“How often should I do a endoscopy to know the health of the digestive system?”
I underwent an endoscopy about 8 years ago when I was diagnosed with GERD. I have been controlling this because of a few medications, but I'm wondering if I need to do an endoscopy frequently. How often should I undergo an endoscopy with GERD?
7 Answers
You don't really need to repeat it if your symptoms are controlled. A one-time screen is usually sufficient for GERD. EGD can be repeated if new symptoms arise.
You only need repeat endoscopy if they found Barrett's. That should be done on a regular basis every 3 years to screen for dysplasia or more often if they found dysplasia depending on how bad it is.
If you had an Endoscopy 8 years ago and continue to use meds it may be reasonable to repeat the egd.
Certain medical conditions require endoscopy for surveillance, but many others do not. For example, surveillance may be recommended if you had a significant stomach ulcer (to make sure that it is adequately healing), or if you have certain conditions such as ulcerative colitis or Barrett esophagus (because of the associated risks of cancer with these conditions). Surveillance colonoscopies for colon cancer screening are recommended at different intervals determined by your overall risk for colon cancer (family history, prior history of polyps, etc). However, many other medical conditions do not require surveillance endoscopy (such as irritable bowel syndrome or constipation). Repeating an endoscopy may be recommended by your gastroenterologist if s/he is concerned about excluding other structural disease, if you developed alarm symptoms such as bleeding or weight loss, or if your symptoms are not improving, but would not be recommended on a routine basis. If you had a more specific disease or symptom in mind that you would like clarification on, please let me know.
We typically do not recommend repeat endoscopic evaluations unless the symptoms are persistent or you have risk factors of developing Barrett's esophagus. Barrett's esophagus occurs when the lining of the lower esophagus changes into the lining of the small intestine. This change increases the risk of development of esophageal cancer. I would discuss
your risk factors for developing this with your physician.
your risk factors for developing this with your physician.
There is not need to do routine upper endoscopy. The indications for upper endoscopy are difficulty swallowing or a history of Barrett’s esophagitis.
This will depend on a few factors like your age, gender, body weight/BMI, and the presence or absence of certain precancerous conditions such as Barrett’s esophagus.
