Key Takeaways
- Occasional heartburn is normal; frequent, persistent or worsening reflux and indigestion is not, and merits assessment.
- Gastroscopy is recommended for new symptoms after 55, swallowing difficulty, weight loss, or symptoms not responding to treatment.
- Untreated reflux can, over time, lead to oesophagitis, strictures, or Barrett's oesophagus.
- Mr Papettas performs gastroscopy himself as a JAG dual-accredited endoscopist — assessment and procedure with one consultant.
Reflux, heartburn and indigestion sit on a spectrum most people experience at some point. The distinction that matters is between occasional, mild symptoms after a particular meal, and symptoms that are frequent, persistent, worsening, or not responding to simple over-the-counter treatment — the latter deserves a proper look rather than escalating self-medication.
Seek Urgent Medical Review If You Have
Arrange prompt assessment (and gastroscopy) for reflux or indigestion with:
- New symptoms after age 55
- Difficulty or pain swallowing (see our dysphagia page)
- Unexplained weight loss
- Persistent vomiting
- Vomiting blood or passing black stools
- Symptoms not settling despite treatment
Common Contributors
- Hiatus hernia — part of the stomach moving up through the diaphragm, a frequent contributor to reflux.
- Lifestyle factors — diet, alcohol, smoking, weight, and eating close to bedtime all influence symptoms.
- Gastritis or peptic ulcer disease — inflammation or ulceration of the stomach lining, sometimes linked to H. pylori infection.
- Barrett's oesophagus — a change in the oesophageal lining from long-standing reflux, identified at gastroscopy and requiring monitoring.
Why See a Surgeon-Endoscopist for GI Symptoms
Most GI symptoms are first assessed by a gastroenterologist — a physician who diagnoses and manages digestive conditions medically. Mr Papettas offers a complementary route: as a Consultant Colorectal & General Surgeon who also holds JAG dual accreditation in colonoscopy and gastroscopy, he can take your history, examine you, perform the relevant endoscopic investigation himself, and — if a surgical problem is found — move straight to planning treatment, without a separate referral cycle. For symptoms that may ultimately need a surgical opinion (persistent pain, a mass, bleeding, hernia-related symptoms, or a diagnosis that turns out to need an operation), this can mean one consultant relationship from first appointment to treatment, rather than several.
| Standard GP → Gastroenterology Route | Seeing Mr Papettas Directly | |
|---|---|---|
| First appointment | Referral to a gastroenterologist (physician) | Consultant colorectal & general surgeon, JAG dual-accredited in colonoscopy & gastroscopy |
| Diagnosis | History and exam by one team; endoscopy often separately arranged | Same consultant takes the history, examines you, and can perform the scope himself |
| If surgery turns out to be needed | New referral to a surgeon, a new consultant relationship | Already your consultant — can proceed to surgical planning without a further handover |
| Typical pathway | Multiple consultants, appointments staged across teams | One consultant, symptom to diagnosis to treatment |
What Happens at Your Consultation
- A detailed history and examination — the majority of GI symptoms are significantly clarified by this alone.
- Where indicated, same-consultant access to colonoscopy and/or gastroscopy, avoiding a separate referral for endoscopy.
- Blood tests or imaging arranged directly where needed (e.g. iron studies, ultrasound, CT).
- A clear diagnosis and management plan explained in the same relationship — through to surgery, if that turns out to be the right next step.
