GI DOC SAYS MY GUT HAS MIND OF ITS OWN

By OLIVENE GODFREY

This past week has been a hectic time for me and for son,Barry. I had two doctor appointments and a horrific spell of Irritable Bowel Syndrome plus all the usual chores here at the house.
The first doctor appointment was with my GI doctor in Dalton. The result of this visit was to set date for a throat stretching procedure in a few weeks at the Dalton hospital.

Barry did some research on the Internet regarding this procedure.
He found this excellent explanation by Philip Clements , M.D.,MPH which I quote as follows," Actually the stretching occurs lower in the chest than in the throat. Generally the narrowing is at the end of the esophagus (the feeding tube that leads to the stomach) just before the esophagus joins the stomach. The reason that the narrowing (stricture or scarring) occurs is that the muscle that normally closes the esophagus from the stomach gets
weak, and the opening between the esophagus and stomach remains open much too long a time. This allows hydrochloric (which is a very strong acid) and juices to reflux ( to back up)
into the esophagus and actually 'burn' the esophagus, much as strong acid might burn any tissue. As a result, there may be a scar that forms at the end of the esophagus."

The doctor adds that in this procedure a tube is passed through the mouth and down the esophagus and actually stretches the narrowing at the end of the esophagus . This allows food to go down more easily.

While I was at the GI doctor's office, we discussed the various treatments I have tried for my IBS problem. The doctor asked if I had tried the old standbys, Pepto Bismol and Milk of Magnesium. Barry and I both laughed as I keep these medicines on hand and when I was a child and had a nervous stomach even then my mother often gave me a dose of the "pink stuff"
The doctor said that my gut has a mind of its own and when I am nervous or upset, it acts up ,causing muscle spasms on the wall of the bowel which is very painful.

A couple of days later, I saw my family doctor in her Chatsworth office. We discussed the GI doctor visit and I had a flu shot.
I don't have another visit scheduled until in about three months, Lord willing.

I wore my amplifier hearing device during both doctor visits and it works great. I could hear the doctors' talking to me and it should help me until I am able to set a date for a hearing test. It does look weird but at my age, I don't mind.

Recently, I had a long, phone conversation with my sister,Jeanette who lives in Dalton. WE caught up with family news and she said her young grandson, Bryson, a sharp youngster, had enjoyed attending the Dalton agriculture and midway fair and wanted to go back. That reminded me of the fair in my hometown of Chattanooga when I was a child. When I walked with my parents and sisters from our car to the fair entrance I would have butterflies in my stomach as it was almost as exciting for me as Christmas morning. I always rode the huge ferris wheel with my daddy which was scary but in a fun way.

See you next week.