I was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2013 and at the very end of my 5 years of surveillance for the cancer returning, it did confirm my colon cancer had gone. However, the tests showed something else worrying – what looked like early-stage oesophageal cancer – close to the join between my food pipe and my stomach. It was graded stage 1 at that point.

Dr Haidry (and his colleague Dr Webster) were amazingly thorough to pick it up at this stage, this early detection has definitely saved my life. Dr Haidry recommended endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), which is a non-invasive technique to remove the affected part of the oesophageal lining.  Unfortunately, the EMR did not work, this confirmed the cancer had invaded further than the top layer and of an aggressive nature. He and the panel advised me that the best way to treat it now would be a full oesophagectomy.

I had the oesophagectomy in 2018; it’s not for the faint hearted. I now have a large scar across my stomach and another from my shoulder blade to my lower back. My right lung had to be deflated during this complex surgery (Ivor Lewis method), my oesophagus was halved, and half my stomach was removed and then a ‘gastric pull up’ was performed (to pull the remaining parts close, which are then stitched together).

The doctors also removed 16 surrounding lymph nodes as a precaution; unfortunately, a metastasis ‘micro’ was found in one of the nodes – a tiny speck of cancer and I then had 8 courses of preventative (adjuvant) chemo, just in case. Six years on I am cancer free.

However, as might be expected from such major surgery, I did suffer from various complications with the new ‘plumbing’. The top of my stomach has no ‘valve’ to stop food contents coming up the food pipe, so I suffered from heartburn and gastro oesophageal reflux (GORD) almost daily. That acid is not only unpleasant and painful (burns), but sometimes at night it would come up and you inhale it into your lungs which leads to chesty coughs and recurrent infections. (Aspiration pneumonia is a dangerous thing). For five years I couldn’t eat in the 4 hours before bedtime and had to sleep at a 30 degree angle in an attempt to prevent the reflux. I’m taking PPI medicines to supress the reflux.

I also suffered something called ‘dumping syndrome’, where you come over all hot and sweat profusely, your heart rate quickens, you feel nauseous, and might black out. This can happen for no apparent reason!  It occurs when food that isn’t digested or processed enough and is ‘dumped’ into the duodenum too quickly. Your body reacts by pumping adrenaline into the system to combat it.

Dr Haidry suspected I was suffering delayed gastric emptying most of the time. This is a common side effect of the oesophagectomy. During the major surgery main veins to the area are cut/damaged, this can harm the pylorus valve and cause it to spasm or not work properly, holding back the food in the stomach. To diagnose it I would need an endoscopy.

Usually, you are told not to eat for 4-6 hours before an endoscopy, but I was told to stop eating for 24 hours given the issues with my slow emptying stomach. I was put under deep sedation and had the camera down my throat – even after 24 hours there was still food there which was a huge red flag. I was formally diagnosed with gastroparesis in 2019 and had various treatments to resolve this, all with varying degrees of success, but any improvement was short lived: balloon dilations of the pylorus, 4 rounds of botox – nothing working permanently and I remained on a cocktail of strong medicines to address the acid reflux. Because of the stomach acid and reflux it was unfortunately noticed that I now had Barrett’s Oesophagus – a possible pre cursor to cancer – this in the formally cancer free part of my oesophagus.

By 2023 I was desperate to improve my gastric symptoms and Dr Rehan Haidry suggested a permanent procedure called G-POEM. This procedure has been carried out for over a decade in the States, but less widely used here. Endoscopic surgery on the pylorus which basically keeps it open allowing food to empty from the stomach.

Dr Haidry was completely honest with me about the pros and cons. It would stop the nerve spasms and the stomach would empty. However, the risk was the valve might be too open and bile might come up back from the duodenum and into the stomach (which could be more damaging to the oesophageal cell lining), also my dumping syndrome might worsen. He, though, was positive the procedure would help me, I too believed it was the right decision and agreed.

As my quality of life around eating and drinking was so poor by then, I decided to press ahead and in December 23 last year, I had a successful G-POEM procedure. It has completely transformed my life. My stomach now empties, I can eat much later into the evening and worry less about sleeping in a raised position. I would say my acid reflux and heartburn is 90% better now than prior to the G-POEM. Instead of daily issues I have been affected 3 or 4 times in the past year. I haven’t had any bile reflux at all and while I still having the odd dumping syndrome experience (which is the same as I was having before) it is certainly no worse as a result of the procedure. If I avoid high fibre foods or known aggravators, on the whole I’m fine.

Now my delayed gastric emptying has been resolved by the G-POEM, I have had a further three endoscopies under Dr Haidry’s care this year to have HALO RF ablation to eradicate my Barrett’s Oesophagus. All these procedures went well and I’m very happy to say that the Barrett’s has been completely eradicated with clear biopsies.

I would recommend seeing Dr Rehan Haidry to any current oesophageal cancer patients and survivors who have been affected by gastroparesis or other issues. He really knows his stuff, embraces the latest practices, technology & techniques and you can trust he will give you all the education to make an informed decision in a pleasant user-friendly manner.

You will be in good hands!