Endoscopy or Not

Okay, so I logged on this afternoon only to find that the two posts I made yesterday are gone. What the heck! Where could they have gone?

I know I couldn't have imagined making the post, after all I had a couple comments on one of them.

Have any of you had this happen to you?


Anyway, I just read through all the information on Mayo's site about ulcers. It sounds like ulcers can be caused by a bacteria or by pain medication. I think it is pretty clear that the very large amount of Ibuprofen, Ketoprofen and Imitrex that I've taken over the years is the obvious culprit. Mayo outlined 3 paths to diagnosis. First, the bacteria can be detected in a breath or blood test. Second, ulcers can be seen in an x-ray with barium swallow. Third, an upper endoscopy can be done. If that is done, and an ulcer is found they can take a biopsy and test if for the bacteria.

Based on this information I have to believe the xray is the best option for me. I'm not worried about a bacteria and even if it is the bacteria we can figure that out easier and cheaper by doing a breath or blood test. I would rather do those things than the endoscopy, which will require an excessive amount of fasting, anesthesia, and will require me to fight crazy DC traffic afterwards. I don't want to put my body through that unnecessarily. Aren't I going through enough already?

I'm calling my doc now to request the change.