Any experience with endoscopy and varices

[Darcy-22]

Hello. I was diagnosed with MASLD cirrhosis a year ago. I had an endoscopy which found 2 small varices. I have just had another endoscopy today a year later and I have been told I haven't got any varices and everything looks normal. I was under the impression that varices didn't go away. My question is have they gone away or maybe I didn't have them in the first place? Has anyone experienced the same thing? Thank you.

[AyrshireK]

Were you put on a beta blocker last year for your portal hypertension (PH)? If the PH has reduced then the beta blocker is doing it's job.

Celebrate a win either way, no varices a year on is great news.

My hubby had a massive variceal bleed (7 burst varices) and over the next two years underwent banding every few weeks resulting in a total of 42 banded and eradication of his varices.

Keep doung what you're doing health wise.

Katie

[Darcy-22 in reply to AyrshireK]

Thank you for replying. I wasn’t put on any medication. I was told they were small and just to have an endoscopy in a year to check them. In the year since being diagnosed I have lost nearly 5 stone. I have followed a healthy diet and exercised. I don’t know if that could have anything to do with it? I asked the doctor who did the endoscopy. I don’t think he knew. He just said “It must help with things”. Who knows?

[AyrshireK in reply to Darcy-22]

It's possible your liver has improved to a degree with your healthy lifestyle changes. Keep up the good work.

Katie

[Yellowsydney]

Hi, yes varicies can disappear, I had a massive variceal bleed, lost nearly all the blood in my body causing a stroke, unconscious for 3 days in icu, had a aggressive banding program going in monthly for banding, after a few months I no longer had varicies even though I had cirrhosis. I was put on beta blockers but not for several years after the bkeed, still had to have yearly endoscopy to check until my transplant.

Hilary xx

[sophiaS1980 in reply to Yellowsydney]

Was the beta blockers the cause of your varices to disappear? My doc, seems to think they can flatten but not completely disappear, however, I have seen people post on FB that they can disappear without meds when in the stomach or rectal area.

[Scrags64]

I had 22 gastroscopies and over 70 variciles banded before mine disappeared!! I have now had 5 where no variciles have been found and I am about to undergo my next annual maintenance gastroscopy next month. Mine were all in my esophagus x