Endoscopy fear
Posted , 11 users are following.
HI, I have had digestive issues all my life (I'm now 58). Lately my stomach has reacted badly to a hormone treatment I've had which I have now stopped but I am having trouble setting my stomach down. I have had a lot of stress in my life during the past 6 years and particularly the last 6 months. I know that is partly to blame for this too.
I have easomeprazole from the doctor which is helping but it gives me diarrhea. Ive had an ultrasound scan which was all fine but I know that the doc is going to suggest an Endoscopy. This fills me with fear - I've had this twice before and it has been AWFUL. Once without sedation and once with sedation but they did it badly and I was not sedated. So any advice/encouragement on having this procedure would be appreciated. My thoughts are that if I have the test then yes they'll find reflux and prescribe a PPI so maybe I could just carry on with the PPI above and hope for the best but I know that I should probably be brave and get checked properly.
Why is there not an easier way to inspect the gut by now - this is 2019!!
0 likes, 18 replies
crazyhamster76 Yellow88
Posted
There is a capsule endoscopy ie pillcam where you swallow a disposable pill that has a small camera in it, this takes photos as it passes through your intestines, loading pictures to a feed. I think this is only available privately though.....
and theres is a Colonoscopy where they go up the other way
kyle36591 Yellow88
Posted
well, I've had a colonoscopy a year and a half ago when I was in hospital and didn't feel anything at all. but I also have another one coming up Friday, and have been told by numerous people that it was extremely painful. I just hope mines like my first one. and I guess that still doesn't answer your question. all I can say is it shouldn't hurt much at all. but to put your mind at ease, ask them for more sedation and explain why and they should be able to do that for you.
fernando90225 Yellow88
Posted
Hello. don't be afraid. I know it is very scarey. Ask the nurse to give you something like ativan. They will put you under sedation. Just be brave and tackle this. Every thing will be ok. Hope and pray that you will be ok.
.
fernando90225
Posted
Also the capsule that you swallow is too expensive and insurance won't cover it.
moon53540 Yellow88
Posted
What type of stomach problems are you having?
pippa58442 Yellow88
Posted
Since the PPI is causing diarrhoea, stop the medication and ask for a different one. There is no point in taking a medication that upsets your stomach. I had a very bad experience with the endoscopy too. The sedation gave me severe depression for three weeks. I would ask for a barium swallow test instead which does not require sedation, or ask for a throat spray for your endoscopy.Unfortunately, endoscopies are the most up to date procedure. However, if you can't tolerate them, tell your doctor and they may give you a barium swallow test or a throat spray with the endoscopy which may suit you better. I'm sure you will get help if you explain the problems you had. I wouldn't put yourself through more stress by having a procedure that you reacted badly to. There are a lot of medical procedures I can't tolerate but I am always offered alternatives which work for me.
Yellow88
Posted
Thank you all for your kind replies and suggestions.
I have always had digestive sensitivity and when I was young Losec used to fix me up but a few years back I found it gives me a crashing headache. I can cope with most things but it was really bad.
I've tried pretty much all the other omeprazole type of tabs but they all give me a pain in my right side after a few days, sort of under my right ribcage.
At the moment my symptoms are that I am getting bouts of severe burping, discomfort right in the middle of my chest between my boobs. The only thing that settles it is a hot water bottle. The easameprazole does seem to be helping a bit and no right sided pain atm just the loose bowel which I would put up with if it helps my digestion.
My Mum and Grandmother also had digestive issues so it seems to be a family thing.
Oh - FYI its not gall stones, had my gall bladder out a few years back.
I've not heard of the pill camera - what a brill idea, I'll ask the doc about it and about the barium swallow test too. Thanks.
I should probably just grin and bear it with the endoscopy. Maybe if the sedation is administered correctly this time (and not half of it spilt over the floor!) maybe i would sleep through it and not know anything about it.
Those of you that have had the sedation - what was your experience like?
Thanks again to you all.
mjf3814 Yellow88
Posted
I've heard that endoscopies without sedation are not pleasant. All I can say is that if the sedation is done properly and with the throat spray, you should not know anything about it. I can remember being asked to swallow and the next thing I remember was them saying that it was finished. My diagnosis - hiatus hernia and gastritis, with reflux but not GERD or esophagitis.
The omeprazole family does cause diarrhoea - I was on 40mg a day for 5 weeks and I spent most of that on the toilet, a dozen or more times a day or night!! Now I'm reducing - on 20mg a day for 2 weeks the runs stopped, and I'm about to go to 10mg a day. So far no more pain, burping, but I still feel very bloated. But the thing that helped my reflux most in the past was identifying the trigger foods through a food diary, and simply not eating them. I know if I eat gluten, full fat, certain additives or large portions, I will pay for it.
moon53540 Yellow88
Posted
It sounds like oesophagitis, I just had an endoscopy and I had some similar symptoms to you and was diagnosed with gastritis, oesophagitis and a sliding hiatus hernia and I have been in quite a lot more discomfort since the procedure. Guess what I have been told? Carry on taking PPIs! I wish I hadn't had it now! I can't eat anything that isn't soft and I can't have hot drinks without it hurting.
If you are thinking about getting an endoscopy, stay on the ppis for a bit first and be really good with your diet and see if your symptoms improve. Also take the double action chalk tablets and avoid alcohol, hot drinks, acidic food and drinks, caffeine and chocolate. If they improve you may not need the scope, but if you are still getting problems after doing all that, it is a good idea to get scope done.
You may also have a bit of IBS, if that is the case, I would highly recommend alverine.
Just out of interest, what were the results of your previous scopes?
pippa58442 moon53540
Posted
Sounds like the procedure disturbed something. Perhaps speak to your doctor about it. Any medical procedure leaves problems behind with me and sometimes the disturbance doesn't go away.
pippa58442 mjf3814
Posted
Endoscopies with sedation are even worse. I was not asked to swallow, but I paid a very high price afterwards when I got severe depression within hours of the procedure. The reaction lasted three weeks. I was aware of the tube going down which was very uncomfortable and it made me panic. I desperately wanted to scream but I couldn't because I was sedated. There is nothing about this procedure that is pleasant and is best avoided if at all possible. There are alternatives to endoscopies.
moon53540 pippa58442
Posted
The pain is a lot better than yesterday, I stopped taking ppis before the procedure and I am now back on them so I am hoping that will help. I was able to have a cup of tea today which means I am improving, my stomach and chest still really hurt though. I am not coughing up or pooping out any blood, so I don't think there is anything serious, just inflammation. I think I have a very low pain threshold!
pippa58442 moon53540
Posted
I have a very low pain threshold too and sometimes my pain receptors don't switch off.
lester90053 Yellow88
Posted
Consult at least 2 more gastroenterologists for their opinion.
audrey32349 Yellow88
Posted
I let them know before my endoscopy that I wanted to be totally sedated. I did not want to know anything, feel anything or hear anything and that I wanted to be completely asleep. They did just that. I didn't feel a thing. You have to speak up or else they start giving you all the nonsense about how little you feel and you might get some cramping etc. etc.