"Surgeon downplaying pathology results of a chronic inflammatory disease"

Earlier this year I presented to Bunbury ED after having food stuck in my oesophagus. The ED staff and team on the day procedure unit took great care of me during my overnight stay and while preparing me for a gastroscope. During the procedure, biopsies were taken from my oesophagus, as this was the 5th time in 7 months that food had become stuck.

A couple of weeks later, I got the pathology results of the biopsies through my GP which confirmed that I had a chronic inflammatory disease that involves a food allergy (or several). My parent had some knowledge of this disease, so I was able to get some information from them and did some research into what the disease was, along with treatment options while I waited to see the General Surgeon for my follow up appointment.

When I saw the General Surgeon, they immediately started to tell me that I need to chew my food more and cut up meat smaller before putting it in my mouth. When I brought up the pathology results and the fact that they specified the chronic inflammatory disease, they seemed surprised that I knew about it and still emphasised that the most important thing is to eat slower and chew more. I recall they said that they guess I could see a gastroenterologist if I want and I felt very much downplayed the disease.

As I had already researched the disease (from reputable sources) I was aware that not treating the condition could result in further damage to my oesophagus and increasing issues with eating. The disease is reasonably rare and the knowledge about how it presents in adults is still in somewhat early stages, and it seemed to me the General Surgeon was not up to date with the implications of not managing the condition. I feel as though, if I hadn’t raised that pathology results and the condition that they uncovered, that the General Surgeon wouldn’t have even told me of the issue. I feel very lucky that I had taken the initiative to review the pathology results myself and done my own research into the condition, as I don’t believe that I would have got the advice and guidance that I needed.