Re: Re: Barium swallow results

[Guest guest]

Bruce,

Actually it was Dr. on, my pulmo who ordered the barium swallow. He noticed that no one had checked it in nearly 3 years and thought it was a good idea to assess the level of actual physical reflux I have.

I had been told after a video esophogram in NY in early 07 that I had "mild gerd". I've been thinking about this all day as you can imagine and I have a couple of theories. First I do think whatever mild reflux I had back then was primarily related to the prednisone that I was on.

The other issue is this. Back while I was on prednisone I was treated several times for oral thrush. It was during one of these bouts of thrush that I had greatly increased productive cough. I was coughing up tons of clear mucous whenever I ate anything. The GI doc I saw at the time didn't think the fungus had spread to my esophogus but treated me with diflucan anyway and also ordered the video esophogram. The diflucan reduced the productive cough by about 90% or at least that was my perception. But once the doctor diagnosed GERD he was convinced that's what I had and the improvement I had on the diflucan was a "coincidence". I retrospect I have my doubts. It's possible I had fungal esophogitis, it was treated and went away. At the same time the same doctor gave me 40mg of Nexium twice a day and his perception is that's what made me better. Hmmmm I wonder?

Beth

Moderator

Fibrotic NSIP 06/06 Dermatomyositis 11/08

To: Breathe-Support Sent: Wednesday, September 9, 2009 11:04:25 AMSubject: Re: Barium swallow results

BethNow that is shocking but great news. Curious as to who ordered thebarium swallow (assume an Upper GI plus some?).I haven't talked to my current gastroenterologist about the subject ofupper GI's as he's never suggested one and my previous thought they wereof little to no use even though my Primary did order them several times.Since they do not want to check my GERD through putting anything in myesophagus, might be interesting just to see what one would indicate.Also, never did the turning around in circles to slosh it bit....lol>> Hello all,> Boy efficiency is there middle name over there at Duke. I wasscheduled to have my barium swallow at 9:30 this morning

and we wereactually underway by 9:20.> Bottom line?> After an hour of drinking barium, and going through a series of semiacrobatic contortions, then using the fizzy stuff and drinking water(reminds me of Pop Rocks, it's meant to fill my esophogus with air butthen the tell me not to burp....who thinks this stuff up?) then lyingflat and drinking more barium out of a sports bottle with astraw....then turning round in circles (to "mix the stomach contents"LOL) and lying on my left side, my back, my right side my stomach and onand on and on. After all that they found not a single sign of any refluxat all, much less GERD.> The radiologist doing the test was baffled which is why he kept goingover it and making me do more stuff and drink more of that vile junk.But he could find nothing at all. He speculated that the reflux I hadpreviously may have had more to do with the prednisone than

anythingelse and now that I've been off for so long whatever was happening hasstopped. It's as good a theory as any I suppose.> So I will talk to my primary about stopping the omeprazole. Ifthere's no need for it, I'd prefer not to take it.>> That's it for now. I leave in about an hour for rehab. Will update youall later!>> Beth> Moderator> Fibrotic NSIP 06/06 Dermatomyositis 11/08>