Gastroscopy results

[Barb1949]

Hi, I had my gastroscopy last week and was diagnosed with

Oesophagitis Los Angeles Grade B with stigmata,

Submucosal lesion, likely Lipoma and the

Duodenum was normal.

8 biopsies were taken and the results will be sent to my Endo and my GP. I have requested a copy be sent to me also.

The registrar has given me a copy of the report and sent the same to my GP with a recommendation to commence acid suppression medication an sucralfate for one week.

Since I had been taking Omeprazole for about 20 years and only managed to get off them in January/February this year I will not be taking these again. I had never heard of Sucralfate but am told it contains Aluminium, in which case I will not be taking that either.

I am at a loss to understand what taking these things for one week could possibly achieve!

Since stopping the Omeprazole I have only had very minor symptoms of reflux. The reflux has not reached into my throat nor has it gone into my lungs, which it did all the time before, and is swiftly dealt with by Gaviscon.

I have a telephone consult with the practice nurse on Thursday and I know she will want me to have the drugs, but I will refuse them anyway.

Could anyone tell me what the Sucralfate is and what it is for?

I had the gastroscopy as my endo couldn't see any reason for my very low Iron, folate and ferritin and thought I might have a gastric ulcer. There was no sign of one but biopsies of the Lipoma were taken.

Barb

[jimh111]

Sucralfate is an old drug which coats the upper gut and so protects it from erosion by acid or whatever. As far as I know it is completely safe as it has been around for so long. Due to its mode of action it will reduce the absorption of medicines and so you should not take medications at the same time of day, in particular thyroid medication.

[Barb1949 in reply to jimh111]

Thanks for the info, Jim. I already take all my other meds and supplements well away from Thyroid meds.

I really want to know if the drug does contain aluminium, as there is no way I would take it, and how will taking this for one week do anything for me?

Barb

[jimh111 in reply to Barb1949]

I believe it does contain aluminium although the drug is minimally absorbed. I don't know about the one week prescription, you would need to ask the doctor why just one week. I suspect it is a theraputic trial, just to see how you get on after a week. I'm in favour of such trials, if only it applied to hypothyroidism more often.

I'm not worried about aluminium, so much food now is stored or cooked in aluminium. As for sulcrufate I don't know how the aluminium is chemically bound. This is important as e.g. salt is sodium and chlorine, I wouldn't touch either but as NaCl it is perfectly safe within recommended levels.

[silverfox7 in reply to jimh111]

May be a good idea to have a word with the pharmacist as well

[Rebec in reply to jimh111]

I was just going to tell you that the best person to ask is a pharmacist but I just noticed that silverfox7 wrote just that.

[Anthea55]

Have you been tested for food intolerances? Sorting those out might help your intestines. You would have to get it done privately I think.

I was prescribed Omeprazole after a gastroscopy, but looked it up on the web and decided not to take it. There can be problems with reducing stomach acid.

[Barb1949]

Thanks everyone for all this info.

Jim, I will not be taking part in any further trials unless I know what they involve. But I have not been asked to take part in such a trial so it cannot be that. I rarely eat tinned foods and have not cooked in aluminium for at least forty years.

Anthea, the only intolerance I have, which appears to be improving as I get older, is lactose intolerance. I was tested for coeliac but that has been ruled out.

Trendfriendpa, The gastroscopy didn't actually show any ulcers so I cannot see any reason for me to be taking sucralfate.

Having read all your comments and taken into account my personal circumstances I will go by my original decision and refuse these drugs. Thanks for all your input.

Barb xx