Manometry Study

After suffering major anxiety over the manometry study, I finally had it this morning. I wanted to share the experience openly and honestly for those who may be stressed out over it. I had it done at Methodist hospital in Houston. The first thing they do is numb one of your nostrils with a gel on a long q-tip -- it burns a little but not so bad. Then they spray the throat with numbing medication. This tastes awful but is not uncomfortable. After a couple of minutes your entire mouth feels numb and swollen although there really is no swelling. You take a couple of small sips of water to make sure you actually can swallow. Feels very weird but not painful. Then they insert a long thin tube into the numbed nostril while you take small sips of water to help the tube along your esophagus and into the stomach. This was the worst part -- not really painful but definitely uncomfortable. I gagged a little, my eyes and nose ran profusely (dont be embarassed, the nurse has seen it before). Once the tube is in place they have you sip a teaspoon of water every thirty seconds (the nurse gives it to you thru a plastic syringe) while they record the info on a computer. You are sitting on the table alert during the entire procedure. This goes on for about 20 minutes  and then it's over. So, was it painful? No. Uncomfortable? Defintely. I left the hospital and went straight to work with no ill effects. Ladies, do not wear mascara or eyeliner when you have this done because it will run. Results should take about ten days then Doc and I will decide how to proceed surgically.

BTW, I have a hiatal hernia and have been diagnosed with esophagitis. Have suffered chronic heartburn for nearly four years and am allergic to all of the proton pump inhibitors.

 

I am glad the study was doable for you. I was scared to have it done and unfortunately I was right to be afraid. I went to have the manometry study last week, but was unable to complete it.  I am allergic to lidocaine so they tried to do it without.  It was extremely painful for me ( I have fibromyalgia so everything is painful). The poor nurse couldn't get the tube past my throat because I kept gagging and throwing up bile and then had an asthma attack. I was put on oxygen and took my inhaler and after awhile the asthma calmed down.  Ever since my Gerd has been worse.  I am not sure if it's from throwing up so much or because I had to fast for the test which threw off my system. But my experience was not the norm according to the nurse and doctor.  Maybe if I had the lidocaine to numb me I could have done it.

 My doctors are pushing for the fundoplication surgery because I am allergic to all of the gerd meds except for omeprazole which only works partially ( I am on 40 mg twice a day).  I don't want to do another surgery.  I had my gall bladder out last fall and it was an awful experience.  I cannot take pain medicine due to allergies.  All I had was in the recovery room which was fentanyl and it took 15 doses before it started working and they weren't sure if I was going to make it through.  After that I had no pain medicine. It took a week before I was even able to walk on my own. So I am in no hurry to do another surgery unless it is life or death.

Is there an alternative to the manometry study?  Or even the fundoplication surgery?

i should remind myself not to try to post anything that makes sense at bedtime. The Bravo replaces the pH monitoring , but not the manometry. Manometry is testing the swallowing and not the amount of acid being refluxed. Sorry about that. I don't think there is another way to get the readings they need.

Peggy

Thanks Peggy. My doctors want me to do the ph test too, but I said I would see how I did with this one first.  Hopefully I can do the Bravo test instead of the ph test at least.

PH Fan, I didn't have to stop taking my PPI before the test.  I know that if you take medicines that control the movement of your stomach you are supposed to not take for the 3 days prior to the test.