Upper endoscopy (EGD) Has anyone else had this back pain?
Posted , 56 users are following.
Hi, I've been suffering from sudden heart burn, intense globus sensation and havn't been able to eat well without the feeling of food being stuck since early May. I was finally refered to have an Upper GI. Yesterday I had the upper EGD. Was brought into the preproom, had to put on a gown and nurse placed my IV. Then was moved to the room which looked almost like an OR room (without the big OR lights (Ive had C-sections). I had a mouth piece placed in my mouth so my tounge is tucked and allow for the scope entry. The Doc read outloud my name, medical vitals, time whereafter the sedatives were given via IV. (I was given percocet and versed and benadryl - this info was in my aftervisit). I started to feel the sedatives take affect where i was dosing in/out of it - I could still hear the music, I dont remember the insertion, but can hear faint noises in the background. I then remember gagging /dry-heaving and burping throughout the procedure where my eyes would open and see the screen - but was so out of it, it was almost like i was having an out of body expenrience.. It was so awful. I think since they didnt sedate me that much and was in a twilight that i remember this... Was given the images of my endoscopy. The report showed no a normal EGD, so no biopsy was taken from the esophagus, however I was told that biopsies were taken from my stomach to rule out Hpiloi?? ( I find it so wierd that i already had this blood test and came out negative ) When i was experiencing that intense gagging during the procedure and while opening my eyes here and there while doing so, i do also remember seeing a dark cluster of something - which i cant say what that was but left me wondering... and the GI doc didnt mention anything (again, so wierd). Anyhow, was told the procedure went well which i find bothersome, since they did not mention anything about me gagging. The rest of the day, I was really out of it - groggy, mild amnesia (on the ride home, i was dosing in/out and woud have vivid dreams with each dose). When i got home (45 min drive), my back (3" below my shoulder blades) was hurting so bad as if i strained my back really bad. It hurts so bad that would actually feel like it knocks the breath out of me - and when combined with some abdomial pain, it buckles me over. Today I feel the same, horible sore back (same spot) and it comes in intense waves of pain.. I called and was able to speak to the GI doc and all he said was that my procedure went well, look out for crackly sensation to the touch near chest/neck area, high fever or swelling. I havnt any of these thank GOD, but this back ache is really scaring me .. He also suggested i have a CT scan if it doesnt go away by Monday (which is scary and i dont want any unnecessary radiation) Lastly, he mentioned it may be skeletal/ muscular when they turned me to my side - but that doesnt make sense since I was placed on my side before the procedure and before i was even sedated. I had also asked him how i did during the procedure and told him that i remember some gaging and he was vauge in his reply and said its commom that gagging occurs during EGD's which again is bothersome to me- since i remember this so clearly. If anyone out there has had this before or have felt muscular soreness please share your story - i need some reassurance this is simply related to fighting this procedure. So sorry for the long message. Thank you!
2 likes, 83 replies
grace03409 simss
Posted
First thing: I'm going to suggest the docs at my clinic read this endoscopy thread. While I can understand patients having discomfort for a day or so after the procedure it seems many people are having more severe and longer-lasting pain. I found this page by doing a search for 'back pain following gastroscopy'. I had the scope done 2 days ago under IV delivered sedation. In a way it's comforting to hear that the back pain is not uncommon though it is distressing to read about some of the experiences others have had. I was told that I have an ulcer and inflammation in the stomach lining and several biopsies were taken. The day following the procedure I had headache, facial and scalp neuralgia, sore throat and very sharp pain in my back at the bottom of the ribcage which has gotten worse on the 2nd day after procedure. I will probably be put on antibiotics for an H. pylori bacterial infection which is what causes most stomach ulcers. I'm already taking pantoprazole (a protein pump inhibitor) for acid reflux and ulcer. I want to thank you all for sharing your stories and wish you all a full recovery. None of the nurses nor the doctor gave me any reason to expect severe back pain after endoscopy. They need to alter their information for patients.
lily65668 grace03409
Posted
As a former nurse, I can confirm that doctors fail to tell patients about things like this for a reason. They believe that if they warn patients about the possible side- or after-effects of any procedure (or medication in many cases) then the patient will immediately imagine that they're suffering from it.
I believe this is a very short-sighted policy, and one that treats patients like id iots. If people knew there was a possibility they were going to suffer some pain etc. after a procedure, they wouldn't panic about it, and it wouldn't seem so bad.
Oh, and please don't blame the nurses along with the doctors. They'll almost certainly be under strict instructions not to mention any negative after-effects.
I hope you'll soon be feeling better.
grace03409 lily65668
Posted
Thank you, Lily. My intention is not one of blame but rather a desire to see all involved--doctors, nurses and patients--having as much accurate information as possible. I will probably never see any of the medical professionals from the endoscopy team again so how would they know anything about my post-procedural experience of pain (that seems, from reading this thread to be quite common)? I have no way of knowing if my GP is privy to the number of people who experience pain unless it is mentioned during a follow up visit. I feel it is counterproductive to good doctor/patient relationships for them to withhold knowledge on the basis that it may cause imaginary symptoms due to the power of suggestion. Conversely, I believe most people would feel reassured to know that their experience of a few days of mild to rather severe pain is normal and not cause for concern. One of the nurses did tell me that some patients experience severe stomach pain from trapped air. I didn't have that at all...nor did I imagine having it! The world of good medical care has no place in it for doctors with overblown egos and arrogant condescension toward patients. Reading about the issue of involuntary restraint when a patient experiences uncontrollable gagging was upsetting. From personal experience I believe doctors need to be made aware that there is a big difference between gag response (which is controllable) and choking and suffocation, which is not.
claire13689 lily65668
Posted
hi i had EDG yesterday and today i woke with terrible stomach pain and back pain with some odd chest pain too , i called my doctor and they said it will ease but i can hardly walk everything i eat and drink makes it worse i googled i know google always says the worst thing but im so worried ive never had pain like this i suffer with bad anxiety as it is ive been a right mess today has anyone had this stomach pain
charlotte41649 simss
Posted
Hi
I'm new to this site, and was looking for some info that I could relate to, having had a gastroscopy 9 days ago.
I was prepared for it to be unpleasant, but not that bad!
It was a Sunday as they had a back-log to get through. Without meaning to sound dramatic.....it was the worst thing!!
I had throat spray and was told that the only bit uncomfortable bit was as you swallowed the camera....uh....no...clearly a lie! Sadly, not one clinician was honest about it when I asked.
Like others have mentioned on here, the retching/gagging was relentless.
The whole experience was awful. I felt like they were in such a rush to get me in and out again, I felt like an inconvenience too.
I felt traumatised afterwards...literally!
I had a sore throat for a few days and some chest discomfort. It then subsided but I've been getting intermittent chest pain for the past 5 days with no sign of going!
I then have an overwhelming feeling of panic for a minute or two which subsides...I'm guessing its just the anxiety which would naturally accompany such symptoms when you havent got a clue what your body is doing?!
I'm used to pain in my neck and back as this is frequent for me anyway and predates the gastroscopy, although muscles have felt tighter since!
Pain in epigastric area has been worse too, which had settled whilst on a pretty long waiting list, so that is frustrating!
One thing I know is that I would never have this done again with just throat spray....or sedation either to be honest!!
They did not find anything, but feel in a worse state now as I did before!
I would speak to my doctor if I had any faith in them, but I don't.
Will this settle?
Any words of wisdom would be much appreciated, thank you
lily65668 charlotte41649
Posted
Charlotte, I hope you don't mind me butting on this one but yes - it will settle. I'm a former nurse and was always frustrated that doctors would never admit that the after-effects of gastroscopy could be bad for some patients. It is true that only a minority of patients suffer like you, though forums like this one can give a skewed impression. (Obviously, it's mainly those who've had a tough time that post.) However, experiences like yours are far from rare.
The rationale (if you can call it that) of doctors refusing to tell patients about possible after-effects of gastroscopy - or any other procedure - is that the patient will then imagine that they're getting these symptoms. In my opinion this is totally wrong, and results rather in patients who do get bad after-effects panicking and thinking there's something seriously wrong. Sadly, we can't change the mindset of doctors...
I can also relate - as a patient - to the rather traumatic experience you had during the procedure, though my case was different. Seven years ago I somehow managed to swallow my large, spiky denture. It only has one front tooth on it, but is a horseshoe-shaped affair that fits around the inside of all my other top teeth. As I was 69 at the time, doctors automatically took the one-size-fits-all approach that I was a confused old dame who'd simply mislaid the denture. Over the next three weeks, during which I lost 7kg/15lb and became horribly dehydrated, I was thrown out of one hospital after another as a time-waster. Finally, when I could no longer speak or swallow at all and was retching up blood, an authoritative friend took me back to one of the hospitals and said we weren't leaving till something was done.
I was grudgingly slotted in to that afternoon's endoscopy list, where the denture was fished out with some difficulty from the entrance to my oesophagus. The experience wasn't a pleasant one. I actually had sedation, but it didn't work. I'd stress that this isn't something younger patients need worry about. Occasional failures of sedation normally occur in the over-65s, who are only given a half-dose of sedation - which still works in most cases. I had what is known as a paradoxical reaction, meaning I became agitated instead of calm. Long story short, I fought like a wild animal and it took six people to hold me down. And I remembered the whole thing afterwards. I therefore understand perfectly how traumatised you felt. I'd be hard put to it to imagine any future situation in which I'd agree to have a gastroscopy unless it was under full-scale GA!
The chest pain will go away in the next week or so. In the meantime, try to avoid foods that make it worse. That includes anything acidic or physically sharp (e.g. tomato soup, salads) and - somewhat surprisingly - bread. Bread is actually highly acidic, and the texture tends to be abrasive too. Try sticking to things like yoghourt, banana mashed up with milk, bland soups etc. The trauma will take a bit longer to fade, but you'll get over that too in time.
I hope you'll soon be feeling better.
charlotte41649 simss
Posted
Thanks Lily
Its comforting to hear that things will settle.
I am generally pretty laid back, and being a mental health nurse, I am all too familiar with anxieties etc. I guess we aren't exempt from such things.
You do start to wonder if you are the only person who has experienced it, but from reading posts on here, it really can affect people for a while afterwards.
It sounds like you had a nightmare experience of your own!
I will sit tight and hope that this subsides soon enough and that I will never be in a position to have one ever again!
thank you.
payton charlotte41649
Posted
Hello Charlotte! I was wondering if your chest pain has gone away now? I am having the same symptoms and it seems that everyone says theirs goes away in a few days or a week but im going on my 4th week of feeling pressure in my chest and im starting to get worried. Im hoping that there are others like me and maybe it took a little while longer but it went away? Thank you for your time.
charlotte41649 payton
Posted
Hi Payton
Sorry to hear that you are having these chest pains too!
I am almost 5 weeks since my gastroscopy, and still experiencing chest pain.
My stomach problems had settled quite a bit whilst on the waiting list for the procedure, but I've had more issues since having had it!
I think my chest pain has got a bit better though, although I have more an occasional short sharp pain right in the centre of my chest now. It isn't freaking me out as much as it was.....fingers crossed it's slowly going! My anxiety around it made it worse.
I found that watching what I eat helps....peanut butter on toast strangely made me feel like I was having a heart attack, and eating too much in one sitting!
Some people are lucky in that they seem to recover quite quickly from this, where as others have a hard time!
I don't know what you were like during the actual procedure, but I retched so much throughout that it couldn't have done me any good.
My throat hasn't fully recovered either.
If things don't resolve in the next couple of weeks I will be speaking to my GP.
Hope you start to feel better, and would be good to hear how you are getting on.
regards, Charlotte
payton charlotte41649
Posted
Thank you very much for responding. Its good to hear that yours is slowly getting a little better. I was sedated for the procedure and I didn't have any complications but I found it weird that he said my throat didn't need to be stretched but he did it anyway to possibly help with the lump i was feeling in my throat. I guess what is done is done. I'm just worried that they messed me up. I hope that we heal soon from this. Please let me know how your experience ends up going.
payton charlotte41649
Posted
Hello Charlotte! I wanted to see if your back pain ever went away? I am still very hopeful that mine will but now it has been over three months.
lisa09682 payton
Posted
3 months! do you know why we have this back pain? its severe and i cant find any information online!
payton lisa09682
Posted
I am so sorry i do not understand it at all. mine isnt severe but is dull and almost constant and mixed with cheat pain occasionally. But by the end of the day i feel so annoyed
johnny58219 lisa09682
Posted
i have been having the same problem of back pain specially the shoulder blade pain its like rubber band is stopping me to move my back and shoulder and it is consistent and now it gives me the scalp neuralgia. i believe the reason i got this after endoscopy and biopsy is simple because after the procedure was done the very next day i have been sleeping with my stomach down to the ground or i don't know.
did you recover from it?
lisa09682 simss
Posted
oh my gosh this is the only thing I've found on this topic! I had my endoscopy on Tuesday and Wednesday night the back pain started. Today, Thursday, I'm in so much pain in my back and nothing is relieving it. my right hip is also sore so I'm wondering if they had to restrain me and held down my hip and shoulder. So so painful I can hardly move.
payton lisa09682
Posted
Do they have to tell us if they restrain us or if something goes wrong and we start going crazy? It seems like that is a complication they would have to tell us about right???