Endoscopy scare

Offline G4wft over 2 years ago

I've just had, this morning, my first gastroscopy, after being referred by my GP because I was getting reflux type of symptoms. The consultant said he thought that my symptoms were actually due to a degree of constipation and not acid reflux. However, he said that he had found a small amount of food stuck to my oesophagus and has taken biopsies from the area and I have to have another gastroscopy in six weeks with an iodine spray. Looking online this seems to be associated with looking for pre-cancerous cells. I'm now feeling very alarmed to say the least.

Any one had anything similar?

Thank you.

Offline davek over 2 years ago

Hi,

It’s good news (believe it or not) that you are being tested before it is obvious what the problem is.

About 10 years ago the NICE guidance changed and GPs are now advised to refer people onto a cancer diagnostic pathway even if they think the chances of that patient developing cancer are as low as 5%. The threshold used to be far higher and hundreds of patients (including me) weren’t diagnosed until stage 4 as a result.

The vast majority of patients referred for these tests do not have cancer but, for those who do, their chances of survival are extremely high if a diagnosis is made at stage 0 or even stage 1 rather than later. When the results are negative, the scare often triggers life style changes which will extend life expectancy significantly.

The downside is the uncertainty and worry everyone experiences when they are waiting for their results.

Good luck with your results!
Dave
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