I had my endoscopy last Friday - more about
that experience in a minute. They found a small hiatal hernia which seems to be causing the problem. Anyone else have a hiatal hernia and have tips for controlling their reflux? The doc also told me to drop a few pounds which I have been doing anyway. He said it would help take the pressure off the hernia. Has anyone found that losing fifteen or twenty pounds has helped? I've lost 8 and want to lose another 15.
As for the endoscopy . . . I guess, all in all, it wasn't too bad of a test. Unfortunately (or fortunately), I am one of those people who are hard to sedate. I knew it before going in, from past experience, and so was quite nervous. This doc gives you the versed plus something called phentanol (sp?) which keeps you from moving around too much or something. Still didn't put me to sleep. They didn't spray my throat with anything. Though things were fuzzy, I pretty much remember the entire procedure. I remember that I gagged twice, I think when he put the tube in and when he took it out, but it really wasn't that bad. I don't remember much about the test except that it took only a few minutes before the nurse told me we were finished. I was sitting up, talking to the nurse when they took me back to my prep room where my husband was waiting for me. He remarked how everyone else came back to their rooms sound asleep. Not me. I did feel like a had a hangover for a few hours after but was fine by later that afternoon.
What is weird, though, is that ever since I had that test, my GERD doesn't seem to be as bad. I am wondering if he stretched out my esophagus or something in the process so that my LES is lying flatter or something. I don't know anything because this doc really didn't talk much. He didn't really say much before or after except about the hernia and loosing a few. He didn't tell me what he did while in there. I really didn't like him much and won't go back to him. I asked him a few questions that he didn't bother to answer and just told me to keep taking the same meds I am taking now.
Anyway, either just taking the test somehow stretched something out, or perhaps just let me relax about this all. Everything else was normal. No esophagitis or ulcers or anything else. Just a small hernia. Perhaps I am just more calm. knowing that I don't have Barrett's or cancer or anything and that there IS a reason for this GERD. In all, I am glad it's over.
Tummytuck