ph probe

just a quick post about ph probe (ta tks and me ) for some info about it experiences... i am costafied atm so experiences arre wanted ...thanks

katie xxxxx

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hey,

I know I've told you already but I'll go into a bit more detail. Its a small narrow wire (smaller than a nasal gastric tube) thats past down your nose and sits above your stomach. Its attached to a little monitor in a bag (about the same size as a sub cut infusion). You have to write down what you eat and drink and also when your moving around as its usually done at night as reflux commonly occurs when your lay down, I had mine for about 18 hrs. Once its down you can't feel it and its not as noticeable when you swallow as an NG tube. Mine was passed by a lung function technician and they removed it in the morning and checked the results. If you suffer from acid reflux or heart burn it can spray your lungs with acid, damage them and cause asthma symptoms. Most consultants now put people that are on long term steroids on some sort of treatment for acid reflux if they have it or not. A hiatus hernia was seen on my CT scan which can indicate acid reflux, my PH study was negative yet I was put on treatment anyway.

Anymore questions please ask,

Tks xxx

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I found it made me feel quite sick... it wasn't exactly comfortable but as Tks says it's not as bad as an NG tube. You are supposed to try and eat as normally as possible while it's down (although they do say no acidic fizzy drinks) and I found it quite difficult to eat normally.

Mine was essentially normal (was on treatment - lansoprazole - at the time), no reflux noted, but I do get reflux symptoms and for that reason I was left on treatment.

As well as the reflux potentially making the asthma worse, some of the drugs used in asthma (theophylline in particular) can open up the valve between the oesophagus and the stomach in the same way as they open up the airways, predisposing one to reflux. So it's a bit of a vicious circle. Drugs like lansoprazole don't actually prevent reflux, but they make the stomach contents less acidic to reduce the damage that the reflux does.

Hope this helps

Em H

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thanks for that its helped .. did you have it at RBH? if so did they make you stay in becasue y sed it was for 18hrs or so??

thanks gor the info sounds erm .. like what i ave always been waitn for!!

katie xx

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Katie i had mine at rbh as part of week of tests. i managed with some difficulty to eat and drink although easier than ng tube. My results showed despite being on max ppi's eosmeprozole 40mg my acidity level was constantly 0.3 i according to menzes gow achieved worst ever results!! i am now awaiting op on stonmach acid has damaged heart, lungs nose and throat. MG says will have to have tests redone after op to say how bad asthma is as the acid is skewing how i feel. They dont let u home as far as i know as they like to keep eye on your food and drink and take out meter first thing in morning.

hope u get some results that help ur diagnosis.

Lou

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Hey,

I had mine done at RBH as well during a few weeks of tests. If you live in the local area you will be ok to go home with it. There was someone there in lung function whilst I was there who lived in the local area and she was waiting to have hers taken out having spent the night at home.

Tks xxx

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thanks for the replies... i live in south london so i am not sure hat they will do with me!!

dosnt sound like much fun but if it helps then fine.. hope all are well

katie xx

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just found out that cud have to have this done self but only go in to have it in and out then home inbetween