Sarah

I had never before in my life considered my guts, they were just there and took it for granted that they worked well as did the rest of me. Most of us are lucky enough not to have to even think about the automatic workings of our bodies and I was no different.

It was in my forties that I started getting classic indigestion but I thought nothing much of it and carried on as usual, eating, drinking and generally ignoring even the burping. As time went on however I started getting bad chest pains and thought I should mention it to my GP who sent me off to have a gastroscopy.

Just before I went for the investigation a friend persuaded me that I could suppress the gag reflex if I concentrated hard enough and I would not need sedation – so rather apprehensively I took her advice and had it done while fully conscious.

Sure enough I managed to avoid gagging but was fully aware of the doctor asking for biopsies while the tube was down my gut. Biopsies! Not me! Surely! As soon as the wretched tube was out I was sitting up asking every question I could while on the operating table in the theatre and getting rather vague answers.

A week later my GP phoned me up and told me that he had the results – I thought to myself “As long as he doesn’t say there are some changes in the cells, then it’s not cancer”, but oh dear – that’s exactly what he said, there were changes in the cells.

I was told not to research on the internet as it would be too worrying, so of course I got straight on the internet and luckily found the Barrett’s website which has been the best support and source of information for me. I’m on PPIs now which have improved the pain, I also have to avoid milk and some other foods but after being made very aware of my mortality initially I’m now aware that the risk is low and for MOST of the time I still don’t think about my guts!