March 2, 2022
The first day of Spring
I missed my three year anniversary in January mired in anxiety about more cancer. The fear can strike us any time. I spent a miserable Christmas worrying about increasing reflux that wouldn’t respond to treatment. PPIs, drastic diet change, sleeping upright and surfing the net for quack remedies. With my GP reluctant to commit himself to a fast track referral, I referred myself for a gastroscopy which was an interesting way to spend a few minutes of my life. I am now the proud owner of a 2cm sliding hiatal hernia which is a million times better than the hysterically imagined oesophageal cancer. God, can the mind play some awful tricks on the body!
Talking of alternative therapies, I have embraced a few and there is scientific evidence for them…..more later. I am weaning myself off the PPIs I was prescribed at the start of treatment. A heck of a lot of us suffer reflux as some sort of gift from Radiotherapy. I took the drugs without question, a good “pill for every ill” sort of girl that I am. BUT do we really need them? Aren’t we supposed to have stomach acid? So I did some research which led me to these two.
Aloe vera has been shown to protect the gastric lining and Melatonin to increase oesophageal mucous so I take the disgusting Aloe in the morning and a couple of yummy gummies before bedtime. It helps me sleep too which is a bonus. Aloe is widely available most likely places, melatonin is on prescription only in the uk but you can get it from The States. I can say that after a few weeks on these I am a new woman. I feel I can throw the PPIs out of the window on the next sunny day.
I’m also trying one of these which arrived yesterday
This gizmo is called an IQoro, invented by the Swedes. I stumbled across it researching reflux quack remedies alternative therapies. IQoro is a neuromuscular training device that utilises the body’s own natural systems to strengthen the muscles from the mouth, upper airways, oesophagus, down to the stomach. It’s been reviewed by NICE where it seems that it might help but is too expensive to recommend…..sound familiar? I asked my gastroenterologist about it and he looked at me as if I was mad….well his eyes did, the rest of his face was masked. This possibly means that he’s never heard of it, it’s a quack remedy or it will work. Take your pick.
Watch this space. I will report back in a month.
I thought I might finish with a snapshot of what keeps me going. If Stan and I go away for a few days it’s like packing for a bottle fed baby!!! You’ve got to laugh, though, haven’t you.
Actually I haven’t quite finished.
The beginning of March 2022 and some crazed despot
is trying to ruin the world we live in for some sort of glory in his dying days.
I don’t pray but God Bless the people in Ukraine and President Zelensky….and keep them safe.
