Health proceedures in Spain.
Discussion
My brother now lives in Spain and is very happy there but when he came in the summer he was complaining of having a bad stomach, poor digestion and an acidic bile taste in his throat. He has now been admitted to hospital in Grenada for tests.
Now according to him, he has done this himself as it is easier to get all of the tests for this (camera up the bum etc.) all done in one go rather than going in and out as an out-patient.
I don't think this is the case in the UK unless its either a.) serious or b.) you're going in as a private patient. Now the thought has sprung to mind that he might be BSing us so that the rest of the family don't worry (especially as my father has terminal stomach cancer.) but I'm hoping someone here might be able to put my mind at rest that is normal procedure for the Spanish and not something for the rest of us to worry about yet.
My digestion is all fine at the moment but I'm guessing I'm going to have get myself checked out as well as this looks like its going to be a family thing.
Thanks in advance.
The Toad
Now according to him, he has done this himself as it is easier to get all of the tests for this (camera up the bum etc.) all done in one go rather than going in and out as an out-patient.
I don't think this is the case in the UK unless its either a.) serious or b.) you're going in as a private patient. Now the thought has sprung to mind that he might be BSing us so that the rest of the family don't worry (especially as my father has terminal stomach cancer.) but I'm hoping someone here might be able to put my mind at rest that is normal procedure for the Spanish and not something for the rest of us to worry about yet.
My digestion is all fine at the moment but I'm guessing I'm going to have get myself checked out as well as this looks like its going to be a family thing.
Thanks in advance.
The Toad
I ended up in spain after a hernia op, felt sick, feverish and had the runs. Gf and i thought it was too much sun for the poor giri. There was one doctor who went all out with the tests and found it to be a liquid abcess at the op site.
They do go a bit overboard in their private hospitals if they suspect something, probably for the money but in the end it did benefit me.
I hope theres something gleemable from this. Hope your brother is ok.
They do go a bit overboard in their private hospitals if they suspect something, probably for the money but in the end it did benefit me.
I hope theres something gleemable from this. Hope your brother is ok.
Can't answer your question specifically, but as someone who has married into a Spanish family I can say that in my experience (not personally, but for family and once for my son in A&E) the health system is very good and you get very well looked after. I have been impressed on a number of occasions. Wouldn't surprise me if what he said is true.
Well I've got some news about my brother. And it would appear not to be good. 
They think he has a condition called Barrett's Oesophagus.
I had never heard of this and even without my brother getting it, I really wish I hadn't. It is extremely nasty and therefore I will be using the spoiler tag if you would like to find out more.
Barrett's Oesophagus is a spin off from having acid reflux or night acid reflux which is what my brother suffers from. Based from what I have read on some of the cancer websites, windpipe gets so much acid coming up that it begins to believe that it is part of the stomach. So much so that the replacement cells that form after the acid has attacked them begin to form a 'fake' stomach lining inside the Oesophagus. This obviously causes issues. The cure for this is to either scrape the fake lining away from inside the windpipe, lift the fake lining up and inject the wind pipe directly with drugs that will hopefully help or destroy the 'lining'. All of these would appear to be done using either keyhole surgery or by going down the gullet with probes.
The final option is to just operate and cut the 'lining' out. This choice is not good and is only used as a last resort. The worst bit is that if he has left it too late for the treatment, the 'lining' cells can turn rogue and become cancerous. The good news is its only one in a hundred patients who have Barrett's have it go this far.
The bad news is that if this is the case its almost always fatal.
Hopefully the worst won't happen but I'm guessing my brother is going to be up for a rough couple of months. He gets the results of his biopsy's in early November.
The moral is: If you get acid reflux don't just hit the Gaviscon. Get your butt to the Doctor.
They think he has a condition called Barrett's Oesophagus.
I had never heard of this and even without my brother getting it, I really wish I hadn't. It is extremely nasty and therefore I will be using the spoiler tag if you would like to find out more.
Barrett's Oesophagus is a spin off from having acid reflux or night acid reflux which is what my brother suffers from. Based from what I have read on some of the cancer websites, windpipe gets so much acid coming up that it begins to believe that it is part of the stomach. So much so that the replacement cells that form after the acid has attacked them begin to form a 'fake' stomach lining inside the Oesophagus. This obviously causes issues. The cure for this is to either scrape the fake lining away from inside the windpipe, lift the fake lining up and inject the wind pipe directly with drugs that will hopefully help or destroy the 'lining'. All of these would appear to be done using either keyhole surgery or by going down the gullet with probes.
The final option is to just operate and cut the 'lining' out. This choice is not good and is only used as a last resort. The worst bit is that if he has left it too late for the treatment, the 'lining' cells can turn rogue and become cancerous. The good news is its only one in a hundred patients who have Barrett's have it go this far.
The bad news is that if this is the case its almost always fatal.
Hopefully the worst won't happen but I'm guessing my brother is going to be up for a rough couple of months. He gets the results of his biopsy's in early November.
The moral is: If you get acid reflux don't just hit the Gaviscon. Get your butt to the Doctor.
The_Doc said:
In your spoiler bit above, replace the word windpipe with gullet and you've got it described right.
Windpipe for breathing, gullet (oesophageal) for food and liquid,
If you reflux into your windpipe you get something called aspiration pneumonitis, which is nasty but not so nasty.
Thanks for that. I'm taking that as a medical man you can confirm that this possible diagnosis, is not good. Windpipe for breathing, gullet (oesophageal) for food and liquid,
If you reflux into your windpipe you get something called aspiration pneumonitis, which is nasty but not so nasty.
The Hypno-Toad said:
The_Doc said:
In your spoiler bit above, replace the word windpipe with gullet and you've got it described right.
Windpipe for breathing, gullet (oesophageal) for food and liquid,
If you reflux into your windpipe you get something called aspiration pneumonitis, which is nasty but not so nasty.
Thanks for that. I'm taking that as a medical man you can confirm that this possible diagnosis, is not good. Windpipe for breathing, gullet (oesophageal) for food and liquid,
If you reflux into your windpipe you get something called aspiration pneumonitis, which is nasty but not so nasty.
But there's always someone out there worse off.
Just had a quick chat with my Mum. My brother is keeping her more up to date than me, which is fine because its more important that she doesn't worry.
However, it would appear that my brothers weight is now down to 10st 3lbs.
Now even with his symptoms, which I'm guessing would put a lot of people off their food, I'm not sure that's the ideal weight for a 52 year old, 5ft 9in man.
Bugger.
However, it would appear that my brothers weight is now down to 10st 3lbs.
Now even with his symptoms, which I'm guessing would put a lot of people off their food, I'm not sure that's the ideal weight for a 52 year old, 5ft 9in man.
Bugger.
Update.
Bad news: My brother has Barrett's Oesophagus.
Good news: Its in its most mild form and is non-cancerous. He will have to regular endoscopy's from now on, they are going to be putting him onto a couple of different drugs for the time being & he will have to see a gastroenterology specialist in motor disorders in December but as you can imagine I'm very relieved.
Phew.
Bad news: My brother has Barrett's Oesophagus.
Good news: Its in its most mild form and is non-cancerous. He will have to regular endoscopy's from now on, they are going to be putting him onto a couple of different drugs for the time being & he will have to see a gastroenterology specialist in motor disorders in December but as you can imagine I'm very relieved.
Phew.
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