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Who here has done the PH probe?

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GERD & Acid Reflux
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Posted 10/27/2006 5:26 AM (GMT 0)
I am new to this site, but I was wondering how bad is it if all my results were 4 times as worse than the normal numbers. Is that really bad?

I am trying to get the test results from my Doc and then I will post them on here and ask again later. I have been off medicine since April because the medicine I was taking was to hard to remember. I had to take a pill 30 minutes before I ate. That came way to tricky. Is there any medicine where I can just take when I get up and go to sleep or something?
Posted 11/2/2006 2:07 AM (GMT 0)
Are you refering to the 24hr ph monitoring test?

If so, I had it done and what the surgeon told me was that the test showed that I had reflux, but not enough to warrant surgery and to continue with the medication.

All the doctors I have seen tell me to take the medication once a day in the morning. I take it immediately when I get up and then wait 30mins before I have breakfast. Sometimes I also take reglan or domperidone and those I take just before I eat.

My experience with this is that you quickly remember to take the medication because without it the symptoms return. That is enough to remind me!

Posted 11/21/2006 8:54 PM (GMT 0)
I had the 24 hour monitoring for reflux. I hated it. I thought even though the wire (or what ever it was) was tiny it still was uncomfortable. But wait til you have the test with the big NG tube..........YIKES its worse but at least you aren't wearing it for 24 hours!
Posted 11/23/2006 6:37 PM (GMT 0)
I'm taking Aciphex 40 mg once a day and it works great.  With Aciphex it doesn't matter when you take it as long as it's once a day.  I actually take it after I eat dinner so that I can sleep good and 24 hours later my reflux tells me it's time to take it again, so I don't forget. 

Posted 12/8/2006 11:45 PM (GMT 0)
What is this 24 hour, wire down your nose test? I am to have this test and would like to look it up on the net--what is it called? I guess I can probably find a link here by search on healing well once I know what it's called--thanks.
Posted 12/12/2006 8:15 AM (GMT 0)
I have had the 24-hour ph-test. I won't lie and say it was easy, but the worst part is that it attracts lots of attention. I had been advised ahead of time to not go to work, but I went to school anyway. My principal took one look at me and hid me in the conference room all day. Afterwards, I tried to go about my normal life but was concious of the stares I got with a tube sticking out of my nose. A good lesson learned out of it was that I could get rid of the deformity after one day, but some people live with permanent problems for their entire lives. It was quite the humbeling experience.
Posted 12/13/2006 12:22 AM (GMT 0)

I just had the Ph probe test (it's called a Bravo meter, at least the one I had was) and I didn't have anything coming out of my nose.  My GI told me they didn't do it that way anymore but,  I suppose some MD's are still old fashioned.  They clipped the probe onto my esophagus and then it detached by itself after a week and I passed it in my stool.  I didn't even notice when that happened.  The only discomfort I felt was mostly the first day, you could feel your food hitting it on the way down.  I just had to try and chew my food really good.  I had a meter that showed my Ph level and I had different buttons to push depending on what I felt.  I had a heartburn button, a regurgitation button, and a chest pain button.  I could see right on the meter when my Ph went down.  If I drank something acidic like soda, it went down to about 3 or 4.  The normal stayed at about 7 or 8.  I had quite a few moments when I pushed the buttons but, according to this test, you have to reflux for 5 minutes straight for it to be considered an issue.  So, despite the fact that I clearly regurgitated and had the heartburn etc, they considered my test normal which was a disappointment since I had been in the emergency room with the worst GERD attack I have ever had before having the test.  Luckily, my Donnatal syrup helps when I feel that chest pain now. 

Posted 12/13/2006 4:01 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, I had the bravo test too and a biospy was taken also. The biospy was benign but I do have borderline reflux.  My main symptom is a very sore throat.  It comes and goes.  I also lose my voice at times and have a bad taste in my mouth.  I have tried not to eat at night, not to drink to much caffeine and to lose weight to help myself.    
Posted 12/16/2006 11:03 PM (GMT 0)
I will have to also get PH testing done. My barium swallow results show that I have "vigorous reflux," though, according to the endoscopy, my esophagus is normal. The PH test is supposed to make things more clear about where my reflux is at...They don't use the bravo (or brava?) way here. I have to have a tube out of my mouth so I won't work that day.

I have a constant lump in my throat and I'm tired of this...(sigh)...
Posted 12/17/2006 2:35 PM (GMT 0)
I had the PH testing done before Thanksgiving. They do not use the Bravo style here. It was one of the most awful tests I've ever had. I would not recommend this test unless your reflux is so bad that nothing is working or if you think there are motility issues. I ended up having moderate reflux. It was nice to know the severity of the disease but looking back I don't think knowing that was worth going through this awful test. I'm not trying to scare anyone but instead wanted to be honest about it. I'm not normally negative about things but this test is tough. My doctor told me at first it was simply uncomfortable. Well it was extremely uncomfortable. The tube going down both times hurt my nose so much it made me cry. The feeling in the throat was almost unbearable. They give you numbing cream and spray but for me it did not work. I complained about the test to my doctor and he said out of 300 reflux patients he sees a month he only sends about 2. He avoids it because of how uncomfortable it is. Too bad he didn't tell me that before I had it! All the people who are involved, the nurses, ec. try to downplay it until you are in there. Then they all admit how unfriendly the wire is. The only reason my doctor sent me was because no meds were working and they wanted to be sure the mucous and feeing in my throat was indeed from reflux.

For those who are in really bad shape this test is very helpful but I think most people don't need it. Of course this is only my opinion and people should listen to their doctor.
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