Sometimes I hate to face what is happening with my body. When I’m so busy being grateful to just be here, it is easy to ignore pesky stuff – like esophageal scarring from my varices bandings over the years. I don’t see it come up very much in any private chat rooms or online, but it’s a real thing. In the past, I asked my doctors to leave it alone for years. Now I’m going to address it head on.
What is Esophageal Scarring?
Well, first, you have to know what a varices banding it. I talk about those here. It was a back up measure that saved my life. When my liver totally clogged and blood didn’t pass through the portal vein, it came back up and created aneurysm type things in my stomach and esophagus. They left the ones in my stomach alone and targeted the ones in my esophagus for banding. It would have been a major surgery to remove the ones in the fundus, or top, of my tummy.
Now to get to the question: Repeated varices banding created bulgy scar tissue. It has been mostly easy to ignore. However, over the last few years, I’ve noticed that if I don’t chew my food a lot, it can get lodged on those scars in my esophagus. On some occasions, it becomes painful.
Esophageal Spasms
It’s just what it sounds like. Painful muscle cramp type of feeling right in the center of my chest. It is NOT related to cardiac disease. In fact, it only happens after I swallow food or liver transplant medications. An episode of spasms can last for up to 20 minutes, and there is absolutely no simple way to relieve the pain or stop the spasm.
I always have to eat a cracker or snack to push my medication down. It will not pass through the scar tissue alone. Many people have their esophagus stretched, and it’s been recommended. I just didn’t want any more invasive stuff going on after my transplant. So it has slowly gotten worse.
My Best Way to Reduce the Pain
Once the pain or spasm has started, I try to sit very very still and wait. If it is a capsule that is lodged, a warm drink sipped slowly can stop the pain.
If that doesn’t work, I get up and move to another room or go outside. It can be very messy and I’d prefer to be in private. Plus it worries hubby and I hate to see him fret and feel so helpless. I pace back and forth while saying some soothing calm words in my mind. Trying to relax is not easy because it is like a leg cramp in my throat. Often mucus will build and begin to make it’s way up to my mouth. I spit it out and wipe my mouth and keep walking.
If I bend over at this point, when the mucos starts, I may begin to throw up. It is painful and of no use. In fact, if that happens, pain is even more severe. That’s because whatever is lodged is still lodged. It’s only happened a couple of times and I refuse to do anything but stand upright now.
It’s time for my 5 year colonoscopy, so I made a trip to my original gastrointerologist, Dr. Raghuramen in Tulsa. We hugged and it was so very good to see him. We met 13 years ago in the ER. He sent me on to the transplant team, but we remained in touch, have done some videos together, and it is always a pleasure to see him. Click her for a blog with “after” pics.
I told him how rough it had gotten, and asked his solution. Another hepatologist recommended getting my esophagus stretched. For personal reasons, I chose not to got that route. You know when you have to ask a doctor NOT to do what they recommend? That was my situation. To my surprise, Dr. Ramen said he preferred not to stretch. He said he would just clean up any messy scar tissue and let it be.
My EGD and Colonoscopy
So hubby is taking me next week to get the colonoscopy and let Dr. Ramen do his magic. We’ve got the early arrival time which means I’ll be home by noon. We all know that the prep is the worst part. I start on soft foods a week from today.
Everyone needs to have a colonoscopy, and adding the endoscopy is a good idea too. This is especially true if you have liver disease. Getting rid of the esophageal scarring from the old varices bandings will be great too. Since the transplant, it’s unlikely that I will every need a banding again.
Esophageal Scarring from Varices Banding
As always, I’ll keep you posted. If I can get through this, you can too. I’m with you in the battle and still offering hope and healing ever after, even with the messier parts of liver disease, varices bleeding, and scarring from repeated bandings. Be sure and read Part 2 where I talk about what my doctor found and how he fixed it.
xo Karen
