Dr. Chen is on The Recovery Path

After more than 7-month-long illness, I finally saw my GI specialist to give me a complete thorough diagnosis through blood test, endoscopy, CAT scan, ultrasound, and colonscopy. The diagnosis results are: (1) negative on cancer; (2) moderate gastritis, and bacteria infection positive; (3) negative on auto-immune problems (4) liver and pancreatic look fine.

I have finished my antibiotic treatment and continued on proton pump inhibitor treatment. I am also managing my stress through meditation, chiropractor and acupuncture treatments.

Although the recovery process could be very long, I do expect a complete recovery of my health to be productive again for my life.

I thank everyone from NCHU colleagues, students and UWGB colleagues and students, from Taiwanese friends in the US, and from friends of Memorial Presbyterian Church in Appleton for their expression of kindness and concern during my struggling with the illness. Many thank to you all.

Acid Foods or No Acid Foods? Dr. Chen is Completely Puzzled

Back in the fall of 2009, Dr. Chen had an endoscopy with a surgeon. The diagnosis was the acid reflux with Barret esophagus, and mild gastritis. The treatment was proton pump inhibitor, anti-acids, and avoid all acidic food. Well, I have being doing exactly like that for the last seven months, and the symptoms do not go away.

On Feb 2, 2010, Dr. Chen had another endoscopy; this time was with a GI specialist. The diagnosis was the severe gastritis over the duodenum area. The specialist gave me a new medicine, Sucrafate which is a medicine to treat ulcer. This medicine requires stomach acid to form a protective layer over the stomach lining. The medicine would not work if there is no acid in the stomach.

So, at this moment, Dr. Chen needs to juggle between acid food, alkaline food, medicine that needs acids, and medicine that reduces acids. It is quite a mind-puzzling management.

I will report to you how does the new treatment go.