PA stomach cancer worries

[Dani82]

Hi, Iv read that pa is s high Risk to stomach cancer and I'm so unwell on my tummy. Have been for a long time!! I have an endoscopy next week that I'm literally terrified about but even more So of what they will find!!! Also is it right we need this horrible test every two yrs to check we don't have the dreaded C!

[Dani82]

Thank you Eaoz 🙏🏼

[fbirder]

I have Neuroendocrine Tumours. They are rare enough (I am, literally, one in a million - onlinelibrary.wiley.com/sto... ) so that my gastrologist had never seen them before. My treatment is to have a gastroscopy every year. I'm off for my third one on Wednesday. If it still is clear I might suggest we move to every two or three years. I don't think he will disagree as I think he is getting bored with them.

He referred me to a NET specialist at Kings College Hospital in London. He said that they very rarely transformed into proper cancer.

The five-year survival rates for people with gastric NETs is actually higher than for those without (for my age group). Presumably because we have our health monitored more closely. Since my diagnosis I've had a CT scan, a gamma-Ray scan and a PET/MRI scan. So I'm pretty clear on the 'nasty stuff' front.

[pitney]

I know its easy to say but try not to worry about your endoscopy to much, I was very nervous when I went for mine as I had to have it done with just the throat spray, I had no one with me and no one to keep an eye on me so they could not give me any sedation. I cant say it was something I would want to do every day but it was nowhere near as bad as I anticipated and I had spent days worrying about it, try and relax and hopefully you will be in and out in no time. Good luck we will be thinking of you and let us know how you get on.

All best wishes

[Dani82 in reply to pitney]

Thank you xx

[pvanderaa]

What issues? Heartburn? Vomiting? Gall bladder pain?

Are you taking antacids?

How does your stomach react to orange juice? (Are your stomach juices too alkaline?)

Have you tried diluted cider vinegar ?

[fbirder in reply to pvanderaa]

Not really a good idea to drink too much acid until il after the gastroscopy. If that shows atrophic gastritis of the fundus, then achlorhydria can be addressed.

[Dani82 in reply to pvanderaa]

I dnt know what the pain is. It's in 3 different places in my tummy mostly all the right. I don't take anything for acid and don't drink oj, I do have ALOT of vinegar in my diet tho 😬

[fbirder in reply to Dani82]

If your gastroscopy shows gastric atrophy of the gastric parietal cells then it's likely that you will suffer from low stomach acid. Because those cells make hydrochloric acid.

Some people have symptoms such as bloating, wind, griping, diarrhoea caused by this lack of acid and drink vinegar with large meals. I prefer about 40 ml of lime juice in a glass of water.

As for the gastroscopy itself. The worst bit really is the horrible spray they use to numb the back of the throat (assuming you don't opt for sedation). After that it's not too bad. I use meditation techniques to relax. Last time the doc had to explain to a colleague that, despite appearances, I wasn't sedated as she started gossiping. Obviously I was looking very relaxed.