espohagus update

micktissue
micktissue Member Posts: 430
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I had a barium swallow today that confirmed the stricture that has completely closed off my esophagus preventing any food or liquid from entering. The good news from this is that it pretty much ruled out a mass that's causing the problem. Also I have a new speech pathologist who *wants* to help which was encouraging. She thinks she can help open this up with exercise.

Next is another endoscopy with a smaller endoscope and possibly a dilation. The test showed that the esophagus is *completely* closed. The test wasn't bad at all; I had expected it to be intolerable.

So I'm a bit discouraged by this, but I also realize this is a long road. I know about Sweetblood's experience and Joe's - anyone else have any ideas or thoughts?

Best,

Mick

Comments

  • Greg53
    Greg53 Member Posts: 849
    #2
    no help, but...
    Mick,

    No help here, but wanted to let you know I'm pulling for ya Bro'! Hope the speech pathologist can help out. I went to one and she was a great help. Hoping your stricture goes away soon and you get back your bite!

    Positive thoughts

    Greg
  • Kimba1505
    Kimba1505 Member Posts: 557
    #3
    Greg53 said:

    no help, but...
    Mick,

    No help here, but wanted to let you know I'm pulling for ya Bro'! Hope the speech pathologist can help out. I went to one and she was a great help. Hoping your stricture goes away soon and you get back your bite!

    Positive thoughts

    Greg

    There's gotta be a way.
    Mick,
    If they could figure out how to shut down that leaking oil pipe miles down in the ocean, there has got to be away to open up your esophagus. I am wishing the best for you and believing they will find a way. "Find a way or make a way." (words that have pushed me through some tough times).
    Kim

    Just a little aside...I had to go to dictionary.com to make sure I was spelling esophagus correctly, which I wasn't...can't we get a spell check on this site? We are using all this medical lingo and drug names...I have always had spelling issues...and not having spell check makes me anxious.
  • miccmill
    miccmill Member Posts: 248
    #4
    Kimba1505 said:

    There's gotta be a way.
    Mick,
    If they could figure out how to shut down that leaking oil pipe miles down in the ocean, there has got to be away to open up your esophagus. I am wishing the best for you and believing they will find a way. "Find a way or make a way." (words that have pushed me through some tough times).
    Kim

    Just a little aside...I had to go to dictionary.com to make sure I was spelling esophagus correctly, which I wasn't...can't we get a spell check on this site? We are using all this medical lingo and drug names...I have always had spelling issues...and not having spell check makes me anxious.

    Stricture
    I'm hoping a good speech pathologist can help. Just having one say they thought they could is encouraging.

    Is dilation out of the question?
  • micktissue
    micktissue Member Posts: 430
    #5
    miccmill said:

    Stricture
    I'm hoping a good speech pathologist can help. Just having one say they thought they could is encouraging.

    Is dilation out of the question?

    miccmill
    Hey. Yeah they want to first see what's there with the endoscopy then decide if they can do the dilation. They will weight the risk of perforation vs more time for healing. The Rad Dr told me that this happens in about 3% of cases and of than number 70% dilation fixes the problem. He also said if it didn't work from the mouth there was an option to go in through the PEG hole and up! It made me laugh when he said "maybe they can go in from down below". I said to do that they might need a 40 foot endoscope and a navigator. He didn't get it.

    Best,

    Mick
  • johnlax38
    johnlax38 Member Posts: 136
    #6
    I'm glad you found a doctor
    I'm glad you found a doctor that is willing to help. That must be a big boost in your confidence to move forward. I hope the new doc can help and I hope you are able to swallow soon :)
  • miccmill
    miccmill Member Posts: 248
    #7
    johnlax38 said:

    I'm glad you found a doctor
    I'm glad you found a doctor that is willing to help. That must be a big boost in your confidence to move forward. I hope the new doc can help and I hope you are able to swallow soon :)

    Fantastic Voyage
    I'm picturing a small submarine with balloon dilators attached, controlled by tiny Gastroenterologists.
  • Hal61
    Hal61 Member Posts: 655
    #8
    Stricture
    Hey Mick, I'm sorry this is ongoing for you. I'm glad to hear it's not a mass though, but remains a stricture which is close I figure to a swelling. Speech pathologist sounds good to me, if by exercise you mean movements or stretching in the area to encouage the swelling to recede. Just hang in, it sounds like the stricture has nowhere to go but down at this point so I'm hoping it'll start to turn around soon.

    Hal

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