Esophageal PH testing and Manometry

Hi, I'm typing with the catheter up my nose for the ph monitoring. I
am in no pain and have experienced very little discomfort.

The manometry was a little trickier. He had to switch from the right
to the left nostril and it was a much thicker tube. The test itself
was fine.
I can't wait for the results. On the machine, for the esophogeal ph
monitoring, I can see different numbers e.g. C>7.0, but I have no idea
what they mean. i have had little heartburn, but have also been
swallowing quite a bit of mucus (darn sinuses). I hope this does not
upset or corrupt the results.
Since going off the meds 3 days ago, I have had few problems. A burp
(of all times in the shower a few days ago) triggered a minor acid
outbreak, but nothing since.
.
So far, my surgeon has already established that I do not have hiatus
hernia problems (manometry).
Interstingly, I feel a mild itch (minor heartburn?) near where the
esophagus would be.
My only fear would be a negative result. What would I then do with the
PPIs? I would definitely need to go to the follow-up endoscopy
regardless of the result and I am strongly inclined to stay off the
PPIs until I can get a clearer indication of what's going on. I feel
so much better without them, although they did stop my initial chest
pains.

Anyway, for those contemplating doing the test, do it. You have
nothing to fear and a lot to gain. Please feel free to comment on
anything I have written.

Post Edited (Christo) : 7/3/2007 5:21:26 AM (GMT-6)

Don't be nervous. The ph test is ok and the tube is not really a huge problem at all. Just make sure you eat normally (that is as you would eat if you were well).
Also have a medium-sized supper before you go bed and make sure your bed is flat rather than elevated. In other words, for this test, you need to reverse the measures you have taken to minimize gerd. You don't want to corrupt the test results.
I was also told to go off the PPIs for 3 days before the test. In my opinion, it wasn't long enough. Give yourself 5 or 6 days if you can.
Good luck, I'm sure you'll be alright.

well im doing the 24 hour study ph manometry on july 12 which is today lol... i had the gastroscopy/EGD done, and they could not find one thing wrong. I do have horrible ACID reflux. no heartburn whatsoever, no chestpain, just the regugitation coming back up on you. when i swallow, it sticks going down. im on nexium, im on zantac, high doses, i was told to take my pills before the manometry actually, just no food before the test. the endoscopy showed absolutely nothing. no abnormailities, no cysts, no polyps, no nothing. he even took a sample of the lining of my espophagus to be sent away for a culture.

i hope they find something with this, well not bad but something. my throat is very hoarse. but then again i have severe asthma and take a steroid inhaler. if i dont i die. im on five inhalers. i am having a nodule on my vocal cord removed in august but it is benign and very very small. but they said that wasnt it. so why is my voice so hoarse? well hopefully this will tell all.... we are hoping. ive had everything shoved down my nose even by the ENT, so this wont bother me at all. i hope this all worked for you. im suprised they told you guys not to take your medicines, because they told me i could take my reflux medicine before the testing because im going to have to at bedtime when i got to sleep. please let me know. lisa :)

It is interesting that a lot of GERD patients are also asthmatic.  I suffer from both also.  As a matter of fact, the only reason I had the lap Nissen and hernia repair was because they thought it would help lessen the asthma attacks.

Carla