Worried about endoscopy biopsy results!!

Good advice, but I suspect you might be in the US, whereas I'm guessing from Louise's writing style that she's in the UK. I spent 10 years working as a nurse in the NHS, and can confirm that it's unfortunately quite rare for consultants to agree to talk to patients.

I totally agree with you that it's scandalous, but I'm afraid that's how the UK system works most of the time.

Thanks for your reply. I am in the UK, so have no real say in who I get referred to unfortunately. It's just worrying that on the day I was told my biopsy results would be available from my GP after 2 weeks, yet now I'm being asked to go back to clinic. I'm guessing it's to get my biopsy results??

Thanks for your reply. 14 days until my appointment, which I'm aware is the maximum time for a UCR.....😢😢

What were the results of your biopsies in the end?

I have an Upper GI Endoscopy tomorrow and fearing for my life what they might find!

Hi Kay,

The results were inconclusive. They showed inflammation & small cell changes, so still don't know what I'm dealing with! They're running a few more tests.

If you don't mind me asking, why are you having one? X

I imagine you're referring to the target waiting times set out under the NHS's Urgent and Emergency Care Review, so I can see why you're anxious. I don't know much about this, as I left the NHS more than 40 years ago. (And contrary to what everyone says, it wasn't much better then either!) I've just done a search to try and find the actual criteria for cases falling under the remit of the Review, but can only find a whole lot of "officialese". I don't therefore know what conditions would be considered urgent under its terms. But I still don't think you should assume the worst. I suspect this might also vary from one region to another. The NHS is infamous for its "post-code lottery". This could mean that a condition not considered particularly urgent in one area could be viewed as such in another.

I still don't think you should worry unduly about this. "Abnormal" doesn't meant the same as "sinister" when it comes to biopsy results. Also, the NHS is famous for its administrative muddles. It may very well be that this is what has happened. We're always hearing about people with really serious conditions who slip through the net, but over-reaction to harmless results tends not to get reported.

I do wish, though, that the NHS would adopt a more patient-centred approach. As far as I can make out, both as a former employee and more recently when going through the final illnesses of both parents, the whole thing seems set up to serve the needs of the consultants and managers. And it was ever thus - not as many managers in the old days but the consultants were total megalomaniacs back then, far worse than now. I may have lived in a terrorist-ridden, failed European State for the past 40 years but at least we have a decent, patient-oriented health service!

OK, end of rant. Don't keep googling stuff and frightening yourself. It doesn't sound to me as if your original symptoms were bad enough to warrant a sinister diagnosis anyway. And at least you only have to wait two weeks.

Everyone in here is rooting for you. Don't be afraid to come back if you want to talk about it furter. And above all, please come back and let us know what the outcome of your consultant appointment is!

It's still playing on my mind, and I can't help but Google it. I know I shouldn't, and I'm going to stop myself now.

I've got a long history of bowel problems, which was always put down to IBS. Had numerous colonoscopies, a sigmoid, and now 2 Gastroscopies. Got a history of abdo pain, bloating etc, but it's been constant for a few weeks now, and also have lose stools which is unusual for me. Additionally just feel unwell and exhausted all the time. My bloods show low red blood count, but not enough to be anemic. So given the history, it's adding to my concerns. It wasn't just the nausea and vomitting xx

A long history of bowel problems actually makes it less likely that you have cancer, as things would probably have got a lot worse by now. Also, if nothing has been found on numerous colonoscopies and a sigmoidoscopy, there clearly isn't anything to be found in your lower bowel (which is where trouble is far more likely to start).

Lots of us get IBS-type problems - I know I do. When I haven't got diarrhoea I'm constipated, and I often look five months' pregnant! But I know the signs of anything really serious, and I haven't got them.

I'm just wondering what medications you might have been on over the past couple of years. Not NSAIDs by any chance?

Sorry to hear about your son Lee. How old is he? As I mentioned, I've had a long history of bowel problems. One of which was altered bowel habit, abdo pain and blood. Had a colonoscopy and haemorrhoids were found and dealt with. That was years ago, but every now and again I get blood. It could be a lot of things like IBS, piles, Diverticular, a tear maybe? Has it been going on for long?

Lily, I know I might sound to be unreasonably worried, but I'm no spring chicken anymore haha. I don't know why, but I've got it into my head that it's Lymphoma....

Xx

I'm no spring chicken either, I'm 72. And I actually have a statistically increased risk of n-H lymphoma as I suffer from an auto-immune disease (Sjogren's syndrome) that can predispose to it. But the way I look at it, if I've survived this far, a few minor abdominal symptoms aren't going to carry me off! When I first got my diagnosis, my doctor told me I was entitled to two-yearly full-body MRI scans under our State insurance system. I thought about that one and decided against it. I was already turned 60 by that time and I know that when you start doing MRIs on someone that age there's a good chance you'll find something slightly suspicious that would probably have gone away if left alone!

Try to trust your body. Constant anxiety about your healt communicates the wrong message to your immune system and can actually trigger the one thing you're afraid of.

Once again, I can't help wondering what medications you've been taking in the past year or two.