accuracy of diagnosis and tests!!!!!!!!!!!! bogus!

[Jennifer007]

what tests does one need to have in order to be diagnosed with GERD? i had two series of ultrasound and upper G.I. what is really strange is that..the first series...indicated that i had GERD but the second one...indicated that i did not have GERD....? what's up??? !! should i take a third series of tests jsut to make sure??

this also happend with my H. pylori blood test.....the first test came out negative..the second test came out positive!!!

[Bobby]

Jennifer,

I think the most common tests that are used to diagnose GERD are the barium swallow (upper GI), the endoscopy and the 24-hour PH monitor. There are also others, but I think these are the most common. I had all three prior to my fundo. If you're experiencing heartburn on a constant basis, the 24-hour PH monitor should detect the reflux. However, I'm not really sure how they can tell from an ultrasound or upper GI if you have GERD. From the upper GI, they determined that I had a sliding hiatal hernia, which was causing my GERD. I think the main advantage of the endoscopy is that they can tell if you have any damage to your esophagus from acid reflux and also can many times see a hiatal hernia. Also, they might be able to tell if there is some sort of damage or abnormality with your LES.

Bobby

[GW]

Originally posted by Jennifer007
what tests does one need to have in order to be diagnosed with GERD? i had two series of ultrasound and upper G.I. what is really strange is that..the first series...indicated that i had GERD but the second one...indicated that i did not have GERD....? what's up??? !! should i take a third series of tests jsut to make sure??

this also happend with my H. pylori blood test.....the first test came out negative..the second test came out positive!!!

I was first diagnosed "symptomatically" and then it was confirmed a year later with the Endoscopy. We saw the inflammation at the GE Junction and evidence of reflux while doing the procedure. However, I had heartburn symptoms for twenty years. I had horrible nighmarish pain and symptoms for five years. And in the last year developed a panic disorder.

Ain't this crap some kind of fun, though? :rolleyes: Hang in there, though. It CAN get better or, as in my case, be healed.

:D

[NancyK.]

Originally posted by GW
.........I had horrible nighmarish pain and symptoms for five years. And in the last year developed a panic disorder.

Ain't this crap some kind of fun, though? :rolleyes: Hang in there, though. It CAN get better or, as in my case, be healed.


GW,

I find it distressing, to say the least, that you suffered with "horrible nightmarish pain and symptoms" for five years. Is that what we all should expect: to suffer like this for five years before feeling well again? Why couldn't the doctors help you in those five years?

[GW]

Originally posted by NancyK.
Why couldn't the doctors help you in those five years?

Lack of knowledge on their part (understandably so) as to the relation of anxiety to GERD. It's only a minute part of medical findings that by controlling anxiety with drugs like Xanax, will control the CCK , which it turn controls the bile flow during nocturnal rest. In other words, when a person has anxiety issues they ususally either can't eat or they eat too much, well, the body is designed so that we "squirt" the amounts necessary to consume food. Well, we (usually) don't eat during our sleep, so the excess bile that's firing off due to the anxiety is churning everything up in our guts. That, in causes excess pressure, bloat, and eventual seepage of acid up into places it shouldn't be......like our esophagus and throats.

The hard thing for the medical field , and cooperatively, WE usually don't handle.....is the fact that most people that have anxiety issues don't realize it at first and sometimes years go by before one even finds out. The reason? You can't SEE anxiety in a "scope" or any other test that regular medical care provides.

Did you happen to read about all the GERD cases that went up about a bazillion percent in New York, after the attack? Even with the fairly good coverage of the relationship to anxiety/panic......most people now blame it on "the particles in the air" or some other totally visable "physical trauma".

All I know is, I had to school my own self on it mostly, and then with the help of a couple folks from this board and further "digging" I'm now healed because I found the root cause.

[NancyK.]

GW:

Should we assume then that the doctors in your case confirmed that you never had a mechanical problem, such as a defective LES, a LES that opened at the wrong times or delayed stomach emptying.

Your GERD looked like this?

anxiety-->over production of bile--->LES irritated from too much pressure and opens when it shouldn't --->heartburn results, along with other GERD complaints.

If that's correct and if that's what happened to me, should I ask my doctor for Xanax?

The New York City stat you quote is interesting. Where did you read that?

[GW]

Originally posted by NancyK.

If that's correct and if that's what happened to me, should I ask my doctor for Xanax?

As long as you don't get ticked off at me for "diagnosing"you.......:D J/K <wink, wink, nudge nudge>

I know you already have anxiety. You mentioned it in another post. At any rate, I'm quite surprised that you haven't already asked one of the many ding-a-ling doctors that have been trying to help you. I mean, GAH?! What's wrong with those dudes (or/and dudesses)?


[i]The New York City stat you quote is interesting. Where did you read that? [/B]

There is a link that I and others found here(on the old board) that showed a short movie clip of the report as well as material to print out. I've just spent 20 minutes trying to find it. Maybe Hawk can help out here. Or anyone else if they've got a better handle on the "key words" for the search.

[Jennifer007]

if you know you have anxiety..than you should be taking something for it..because it is proven emotions=stomach

[Rebecca]

Originally posted by GW
There is a link that I and others found here(on the old board) that showed a short movie clip of the report as well as material to print out. I've just spent 20 minutes trying to find it. Maybe Hawk can help out here. Or anyone else if they've got a better handle on the "key words" for the search.

I remember reading about this too, but couldn't find the exact link I was looking for. I did find this though, which talks specifically about the "brain-gut" connection in reference to post 9-11 anxiety.

http://www.med.ucla.edu/ndp/USNews.htm

--Rebecca

[Jennifer007]

endoscopy is the most accurate test for GERD....where your LES is weakened?? is it 100% accurate?????

[GW]

Originally posted by Jennifer007
endoscopy is the most accurate test for GERD....where your LES is weakened?? is it 100% accurate?????

Could you clarify the question? Who are you speaking to?

Thanks :)

[Jennifer007]

sorry to anyone out there....

is endocopy the most acccurate way to diagnose GERD, and if your LES is weakened or not? thanks

[GW]

Thanks Jennifer (the Spy girl) ;)

The endoscopy is a VERY clear way to actually see GERD, that is, the results of damage caused by acid is obvious.

On the LES question: They're not in there long enough to see if an LES is "weak" or not. But, again, if the LES is eroded they can see that immediately as well.

Also to note, there is a GERD condition called "Hypersensitive Esophagus"
<<When the esophagus appears normal but GERD symptoms are present, the cause may be an exaggerated or hyperreactive response to irritants, which triggers the release of certain factors in the immune system that produce inflammation in the esophagus.>>

This condition is not common, but it does happen quite a bit. This is one of those situatons that boggles us and the medical field with equal frustration when no one can "see" anything.

[TomCarv]

Hey G,

Where were you tonight??

We missed ya!! :D

Prayers,

Tom

[GW]

I know it Tom, dangit! I was out buying art supplies and totally spaced on the time zone thing. :confused:

Sorry brau, I'll try to get a copy of the transcript.

Later Daze!

G