The oncologist had referred me for a Gastro endoscopy because of stomach pain. My symptoms sounded like an ulcer, especially as I have been on Diclofenic for so long. I had the procedure performed today 25th February 2011.
The procedure involves putting a small flexible camera into the stomach via the throat and oesophagus. You can opt to have a sedative or just local aesthetic spray. I opted for the latter as I would have had to stay in longer if I had a sedative. It really is not a pleasant procedure so anyone reading this that has to have one, go for the sedative!
Anyway thankfully nothing nasty found and the likely cause for the painful stomach when I was on holiday and for a while after, was a stomach upset or other unknown, but not nasty cause. They did find a very small sliding hiatus hernia, which is very common and is probably not the cause of any problems. This usually gives symptoms of heartburn or reflux, which I don't have. It is where a little bit of stomach at the top end pokes through the diaphragm, The sheet of muscle which separates your tummy from your chest. There is an opening in the diaphragm for the oesophagus to pass through. If this opening is too wide, a bit of stomach can herniate through it as well, especially if there is excess pressure in the abdomen (e.g. when you are pregnant or overeat). I am definitely not pregnant, and at the moment not over eating, so not sure why I have one.
I came off Diclofenic for a while (the anti-inflammatory drug that helps arthritic pain in knee). So now I have ask doctor if I can start taking it again, as clearly I have not got an ulcer and knee is killing me!!!
So that is one more test out of the way. Next one on Monday to see why I am having such difficulty with breathing - then off to Portugal. Watch this space.
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