. Dizziness is the main negative side effect from that medication - at first they tried to reduce the dosage but I just kept reporting dizziness and they eventually booked the endoscopy.

[AnxiousPete in reply to DK421]

I think it deoends on the consultant and what other comorbidities the patient has. I take another type of medication for general hypertension but although my first gastrooscopy in June 2023 showed grade 1 varices he did not prescribe Carvedilol. I had a 2nd gastroscopy and a colonoscopy in December that showed varices at grade 1/2 in oeosophagus / stomach and some rectal ones so now he has put me on a beta blocker.

[Kingbilly3 in reply to DK421]

Hi, I take them beta blockers now, I have 7 bands so far, I started on 6.25 morning and night by god the dizziness is awfull, I was taking my morning one 9 o’clock and ten mins after I was so dizzy it was like passing out for 4 hours, they finally changed to one 6..25 per so I had to half it which it crumbles up! No side affects now but hopefully they help, and was told to never ever forget to take them which sounds bit scary!