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BRAVO test gone bad ?

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Posted 5/11/2011 11:49 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Everyone,

I had my bravo test today morning at 630 am at kaiser in LA, CA.    When i came  back home and took few bites of something to eat, i started to sweat profusely all over.  With every bite, there was slight pain in the chest.  I again tried after 3 hours, sweated again and vomited.   Called the doctor and he asked he come  back again.

He explained that this is a rare side affect.  Gave me CARAFATE syrup  and LORAZEPAM for anxiety.   Told me that he can also remove the capsule but it can leave a ulcer since he will have to ripoff the capsule.   That did not sound good, and i decided the continue with medications.   He said the symptoms will go away once the capsule drops off in about 5 days.

Please let me know and post your comments, if i need to know something which will help me

Thanks

Posted 5/12/2011 12:26 AM (GMT 0)
It can drop off tomorrow, or stay on 2 weeks. It depends how much tissue was grabbed by the little pin. It still has to rip through the esophagus tissue to come loose. I'd have had him take it out. I couldn't eat anything with mine, lost 10 lbs and it only stayed on 24 hours. I was going to go to the ER and have it removed when it suddenly stopped hurting and the pH readings jumped from 1 to 8 (pH of small intestine). But most people seem not to have a problem.

To keep from having to have it again, keep a record of the readings every hour. Write down the pH readings on the little belt clip.
Posted 5/12/2011 1:58 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Raj2011,
Welcome to Healing Well! I am sad to say I can't give you any help with this problem, as I always had a wired 24hr probe, rather than the BRAVO. I'm very sorry to hear that you are having so much trouble.

Alcie, who had the BRAVO, has certainly offered some good advice. Hopefully others will stop by soon to offer additional ideas and support.

Hang in there!
Denise
Posted 5/12/2011 5:27 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Denise,

Thanks for your reply.   I am much better today, able to eat with some pain while swallowing, but i think will go away when the capsule drops.

In the endoscopy report, the doctor reported mild esophagitis found at SCJ, at 38 am.  BRAVO capsule placed at 32 cm.  Would there be a reason why the capsule was placed higher.

I keep checking my monitor and varies between 4 and 7.6 during the day.   Got up in the middle of night and it was 2 something...but no heartburn.....

Can u tell what all does this mean.   I will also ask the doctor when i return the monitor tomorrow

Thanks !

Posted 5/12/2011 6:04 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Raj, I too had the same experience you are with the capsule causing chest/throat pain even when I swallowed saliva. It was so bad I thought I'd pass out and it was so annoying that I couldn't make it go away. Mine did fall off at about 5 days and everything was fine afterwards..just wait it out and try and stay calm. Anxiety definitely worsens the pain. The higher the number the less acidic the environment is and the lower it is the more acidic..could be because you were lying down and gravity pulled acid to that spot. Mine was inconclusive because I couldnt stop antacids through the test.
Posted 5/12/2011 7:23 PM (GMT 0)
2 means there was acid in your throat at that time. That could even be what woke you up. You don't always feel acid reflux, but that could be what caused your esophagitis. A lot of people get it at night when they are lying down if the sphincter isn't closing properly. Try lying down after eating before you turn in the meter.

I assume you are writing down what you eat and drink, make note for yourself what the meter says then too. Make a copy of everything for your records. If I hadn't done that I would have had to have it done again because my records were thrown out when the capsule didn't stay on long enough. My surgeon believed me!
Posted 5/13/2011 4:25 AM (GMT 0)
Today is the 2nd day of bravo and every bite of food produces a pain in the chest. The doctor says that if i have him remove it, it can cause a ulcer - Better to wait and let it fall it itself. Is that right ?
Posted 5/13/2011 9:08 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, better to wait. Can you drink protein drinks?
Posted 5/13/2011 11:05 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, does that help speed up removal of the capsule ?
Raj
Posted 5/13/2011 11:43 PM (GMT 0)
Really sorry to hear about your trouble. Sounds scary. I might have to have the BRAVO, but am now rethinking that and will probably do the 24 hour wire monitor again.

Hope you are feeling better soon.
Posted 5/14/2011 12:52 AM (GMT 0)
No, but it will cut the pain will you wait for it to fall off. Mine fell off about day five.

I'm surprised people have been complaining about the BRAVO so much. The only trouble I had was feeling a slight pulling sensation when I turned my head far to the sides. It never hurt me.
I'm wondering if the doctors who are putting them in are catching too much skin or hitting nerves? I'd think I'd ask the doctor doing it how many had he put in before and had anyone ever complained about them?
Posted 5/14/2011 4:36 PM (GMT 0)
This is the only doctor who does this procedure to kaiser in sunset. Supposed to be very experienced. He says, about 10% of his patients experience this same issue, which is a big number to me. He says to have done over 1000's since he is the only 1 to do this in this dept

Today is day 4 for me, let see when this falls off. If he has put too much skin into it......it might even take longer than 5-7days ? What suprises me most is that if something wrong, like my case, there is no safe way of taking this capsule out without leaving an ulcer ??
Posted 5/14/2011 5:22 PM (GMT 0)
I am so glad I came across this. I had a ph capsule placed Wed the 11th. It hurts so bad..I have nausea, burning sinuses, a burning head ache. I had that before the capsule placement but now its worse. I feel like I sucked water up my nose. It hurts to eat sleep and drink. My ears even burn. I am so sick. My stomach and esophagus are healed now I am scared that it will damage it again. I cant take any ppi's or histimine blockers....they cause chest pain and severe stomach burning. I cant believe my ctomach healed on its own. I dont understand. I feel so bad for you also let me know how u r doing. i can give no advice because this is new for me also!!!
Posted 5/14/2011 5:49 PM (GMT 0)
Ariona - sorry to hear your story. I hope the best for both of us ! I will update if i get to know when mine drops - i am hoping the swalling pain should go away and that will tell me its down
Raj
Posted 5/14/2011 9:20 PM (GMT 0)
Hi All,
It's very interesting to read these conversations, as I always have had a wired probe for my PH monitor, and was often given the impression that the BRAVO was much more comfortable. From what I'm reading, it doesn't sound as if it is. At least the wired monitor is just in for the 24 hours then removed.
I hope that your capsules pop off very soon, and you feel better!
Denise
Posted 5/15/2011 2:35 AM (GMT 0)
You can go to the ER and have the thing removed if it's not tolerable. As soon as the 48 hours are over and the belt clip turns itself off you can start taking your acid reducers again.

I have an extreme gag reflex, so I would not have tolerated a 24 hour wired probe. It was bad enough having the tube for an hour measuring swallowing pressures.
Posted 5/15/2011 2:42 AM (GMT 0)
But if it have removed by ER, won't it cause a ulcer ? That's what my doctor told me
Raj
Posted 5/15/2011 3:21 AM (GMT 0)
If it were me I would wait it out Raj, the uncomfortable feeling from swallowing is because your esophagus is constricting and pressing up against where they placed the capsule..almost like getting a pill stuck in your throat. It's annoying but it does fall off. I also contemplated having it removed but on day 5 I woke up and the feeling was gone. I did try to eat more solid things like bread and crackers to help pull it off quicker.
Posted 5/15/2011 3:27 AM (GMT 0)
Raj
I had the Bravo PH test b4 my surgery and the only issue I had was that when I ate I could feel where the capsule was and it was a scratchy feeling when I swallowed. I ate soft food and drank a lot when I was in process of the study, It left about day 5 or 6 and I still had no appetite, I lost some weight between the time I had the study done and when I had surgery, it didn't hurt though. I am now 6 weeks post surgery and I am feeling hungry again.. so it was nothing permanent.
Good luck....
Sandi
Posted 5/15/2011 3:29 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for that suggestion, tomorrow is my 5th day, so i will keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best. For me, its a sharp pain on swallowing, and not just uncomfortable feeling.
Raj
Posted 5/15/2011 1:55 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck, Raj! Hope it falls off in a flash.
Denise
Posted 5/16/2011 6:13 PM (GMT 0)
This is the email conversation i had with my doctor today :
-----------------------------
Usually we wait at least 10 days and do a chest X-ray to see if the capsule is still there. After the capsule falls off, it will leave a small ulcer behind, which takes about 2 weeks to heal so most of the time, X-ray is not necessary.
Dr. xxx


Hello Dr xxx,

I wanted to give u an update - I am taking the syrup 1 hr before meals, and the pill in the night, sleeping well with that. Today is the 6th day after BRAVO. Swallowing pain in the chest is sill there, it is sometimes extremely sharp depending upon what I eat.

Can u please tell by when i can expect the capsule to fall off ?

Thank you
Posted 5/16/2011 6:42 PM (GMT 0)
That's nice. That makes u feel real good as u try and heal u will have another ulcer to heal. I am on day m still there. It stinks. I just healed my erosion. Now I will get to do it again. Yay. Not!!!try and feel better. Let me know if u just want to talk. I was thinking the pain might be from the vagus nerve that runs down your esophagus in to your stomach. I wish doctors acted more caring. Feel better soon and I hope it pops off in a hurry.
Posted 5/16/2011 6:45 PM (GMT 0)
I am not on day m...I am on day 5. Lol
Posted 5/17/2011 4:54 PM (GMT 0)
Day 7, and still waiting. What a nasty surprise this BRAVO test turned out to be. I wish the doctors would be more upfront on the possible consequences on this test..... And they were not
Raj
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