Gastroenterologist

[CW12]

I was referred by my GP to a hemotologist . The hemotologist ran a peristalsis cell antibody test. No results yet. She also said I should see a Gastroenterologist. Is this typical. What has your experience been when you go

[CW12]

Also is there risk involved with a scope?

[fbirder in reply to CW12]

There's a risk with every medical procedure. But gastroscopy comes low down that list.

[CW12 in reply to fbirder]

Another question. If they find atrophy... what do they do next. Do they typically give medicine or another procedure?

What are some ways to protect your lining?

Thank you!

[fbirder in reply to CW12]

If they find gastric atrophy they will attempt to determine the cause. One of the best ways is to determine the extent of the atrophy, and what parts of the stomach (fundus, corpus, and antrum) are affected.

If it is restricted to the fundus and corpus then it is almost certainly caused by an autoimmune attack. There is nothing that can be done to prevent this, or to cure it.

It is affects the whole of the stomach then it is probably caused by infection with Helicobacter pylori. They will do tests to look for this infection. If it is present then they can treat and, often, eradicate it.

They will ask if you take lots of painkillers as too many NSAIDs (ibuprofen, aspirin, etc.) can cause gastritis.

[fbirder]

The idiot haematologist got a Parietal Cell Antibody test. Which was pointless and shows how out of touch she is. This test is no longer recommended as a test for Pernicious Anaemia as it gives far too many false positives. See p. 500 of this - onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...

Pernicious Anaemia is a disease that initially affects the stomach. So a gastroenterologist is a good idea. In PA your immune system attacks cells in the stomach (Gastric Parietal Cells) and this causes gastric atrophy - that the gastroenterologist will be able to see if they stick a camera into your stomach. The atrophy is typically limited to certain parts of the stomach, so it is a very good indicator of PA.

They will also look for signs of a type of tumour (Neuroendocrine Tumours, NETs) that are associated with PA. They are rare, about 2 in a million in the general population and tend to sit there and do nothing. But it's good to check for them because they can, rarely, become more nasty. They found mine four years ago, and I just go for a gastroscopy every two years to keep an eye on them.

The process itself isn't pleasant, but it's not terrible. You'll be offered the choice of a local anaesthetic for the back of your throat, or sedation. I always go for the local, as it means I can drive myself home. If you've had any meditation training then that makes the whole process much easier.

They put the tube down your throat, have a look around, take some tissue samples (that you cannot feel at all), then pop the tube into the duodenum to look for signs of coeliac's disease. It should all be over in around 15 minutes.

[CW12 in reply to fbirder]

Thank you so much for your quick reply. You have been very helpful along the way. I was nervous about what they where looking for. I am glad to hear the tumors are rare...that is reassuring as the word tumor sends me into a panic. I already tested positive for IF antibodies.

How long does the procedure take? If

[CW12 in reply to CW12]

Also my GP never gave me loading doses...in August. I still have some neurological symptoms. The hemotologist said there is no proof that giving more b12... more than once a month is necessary if your b12 levels are up... 640. 😩I go every 2 weeks now.

[jacwright in reply to fbirder]

hello fbirder always read your messages as you have a lot of medical knowledge. I would recommend OGD trough the nose as there's no gagging XX Jac retired CNS/ endoscopist. diagnosed B12 deficient 18 months ago and now told vit D deficient and its not PA??? what has caused it! my first symptoms were of pain all over diagnosed with polymyalgia... 8 years ago and put on steroids, now have cushings cant come off steroids as dependant. should never been put on steroids as I have fibromyalgia GP's don't know the difference. I need evidence of the link between B12 D and fibro please help XX jac

[fbirder in reply to jacwright]

No choice of nasal gastroscopy in my hospital, nor in most.

There is no evidence that demonstrates a link between fibro a B12d. Some people with FM/CFS/ME do respond to B12 treatment - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/259... - but they may have been misdiagnosed.