My throat is very sore after the endoscopy today, and I did not appreciate the two nurses who tried three spots for the IV and dug around for a vein each time. That happens too much to me and is why I hate IVs. But results are in.
I've been worried about damage to my throat from acid reflux which can eventually lead to esophageal cancer. My voice is often hoarse and inflamed. The endoscopy found no damage yet, hooray.
I've been worried I have EoE, which is when eosinophilia cells build up in the throat and it feels like food and drink gets stuck. This condition is hereditary, and one of my brothers has it. It's also part of the group of type 2 inflammatory diseases like asthma and CRSwNP that I have. It would be a lifelong disease to manage that never goes away, and I would need to do an elimination diet next to find what foods trigger it. It would also mean lots more IVs and endoscopies. But this endoscopy showed I do not have EoE. The doctor said my throat spasms when I eat and drink, and that's the reason I feel like food and drink gets stuck. I don't know how we fix that, or maybe we don't? I'll ask at the next appointment. *Update: I've now learned that esophageal spasms are common when GERD lasts long, and the spasms should stop when the GERD gets under control.
Other findings...polyps in my stomach but apparently we leave those alone and aren't worried like polyps in other places. Gastritis with inflammation shown in pictures they took. No hernia. No celiac disease. Biopsies were taken but the doctor expects they won't show anything alarming.
The overall diagnosis is still GERD. Nothing more. And now I know. I'm supposed to keep taking daily PPI medicine. I was told to remain on a GERD diet with lifestyle changes I've already implemented like walking after meals, lying on my left side to sleep, eating small meals, stop eating a few hours before I go to sleep, wearing loose clothes, etc. The doctor also wants me to start a low Fodmap diet because my stomach often gets pretty big after I eat and is so painful. He gave me a big list of good and bad Fodmap foods, and I'm a little overwhelmed with how to merge it with the GERD diet, but I'll figure it out. For example, on a GERD diet I can eat apples, but on a low Fodmap diet I can't eat apples. Part of the low Fodmap diet is going gluten free and dairy free, and that makes me sad. First chocolate was taken from me, and now good soft bread.
And that's it. Back to where I started, trying to keep GERD under control. I'm glad to have answers for the rest of the concerns and we know exactly what to target and treat the right way.
