The Dr says
After Tuesday's endoscopy and biopsies of tissues in Dball's esophagus, the Dr at ACH has determined that Dball definitely has eosinophilic esophagitis.
"Eosinophilic esophagitis
Eosinophils (e-oh-SIN-oh-phils) are white blood cells that regulate inflammation and play a key role in allergic reactions. Eosinophilic esophagitis occurs with a high concentration of these white blood cells in the esophagus, most likely in response to an allergy-causing agent (allergen).
In many cases, people who have this kind of esophagitis are allergic to one or more foods. Some foods that may cause eosinophilic esophagitis include milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, beans, rye and beef. People with eosinophilic esophagitis may have other nonfood allergies. For example, inhaled allergens, such as pollen, may be the cause in some cases."
So the Dr wants to treat the symptoms first with flovent, which fortunately we already have quite a bit on hand. We will do this twice a day for 12 weeks. Then he has an EE clinic at ACH in Little Rock, and Dball will have another endoscopy and attend the clinic. Then if the 12-week treatment was successful and there's much fewer white blood cells in his esophagus, we can start removing one food at a time to determine which he is allergic to. Dr says it's usually wheat, milk, eggs, or something basic like that. In addition to the peanuts, trees, grass, mold and other environmental allergies we're already aware of.
Dball doesn't seem optimistic, and would like to avoid another scope. However I am very optimistic, glad to know what's going on with him, and anxious to get it cleared up. Interestingly, the Dr didn't see any obstructions or narrowing when he did the scope, "which is GOOD" but he was a little confused. When he told me the treatment (the other option was to use pulmocort), I remembered that D had been using flovent for the month of May because his allergies were so bad. Dr agrees this might have lessened his symptoms.
So I gather near the end of October we'll be heading back down to Little Rock...
"Eosinophilic esophagitis
Eosinophils (e-oh-SIN-oh-phils) are white blood cells that regulate inflammation and play a key role in allergic reactions. Eosinophilic esophagitis occurs with a high concentration of these white blood cells in the esophagus, most likely in response to an allergy-causing agent (allergen).
In many cases, people who have this kind of esophagitis are allergic to one or more foods. Some foods that may cause eosinophilic esophagitis include milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, beans, rye and beef. People with eosinophilic esophagitis may have other nonfood allergies. For example, inhaled allergens, such as pollen, may be the cause in some cases."
So the Dr wants to treat the symptoms first with flovent, which fortunately we already have quite a bit on hand. We will do this twice a day for 12 weeks. Then he has an EE clinic at ACH in Little Rock, and Dball will have another endoscopy and attend the clinic. Then if the 12-week treatment was successful and there's much fewer white blood cells in his esophagus, we can start removing one food at a time to determine which he is allergic to. Dr says it's usually wheat, milk, eggs, or something basic like that. In addition to the peanuts, trees, grass, mold and other environmental allergies we're already aware of.
Dball doesn't seem optimistic, and would like to avoid another scope. However I am very optimistic, glad to know what's going on with him, and anxious to get it cleared up. Interestingly, the Dr didn't see any obstructions or narrowing when he did the scope, "which is GOOD" but he was a little confused. When he told me the treatment (the other option was to use pulmocort), I remembered that D had been using flovent for the month of May because his allergies were so bad. Dr agrees this might have lessened his symptoms.
So I gather near the end of October we'll be heading back down to Little Rock...
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