Had Endoscopic Procedure Today
As hard and painful it has been for me to eat lately I have been losing weight at a very rapid rate. As a 46yr old woman I had 30lbs I have been trying to loose for the last year with no results, no eight pounds in less than two weeks. Anyone been told they have Barrett's only to find their biopsies came back positive for esophageal cancer?
Very worried and any feedback would be most appreciated.
Thank you
Comments
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Hiunknown said:This comment has been removed by the Moderator
Thank you. Was very shocked at how much pain I had last night from this procedure but feeling better today. Glad you pushed to get the right diagnosis... Sometimes we have to make the doctors listen. Still waiting for the results with fingers crossed.
God Bless0 -
Welcomealexgia said:Hi
Thank you. Was very shocked at how much pain I had last night from this procedure but feeling better today. Glad you pushed to get the right diagnosis... Sometimes we have to make the doctors listen. Still waiting for the results with fingers crossed.
God Bless
Hello Alexgia
Welcome to our ec family. I was a caregiver for my dad. He passed from ec with mets to the liver in March. I agree, as hard as it is....wait and see what the results of the biopsies are. Worry when you have to cross that cancer bridge. Our fingers are crossed as well and we are praying for you. Keep in touch.
Tina0 -
Thank youTina Blondek said:Welcome
Hello Alexgia
Welcome to our ec family. I was a caregiver for my dad. He passed from ec with mets to the liver in March. I agree, as hard as it is....wait and see what the results of the biopsies are. Worry when you have to cross that cancer bridge. Our fingers are crossed as well and we are praying for you. Keep in touch.
Tina
Thank you and very sorry about your Dad. "HUG" Sounds like he had a great caregiver.
Still waiting for biopsy results, no idea how long they usually take to come back. My family did not ask the DR how long the wait would be. Working on eating, smoothies thinned out with milk, popcicles and broth is getting old. I love my family but my sister and mom keep saying, "Just eat this, or try this" It is driving me crazy. I try to explain it hurts to swallow anything solid, Also I'm afraid to choke again. I don't remember the doctor's bedside visit after the endo I was still out of it but my family says the doctor said he saw no lumps in my throat and dilated my throat and took biopsies. The CT showed thickening of the esophageous. So today when I was sipping on a smoothie my mother says, "It makes no sense you cannot eat, the doctor said he didn't see any lumps or cancer." I wanted to cry. I felt like, I don't care what he did not SEE, I cannot swallow without choking or having pain. And as for cancer I pray he is right but I also know only the biopsy will rule out cancer not him saying he didn't see any. Thank you again for the kind words.0 -
Hi Alexgia, welcome !. Allalexgia said:Thank you
Thank you and very sorry about your Dad. "HUG" Sounds like he had a great caregiver.
Still waiting for biopsy results, no idea how long they usually take to come back. My family did not ask the DR how long the wait would be. Working on eating, smoothies thinned out with milk, popcicles and broth is getting old. I love my family but my sister and mom keep saying, "Just eat this, or try this" It is driving me crazy. I try to explain it hurts to swallow anything solid, Also I'm afraid to choke again. I don't remember the doctor's bedside visit after the endo I was still out of it but my family says the doctor said he saw no lumps in my throat and dilated my throat and took biopsies. The CT showed thickening of the esophageous. So today when I was sipping on a smoothie my mother says, "It makes no sense you cannot eat, the doctor said he didn't see any lumps or cancer." I wanted to cry. I felt like, I don't care what he did not SEE, I cannot swallow without choking or having pain. And as for cancer I pray he is right but I also know only the biopsy will rule out cancer not him saying he didn't see any. Thank you again for the kind words.
Hi Alexgia, welcome !. All of us know what it's like to wait. When I would get a result, another test would be run---then the waiting all over again. I was dx on nov.13 2007 and because of all the testing, chemo didn't start until Dec 26. that was the longest waiting I had ever experienced. I was actually thrilled the day before Christmas when my port was put in. It meant finally, I could start my battle. I know how hard it is with your family hovoring around you. They love you and think they're helping. I know my family was as concerned as I was, but sometimes we just want to be left alone.
Hoping the wait want be too long. Keep us posted .
Praying for you, Sandra0 -
The Waiting....Is The Hardest Part!alexgia said:Thank you
Thank you and very sorry about your Dad. "HUG" Sounds like he had a great caregiver.
Still waiting for biopsy results, no idea how long they usually take to come back. My family did not ask the DR how long the wait would be. Working on eating, smoothies thinned out with milk, popcicles and broth is getting old. I love my family but my sister and mom keep saying, "Just eat this, or try this" It is driving me crazy. I try to explain it hurts to swallow anything solid, Also I'm afraid to choke again. I don't remember the doctor's bedside visit after the endo I was still out of it but my family says the doctor said he saw no lumps in my throat and dilated my throat and took biopsies. The CT showed thickening of the esophageous. So today when I was sipping on a smoothie my mother says, "It makes no sense you cannot eat, the doctor said he didn't see any lumps or cancer." I wanted to cry. I felt like, I don't care what he did not SEE, I cannot swallow without choking or having pain. And as for cancer I pray he is right but I also know only the biopsy will rule out cancer not him saying he didn't see any. Thank you again for the kind words.
Hello Alexgia
Just read your last reply. Sorry that your family does not just "get it". It is hard for some people to understand actually what is going on. I think most of the time they are scared and do not know how to express it. Thickening of the esophagus sounds to me like you have scar tissue there. I was glad to read that the dr did not see any lumps. The biopsies will show if any cancer is present. And you know what? if it is....it is...you will deal with it. If it is not...it is not....you will deal with it. With scar tissue, my dad had this after his chemo and radiation treatments, they usually keep doing dilations. If they don't work, they will put a stent in to open up your esophagus. My dad had to have a stent put in. It worked great. Stents work for some, not for others. It is a gamble. Everyone is different, everyone reacts differently. That is why you have to take this journey one thing at a time, one day at a time. Try to explain to your family how you are feeling when you try to eat. As long as you stay hydrated, you will be ok. Keep having the smoothies, broth, plain soups, protein shakes, etc. I am aiming more towards the scar tissue in your case. I will be thinking of you and praying you get the answer you need to hear.
Hugs back to you. I loved being my dad's caregiver, I would do it again in a heartbeat! Keep in touch.
Tina in Va0 -
This comment has been removed by the Moderatoralexgia said:Thank you
Thank you and very sorry about your Dad. "HUG" Sounds like he had a great caregiver.
Still waiting for biopsy results, no idea how long they usually take to come back. My family did not ask the DR how long the wait would be. Working on eating, smoothies thinned out with milk, popcicles and broth is getting old. I love my family but my sister and mom keep saying, "Just eat this, or try this" It is driving me crazy. I try to explain it hurts to swallow anything solid, Also I'm afraid to choke again. I don't remember the doctor's bedside visit after the endo I was still out of it but my family says the doctor said he saw no lumps in my throat and dilated my throat and took biopsies. The CT showed thickening of the esophageous. So today when I was sipping on a smoothie my mother says, "It makes no sense you cannot eat, the doctor said he didn't see any lumps or cancer." I wanted to cry. I felt like, I don't care what he did not SEE, I cannot swallow without choking or having pain. And as for cancer I pray he is right but I also know only the biopsy will rule out cancer not him saying he didn't see any. Thank you again for the kind words.0 -
Thank youTina Blondek said:The Waiting....Is The Hardest Part!
Hello Alexgia
Just read your last reply. Sorry that your family does not just "get it". It is hard for some people to understand actually what is going on. I think most of the time they are scared and do not know how to express it. Thickening of the esophagus sounds to me like you have scar tissue there. I was glad to read that the dr did not see any lumps. The biopsies will show if any cancer is present. And you know what? if it is....it is...you will deal with it. If it is not...it is not....you will deal with it. With scar tissue, my dad had this after his chemo and radiation treatments, they usually keep doing dilations. If they don't work, they will put a stent in to open up your esophagus. My dad had to have a stent put in. It worked great. Stents work for some, not for others. It is a gamble. Everyone is different, everyone reacts differently. That is why you have to take this journey one thing at a time, one day at a time. Try to explain to your family how you are feeling when you try to eat. As long as you stay hydrated, you will be ok. Keep having the smoothies, broth, plain soups, protein shakes, etc. I am aiming more towards the scar tissue in your case. I will be thinking of you and praying you get the answer you need to hear.
Hugs back to you. I loved being my dad's caregiver, I would do it again in a heartbeat! Keep in touch.
Tina in Va
Thank you all and yes I picked up some drinks today. I really am not stressing so much on the actual diagnosis. More the wanting to just know so I can move forward and fix this. I have always been the type, tell me what it is, tell me what I have to do and we can move on.
My Ex-husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer while we were married. We went through surgery and recovery together and I kept my attitude the same. He is cancer free seven years now and I was very thankful that we did go through that together. We supported each other and for a long time made a closer.
Thank you for the link going to go check it out now. Hopefully I had the Endo Tuesday maybe tomorrow he will call. Fingers crossed.. LOL
Ria0 -
Hi Riaalexgia said:Thank you
Thank you all and yes I picked up some drinks today. I really am not stressing so much on the actual diagnosis. More the wanting to just know so I can move forward and fix this. I have always been the type, tell me what it is, tell me what I have to do and we can move on.
My Ex-husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer while we were married. We went through surgery and recovery together and I kept my attitude the same. He is cancer free seven years now and I was very thankful that we did go through that together. We supported each other and for a long time made a closer.
Thank you for the link going to go check it out now. Hopefully I had the Endo Tuesday maybe tomorrow he will call. Fingers crossed.. LOL
Ria
Pleased to meet you Ria. My moms name was Rita, and when my daughter was little she would say Gamma-Ria. That kind of stuck for quite some time. I got a little chuckle when I saw your name. Good memories.
OK, it has been said once or twice that I am not extremely patient. I asked a nurse friend of mine tonight how long it takes to get biopsy results. She said depending on whether the lab is located where you had the biopsy or the biopsy had to be sent out, would be the determining factor. If the biopsy was done in a hospital and they have a lab on the premises, then she would expect the doctor to have the results within 48 hours. If I were the patient in your shoes, I would call the doctor friday late morning if he has not called you by then. Knowing how important the results are to you, he should be very understanding and if he doesn't have the results ibn hand, they are a phone call away. I would not let it slide over the weekend, that's just 2 days of worry. But that's just me. My doctor has called me a pest when I call and ask for results of any bloodwork or tests I've had done.
He didn't mind the dozen new and very expensive golf balls he gets at Christmas, so he doesn't mind my demanding ways. The other way to look at this, no news is good news. The general proceedure is, if the results are positive for cancer, the labs usually will call the doctor rather than making them wait for the written report. So if your doctor hasn't received that call, I would think your looking pretty good for a favorable outcome.
But, after all this, I could be wrong. It doesn't happen often, but it's been a while, I might be due for making a mistake.
I wish the very best for you and your esophagus. Let us know when you hear. We are all pulling for you.
Rob0 -
This comment has been removed by the Moderatoralexgia said:Thank you
Thank you all and yes I picked up some drinks today. I really am not stressing so much on the actual diagnosis. More the wanting to just know so I can move forward and fix this. I have always been the type, tell me what it is, tell me what I have to do and we can move on.
My Ex-husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer while we were married. We went through surgery and recovery together and I kept my attitude the same. He is cancer free seven years now and I was very thankful that we did go through that together. We supported each other and for a long time made a closer.
Thank you for the link going to go check it out now. Hopefully I had the Endo Tuesday maybe tomorrow he will call. Fingers crossed.. LOL
Ria0 -
Crazyunknown said:This comment has been removed by the Moderator
First Rita, William, everyonee thank you for your kind words and the great information. So nice of all of you. Well I just called the office. I live in a small town in Upstate NY. They told me the biopsies can take up to two weeks to come back. One to two weeks were her actual words. Does that even sound right? Seems like a longtime to wait.
Hmmmm, didn't even pray for patience, LOL. So they sent them to Burlington, VT so I guess it's just wait and wait. LOL Going to run with no news is good news and move on.
William I agree with you on the wait and watch it idea. I believe we need to be proactive about our own care. It is our body and ultimatley our responsibility to do whatever it takes to ensure you are given the best care.
Hope everyone has something enjoyable for this weekend. We are not promised a certain number of days on this earth and everyday should be looked at as a blessing and a gift.
Off to scare up a popcicle if the children left me any.. LOL
Hugs to you all..
Ria0 -
Wowalexgia said:Crazy
First Rita, William, everyonee thank you for your kind words and the great information. So nice of all of you. Well I just called the office. I live in a small town in Upstate NY. They told me the biopsies can take up to two weeks to come back. One to two weeks were her actual words. Does that even sound right? Seems like a longtime to wait.
Hmmmm, didn't even pray for patience, LOL. So they sent them to Burlington, VT so I guess it's just wait and wait. LOL Going to run with no news is good news and move on.
William I agree with you on the wait and watch it idea. I believe we need to be proactive about our own care. It is our body and ultimatley our responsibility to do whatever it takes to ensure you are given the best care.
Hope everyone has something enjoyable for this weekend. We are not promised a certain number of days on this earth and everyday should be looked at as a blessing and a gift.
Off to scare up a popcicle if the children left me any.. LOL
Hugs to you all..
Ria
Ria wrote:
"I live in a small town in Upstate NY. They told me the biopsies can take up to two weeks to come back. One to two weeks were her actual words. Does that even sound right? Seems like a longtime to wait."
Ria,
Wow, Burlington, VT... I'm in a small town also, Medina NY. But our hospital has a lab. That's scarey. My mom went into the hospital when she had her heart attack and they wouldn't give her any meds until they got the lab work back, guess they look for some enzymes or something to confirm the heart attack. I'm sure glad they didn't have to send her specimen to Burlington for that. That just seems odd, but not impossible. Maybe inconsiderate, knowing you are going to be on pins and needles waiting for the diagnosis. I would think your doctor could have found someplace closer that could expedite these results. So to answer your question, no it doesn't seem right. But that's just my opinion. With all the technology today, to have to wait 2 weeks for the results of a biopsy that consists of someone looking through a microscope.
One thing I can say that I am certain of, if it were me, my doctor would get an earful and I would demand that he call the lab and see what the status is and request they fax or call as soon as the results are known. To wait for the US Postal Service to get the results seems wrong to me. Like I said earlier, I am not patient when it comes to this kind of thing. Especially when I know the results should be in the doctors hands within 48 hours, to use any service that prolongs that process, to me, is unprofessional.
Did she mention the Pony Express by chance?
I hope everything goes well and your results are positive. Good luck to you.
Rob0 -
HiJimsBrother said:Wow
Ria wrote:
"I live in a small town in Upstate NY. They told me the biopsies can take up to two weeks to come back. One to two weeks were her actual words. Does that even sound right? Seems like a longtime to wait."
Ria,
Wow, Burlington, VT... I'm in a small town also, Medina NY. But our hospital has a lab. That's scarey. My mom went into the hospital when she had her heart attack and they wouldn't give her any meds until they got the lab work back, guess they look for some enzymes or something to confirm the heart attack. I'm sure glad they didn't have to send her specimen to Burlington for that. That just seems odd, but not impossible. Maybe inconsiderate, knowing you are going to be on pins and needles waiting for the diagnosis. I would think your doctor could have found someplace closer that could expedite these results. So to answer your question, no it doesn't seem right. But that's just my opinion. With all the technology today, to have to wait 2 weeks for the results of a biopsy that consists of someone looking through a microscope.
One thing I can say that I am certain of, if it were me, my doctor would get an earful and I would demand that he call the lab and see what the status is and request they fax or call as soon as the results are known. To wait for the US Postal Service to get the results seems wrong to me. Like I said earlier, I am not patient when it comes to this kind of thing. Especially when I know the results should be in the doctors hands within 48 hours, to use any service that prolongs that process, to me, is unprofessional.
Did she mention the Pony Express by chance?
I hope everything goes well and your results are positive. Good luck to you.
Rob
Pony Express, I know, Right? LOL
Well I did call back and asked for my dr to call me back. He is very nice and explained to me that they get faxed results everyday and then mailed out orginals. He said right now they are running about 8days wait time so Wednesday will be 8days so I guess we shall see.
I live near Plattsburgh, NY so Burlington is the closest. Just across the ferry really. Not much around here and better than 2hours down to Albany I suppose.
Thank you for the advice and yes you would think in this digital age they would email everything but that's what I get for moving to the middle of nowhere.. LOL
I spoke to a friend of mine in Texas, he used to work for an ENT doctor before he became a cop, he said their turn around time there was 72hrs.... SIGH....
Hope you have a good weekend.
Ria0 -
Good Copalexgia said:Hi
Pony Express, I know, Right? LOL
Well I did call back and asked for my dr to call me back. He is very nice and explained to me that they get faxed results everyday and then mailed out orginals. He said right now they are running about 8days wait time so Wednesday will be 8days so I guess we shall see.
I live near Plattsburgh, NY so Burlington is the closest. Just across the ferry really. Not much around here and better than 2hours down to Albany I suppose.
Thank you for the advice and yes you would think in this digital age they would email everything but that's what I get for moving to the middle of nowhere.. LOL
I spoke to a friend of mine in Texas, he used to work for an ENT doctor before he became a cop, he said their turn around time there was 72hrs.... SIGH....
Hope you have a good weekend.
Ria
A cop that can punch you in the nose and then repair the damage on the spot. Now that's protecting and serving at a high degree.
Lets hope he was just playing safe with the 8 days and it will only be 6 and you'll hear from him Monday. I'm glad you called and got some answers, you must feel a little better after speaking with the doctor. Good luck to you.
Plattsburg, you are in upstate, may as well be in Canada. I drove up that way once many years ago. Absolutely beautiful country.0 -
LOLJimsBrother said:Good Cop
A cop that can punch you in the nose and then repair the damage on the spot. Now that's protecting and serving at a high degree.
Lets hope he was just playing safe with the 8 days and it will only be 6 and you'll hear from him Monday. I'm glad you called and got some answers, you must feel a little better after speaking with the doctor. Good luck to you.
Plattsburg, you are in upstate, may as well be in Canada. I drove up that way once many years ago. Absolutely beautiful country.
Yeah he was a paramedic for years, then worked for a gastro doctor, then went to the acadamey. Funny part is he is the most tender hearted person and after 30yrs of no contact we talked and when he told me he was a cop I laughed. I told him, I want to be stopped by you... LOL
Monday, no results yet... Sigh... Maybe tomorrow. 0
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