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Stories to inspire Healthy Living
Gastric Pain, Colonoscopy & Endoscopy
Don’t ignore that nagging gastric pain or blood in the stools. Going for an upper endoscopy or colonoscopy may save your life. Consultant Gastroenterologist Dr Ng Tay Meng explains why.
This is a true story. For years, a young man dismissed his constipation and blood in his stools until a colonoscopy revealed Stage 4 colorectal cancer. Just 34, he succumbed to Singapore’s Number 1 cancer. A decade later, his widow went for an upper endoscopy to check on her gastric pain. In a cruel double whammy, she was diagnosed with terminal stage stomach cancer and was gone within weeks, leaving behind three teenage kids. Had the couple investigated their symptoms earlier, it might have averted the tragedies.
Upper endoscopy and colonoscopy – a peek inside your body
Using a thin flexible tube-like scope with a video camera and light at its tip, a Gastroenterologist can conduct upper endoscopy and colonoscopy to examine his patients’ insides, obtain tissue samples for analysis and remove polyps.
A gastroscope via the patient’s mouth into the esophagus, stomach and duodenum identifies inflammation, ulcers and tumours. A flexible colonoscope inserted through the anus into the rectum and colon can diagnose benign conditions like hemorrhoids and polyps, to life-threatening conditions like colonic cancer. Both are carried out as day surgery and do not require hospital stay.
Who needs an upper endoscopy and colonoscopy?
Look out for:
• Recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort
• Nocturnal symptoms that wake you up from sleep
• Vomiting blood or passing out blood in stools
• Loss of appetite or weight
• Change in bowel habit e.g. constipation or diarrhoea
• Family history of stomach or colon cancer
Those 50 years and above are advised to go for a colonoscopy every 10 years. Recent regulations now allow patients to draw up to $950 for the procedure, plus $300 a day for additional hospital charges. If polyps are found, repeat screenings at three to five-yearly intervals. For those with a family history of colon cancer, early and regular screenings can prevent and reduce the death rate by at least 70%.
Dr Ng recalls a patient in his early thirties who thought the blood in his stools was due to piles. “A colonoscopy revealed a large cancerous polyp in the rectum which I could remove completely. He was cured because he sought medical attention and treatment early. That’s why you should never ignore your symptoms.”
Box story: Preparing for your upper endoscopy or colonoscopy
• Fast for at least six hours before an upper endoscopy.
• Before a colonoscopy, keep a low residue liquid diet such as porridge with plenty of fluids. Drink the Polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution provided to flush out any fecal materials so your doctor can get a clear view of your colon.
• After the procedure, rest for one to two hours at the recovery area. Do not drive or operate machinery and arrange for someone to pick you up as the full effects of the sedative may take longer to wear off.
• Inform the doctor if you have abdominal pain or bleeding after the procedures.
Dr Ng Tay Meng is based at Gastrointestinal Endoscopy & Liver Centre, #06-01, Blk A, Mount Alvernia Medical Centre, Tel: (+65) 6255 7336.
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If you have to call for an ambulance...
Give the exact location where the ambulance is needed.
Try to describe what has happened and the patient's condition.
Provide your name and contact number.
Bring along the patient's identify card/passport/birth certificate.
Bring along any medication the patient is taking.
Alert the ambulance officers to any drugs the patient may be allergic to.
Before your health screen...
Fast for at least 10 hours
Avoid alcohol and fatty foods
Abstain from red meat three days before the health screening
Women with period should wait for it to end
If you have a bad flu, wait until you have fully recovered
Have the flu? What you can do to avoid spreading the infection...
Cover your mouth with a tissue whenever you cough or sneeze
Do not share eating utensils with others
Wash your hands frequently
Wear a mask, especially if there are people around you who are vulnerable
How can we build up our immunity against the flu virus?
Exercise regularly
Get adequate sleep
Drink lots of water – at least six to seven glasses daily
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
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