Information, especially on eating

rayjay
rayjay Member Posts: 5
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Last fall after my biannual endoscopic check up on my Barretts esophagus, I was told I had to come back in March to be rechecked, "just to be safe" as biopsy showed high grade displasia.
After my March examination I was told to come back for an office visit on May 22 to "see what we will do". They had no other info to give me at that time they said, but I don't know why they have to wait until May 22 but that may just be our screwed up health system.
From what I read on the Mayo Clinic site, and the Johns Hopkins site, high grade displasia should be treated with radiation/chemo followed by surgical resection of the esophagus. (Ontario health program here, says surgical resection only)
I would like to know how many people are not able to eat reasonably normal after this process, compared to how many can eat reasonably normal? Also, how much bowel problem should the average male experience after this surgury?
I would be interested in worst case, average case, and hopefully for me, best case scenarios, on what I can likely eat or not eat, and what is likely to happen when I do eat.
If any mechanics are out there, I need to realistically know how long I have to shut down my business which is a car repair shop, where I am the only person there?
Thank you

Comments

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #2
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • rayjay
    rayjay Member Posts: 5
    #3
    William, thank you for writing. I had read your story and others in my quest for information.
    Unfortunately, OHIP will not pay for any services other than directly recommended by the Doctors here, unless the recommended treatment is unavailable here. Having no funds of my own, I am limited to what they will pay for.
    As far as I can tell with present info, the government is only using alternative treatments of any kind when surgery for esophagal removal is not possible for health reason, or, if cancer is too far advanced, for pallitive care.
    Because we can't access current info on our health system, I think I have to wait untill the meeting until I'll be able to really know anything.
    Again, thanks, and congratulations on being a survivor.
  • rayjay
    rayjay Member Posts: 5
    #4
    rayjay said:

    William, thank you for writing. I had read your story and others in my quest for information.
    Unfortunately, OHIP will not pay for any services other than directly recommended by the Doctors here, unless the recommended treatment is unavailable here. Having no funds of my own, I am limited to what they will pay for.
    As far as I can tell with present info, the government is only using alternative treatments of any kind when surgery for esophagal removal is not possible for health reason, or, if cancer is too far advanced, for pallitive care.
    Because we can't access current info on our health system, I think I have to wait untill the meeting until I'll be able to really know anything.
    Again, thanks, and congratulations on being a survivor.

    FOLLOW UP INFO
    Today I had my meeting at the hospital and was informed that the dysplasia discovered in my Aug 06 scoping, was no longer there at my follow up scope in March. I didn't know it could go away.
    Another thought I had on my way home was that maybe they mixed up the samples in August and that I really didn't have a problem, but someone else does, and doesn't know it because of the mixup.
    I don't know how probable that is
    I will go for another scoping on Nov 26 and based on today's information, I expect everything will show ok at that time also.

Discussion Boards