I am going for my Gastroscopy tomorrow YIKES... I said that I would just have the spray & brave it out.... However, my brave has wavered over the last week lol... Double YIKES... I am wondering about this, plus the fact that the Gastro guy was pretty dismissive of me when I went in... I am sure he saw someone overweight & made judgements through prejudice or maybe, worryingly, ignorance!! I explained that this year I had seen a Endo for the first time in nearly a decade of taking Levo T4 & the saga about being on T3 a few months then having to get heavy over the fact the Endo wanted to only carry on giving out 20mcg of T3 for people that were fabulously well on it... Personally, I have seen a slight improvement, but I have tackled HRT and B12 vit D & ferritin, folate issues too... I felt the Gastro guy just wanted to blame everything about a possible absorption problem onto any other illness I have.. However, he conceded to give me a Gastroscopy and biopsy... What can I expect of the procedure itself? Should I have gone for sedation... Plus, after what do I need to thrash out with him?? He stated that to have an absorption problem I would have non stop runs and also be as thin as a rake!!
Any thoughts shared on any of this appreciated... x
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scorpiojo
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Hi Scorpiojo. I've had a gastroscopy both with and without sedation...I preferred it without (the groggy four hours before driving put me off the sedation). And I like to be fully aware of what's going on.
The gastro who did it was very good and very quick (but thorough). The tube slid down quickly (bit of local spray to the back of the throat) and once in, it felt very strange, but not painful or too uncomfortable.
They sometimes pump a bit of air to inflate the stomach so they can see. Once, lots came out...burp burp burp....and the next time virtually nothing. It tugged a bit when they did the biopsies but very quick and not painful.
And the best bit...I was able to watch on the screen (something I would have struggled with if sedated).
You can make your mind up what to do on the day. If you feel really anxious, have the sedation...it won't hurt and you'll have a good laughy half hour or so....and probably a nice little snooze afterwards. Then a cup of tea...if they're kind.
I found that a different gastrologist did the endoscopy so you may not see your original consultant.
Before - ask them to also test you for heliobactor pylori (should be able to give you the results of that before you go). They should also give you a written report of what they found, and go through it with you. Ask if there was any visible evidence of gastric atrophy, ulcers, gastritis, duodenitis, inflammation, granulation etc.
The biopsies will be sent off to the lab so ask if they will send you a copy of the report.
And specifically ask to see your original consultant for a follow-up to discuss the results - there seems to be a trend of referring people to the 'paper clinic' for follow-up. If they do is, all you'll get is a letter and I bet you'd much rather discuss this in person 😀.
And if you don't have the sedation, just imagine you're somewhere nice doing something good (mine's a white tropical beach with an ice cold G & T).
And really, don't worry..it's not so bad at all and much better than the thought of it.
Hope all goes well....👍
P.s. Not sure I believe what he said about the absorption problem - but I could be wrong.
I'm hoping someone scuppers the"You have to be thin and crapping yourself" theory lol.. I thought differently about absorption... Thanks re which way to have it... I am concerned about the gagging bit ... I guess if I mouth burp, ok but if it comes out the other end I'd start worrying 😊... I have screen shotted the bits to ask them... So again thanks... X
I can scupper that theory. I had metaplastic gastric atrophy which caused my absorption problems and I was, at the time, 12 kilos (about 2 stone) heavier than I am now - and I'm only just below the 'obese' ranking for the (notoriously biased) BMI scale now.
I've had four gastroscopies so far. Three of them were fine, one was a bit of a bummer.
That was when they were trying to find out just how widespread the NETs were. It involved 30 biopsy samples with new machinery that they weren't used to. They were down there for 30 minutes.
My last one, two weeks ago, was a breeze. Only four biopsy samples and all over in less than 10 minutes. I used some relaxation techniques during it and almost fell asleep.
You don't feel anything when the biopsy samples are taken. Indeed, I felt nothing when they removed the benign polyp they found.
Being able to watch it on the screen helps. I found it so interesting it took my mind off the whole thing. Unfortunately I could only do that for the first two. Their new suite doesn't have a monitor visible to the patient
You iz so ard lol... Thanks for the reassuring bit... It's at 8.15 am... I'm trying to bribe myself into an Egg nog coffee at Starbucks after, if I'm a brave girl x
As you have written to the PA forum, am I right in thinking that you have PA? If so, and, and if Foggyme is correct, you will have a "laughy half hour" , it sounds as if the sedation is laughing gas , or nitrous oxide . This is known to cause malabsorption of Vitamin B12 , which you wouldn't want to happen . Best of luck for tomorrow .
well Fb if I stay brave.. I really want to be out of there pdq but the choking people talk about worries me, as I'm not great with a tongue scraper if I mess with them... This time tomorrow it'll be over... Deep breaths 😁
I don't normally have a big problem with choking on things but for all 3 of my endoscopies I had really bad issues with gagging on the scope for the entire duration of the procedure despite the spray (and associated very sore throat for several days afterwards). Next time I will for sure ask for something more. Don't want to scare you but YMMV! In any case, good luck
I have had 2 of these Gastoscopes in the past few years.
1st one with the throat spray, although I had booked sedation with the lovely nurse on the phone. When I arrived for my App, a lady that worked in that part of the hospital,- not a nurse- persuaded me to ' just go for it', over in 5 mins, Etc, etc.
I did, but decided, for me, No, never again.
As you appreciate, everyone is different, everyone has different levels of what they find bearable/ unbearable.
There was no Pain whatsoever with the procedure. I met the non medical person on my way back from the treatment room. I had to ask her " Hi again L......, Can I just ask you, Did you every have that procedure done" Err, no N.....
" No, I thought that "
I have since found out that this person has to wheel your bed from the procedure room to the recovery room and probably has to change the sheets etc.
Duh... She is getting paid after all.
2nd procedure was so different and as I say, throat spray alone is not for me.
Obviously the decision lies entirely with you, the person going through this procedure.
In the morning, when you get to your App, remember that it is up to you what you what. The nurse puts a little butterfly in your hand and the gastroenterologist can give as much or as little sedation that they feel you need.
All in all, with my 2nd procedure, I was up and going within the hour.
Incidentally, my sister, who lives in Italy has has many Gastoscopes and they are always carried out with sedation and she never suffers any discomfort whatsoever 👍
To sum up Scorpio, feel free to have sedation if that is what you decide in the morning.
Probably by now you will have had your procedure and like me, realised it wasn`t that bad. I had the sedation as well as the throat spray as my husband was able to drive me home. I don`t drive anyway, but I was not that woozy afterwards tbh.
It was explained to me, by the nurse, that with sedation you are concious during the gastroscopy, but you immediately forget it. It sounds odd but perhaps the anaesthetic affects the short term memory for the event. In any case, I never felt a thing, and woke up quite refreshed.
As to my findings... not an awful lot of help. No clue as to the state of my stomach acid, in spite of my asking beforehand. Maybe you will have better luck.
Good luck, hope all goes well and you get some sensible answers.
Go for sedation. Procedure not pleasant but necessary and sedation helps. Hate the spray inside throat makes you feel sick for a while but again necessary and helps. Good luck.
Well I went... I did just have the spray... It’s not the nicest thing I have ever had done... Lots and lots of gagging, and I think if I were to do it again I would have sedation, if it meant you were not aware of all the burping noises etc lol .... I tried to think that at least it wasn’t the other end.... The long and short is I have a hiatus hernia...Hplyori waiting results on and 4 biopsies taken... I have Duodentis and hernia is about 5cm... Awaiting result of the bits taken and appt...
I do have a slight tummy ache which I hope goes...But alive... Thanks all for help and pep talk... They gave me Ranitidine 150mg 2x daily as it’s not supposed to react and strip B 12... Any thoughts welcome... I am sure I have had this tablet before for something, and am not sure if I had issues with it... As I normally remember anything I get on with so this tablet I clearly didn’t like.... xx
You're right about it being better than the other end. They pump air in then as well, with the inevitable result.
Ranitidine (original commercial name Zantac) will reduce the production of hydrochloric acid by Gastric Parietal Cells, which will adversely effect the release of B12 bound to food proteins, but your supplements will bypass that problem.
The hernia is caused by a weakness in the diaphragm that allows part of the stomach to pop through. It's fairly common (about one-third of over-50s have one) but normally symptom-free. The most common symptom is GORD - Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease - where stomach acid can rise up into the oesophagus, irritating it. Does that sound familiar?
That's what the Zantac is for - it stops the stomach producing acid. So it just treats the symptoms of GORD plus it helps fix the duodenitis - assuming that it's due to high acid. It could also be caused by some other things - including Helicobacter pylori infection.
I would hope that the Zantac is a temporary thing while the H. pylori test results are awaited.
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