Endoscopy fears

[Sunnynat16]

Hi I have an endoscopy on Saturday due to problems swallowing food that started four weeks ago. I am terrified I think more of what could be wrong than the actual procedure itself anyone else had these issues ? Or and endoscopy would love to hear from you thankyou 💖

That's good it didn't show anything untoward. When you see your gp, get your iron levels checked as one of the littler known side affects is anxiety, which could cause something like this.

Very pleased nothing abnormal was found! Hope you get a quick GP appointment.

I did Google lazy oesophagus, it comes up with my condition, achalasia - however, mine was obvious on the endoscopy screen.

If it is that, it affects about 1 in every 100,000 people, so isn't very well-known including amongst GPs, and therefore can sometimes be mis-diagnosed. Barium swallows and manometry are usually used in UK to confirm it - it does need to be confirmed as it does usually need to be managed and/or treated.

As you have no diagnosis yet, and 'lazy oesophagus' may have another meaning too, I won't add any more here, but am happy for you to pm me if you want - or if you start another thread I'll post there if I think I have anything helpful to say. There's a website and an online support group, both of which I find good and helpful, and the NHS website info is accurate. There is also inaccurate and scary info, which is why I hesitated to mention it by name in the first place.

Really, really hoping for a quick diagnosis for you 😊

I’ve had two with sedation and slept through both

Good to know that they were able to put your mind at rest. Maybe ask your GP to check your thyroid as well.

Sedation was so weird I have no conception of how long it took etc ? Felt like it was over in a minute is that normal I'm still in shock nothing was found. I know this sounds very selfish but it's gave me a bit if health anxiety now because I'm thinking we'll what can it be why cant I eat ?

Yes, it's normal not to remember. My mum had an endoscopy first, than they turned the trolley round and she had a colonoscopy. Afterwards she was upset because she reckoned they never did the endoscopy because she couldn't remember it! 😁

I reckon you've got some reflux which is giving you the feeling of a lump, and your anxiety about it is now giving you physical symptoms.

Glad you got through it @Sunnynat16

Fantastic news there is no obvious tumour, Barrett’s oesophagus, Schatzki's ring etc. Take that as a win!

I understand what you are saying though when you say you are worried about what it could be if it’s none of those.

If it’s nothing of those, please try to take comfort in the fact that anything else will be a walk in the park in comparison and it’s not worth adding worry and stress to your symptoms.

(easier said than done, I know)

do you have any biopsies to wait to hear results? Did they say anything about EOS? GERD?

Can I ask @HundredAcreOwl what diagnosis you got? Curious if it’s what I’ve got 😂

Achalasia...😊

Commiserations!

My doctors thought I might have had complications from Chagas disease for a bit so I thought you might have had that…

Officially I’ve “only” got GERD which is kinda disappointing given the amount of drama it caused 😂

Get your GERD diagnosed early people!!!

You know what that is so right anything else will be a walk in the park Ive cried all week with fear. I love that you've said that. No biopsies or anything I can't believe it I really can't. I think it is just gerd and maybe a esophagus problem relating to my hiatul hernia I can't thankyou all enough for lovely comments too xx

I specialise in swallowing difficulties (SLT). The OGD you had would be great for ruling out anatomical reasons for your difficulties and is gold standard - so tumours, strictures, narrowing, webs etc. but it doesn't look at the physiology of the swallow e.g. what happens when food actually goes through the oesophageal. A barium swallow would be good for this and you'd be able to see if your hiatus hernia is impacting, if reflux happens (not always easy to see) but also oesophageal dysmotility - which is very common and I wonder if whoever said 'lazy oesophagus' meant this?

Some of what you're describing is quite in keeping with reflux / globus / over thinking and increased sensitivity along with some possible oesophageal physiology changes but the worry would be actual choking episodes, coughing a lot when eating and drinking, sounding wet and gurgly after swallowing, losing weight, chest infections etc - make sure you alert your GP if you find any of these issues.

@orangekiwiloot

Good advice.

The dismotility can be very frightening with the throat. I have mitochondrial disease and although it affects a major organ one of the side features is how it affects others muscles in my system, many gastro problems and dismotility at both ends.

Stress and overthinking certainly makes things worse, I hope your symptoms improve.

I had an endoscopy a few months ago and don’t remember it at all!
I also got the all-clear but I still have reflux symptoms- they change a lot too. Medication keeps it at bay a bit but not fully. I totally sympathise although don’t really get that swallowing issue.
My young adult son has also just been diagnosed so it at the ‘try ppi’ stage. We both got it after covid 🤷‍♀️