Well, for those of you who remember me...I'm back

Hey
I had my endoscopy done today and they found a hiatal hernia (excuse the typing still loopy from versed). I also had inflamation in my stomach. I havent had any luck yet with the diagnosis of Crohns but am in another group getting great support.
I have to now wait for my biopsy results in 7-10 days and then the subject of PH testing came up. No idea what that is yet as they got me out asap to have the next person in. (They are doing 34 endoscopies/colonoscopies today).
Anyhow, I will do a search on PH testing - anyone want to share there expereince would be appreciated.
Im getting nervous about the fundo wrap as the tests are starting to move along. Just want it dealt with.
Again, sorry about the grammer and spelling mistakes, still a little loopy.
Test wasnt bad at all but I do remember most of it.
Cheers

thanks Denise for getting back to me so quickly.
I have a few more questions about the Ph test. So does the test just monitor acid and nothing else?? You mention that you wont be able to use anything at all during the test... are you referring to medication?

Isnt is a little strange walking around with tubes down your nose in public? I have had tubes down my nose before and it was very unpleasant but am willing to do it to get this fixed. I do remember fighting them and yanked it out the first time they put it in (I was a child at the time). My doctor has already mentioned surgery because the drugs aren't working and he is worried about Barretts esophogus and the amount of PPI's I am taking and the duration I have taken them. I have had GERD for a long time now.
I think he said I had a small hernia (but cant be sure as I was loopy). I didnt find the endoscopy bad at all and I remember most of it.

Does the PH test record what you eat or just strictly the PH level? It doesnt sound so bad aside from the insertion of the tube.

I had the 270 degree wrap done back in December last year.
My ph test was the Bravo. Nothing in your nose... just a small capsule in your esophagus that falls off in five days. I didn't have to go PPI free for my test.

Joy

Oh Denise,
One other thing, When I referred to medication - I was wondering if you had to stop all medication? I understand you have to stop PPI's but what about medication for other things?
Thanks Denise and Joy

Hi Chipsy,
As Bill said, I only had to stop acid reducing meds--not any others. I totally know what you mean about symptoms that can come and go. Some people with wide-open LES valves have no let-up, but those of us with poorly functioning valves can have a variety of symptom severity.

The main thing is this. You know your body. You know what you're feeling. After all is said and done, you need to communicate that to your GI doc. It took me two GI docs and double tests to get to the point that it was decided that something needed to be done. In the meantime, my asthma was so bad and I was on so much steroid medication that I have done damage to my body. Both my family doc and asthma doc were sure that the GERD was causing the problem (I do also have allergy-induced asthma, but that was under control until the GERD started getting so much worse.)

Hang in there. Everyone here will support you through whatever path you take towards recovery.
Take care--glad you're back!
Denise

My GI doc is great. He has made things happen right from the get-go. It was my family doctor that I had issues with, her intern and another intern at her office. I went in once sincerely thinking I was having a heart attack (which isn't too much of a stretch as I had very low potassium once that I had to be hospitalized and given it via IV.) The intern that I saw advised that I walk to the local Shoppers drug mart to use their blood pressure test when I felt like that and said, "you don't want a heart problem". My doctor just keeps upping my meds and sending me home and her intern said there was nothing I could do - that I needed to stop doing what I was doing to get heartburn. I wasn't doing anything and I had already cut out the food that was aggrivating it. I finally complained loud enough.

I usually have pain every day especially at night very badly and have had for over a year & 1/2 (took a year to get in to GI). He knew right away and also thought after asking me questions that I might also have Crohn's which I am waiting to be tested for. I have complained to my doctor about that for over 5 years. My doctor is a nice person but she is very big on mind-body connection and I find relies too much on that. There is only so much you can do to change your lifestyle and environment. I sleep sitting up...lol (and my bed is already raised).
So, my GI jumped on things right away and so far so good, except it is a LONG wait for the tests. Suddenly the last couple of weeks, the symptoms have decreased significantly, except for at night (has happened before though).

Anyhow, on with the tests and I am just eager to get things fixed to the best of their ability so I can start having some energy and a life again....pain free :)

I will look up the motility test but what about it was the worst? All I know is I have a PH test once the results come back. Why so many tests if they already know I have GERD? Is this one way of determining how to fix it?

Cheers

I don't know if they can sedate you without interfering with the swallowing reflex. This is a dreaded test, but a necessary one. It's definitely not a picnic, but many of us have been through it and survived! Honestly, it's mind over matter. You'll have a good nurse/technician assisting who will provide you with relaxation techniques that will make it easier.
You can do this. It's not that horrible.
Denise

Don't worry about the biopsy. If you have celiac or helicobacter it doesn't mean anything about surgery. Most people get a hiatal hernia sometime inlife and never know it, and most don't cause symptoms.

Versed is an amnestic, and muscle relaxant. It does not relieve pain. I want to remember what goes on, have had enough procedures to be afraid of losing control,so I refuse it. They do tell you not to drive, sign anything or make any important decisions after having sedation.

Bravo capsule is normallyplaced without anesthesia or anelgesia. Mine was just pushed down my throat despite my horrible gag reflex. They tried to do it with me sitting up, but I just pushed them away. I was able to barely tolerate the procedure lying down, vomiting all the time. But, as I said, my reflex is the worst imagineable. Even my dentist hates me. Most people tolerate it fine. There isn't much pain unless you have a wide open LES - but that's the acid coming up un-neutralized. I had to do without my acid reducers for 10 days before the procedure, then the two days of the test. I kept reading the meter, and recording the results with times. It kept saying 1.2. Good thing I did! The capsule fell off after 24 hours and they tried to make me do it over!!! It was great to have my own results because they accepted the 24 hour notes. Most capsules take 5 days to a week or more to fall off.

Manometry is the one procedure you can't be sedated for. Anything, the slightest pain killer - there's really no pain - could upset the results of your swallowing test. It's only for a few minutes - normally. Of course, for me, as usual, extra fun. My nose nose passages are so small and bent from multiple breaks that they couldn't get the tube down after 4 tries. Just kept curling up. So, lucky me, I got to have a baby endoscope shoved down my nose, after dilation, and a wire run through that, then the mano tube run over that and the wire pulled out. But they DID get the test done. Good thing too, because of my post-polio status I don't swallow well and needed a partial wrap instead of the full one. Yes, I sat there through the whole thing without sedation or pain meds except for the usual nose numbing. ... crying, but putting up with it because I knew I could die from a twisted stomach stuck up in my chest if I didn't get the operation, and there was no way they would do the op without the testing.

For Bravo and maybe manomtry you should be told to not take most pain meds, all cholesterol meds, and a page list of others. If they don't give you a list, ask about it. some of these things can interfere - supposedly.

If your condition is bad enough to put up with surgery after reading all the posts, then it's bad enough to put up with the tests and not complain. Well, it's fine to be ouching all the time.

Oh, I don't think I have H. polori, I had a blood test and it came back neg., but I understand it isn't always accurate. Celiac disease has also been ruled out.

H pylori is only really tested with the biopsy - the "gold standard." Blood test is only 80% accurate, although if it is + you probably have it bad. It does come in stages. If you never had a problem with severe stomach distress as a child and growing up, it's unlikely you have it, since it's a hereditary disease and sends people to the ER every time they eat a pasta dinner or anything with gluten.

Generally you have a bite block when getting endoscopy. Doc's hand shouldn't be in your mouth. I do all scopes without sedation because I will not risk retrograde amnesia, but I might ask for pain med next colonoscopy, as after fundo I don't want to be straining as hard as I used to. 1 mg Dilaudid IV would do the job, but I'll need Zofran a couple of times for the nausea. I don't want to go home throwing up afterwards!

I was sedated during the Bravo. He did it during my EGD.

Joy

I have right side lower abdominal pain most of the time, diareaha, rashes, mouth sores, weight loss, nausea, loss of appetite, right side hip pain, and my brother has it as well (we are not in contact though). I have an MRI on June 8th of the lower bowel.

Hey there, perhaps your GI physician could start ruling out Crohn's with a Colonoscopy and a SBFT before you would move to an MRI. Biospies are often helpful too and can be obtained during the scope.



You said your brother does not live by you.................Crohn's is not contagious. Hope you get that ruled out as quickly as possible.



Gentle Hugs,



Kitt