Very nervous - Gastroscopy/ Varices Banding

[puddy68]

Hi Everyone. I'm getting very anxious as I have my gastroscopy next week. I'm not nervous about the actual procedure, I'm just very anxious about what they're going to find. My CAT Scan detected varices, and I'm just wondering that if they have to band them, does this mean my portal hypertension is really bad, and can't be reversed? [I've totally given up drinking and trying to eat as cleanly as possible. Will start exercising after the procedure, as many people on this forum have suggested]. Thank you so much.

[AyrshireK]

If they do find and band varices then they will probably start you on a beta blocker (carvedilol or propanolol or similar) to try to counteract your portal hypertension.

In my hubbies case they didn't go the beta blocker route and instead went for an aggressive banding rgime to eradicate his varices and he had 42 varices banded over the course of two years - his cirrhosis only came to light (completely out if the blue) after a massive variceal bleed.

Sadly, portal hypertension is a common sumptom of cirrhosis but can often be managed with beta blockers.

Best wishes for your scope.

Katie

[puddy68 in reply to AyrshireK]

Thank you so much, Katie. I've read quite a few of your posts and you really seem to know what you're talking about. At least I now know what could possibly be an avenue of treatment now. Thanks so much once again. God Bless.

[AyrshireK in reply to puddy68]

Picked up a bit of knowledge through the years as i've been 'riding the roller coaster' that is life with cirrhosis with hubby since April 2012.

[Readlots]

Hi Puddy, Mum had some banding done when they did one of her routine endoscopy’s. She had sedation and said she just had a bit of a sore throat afterwards. It’s far better to have the varices found and banded than to have a bleed. Having said that, I know I’ll be in a right state before each endoscopy I may need in the future. I think it’s normal to be a bit worried before any medical procedure, but this is a routine one that lots of people go through and get treated for.

[puddy68 in reply to Readlots]

Thanks so much, Readlots. Thank you for your reassuring words. I really appreciate it.

[Pie-eater]

I always found the throat spray was ok if it was just the camera but had them put a cannula in ready in case banding was found to be needed.

[puddy68 in reply to Pie-eater]

Thanks Pie-eater. I think where I live they automatically give you a general anathsetic.

[AyrshireK in reply to puddy68]

I'd be surprised if a general anaesthetic is usual practice for an endoscopy as that requires an anaesthetist and whole load of advanced staffing. Good if it is though.

Usual paractise in the UK is a numbing throat spray +/- sedation.

Hubby always had/has both even just for a monitoring scope when no banding anticipated.

Katie

[Mufan99]

The only things I can add is that if you have sedation you can feel quite tired and under the weather, even the day after. So plan to take it easy if you can. If you have any banding definitely follow the advice about small amounts of soft very light food. You will be hungry because you been fasting and if you're diabetic a bit anxious about blood sugars. My partner would rush things and feel quite uncomfortable. Milk shakes are good. Shop-bought can be a bit sweet, but not the end of the world once in a while. Soups obviously an option and even a small bowl of slightly overcooked pasta with a bland sauce. Don't go for anything too hot (spicy) and let hot (temp) soup, pasta, etc cool down quite a lot.

[Pie-eater]

I found sedation really knocked me about but thinking back, that’s probably when a lot of banding was done, the first time I quite liked it.

[buckldgl]

My experience- had it done pretransplant 3 times. Spray and sedation works wonders. Bit sore for 4 days afterwards when eating but recovered fully each time.

Douglas