Endoscopy

[Popsic]

Hi guys,

I have had to have another endoscopy as my digestion isn’t working properly again, doesn’t matter how much creon I take food isn’t staying put . Of course my Bi- Polar has kicked in and I’m now panicking there’s something wrong with my pancreas, I turned 60 at the beginning of the month and my brother was diagnosed at 60 with bladder cancer which spread and he lost his battle at 62, of course my illogical side is saying this will be me! As much as I try to stay positive I’m finding it increasingly hard.

Yesterday didn’t help with the fact that my consultant couldn’t get through the gastric conduit. I now have to go under general anaesthetic next Friday to see what’s going on. It says “ uncertain status gastric conduit at diaphragm “. Has anyone had this happen to them?

I have had a CT scan which he said looked good, so I am taking that on board, but does a CT scan show all abnormalities, I don’t know. I am scared witless at what may be found.

On the positive side I think if anything is found then hopefully it will be early enough to treat and cure. I know as much as I try to put this aside it will worry me sick, it doesn’t help either with a friend of mine saying that I’ve had cancer once , I’ll get it again ! I know she didn’t mean it in the way it was said but still…..

Any advice , help, reassurance would be great.

June

[focused1]

I was hauled through the coals with test after test including a monitor strapped to me with a tube attached which had to be fed through my nose - not great but I had lots of attention, consults etc and I didn’t value any of it at the time . This resulted in surgery for hiatus hernia which was a positive life changer but now I am in a waiting list - over 10 months following a 9 day stay in hospital for Gall bladder surgery I now reflect and wish I was given that attitude and attention now. The NHS in my area is short staffed and as a result I have had to write to my MP to investigate my plight as I can’t plan my short or long term life knowing I could be called in or I am buried in paperwork -just a name on a vast list . In short I would jump at any tests , any liaison with a hospital as once you are on a programme they have your contact details and you aren’t blanked . Yes it is frustrating but more importantly it drives you mad to hear nothing .

[Popsic in reply to focused1]

Hi focused1I am so sorry to hear of your plight, it is frustrating , I wonder why were not monitored once we've all had an IV,,doesn't seem to make sense. I'm quite an emotional person, I've lost 3 of my family in the last 4 yrs, last being my brother from cancer and I think it just all gets on top of me,

I had a hiatus hernia before surgery, I'd also had my gall bladder removed the previous year, I'm worried it's my pancreas,but hoping it's something like irritable bowel or my digestive system again.

I do hope you get sorted and soon,

[focused1 in reply to Popsic]

It is understandable that you are emotional . You have been through so much but medics don’t always look at any background stories . I didn’t realise how complex our digestive systems are until my sister was in hospital for 9 months with what was thought to be routine . I hope you get the answers you need and all I can advise is don’t be in a hurry to be discharged as you start again . I feel once I was out of hospital with only half the work done I was back at square one with promised accelerated waiting list appointment which was only words . I hope for you the test reveals a simple thing that is easily treatable . I am trying to just get on with work , home life etc but it is harder to actually do than I thought .

[Popsic in reply to focused1]

Thank you for your kind words focused1, people don't really understand our anxieties toward this. I havnt been able to return to work because of my digestive problems. Life is very different to what it was 9 yrs ago. So many different emotions at once.I really hope you won't have to wait too much longer for help, it's so frustrating.

Stay strong and safe,

[Brett77]

A gastric surgeon once told me they see more in CT and PET than via scopes. So hopefully that gives you some reassurance.

[Popsic in reply to Brett77]

Hi Brett77Thank you for your reply,

My consultant did say my CT was fairly reassuring, that's the reason for the endoscopy, if nothing is there it will be a colonoscopy. I'm extremely grateful for the attention from the hospital, I'm just petrified.

[liz_crisp]

I do t know how far on you are but it could be adhesions, scar tissue, I had a kink which caused problems keeping food down it was corrected when I had my gall bladder removed. It's odd what causes problems not always the worst news. Keeping fingers crossed Lizzy

[Popsic in reply to liz_crisp]

Hi liz_crispThank you for your reply,

I'm 9 yrs post op, I'm telling myself it can be anything silly, and praying it is too, I'm so flipping emotional.

[Mauser1905]

Hi Popsic,

reading in between the lines, perhaps mentioning counselling to consultant to refer through GP or directly from hospital may be good starting point.

The oesophageal muscles get affected easily with the emotional imbalances. This is highly subjective and often but not unable to be repeated during the objective investigations. If CT was clear enough then speculatively your highly anxious state is causing the digestion system to go haywire.

More exposure to the radiations is alike overuse of antibiotics, can do more harm than good.

If I may suggest psychotherapy referral, that may be most beneficial route in the absence of anomalies in the diagnostics (which the consultant iterated from the CT scan).

[Popsic in reply to Mauser1905]

Thank you for your reply Mauser1905, I understand what your saying, I have been having CBT counselling but it's not helped, I will ask about other counselling though.

I wasn't aware of the restriction until the endoscopy, the reason for the endoscopy was severe pain after eating and constant diarrhea again. My consultant is thinking it could be an absorption problem again. He has put me in for another endoscopy on Friday withGA as he couldn't get passed the hiatial sling/ distal antrum, he has put a GA with a view to 30mm Rigiflex pylori dilation.

Which I think is what I had back in October.

I'm just trying to understand what's happening. I'm speaking to my oncologist nurse Tomorrow so hopefully she can help with some answers.

[Mauser1905 in reply to Popsic]

The dilation requirement means the passage has undergoing constriction, with normal ageing process can happen and its varying for different people.

What I foresee is the dilations becoming norm or increased frequency+reducing gaps, if no physiological issue/s, and only psychological affects.

Overthinking, over worrying can induce or at times amplify the existing underlying causes (detected or undetected) of issues requiring dilation.

Try psychotherapy, or ask for GP for appropriate one. Perhaps also group networking sessions with other patients locally or online. Coming to terms with so many things and being emotional has its own burn out, add other toppings such as bi-polar and etc the effect is multifold.

Let the diagnostics exhaust as you are on it and let specialists state the objective state of their findings. I sincerely hope nothing sinister is existing, having said that I can see pattern in your symptoms and latest good CT scan findings which point towards your poorly state of body chemical balance affected by the state of your mental health. This is where the grey area is in my view as it means self intervention will be required.

[Popsic in reply to Mauser1905]

Thank you for that, you make a lot of sense, I do worry constantly, I try hard not to over think but sometimes it's not easy, I guess the biggest issue for me atm is my brothers passing at 62, I think I'm heading the same way, if that makes sense. I know so many things can be done these days, also only having a dilation 8 months ago after 9 yrs of nothing, I thought that would be it, at least for a couple years! If all it is is dilation then happy days,

Thank you once again for your input, it's very much appreciated.

[FKM100]

Good luck for tomorrow. I hope all goes well.

[Popsic in reply to FKM100]

Hi FKM100Thank you so much, I must admit I'm beginning to panic a bit now, but it's got to be done. I'll update on the outcome.

[zerodrudge]

I've had severe dumping syndrome after esophagus removal and find metamusal really helps a lot.