Having an endoscopyDiagnosis and Treatment

© CHANGE 2016

This booklet uses easy wordsand pictures to help you getinformation about cancer.

You might want someone tohelp you look at the bookletso you can talk about it.

This booklet can help youlearn about cancer. But this is not the same as talking toyour doctor. If you are worried about your health, you should talk to a doctor or nurse.

There is a Word Bank at theback of the booklet to helpwith hard words. Any wordsin bold you can find in theWord Bank.

Having tests at the hospital

Here are some things youmight want to do if youneed to have tests at thehospital.

= It could be a good idea to visit the hospital with your supporter before you go for the tests. Then you will know what it is like.

= Ask the nurse, doctor or your supporter to explain everything they are going to do before they do it.

3© CHANGE 2016

Having an endoscopy

?

= Some tests can hurt your baby if you are pregnant. So it is very important to tell the nurse, doctor or your supporter if you are pregnant.

= Tests can be uncomfortable but should not be painful. Tell the doctor, nurse or your supporter if you have any pain.

Tell them if you think you might be pregnant - even if you’re not sure.

4© CHANGE 2016

Having an endoscopy

There are different teststhat you may have tohave. Usually you willneed more than one testto find out what’s wrong.

Endoscopy

5© CHANGE 2016

Having an endoscopy

Sometimes doctors needto look inside your bodyto find out what is wrong.

Sometimes they mightneed to look down yourthroat to check your oesophagus (food pipe)or stomach. This is calledhaving an endoscopy.

6© CHANGE 2016

The doctor will use a longbendy tube called an endoscope. This has atiny camera and light onthe end of it. This helpsthe doctor to see if anything is wrong.

The oesophagus is thelong tube your food goesdown to get from yourmouth to your stomach.

Having an endoscopy

You might need to havean endoscopy if you havehad problems with eatingor swallowing, or if youhave pain in your stomach that doesn’t go away.

Endoscopy - what happens:

7© CHANGE 2016

Having an endoscopy

It is better if you havesomeone with you tosupport you while youhave the test.

You can have this test asan outpatient. This meansthat you will visit the hospital for the test butyou won’t have to stayovernight.

You will be told not to eator drink anything for atleast 8 hours before yourtest. This is so that yourstomach is empty.

8© CHANGE 2016

Most people have achoice between havingthe test while they areawake or after having amedicine to make themsleepy.

At the hospital, you maybe asked to go behind a curtain to take off yourclothes and put on a hospital gown. Once youare ready, you will beasked to get onto the bed.

If you are awake, thedoctor will spray the backof your throat to make itnumb.

Having an endoscopy

9© CHANGE 2016

Having an endoscopy

The doctor will put thetube down your throat to the area they need tolook at.

It can help to have someone holding yourhand during the test whotells you about everythingthat is happening.

This may be uncomfortable to swallowbut should not be painful.Tell the doctor if you haveany pain.

10© CHANGE 2016

This sample of cells iscalled a biopsy. It willhelp the doctor decide ifanything is wrong.

When the test is over youwill need to rest for awhile. You may feelsleepy for some time afterwards.

Having an endoscopy

Sometimes the doctor willtake a sample of cellsfrom inside you. After the test these cellswill be checked under a microscope.

Having an endoscopy

11© CHANGE 2016

You will need to havesomeone with you whocan stay with you afterthe test and go home withyou to look after you.

Word B a nk

Drawing by Tracey HarrisonVolunteer and Illustrator with learning disabilities

© CHANGE 2016 13

Word Bank

CellsThe tiny building blocksthat make up people’sbodies.

BiopsyA biopsy is when cells aretaken from the body andthen tested for cancer.

© CHANGE 2016 14

EndoscopyThis is looking down yourthroat and into your stomach using a longbendy tube with a tinycamera and light at theend.

MicroscopeA microscope is what adoctor can use to look atvery tiny things like cells.It makes the cells look alot bigger so the doctorcan see them.

DiagnosisA diagnosis is finding outwhether you have an illness or not.

Word Bank

© CHANGE 2016 15

Word Bank

OutpatientAn outpatient is a personwho goes to hospital for atest or treatment andcomes home on thesame day.

OesophagusThis is the long tube yourfood goes down to getfrom your mouth to yourstomach.

© CHANGE 2016 16

Notes

Us eful conta cts

Drawing by Tracey HarrisonVolunteer and Illustrator with learning disabilities

Helpful organisations

© CHANGE 2016 18

Useful contacts

Cancer Research UKA charity that is researching treatments for cancer. Its website has lots of information about cancer.Phone: 0808 800 4040Web: www.cancerresearchuk.org

Macmillan Cancer SupportA charity that helps people who have cancer. They give practical, medicaland financial support. They try to make cancer care in the UK better.Phone: 0808 808 00 00Web: www.macmillan.org.uk

NHS ContactsThese contacts give you information about your health and health services:England and Scotland Phone: 111Wales Phone: 0845 46 47Northern Ireland Web: www.hscni.net

Paul’s Cancer Support CentreGives help, information and complementary therapies to people withcancer. Phone: 0207 924 3924Web: www.paulscancersupportcentre.org.uk

© CHANGE 2016 19

Useful contacts

RESPONDGives therapy to people with learning disabilities after trauma or abuse.They also offer training and support to carers.Phone: 0808 808 07 00Web: www.respond.org.uk

Written and audio material

Books Beyond WordsA series of picture books for people with learning disabilities. The bookstalk about cancer, health and bereavement.Web: www.booksbeyondwords.co.ukPhone: 020 8877 9799Email: admin@booksbeyondwords.co.uk

FAIR MultimediaPublishes a range of health leaflets, audio discs and CDs for peoplewith learning disabilities. This includes a series on cancer.Email: fair@fairadvice.org.ukPhone: 0131 662 1962Web: www.fairadvice.org.uk/health-publications.php

Online help

© CHANGE 2016 20

Useful contacts

www.easyhealth.org.ukHas lots of online health information that is easy to understand.

www.macmillan.org.ukHas lots of information aboutcancer and where to get help.You can also talk to other people with cancer in the online community.

Videos and DVDsLeeds Animation WorkshopHas animated films on social issues for people with learning disabilities. Thereis one called ‘Getting Better’ about going to the doctor and the health clinic.Phone: 0113 248 4997Web: www.leedsanimation.org.uk/index.html

Speak Up Self AdvocacyHas DVDs and booklets for people with learning disabilities about health and illness.Web: www.speakup.org.uk

Macmillan Cancer Support has reviewed the information in thisbooklet and paid for it to be produced. They are a charity whohelp people with cancer. They have nurses and other healthworkers. They try to make cancer care in the UK better. Theyhave experts who can answer your questions about cancer andhow it affects your life. You can call Macmillan on 0808 808 00 00or textphone 0808 808 0121 (Mon–Fri, 9am–8pm). Or go tomacmillan.org.uk

CHANGE is a leading national Human Rights organisation led bydisabled people. We work for equal rights for all people withlearning disabilities. The cancer books and booklets thatCHANGE have produced are part of an ongoing campaign toraise awareness about the issues of cancer for people withlearning disabilities. You can call CHANGE on 0113 242 6619,email info@changepeople.org or find us at www.changepeople.org

This easy read booklet was produced by CHANGE © CHANGE 2016