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Crippling Arthritis. Excessive belching.

2 months ago•26 Replies

Crippling arthritis in shoulder and knees. In the last 2 weeks. Excessive belching, in the last 3 weeks, been told by doctor that its symptoms of cancer, all happened in the past 3 weeks. Treatment for arthritis so far has been intervenes steroids and steroids injected directly into sunacromion bursa where the worst of the pain is.

Treatment for belching has been Ganaton tablets, Gasmotin tablets and something else.

So far the doctors have only recommended the colonoscopy procedure under general anesthetic. Though reading up on the net there are other options

Be grateful to hear from anyone who's had or has these conditions on the treatment they received.

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Happyman5

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helixhelix2 months ago

sadly there is very little that can be done for arthritis other than trying to relieve symptoms until it gets tothe point of replacimg joints - which comes with it’s own problems..

But I do wonder why your doctor has suggected cancer? Unless they suspect bowel cancer when a colonoscopy would be an early diagnostic step.

Belching normally relates to acid reflux in upper gastrointestinal area.

Happyman5 in reply to helixhelix2 months ago

Thank you for your reply helixhelix, I've had acid reflux for many years and really hasn't been to much of a problem as I learned to live with it..and never had any belching until a few weeks ago when it started and it's never stopped, even with the medication a gastroenterologist gave me. I've had a severe back problem for many years and the steroids and morphine were no longer having any any effect in pain relief, so I turned to putting a hand full of cannabis ( it's now legal in Thailand ) in my foods and it worked wonders..am pretty sure I over used it and damage my stomach, and that is what caused the excessive belching and that is a symptom of cancer.The arthritis is not contacted, but I thought I would ask around on a few of the forums as could be others who have or had similar experiences.

I will make a decision within the next few days after more advice from different doctors..

nomoreheels2 months ago

Welcome to the NRAS forum Happyman5. Treatments may vary from country to country but here in the UK if it's Rheumatoid we are started on DMARDs, that is once we've been referred to secondary care, under a Rheumatologist. It does sound as though you have Osteoarthritis though, treatment is generally pain relief, anti inflammatories &, as in your case, steroid treatment.

I'm afraid your your gastrointestinal problems aren't specific to us, though can also be a problem in addition to not as a result of Rheumatoid Diseases but maybe asking on another Healthunlocked site would be of help healthunlocked.com/theibsne... Some of us have had colonoscopies, including myself, though I’ve only had them under sedation. General anaesthetic is usually reserved here in the UK for potentially more complex investigations, likely to take a longer time than usual.

I hope your doctor is suggesting the worst case scenario & your problems can be treated medically with tablets or such, though if necessary it may sabe similar to here & you start investigations promptly, again here that is usually within 2 weeks though I don't know the guidelines where you live. All the very best anyway.

Happyman5 in reply to nomoreheels2 months ago

Many thanks for your reply nomoreheels, I watched my mother suffer tremendously with arthritis for most of her life, so I kind of know what's facing me..I was really just looking on how I could cut down the costs of the treatments am been given at the moment. The doctors are reluctant to give me any medication that would be disgusted in the stomach, so that's why am on steroids..they are helping..but not much.Excessive belching can be symptoms of cancer, I know this as a fact due to my father in law not being diagnosed in the early stages and was told of it in the end stage of if..died a terrible death after 3 months in hospital. 16 years ago.

I would have already had the colonoscopy the doctor suggested, but then a few days later suffered this attack in my shoulder and knees. It has though given me time to look into this further..as am not looking forward to a colonoscopy due to the experience when i had this done in London 20 years ago.

I will post on the IBS forum to see if anyone has gone through what am going through. .

Shresworld2 months ago

I just had emergency gallbladder surgery probably caused by Ra meds you might want to get an ultrasound sound I hope you figure it out and get feeling better soon

Happyman5 in reply to Shresworld2 months ago

Thank you for your reply Shresworld, I have been talking quite a lot of different medications and trying out new ones, but stopped most all of them now.. I just have injections, the one I had on Friday directly into the shoulder really has helped..but the doctor said it normally only last for 3 weeks..I will ask the doctor about an ultrasound and I will also read up on it...I hope your fully recovered from your operation now. 🙂

Sheila_G2 months ago

Sorry you are having such pain. I have never heard of a general anaesthetic for a colonoscopy. I have had several and always have sedation. Apparently I am answering questions throughout but I have no recollection of them afterwards. Sedation is definitely the way to go. Excessive indigestion could point to gallstones. It did in my case.

helixhelix in reply to Sheila_G2 months ago

in France it is standard to have a light general anaesthetic for a colonoscopy. Make it easier for the doctors too.

Sheila_G in reply to helixhelix2 months ago

Thank you for this information. Correct me if I'm wrong but is a light anaesthetic not the same as sedation. Is it not just semantics?

helixhelix in reply to Sheila_G2 months ago

i think sedation is giving you valium, or similar, so you are sleepy but vaguely conscious. A light anaesthetic means you are unconscious, but it’s only a small dose so it doesn’t last long a d you wake up easily .

Sheila_G in reply to helixhelix2 months ago

Ok. That makes sense. Thanks

jell in reply to Sheila_G2 months ago

my sisters in France have a choice every few years - go in for the day or anaesthetic - in day before procedure, nil by mouth, then let home the day after the procedure. I think they may have a colonoscopy and gastroscopy at same time.

Sheila_G in reply to jell2 months ago

That's interesting. Thank you.

Happyman5 in reply to helixhelix2 months ago

It's the same in Thailand, I had a general anaesthetic for a foot operation about 30 years ago and I was okay with it, but I have so many health issues now, I find a bit worrying.. I need to talk with the Gastroenterologist again.Thanks for your reply..

Happyman5 in reply to Happyman52 months ago

I should have said the operation was England, London.

Happyman5 in reply to Sheila_G2 months ago

Thank you for your reply Sheila G, I had a colonoscopy about 20 years ago when I lived in London and that was with been sedated and I watched the whole procedure on a tv screen, very uncomfortable but I would still prefer that then been put to sleep...as I find that a bit worrying..The actually procedure as I read it was .. Gastro + colonoscopy. I was under a lot of stress when I saw Gastroenterologist and couldn't take everything in what he was saying..then a few days later I had to cancel the appointment due to this attack with arthritis.

I will have to talk with the Gastroenterologist again next week.

I hope well now with the problem gallstones..

Sheila_G in reply to Happyman52 months ago

Yes. It might be more than a colonoscopy. If they have to do a bit more exploration it might be too uncomfortable. I am fine thank you. I had my gallbladder removed 5 years ago. I wish you well with whatever you have to encounter and hope your RA flare settles soon.

Maureengibson2 months ago

If you have suffered with the arthritic pain for a long time and taken painkillers for it, it may well have caused an ulcer which can result in belching. It seems quite a leap to suggest cancer for belching, unless it’s associated with sudden weight loss or distended abdomen. I used a PPI Omeprazole or lansoprazole for years die to taking long term steroids. I had a period of breathlessness and it was associated with an increase in burping. It was found I’d been aspirating acid, despite the PPIs, so I was changed to a stronger one Pantoprazole, which has resolved the burping and waking up with burning in my lungs.

I suspect your GP is just looking at worst case scenario, and that a less sinister cause is found. As others say here in the U.K. colonoscopies are done under sedation, rather than a general anaesthetic. Stay positive, if you don’t have any other concerning symptoms I’m sure there will be another cause for your belching. Hopefully you won’t wait long, here in the U.K. they have to undertake tests within 2 weeks when cancer is suspected. Dr google is never a good idea, try not to let this overwhelm you, when there are many many causes of belching that could explain your symptoms. Take care, and let us know how you get on 🤗

Happyman5 in reply to Maureengibson2 months ago

I did get frightened when reading Dr Google, then my ex wife who was visiting come back from shopping and went through all the details of how her father died from cancer.. it was he was given medication repeatedly for excessive belching but no one thought to look further than that, until he got to the end stage of cancer, and that got me petrified. The belching has calmed down some but its still very noticeable.

I've started talking Omeprazole again after the medication the Gastroenterologist gave finished, half an hour before my first and last meal of the day.

Am going to see the Gastroenterologist this week and have some questions for him that I couldn't think of asking before. They do things very quickly Thailand, almost immediately.. the hospital that most probably I will be using has a good reputation.

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply to me, it was very kind of you..all the replies have helped me a lot, hearing someone else's voice and experiences is just what I needed.

I will let you know how I got on..🙂

Maureengibson in reply to Happyman52 months ago

hopefully the gastroenterologist will be able to reassure you. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, good luck next week🤗

Leics2 months ago

I had a period of awful pain weight loss and constant burping like yourself and my GP wanted to rule out cancer too as I had already had bowel cancer in my 30’s. I had an endoscopy with sedation and it turned out to be a sliding hiatus hernia and gallstones. The hiatus hernia I control with not having too many fatty foods and it’s not really an issue and eventually after another quite serious attack I had my gallbladder removed and it was absolutely full of stones so it’s not necessarily sinister but best to check with perhaps an endoscopy. I also had an ultrasound of my gallbladder. Good luck hope you find some answers

Happyman5 in reply to Leics2 months ago

The endoscopy I feel is what is really needed at this moment in time, though I think the Gastroenterologist had advised me correctly as they could do both procedures at the same time..I don't mind that..if they will do it without knocking me out..🙂🙃

nomoreheels in reply to Happyman52 months ago

I had a colonoscopy followed by a gastroscopy a few years ago so yes, both can be done at the same time. My GP was concerned I had internal bleeding following a rogue blood test. They were done under sedation with additional throat spray for the gastroscopy.

Happyman5 in reply to nomoreheels2 months ago

Thank you for your reply nomoreheels, am going ask them tomorrow exactly what method they use for this examination. I would be happy if it's the same as you had..if it's a general anesthetic as what I think the Gastroenterologist said, will look for other hospitals..I hope your examination proved to be beneficial for you..🙂

nomoreheels in reply to Happyman52 months ago

It was inconclusive. They were done because I had severe iron deficiency anaemia. The blood test when when it was flagged up was a drug monitoring one for methotrexate & the blood test the following month my iron levels had returned to near normal. I hope you are able to have your choice of relaxant &, more importantly, the results show nothing sinister.

Happyman5 in reply to nomoreheels2 months ago

Thank you nomoreheels..🤞

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