Endoscopy

[Michelle Sawicki]

Hi everyone,

I may be having my first endoscopy soon and wanted to know how the rest of you faired with it in regards to POTS? Did the anesthesia affect your symptoms one way or the other? I've been put under completely and had bradycardia, but I know the twilight sleep they use for endoscopies is a bit different. Did you have to take any precautions?

Thanks for any info,

Michelle

[Lukkychrm42]

I'm having one soon, too, together with a colonoscopy, and I'll let you know how it goes. The only time I've been 'put under' recently was 1.5 years ago for my wisdom teeth, and it was fine.

Good luck!

[taylortotmom]

I tend to have worse sxs with the "twilight" than when completely under. I can remember being very sick following my colonoscopies,etc. several years ago. This was before what I know now- I should have requested more fluid and better pain medicines. In addition, I should have requested something to help with the nauseau AFTER the procedure. Live and learn! Good luck, Michelle!

[dizzygirl]

Hi I had an endoscopy done a few months back.. and they used caution b/c I told them that my BP like to nose dive.. sometime a delayed drop too).. Um the only problems that i had.. is after the proceddure my Pulse OX was quite low..(79-80).. and so i'm told--I was forgetting to breath...

the neds can make you feel spaced out afterwards for abit--they made me feel more spacey then usual.. Um Oh yes..b/c of my pots and stuff they only used half the dose of demerol then they would normally used.. I think that that may have saved me from a BP crash.. and they ran fluids thru as well.. you can talk to your doc and tell "him" to give you extra fluids and oxygen even after the test is over.. while you are in recovery.. and that you dont want to be sprung loose till YOU feel stable enough to leave

I'm going for a colonoscopy tuesday (next week) i will let you know how it goes.. hopefully no surprise potsy things going on!!

[morgan617]

Michelle, I've had 6 colonoscopies and I get my esophagus dilated every three months. I am in fact getting it done Wednesday. I have never had a problem.

He used to give me tons of sedative, but now I pretty much stay awake for it. I would NOT recommend that on your first go, but it's a very simple procedure. Get it done first thing in the morning, so you don't have to go without fluids so long.

If you are talking colonoscopy, I do a liquid diet for 2 days before, so the prep is much easier. The prep is worse than the test for me. If you do nulytely or golytely, misnomers if there ever was one, keep lifesavers handy and pop one in the second you drink the solution. It helps so much with the aftertaste.

It is very salty. I actually hate the taste of salt, but almost everyone else here uses it in huge quantities, so the taste may not bother you.

As for the drugs, versed and fentanyl, I've never had any after effects, except for a nice nap. And you can eat and drink as soon as your throat numbness goes away, or you are awake enough to drink and eat.

No matter how much this test worries people, it's a whole lot better than having cancer you could have prevented, or at least caught very early....good luck. morgan

[cmtaylor5]

Hi, Michelle,

I've had two. The first without any medication at all. The second with the twilight meds. I didn't have a problem with either after. The first one was a little scary (the nurse was freaked out that I was awake, and the doctor had to keep reminding her to suction my airway), but was over really quickly. The best part was, I could just get up and go home afterward. My doctor hadn't really done it that way before, but he told me that it was much easier than working with a sedated person.

The second one was a different doc who flatly refused to do it without medication. Other than feeling a little groggy afterwards, I had no problems and felt fine later that day.

Good Luck,

Carolyn

[worththewords]

I was just logging on here to ask the same question! I am going to need an endoscopy done soon to see if I have an ulcer and to see if I have a gluten allergy/celiac disease.

[MightyMouse]

Michelle, I've had many endoscopies, and took no extra precautions. I've always done just fine--Teri's always waiting for me afterward with tall cup of coffee and something to eat. We sit and eat a bit, and then I'm ready to go home. If you have one done, good luck! Nina

[bttrflyamby1981]

Hi Michelle,

Wishing you luck

I had one done about 6 years ago and got really sick, but I get sick becuase of everything.

Sleep helped and so did taking deep breaths. I find that I can "blow" the sicky feelings away if they aren't too bad.

Worththewords - wishing you luck too!

Amber

[yogini]

Michelle,

I had an upper endoscopy about 5 days before getting my first POTS symptoms. I'd had a virus a few weeks earlier and threw up blood, which is why I had the endoscopy. I think the dehydration from the virus, combined with the anesthesia from the endoscopy, did not help things any for me. It seems like other people here have done OK when they have been put under - at least you will be prepared (unlike me)! The docs can probably work with you in terms of monitoring your HR and BP and giving you IV fluids -- those always seem to make me feel better!

-Rita

[dawn]

Michelle,

I had an endoscopy last year. They said no versed and they would not do it in the clinic. I had to have general

anesthesia in the OR. The nurse anesthesist who is a friend of mine, just kept me under with very short acting medications.

I woke right up and walked to the bathroom 15 minutes after. He gave me Zofran for nausea before.

He also had me take florinef for 3 before and the morning of the scope. And he gave me 2 liters of saline before the procedure and ran

more in during. I think the IV fluids made a difference. I usually get really sick from general anesthesia.

No surprises, all went fine.

Good Luck!!!!!!!!!

Dawn

[Michelle Sawicki]

Thanks, everyone, for sharing your experiences. I really appreciate it! I have the doctor's appointment next week and hopefully she won't want to scope, but it looks like things are going in that direction.

Michelle

[JacobyD]

Hi Michelle.

I've had several endoscopies and will continue to have one at least once a year for now. I've had some with no anesthesia (not fun), some with "laughing gas" (still not fun), and a couple where I was completely under. If you are going to be put under, you may want to request they use Propofil. It's very short acting, and I bounced back from it right away. No after effects or interaction with my other meds.

The good news is its a pretty short procedure, even when I had my feeding tubes installed. Good luck!

Dan

[Guest Mary from OH]

Michelle,

May I ask why you are (may) be having the procedure done under full anesthesia rather than the traditional "twilight" sleep? The procedure is so quick that it will take longer to put you to sleep that the actual procedure? Have you had a bad experience with the Demerol/ combination? It acts as an amnesic and pain reliever. They also spray your throat with an anesthetic medication.

I have to concur with another person that "forgeting to breathe" was a problem of mine too. They didn't like that too much! Sets off all kinds of monitors!! LOL!

Good luck to you and I hope that your procedure goes smoothly if you have to have it. Better safe than sorry!!

[michiganjan]

Michelle,

I have had 2 endoscopies. The first one with only Versed. That one took me a long time to wake up and I was out of it for most of the day. The second one I had with no drugs. It is over with so quickly that I would have another done without the drugs anytime.

First they sprayed my throat. Now this is a rather vile tasting experience. But it numbs the back of the throat so you won't feel the tube going down. Then they put a ring in my mouth to bite on. It holds the mouth open and gives your teeth something to do. Then they feed the tube through the ring and right down to the stomach. The only unpleasantness was I felt like gagging and so I just gagged right around the tube. Aside from the gagging it was fine. It was over quickly. I could breathe fine throughout the procedure. The gagging was the only discomfort.

I also had a colonoscopy without drugs. Well let's just say I had 2/3 of one before I told them to quit. I do not recommend a colonoscopy without drugs. Later I had another colonscopy with Fentyl/Versed and it was fine . . . I would not hesitate to take that drug combo for a conoloscopy again.

I think the trick is the person giving the meds. They should very carefully titrate the dose so not to take you too low. I think as far as themeds are concerned, it depends on which meds they give, and how carefully they titrate the dose.

Michigan Jan

[Michelle Sawicki]

Thanks for the replies.

Mary - I would have the twilight anesthesia...sorry if I wasn't clear there. I did previously have a bad experience with demerol though....they gave it to me after I had my son -years before I had POTS- and my bp dropped really low. I don't know how low it went, but I know they gave me something to try to bring it back up and told me I couldn't leave the hospital until they got it up...so it must have been pretty low. I'll mention that to the anesthesiologist.

Jan, thanks for giving such a detailed explanation. I really appreciate your sharing your experience with me.

Thanks again, guys! You're the greatest.

Michelle

[goldicedance]

Michelle, I have had no problems with versed and fentnyl (spelling) during an endoscopy. Make sure you are well hydrated with IV fluids. All the times (6) I have had endoscopies or colonoscopies, there has been NO anesthesiologist. The doctor doing the endoscopy/colonoscopy and the nurse do the anesthesia. I would recommend having this procedure done in a hospital, rather than in a doctor's office or free standing "surgicenter."

Good luck!

Lois

Morgan--I have always commented that Golytely was a misnomer. It is anything but what the name suggests. They should just call it what it is. I have not partaken of pineapple juice since 1993 when I had my first colonoscopy.

[Guest Julia59]

My Mom and Dad seem to do just fine when they go for their colonoscopies or endoscopies.

They always go out to eat afterwards-----

I didn't do very well on versed for my endoscopy--(this was five years ago). I will use the older drugs--(tried and true) for my colonoscopy. The endoscopy itself was very quick----it seemed like the scope was only in there for less then a minute. The next day I was fine---other then my POTS symptoms that were not diagnosed yet.

I'm extremely sensitive to drugs---I have found out this is common with hashemotos thyroid---an autoimmune type of disorder. US POTs folks are also very sensitive to drugs---so the combo can't be good.

I think you will be fine ---but maybe used the older drugs to sedate. Of course get some hydration before the procedure. Dr. Grubb suggested two liters the day of the procedure.

Julie :0)

[OCsunshine]

I had an endoscopy and it was a breeze. It was done in the hospital, I was put into twilight sleep. Of course I remember nothing about the procedure, except falling asleep and waking up. They warned me that my throat would be sore afterwards but I never even had that problem!

Let us know how it goes, get lots of fluids and lots of rest.