Hello, Everyone...I'd like to introduce myself

Hi, I'm Rose. :) I'm 33 and am a teacher. I have never officially been diagnosed with GERD, but I believe I might have it (that and/or IBS). Here are past and current symptoms:

*Stomach problems for the longest time
*I went through a small period where I would choke in my sleep
*Recently, chest pain, arm pain, neck pain (especially on my left side) and this pain I get on my back left side (it feels like a fullness after I eat, especially).
*Pain sometimes after I eat
*Belching, belching, belching, and lots of gas
*Burning
*Feeling fatigued and tired
*Foggy headed or a bit of dizziness


The chest pain has been scaring me lately. I went to the ER last month and they did an EKG (which found nothing abnormal). I am still worried, though. I have taken up exercise again, and I really don't have trouble breathing (besides the normal out of breathness, I guess).

The only things I take for this is Phazyme, Prilosec (but not regularly), and Rolaids.

I am joining this group to get some support, meet new people, and learn new ways to manage this.

I will be probably heading to the doc again to get my pain checked out. I hate living with this ....but if I am going to have to live with this for the rest of my life, I would like to be able to manage it.

I would like to have kids in the near future, and would hate to be ill with this when I decide to get pregnant.

Hope to hear from some of you. :)

Astro,

Thank you so much for your response. I have heard about endoscopies...maybe I should bring it up at my next appt?

How is an endoscopy done? Is it painful? Sorry...I'm a worrier by nature...so any procedure that will be done to me I get pretty concerned about!

Rosie,

DO bring it up, definitely. Maybe doctors like to follow a certain plan (with the specialists I saw it seemed like an obvious transition between each, 'ticking off the boxes'), though there's no harm suggesting you'd like it done.

I've had no operations, and two Endoscopes in my time, both of which I found extremely stress free / discomfort / pain FREE. To detail what happens?


• The procedure itself takes between 10 - 15minutes, with about a 1 to 2 hour recovery time. You'll either be knocked right out or only partially - though you'll not remember the procedure even with a partial knockout. Maybe glimpses, but that's all :)

• You'll be brought through administration on the day, and into the waiting area where you get to wear one of those oh-so-attractive backless robes. Then you'll be wheeled into the theatre, where there'll be at least two nurses and your doctor.

• You'll get a heart monitor on your finger, and a blood pressure band around your arm, and lastly a needle in the back of your hand; this is where the good gear will be injected into you :) You'll be asked to lie on your left side.

• They'll put a 'brace' between your teeth; this is just a guide for the Endoscope, so it gets past your tounge.

• Then? You'll get fully / partially knocked out! The next thing you know? You'll be in recovery (you'll wake pretty quickly; and be 100% lucid within moments.. the knock out drugs aren't that strong), and will either remember nothing or tiny snippets. My last Endo I recalled the tube being brought out, but no memory of discomfort.

• Apparently, they can use a spray on the back of your throat to numb it and stop you choking, though I don't recall any of that.


*note: as for the procedure, the tube/camera scope looks at your throat, through to your stomach, and into your small intestine.