Endoscopy tomorrow

[Roselover]

Hi everyone. I'm having an endoscopy tomorrow afternoon. I would appreciate all of your good thoughts and prayers. I am feeling very apprehensive about it. I have talked to the docs office and I will be able to get IV fluids so that is very good. I also told them I couldn't have any numbing angent with epinephrine in it. The nurse aske me why and acted very interested in autonomic disorders and admitted to being unfamiliar with. I'll take some info with me.

I am having great difficulty eating anything. Food often sticks in my throat and my stomach throbs after eating (even with Ensure). I have had numbness on my tongue for quite awhile and I wonder if it is connected. I have also had acid reflux for years ... well enough guessing - I just have to wait to see what the test shows.

Thank you for your support and if anyone has advice on getting through this procedure I'd appreciate it.

~Roselover

[DancingLight]

roselover,

i just wanted to let you know you are in my thoughts...i understand you feeling apprehensive...things always seem so much harder with the POTS factor! i think you have taken care of the most important things though...IV fluids are a must and avoiding the epinephrine. please let us know how youa are doing when you are able. i hope you find some answers also...emily

[Poohbear]

You will be in my thoughts and prayers, both tonight (that you can rest in peace and not be anxious) and tomorrow as you go through the procedure.

I hope you get some answers and effective treatment as a result of the testing.

Please let us know how it goes!!

Hugs!!

[steph37822]

oops

[Ernie]

Hi Roselover,

I will be praying for you and sending your positives vibes. I think that you will do fine because you took all the precautions.

Ernie

[morgan617]

Roselover, I have had about 25 or 30 of these. They are a breeze. You just have a nap and then wake up and go home and sleep some more. The numbing agent doesn't have any epi in it at all, but it does taste weird. Have them spray a lot. The numbness goes away in about an hour or so. I don't even take meds for it anymore. The whole procedure is less than ten minutes. But I would recommend that you do. It's just easier. I will be praying for you and sending good thoughts your way! morgan

[MightyMouse]

As like Morgan, I've had many endoscopies. In fact, I had one last Friday morning. I'm betting you'll do fine, but do let us know when you feel up to writing.

Nina

[Guest tearose]

Good thoughts and prayers going out to you!

I too have had the procedure several times and my fear was worse than the procedure!

You are strong so I think you will do fine and hope you tell us how you are!

best regards, tearose

[corina]

Best wishes to you Roselover! Hope you'll d just fine!!!

Corina

[Roselover]

Thank you so much everyone. You have helped calm my fears. I'll let you know how it goes.

~Roselover

[Jenn202]

Hi roselover - I had an endoscopy last year. If the procedure scares you dont let it..I was terrified to have it done and it was a peice of cake!

It literally took 5 minutes tops and they give yiu versed or something like that and you feel great like You had about 5 drinks.... It was nothing.

I actually have to go back to have a repeat and now will go withouth that apprehension.

Good Luck and I hope all goes smoothly!

[MightyMouse]

So.... How'd it go????? Nina

[tammyokc]

Hope everything went okay today! Let us know when you feel up to it...

[Roselover]

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for your prayers. It went very smoothly. I am home, sleepy and still not able to eat, but the procedure was MUCH easier than I imagined it to be.

They found a few things, I'll post tomorrow cause I can hardly think tonight. They did some biospies and I may have to go back for another one with ultrasound. May also do a barium test. We'll see. For now, I'm starting on Protonix.

Ok, not thinking well, but wanted to thank you ALL! I'll be on the team to encourage the next person that it's not as hard as it sounds.

Bet I'll sleep well tonight!

~Roselover

[Guest tearose]

Roselover, I am glad you are home resting now. Please do tell us what they found and what they want you to do!

Good night!

tearose

[Roselover]

Well, I'm thinking a little better this morning, but I feel like I have been run over by a truck - sore andn exhausted and I still can't eat.

Here's what they found:

Gastritis with slight bleeding

Gastric polyps

Nodule in stomach

They started me on Protonix and have biospied the polyps and nodule. I was told they may find a bacterial infection with the biopsy and then they will treat that too. I am supposed to go back in four weeks to see if the protonix has helped and then I may need another endoscopy with ultrasound to look at the polyps and a barium swallow for delayed gastric emptying.

Four weeks seems to long when I can't eat, but maybe it will improve. This morning I ate a few spoonfuls of baby rice cereal and felt full and even felt reflux right away. Now my stomach hurts. I guess I just need to wait and see what happens.

Thank you all for caring and if anyone has input, I'd be happy to hear it!

~Roselover

[morgan617]

Roselover, make sure you take the protonix on an empty stomach and give it a few days. The reason they wait is there is some bleeding and they did biopsies, which cause more bleeding. So they want things healed up more before they do anything else.

Polyps are usually pretty benign and the nodule probably just from so much irritation. They were probably checking for H pyloi or helicobactor pylori, which is a common inflammation in the gut. My doctor has the answer to that one before I leave. It's a 5 minute test, so not sure why they couldn't tell you yet. It is responsible for a lot of gastric problems. The cure is a month long regimen of pills, pepto bismal and prevacid, which is like protonix and an antibiotic. If you are positive, it is very important to do this protocal, or it will not clear up. It can also return, darn it. I have done it twice. Once it is positive, it will always show a positive result in a blood test, so don't ever let them just check your blood for it. It has to be a biopsy of the gut.

Remember, your stomach didn't get this way over night, so you can't expect it to feel better over night. Be patient and give the protonix a bit to work. What you will probably find, is that a week or so from now, you will discover you are feeling better. It will probably be gradual. My hubs had a gastro that looked awful, he just always thought it was hunger pains, not just plain old pains! About a week and a half after he started his meds, he realized he wasn't having those hunger pains anymore and that he felt much better. You may fine the same thing. I've never had any problems after, like being sore or anything. Hope you feel better soon! morgan

[Roselover]

Thank you so much Morgan! What wonderful information and advice. I have taken in to heart and will hang in there with the Protonix. You're right about the bacteria they were looking for, I just couldn't remember what it was called. I think they were backed and a little behind and trying to get all their appointments done yesterday. Maybe that's why they couldn't tell me right away? Thank you for the bood test info.

Have you ever had diarreaha with the Protonix?

Thank soooooo much for your note!!!

~Roselover

[DancingLight]

Roselover,

Thanks for keeping us updated...

Are you still unable to eat? You would need to ask your doctor...but I got through the 'you can drink these or have a nose drip' (eeeeeeeeekkkkk!) deal with juice boxes from Scientific Health Solutions (www.shs.com). They were 'complete nutrition in a box'...the Pediatric EO28.

I don't know if this helps at all...I just know how hard it is when you can't eat to keep up your strength and not get worse. Not eating can aggravate the POTS even more and it is a vicious cycle!

I am sorry for the yuck you are going through...but somewhat glad that you got some answers to your problems...does that make any sense? I'm a little loopy tonight! Sorry!

Emily

[morgan617]

Roselover, I have not taken protonix, but prevacid. However nexium gave me diarrhea. If it continues, just give them a call and they'll change it for you. There are so many of them out there and so few side effects, but one is diarrhea. My son takes nexium, my hubs aciphex, and me, I take prevacid, so you see there many choices and you will find one that gives you no side effects and heals your tummy. feel better soon, morgan

[Sunfish]

Roselover -

I'm glad everything went as it should...I was hoping & praying for you b/c while I've had many endoscopies without a problem, I actually had one on the 9th & had a wacky rxn to the sedation (or something) & had to be taken to the hospital. I was about to post about it & luckily saw your post first; I was SO glad as I cna only imagine how that could have worried you further!

The frustration of waiting can be quite great; my inability to eat at times this year was helped by Boost Breeze too...it's a juice that's mch easier than regular Boost/Ensure, although not 100% complete like the juice Emily mentioned. Just do your best with food & especially with fluids...

The only good part for you with the waiting - however frustrating - is that you'll be able to tell how each individual thing is helping, i.e the protonix. That can get negated when multiple changes/discoveries are made at once.

My recent scope showed my tummy still full of food even though I hadn't eaten in over 12 hours, but my protonix has been doing its trick as my reflux was improved greatly since December. That's the anti-acid med that's worked best for me so perhaps it will for you too...I haven't had diarrhea but I have significantly slow motility from top to bottom so probably wouldn't notice a small change. I know with some meds that's symptom that can last a few days & then subside, but especially work on your hydration in the meantime.

But I'm playing the waiting game too b/c I'm waiting for biopsy results & won't get them until my appointment on the 29th; my biopsies are small intestine for celiac disease b/c I've had positive blood tests for the antibodies. So we'll have to wait wait wait together.

Hang in there & let us know when you find out.

:-)melissa

[Roselover]

Sunfish and Emily,

Thanks for the juice info. I'm getting weaker with not eating and starting to lose weight. That's OK for now as I need to lose 10 lbs, but not eating isn't the best way to do this. And I'm getting weak...oh I already said that... not thinking too well either I guess.

Sunfish - I'm kinda glad you hadn't posted about your reaction to the sedation too, although I've had a lot of anesthesia and do OK, but I always know as I am going under that there's a possibility that this time won't be OK. It's always nice to wake up and find that everything went OK with it.

Again, thank you for your advice and support.

~Roselover

[steph37822]

oops

[Sunfish]

Roselover -

I can totally empathize with the weight loss but not the right way. When I started losing during/after my hospital stay the first 10lbs or so were okay for me as I'd never shed extra weight I'd gained after my spine surgery a year and a half ago. But even though the lesser number on the scale was okay, I knew - as did my body & the way it felt - that it wasn't the right way to be losing it & thus I still felt horrible. Unfortunately I had to initially argue with docs to make them acknowledge the same thing.

Re: the juice diet Steph mentioned, the idea of ensuring you drink a certain amount every half hour is a GREAT ideal; when your body is rebelling against food & even liquids, it is SO easy to not get enough in, which as we all know then makes things even worse.

In terms of what liquids to drink, I definitely used some regular juices, gatorade, etc. too, but the Boost Breeze was good as it also has protein in it....something that normal clear liquids do not. FYI, I was able to find it at both my local Walgreens & RiteAid; it's harder to find than the regular Boost/Ensure drinks & a bit more expensive as there are not store brands or competition as of yet for it. Still, it kept me out of the hospital & off a feeding tube at times so I was thankful for it.

I also want to second the baby food recommendation. I was able to do it too at times & particularly when I couldn't manage to make my own food, couldn't tolerate much, & mom wasn't in town it helped. In particular I would recommend a drink that Gerber makes - a sort of thin smoothie deemed a "juice & yogurt blend." The packaging was great for me b/c of the small size.

One other recommendation that I was able to tolerate before I could tolerate the regular Boosts/Ensures, and that I continued to appreciate for variety-sake, is Snapple One-A-Day drinks. They're a think smoothie consistency & have a comperable nutritional profile to Boosts/Ensures minus the fat (probably why I could tolerate them more readily). They come in several flavors but be cautious of the low-carb version...they don't have near the nutritional content and have lots of artificial filler but are packaged very similarly.

Hang in there & take care of yourself the best you can.

:-)melissa