Injury to lining of Esophagus

Be patience, give it some more time. Remember you had a major injury to your esophagus. I know you're frustrated with this all, but injuries take time to heal.

Hi Debra,

Yes, I did see the dust storm on TV. Wow! It was an amazing thing to watch. I can't believe that the dust penetrates your house like that. It must make a huge mess to clean up after. Sorry you had one more thing to deal with. I would definitely have to wear a mask if a dust storm came near me...my lungs are super sensitive!

I do think you've turned a corner, Debra. Even though you're dealing with a bit of setback because of the Zomig you're taking...you seem to be getting better. Remember I told you that when I was going through something similar, my doctor didn't even want me taking calcium or vitamins? He told me not to take ANYTHING I didn't have to. Actually, after all those problems, I don't take pain medication at all, unless it's absolutely necessary. I tough out headaches and use ice on other pains. Fortunately, I don't have migraines (knock wood), or I'm sure, like you, I'd be treating them. How about the migraine injections you can give yourself? Would that be a way of avoiding irritating your stomach? I have some friends who take that.

Well best wishes for continued improvement! Thanks for sharing your good advice, warning others to avoid lemon juice!

Have a great weekend,
Denise

Hi KindHeart,

You need to calm down, Worrying, Anxiety, Stress will make your symptoms worse trust me I been there.

You need to be logical and unemotional about this, I know its hard. I can’t believe no docs had scoped your Esophagus and stomach already? They need to visually see the damage done before they can fix the problem. Otherwise the docs are basically guessing at this point.

Don’t worry Endoscopy is piece of cake, they knock u out, you won’t feel a thing. I actually felt better when I woke up, good drugs I guess.

My advice, stop worrying keep going to see different doctors till one of them understands the problem.

That’s what I did and I am almost cured. If I stop making progress, I’ll go see another one. whatever it takes.

Just take it day by day… stop worrying…

Hi Denise - I thank God and the Heavens you are there and all the other moderators.

I just showed my husband your comments and teared up when I told him I belong to a compassionate group of people only click away from helping me.

about this 24 hour Bravo where they attach something to my esophagus, does that mean I have to go back in 24 hours to have them go down again and retrieve this capsule or does it just fall off by itself and come out my bottom end for me to retrieve? Sounds silly but I need to know. I sure hate having to go through that horrible exam twice, how awful.

How about the Manometry? I think I read on this site that it can be uncomfortable but I'll have to do what I have to do if that's what I must do.

Do you think it would be okay if they gave me some kind of a sedative to sleep better at night? I'm lying away for hours and shut my brain off about my physical pain, future pain and financial worries.

At least St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center is AETNA IN NETWORK which is very good.

Thanks a million - thanks to the Cheering Section and yes, I will let you know what happens tomorrow morning with the Surgeon. I'm sure it will just be an assessment or evaluation and they'll likely schedule some tests to be done on me.

I just took my Famotidine - 40 mg and will have lunch about Noon. Thanks for letting me know I will still be able to digest my food. I just didn't want my food to rot in my stomach and make me nauseous and vomit.

Thanks!

Debra

Hi Debra,

I'm sure you'll communicate your great discomfort, and the surgeon will decide whether or not to go forward with the endoscopy at this time. I know how you feel. When I was hospitalized with a burned esophagus (really for asthma caused by GERD, but my esophagus and stomach were a mess) I worried in the same way. It is a dreaded procedure for someone who is suffering with esophagitis. Please discuss this with the surgeon tomorrow. They will put you out, so you won't know or feel it. You may indeed have some spasms afterward. Ask the surgeon what you should expect.

The 24 hour PH monitor that I had was wired. I went in to the doctor's office, a small wire was threaded through my nose and down the throat. It was positioned in the esophagus, and could read and record the PH/acid of whatever came up. The wire is attached to a little computer that records everything. It gives a lot of information. I've had 3 so far, and it's really not a huge deal. You get it put in one day, and 24 hours later they pull it out.

The BRAVO is a bit different. It's attached to the esophagus during the endoscopy, and it just falls off on its own and is excreted. You carry a wireless computer with you that records everything. You turn in the computer, and the BRAVO capsule falls out whenever it is ready. And yes, it comes out the "other way"! That amount of time it stays attached varies from person to person. Others here will be able to share more about the BRAVO experience, as I've never had it.

The Manometry is a challenge, but really not that bad. You have a wire threaded through your nose and down your throat/esophagus. You have to swallow a bit of water on command. When I had it, they needed 10 good swallows before it was done. The tricky part is not swallowing when you're not supposed to. You feel the wire going down the throat and naturally want to swallow. If you swallow in between required swallows they have to wait and do that swallow again, so it makes the test longer. It doesn't take that long to complete, but it probably does feel longer than it actually is. Still...it's a critical test, and one that needs to be done.

The Barium Swallow is the easiest. You swallow a chalky "milkshake" type liquid, and they take an x-ray of your swallowing. They can see how you're swallowing, whether or not you have a hiatus hernia, and whether you're refluxing. The liquid is flavored, and isn't bad at all.

Hope that helps!
Denise

Post Edited (dencha) : 7/13/2011 2:27:19 PM (GMT-6)

I did the bravo test. They can put it in while your sedated for the endoscopy. They attach it to your esophagus with a small pin. You wear a monitor for two days and keep a journal of refluxes, eating times, and bedtimes. You also have to push a button when you feel reflux or nausea.
On day two you return the monitor and wait for the capsule to fall off and move on out. You don't have to find it and return it (TG).

The only downside of the pH test is you can't take any PPIs the week before or during the testing. :( It would mess up the testing scores.

You might get fortunate and have a doctor who lets you keep on taking the ppis. My doctor didn't make me stop mine and I still registered high on my test. Talk to him about this.

Good luck.

Denise and all, I went to the Surgeon today. He said it is not right that I have not healed from vomiting the lemon juice in February and that obviously something is wrong. He has ordered several tests. I am now waiting to be scheduled. Yes, he wants to do the Endoscope with BRAVO capsule and YES, I am disappointed to say that he wants me off all the PPI's for 7 days except will let me use the Famotidine, then no Famotidine the night before the test and during the 24 hours, I guess I can use Mylanta, not sure. This is absolutely awful. I could get very sick. If I'm getting this sick even with the PPI's can you imagine how awfully sick I'll get without the PPI's. I just don't know...............where am I headed??? He also wants me to do the swallow test and the Barrium Swallow with CT Scan. He's also having blood work done since my white blood cell count was low the week of my injury. I had my blood work done one week after the injury while I was sick and my white blood cell count was low. I'm thinking it was so low because of the injury. Well he's ordering new blood work to be done. I don't know why my white blood cell was low and I know too low is not good - it means a person is vulnerable to infection and doesn't resist infection well. My lymph glands are not swollen, my gums don't bleed, I haven't had a cold since the injury. Dr. said I'm too thin and don't have good color. He's ordered a Nutritionist to call me and meet with me to go over my diet. He wants to see my gain weight and get stronger. Well, how am I supposed to do that if he takes me off the medicine for 10 days. I just don't know........like I said don't know.

There you go,

Debra

Joy - If I burn and feel bad like I do right now - even now I am sore, hot, swollen, how can I endure for 10 days without the PPI's? At least they will allow me to use Famotidine - 40 MG twice a day. I am thankful I can use the Mylanta or Gaviscon they said. The Doctor said I can't go on like this. He said I was too thin, not good color and assigned a Nutritionist to contact me. He said he needs to get to the bottom of my problem. I'm not responding well to the medication since I am still sick, even today have hot pain. He would not give me a sedative, said he doesn't want me to become addicted to that. He has prescribed a lidocane mouthwash. I hope it is not the same as the GI cocktail I had at the hospital. That stuff numbed me so bad I couldn't swallow. He said I could take the Lidocane mouthwash - I don't know if you swallow it and then eat my food. Do you know about the Lidocane mouthwash?

Thanks,

Debra

Hi Debra,

I am so thankful that you've finally gone to someone who sees the severity of your problem and who is acting aggressively to find out what is going on. Your other doctor did little to improve your condition for months, and you were in great need of a second opinion. I trust that with the tests you'll be having, your doctor will now be able to figure out how to help you.

You aren't the only one who is terrified of going off medications for those tests. It's a common fear and worry. It won't be fun--the worst of it will be the 24 hour PH test (BRAVO) because you won't be able to take Maalox or Tums or anything while that's going on. I don't want to scare you--I'm sure that if your surgeon thought he could do it any other way, he would. He knows you're suffering, but obviously feels (like most doctors) that the only way to get a true reading is off meds.

You'll be able to take the H2 blocker up until a day or two before the test (see if they'll give you extra those days), then you'll be able to take the Maalox up to the day before the test. Then you'll be off them for 2 days, while they measure the reflux that is causing you so much trouble.

It is good that the surgeon is trying to help you get your nutrition straightened around and get some meat back on your bones. A nutritionist should be able to guide you toward foods that are nutritious, yet soothing. I think it's a great idea.

We'll be here to support you through all this, Debra. I know it will be hard, but you won't be alone. You're not the first person to have to suffer this way to find answers to what's going on.

Hang in there, my friend. You will survive this. You will have to be strong, but I have no doubt you're capable of this. We're with you!

((((Hugs))))
Denise

Denise, Nickels, Joy - Just put a scoop of Manuka Honey on my tongue - it is very soothing and I do believe it helps. I just prepared by slippery elm/marshmallow root tea - I use a cheese cloth to strain my herb after they have been cooked over low heat for 20 minutes, then cooled. It is a gelatin type tea, very soothing. I'm feeling better then yesterday.....maybe I'm a slightly higher note today...maybe I'll feel a little better tomorrow and maybe Sunday too. Maybe I'll get better or maybe I'm just hoping very hard I will get better and not need that awful study.

Question: During the 24 hour study when I can't take any antacids, what do I do during the burning? Eat a banana? Eat bread? I'm so worried I'll end up in the hospital on a feeding tube. Even right now I am sore but at least I'm speaking a little and speaking better then 2 weeks ago. Are they allowed to give me any kind of pain medication? Did they give you anything to take the edge off of the pain? I can't believe they'll just let me burn with no antacids either and not give pain medication - what do you know? What if the swelling is so bad and I can't breathe?

Question: Should I delay this study if my pain starts to subside and I feel like I'm turning a corner? My husband says I've been turning corners, going up and down since February. He said I could turn a corner only to go back down again. What do you think? In other words, should I do #1 and #2 test and wait on the others?

Question: During the 24 hour period, why do they say No water in between meals? I thought you weren't suppose to have water during meals. They also say limit meals to 3 per day - I've eating 5 to 6 small meals per day, do you know why they say limit meals 3 per day?

What is the Gastric Emptying Study? Is the another painful test?

Here's the tests he has ordered:

1: Barrium Swallow
2. Blood work
3. EGS with biopsies if necessary and Brave probe
3. CT Scan with IV + PO contract of lungs and belly
4. Barrium Swallow
5. Manometry/swallow function study
6. Gastric Emptying Study


My Mom send me a meditation tape, I started listening to it two days ago. It does calm me. I listened to it this morning too. I'm trying to soothe my nerves - I think I'm developing anxiety, another thing I never had before this horrible injury.

You are my cheering squad and I really appreciate all of you. I send all you my warm hugs and appreciation.

I am so glad you are all there for me! You have no idea how much all of you mean to me right now.

Debra

Hi Joy - Oh no, they want to do the Bravo test together with the Endoscopy...this Gastric Emptying test is the last on his list. I don't know why he needs it, I have not been nauseous, no vomiting and no stomach pain. I thought that was just if you have stomach issues. My issues are just from the chest up to my throat.

So, guess you've had this too.

Thanks Joy,

Debra