Preliminary Results Of Endoscopy

[AlysounRI]

Hi All:

Yesterday I had my endoscopy and my blood tests.

The prelim. results of the endoscopy (all except the biopsy) were confusing.

And I am wondering what to make of them.

My biopsy and blood test results should be back in a week to 10 days.

Here was what they found:

redness/inflammation in the stomach,

some polyps in the stomach (which were removed)

small hiatal hernia

some ulcers in the esophageal tract due to acid reflux

no obvious signs of villi distress in the small intestines

So here are my questions:

1) I have never been aware of having acid reflux - seeing as how the small ulcers are nearer to the stomach than the throat, is it just that the reflux is not getting up that far into my throat area? He suggested that I avoid things like onions and garlic (now that is much more of a blow to me that giving up the gluten!!). I have to go on acid blocking meds. to heal the ulcers in the esophageal area so they don't turn into Barrett's. Moreover, I have to return in two months for another endoscopy.

2) Do people here have any experience of stomach polyps and have they found them to be

harmful?

3) I was off gluten for 3 weeks prior to going back on it for the month of March. Can it be that the fact that I was literally cramming myself full of the poison for lunch and dinner made my esophageal canal and stomach acid and stomach lining become very angry and inflamed at me? Was a month long enough to be back on it or should I have done two more weeks to a month more?

4) The GI doc seems to think that I probably don't have celiac disease. But judging from the fairly large number of false negatives, is it something I should fight over.

5) In addition to running the IGA level test, I asked him about running the gene test and he said that it was unnecessary as 20-30 percent of people had this gene and it wouldn't tell me much and that it was a very expensive test. The tTG test was not obvious so I asked him about it before I went under for the endo. and he clarified the blood work scrip as the handwriting was not great. At least he didn't seem offended that I had done my research.

If I may rely on your opinions yet again, how do I digest (pun intended) these results?

I AM having some acid reflux today but I don't know if this is because of the endo. yesterday. As this was my first one, I don't know what typically happens afterwards.

Regardless as of yesterday I am off the gluten again. It obviously affects me very detrimentally and I want out. I've kind of decided that I won't fight the results of the testing. I just want to feel as well as I did when I was off it for those weeks in February: full of energy, clear headed, stomach stable, and lacking all the body aches and tiredness.

Thank you again for your further observations. This forum is so very helpful. And I'll report the results of the biopsies and blood tests when I get them back.

As always, thank you, thank you, thank you ...

~Allison

[Roda]

Unless the damage is very severe they can't tell you if you have celiac based on visual inspection. The biopsy will tell the tale or not. But be aware there can be false negatives on biopsy. They only take samples from a small area of the small intestine.

[AlysounRI]

Unless the damage is very severe they can't tell you if you have celiac based on visual inspection. The biopsy will tell the tale or not. But be aware there can be false negatives on biopsy. They only take samples from a small area of the small intestine.

Thank you for your observations again, Roda.

I had read that in my research and thought that it was an odd comment for the GI doc to make, if he was making a comment at all.

Today was coffeeklatch day today at work (first Friday of every month) ... I walked in the the breakroom to find doughnuts, and danish and ugh, ugh, ugh ... Believe me I wasn't tempted at all. Like your avatar, Roda, all that stuff has a biohazard sign on it now and it made me sick even to look at it!!

But I ate my sandwich as an early lunch (yummy millet bread ) and I was perfectly content.

God, it all looks like poison to me lately especially after cramming as much wheat and other gluten into my body as I could for the month of March.

Thanks Roda for your help and insights.

They are very much appreciated

~Allison

[kareng]

Would be good to know how many sample he took. Also, my GI claims he couldn't see anything but all the biopsies showed pretty significant damage. Take care of the ulcers. Go gluten-free if you want & it makes you feel better. & the hardest part - wait for the test results.

[Roda]

Thank you for your observations again, Roda.

I had read that in my research and thought that it was an odd comment for the GI doc to make, if he was making a comment at all.

Today was coffeeklatch day today at work (first Friday of every month) ... I walked in the the breakroom to find doughnuts, and danish and ugh, ugh, ugh ... Believe me I wasn't tempted at all. Like your avatar, Roda, all that stuff has a biohazard sign on it now and it made me sick even to look at it!!

But I ate my sandwich as an early lunch (yummy millet bread ) and I was perfectly content.

God, it all looks like poison to me lately especially after cramming as much wheat and other gluten into my body as I could for the month of March.

Thanks Roda for your help and insights.

They are very much appreciated

~Allison

No problem. My Gi said that my bowel showed minor changes but that we would have to wait for the biopsy results.

I picked that avatar because of my occupation. I thought it was fitting. I work as a X-ray/CT technologist.

[AlysounRI]

Would be good to know how many sample he took. Also, my GI claims he couldn't see anything but all the biopsies showed pretty significant damage. Take care of the ulcers. Go gluten-free if you want & it makes you feel better. & the hardest part - wait for the test results.

Kareng:

I asked how many samples he was going to take before I went under.He said they take 6 from various places in the small intestine.

That is interesting about your GIs visual observations juxtaposed with the biopsy results.

It just struck me as an odd comment, you know!!

Unless they make that comment a lot.

I'll wait patiently for a week - what else can I do eh?

In the meantime, yes, I get off the gluten and get back to feeling alive and not half dead anymore.

Thank you for your comments,

~Allison

[Bobbijo6681]

Allison,

I also was given meds for Acid Reflux after my scope....I asked the GI on Monday when I went back for a followup why I was on that medication. I didn't remember much from after the scope. I just started taking the pills. He said it was for the same reason you gave. I told him that I didn't feel any different taking it then I did before and he said that he could give me something different then. I had a hard time getting him to understand that I didn't feel any differrent because I had never felt any acid reflux or heartburn so the pills made no difference. He told me that if I didn't want to take them then don't (I think he was getting frustrated because I was asking questions) so I have stopped taking them for the last few days, but I am thinking based on what your doc told you (his explination seemed a little better then mine) that I may keep taking it for a while. I don't want to have more problems.

[AlysounRI]

Allison,

I also was given meds for Acid Reflux after my scope....I asked the GI on Monday when I went back for a followup why I was on that medication. I didn't remember much from after the scope. I just started taking the pills. He said it was for the same reason you gave. I told him that I didn't feel any different taking it then I did before and he said that he could give me something different then. I had a hard time getting him to understand that I didn't feel any differrent because I had never felt any acid reflux or heartburn so the pills made no difference. He told me that if I didn't want to take them then don't (I think he was getting frustrated because I was asking questions) so I have stopped taking them for the last few days, but I am thinking based on what your doc told you (his explination seemed a little better then mine) that I may keep taking it for a while. I don't want to have more problems.

Bobbijo, did the GI give you any printed results from your endoscopy?

I wouldn't have remembered what he told me after I just woke up either.

But the results were printed and it explained it all.

As I understand it, ulcers in the esophagus untreated can lead to Barrett's disease,

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which can lead to cancer of the esophagus.

Like you, I didn't ever feel heartburn or acid reflux. That took me by surprise!!

Will you have a follow up endoscopy?

I have to have one in two month's time.

So I hope now that I have given up the inflammatory gluten that the acid production will go down.

I don't want any problems with my esophagus either.

Good luck with those pills. I'll give them a try too.

~Allison

[Reba32]

the hiatal hernia can cause the adic reflux too.

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A small hernia (such as you said you have) may not give you symptoms of reflux, but it can still be there I think.

I have a "medium" hiatal hernia, and I kind of liken it to a lapband If I eat too much, it causes a lot of discomfort in my stomach, so I have to eat more frequently, in smaller portions. I get hiccups A LOT! But since being gluten free, I rarely get any heartburn. Usually only when I'm severely stressed out.

When I had my endoscopy, my doctor gave me pictures There was minor "inflammation" of the esophgus, medium hiatal hernia, I think inflammation in the stomach, and intestinal atrophy. Of course the pictures all had explanation captions on them, I couldn't distinquish anything except what looks like a gooey reddish slug.

[AlysounRI]

When I had my endoscopy, my doctor gave me pictures There was minor "inflammation" of the esophgus, medium hiatal hernia, I think inflammation in the stomach, and intestinal atrophy. Of course the pictures all had explanation captions on them, I couldn't distinquish anything except what looks like a gooey reddish slug.

Mmmmmmm, gooey reddish slugs ....

We'll see if I get pictures back from the endo. when the results come back.

The human body is an amazing thing, isn't it???

So intricate and one thing can just upset the delicate balance ...

~Allison