Old man stuff – endoscopy

[Anquetil]

Hi VNA. Thinking of you this morning as I was undergoing an endoscopy. I had the Xylocaine spray in throat and the camera was inserted. A little bit of retching as the throat was sprayed but apart from that everything was fine. Scope into stomach and duodenum and I watched the images on screen. Biopsies taken from stomach, didn't feel anything. Don't be fearful, you will be fine. All the best to you. When are you booked in for ?

[midden]

I'm Looking forward to having one on Sunday.  Perhaps they'll find the crown I swallowed years ago

[Anquetil]

We'll have to form an endoscopy club. Seems to be a few of us having them. Hope everything is good on Sunday, midden.

[midden]

Cheers it should be...…. more doing it for the craic 

[midden]

Well that was no fun at all...….the waiting was, I meant a real character who made me grin even more


the throat spray wasn't bad it tasted similar to my banana wine  and then the experience went down from then on.


Worse part I was facing away from the monitor so never got watch it between wretching  :'(

[Anquetil]

Sorry to hear this, midden. At least you had a laugh before the wretching ! I was ' lucky ' in that I was able to see in Technicolor the gory details as the camera descended into the stomach. Made me think of the film ' Fantastic Voyage ' from 1966. What were the findings ? Biopsies taken ?

[midden]

They just found a small hiatus hernia and mild antral gastritis  other than that all is good   thanks 

As you said before it isn't painful just a bit uncomfortable on the retching side of things, but then I can't wear a gumshield without retching.


VNA any news on yours?

[Anquetil]

Good to hear that nothing sinister was found. In my case a hiatus hernia was found too, plus an infection in the oesophagus and pharynx, which partly explains the problem swallowing food and keeping it down. In the stomach multiple polyps were found, caused by years of taking Proton Pump Inhibitors. Awaiting biopsy results for these. Onwards and upwards now, hopefully !

[midden]

Fingers crossed for the biopsy 

[Anquetil]

Cheers midden. Much appreciated.

[ogri48]

jesue guys. glad your ok. Got a small hernia myself, hence the godawful reflux thing (especially at night when laying down) and need to find a loo superquick sometimes. theres like a nanosecond between "ooh I might need to poo perhaps" and"oh my god...." :'( :lol you had it done yet VNA? youve gone unusually quiet mate lol hope it went ok if you have

[Anquetil]

Thanks ogri. I'm getting concerned about VNA too.

[mtread]

Got a small hernia myself, hence the godawful reflux thing

I've been on omeprazole for several years now, and it solves the reflux problem well. I suspect also I've got a hiatus hernia, but never had the camera inspection. From what I've been told it's (another) 'age thing' where the valve doesn't close fully and the acid creeps up. Anybody had the hernia repaired, or any other solution?
I'm worried about VNA too! Lost without him!

[Anquetil]

Where the oesophagus goes down it passes the diaphragm through a gap called the hiatus. Below this it goes into the stomach. The hiatus causes a narrowing of the opening into the stomach and helps prevent stomach contents from going upwards, which is called reflux. If the hiatus is weak reflux of acidic digestive juices into the oesophagus occurs. Depending on individual circumstances there is an operation to tighten the hiatus area, but controlling reflux with medication and lifestyle modifications is usually the route taken by GP's.

[ogri48]

yup im on omneprazole. where is the bugger?

[midden]

I've been woken in the past with acid relux so bad I thought I was going to die.  my nose and obviously throat was effected at same time  :'(

[VNA]

Hi VNA. Thinking of you this morning as I was undergoing an endoscopy.

What!  You were thinking of me whilst undergoing endoscopy? :eek  You’ve got serious problems dude! :lol
Good to hear it all went fine for you Anquetil.

We'll have to form an endoscopy club.

This place is becoming the old foccers club.  :\



Anyway all done.  Was a bit nervous as like I say I had a very bad experience with the wee winkie cam.


Very professional set up.  Got pre-prep interview, told them I was a bit nervous and why.  Blood pressure was up – surprise surprise.  The pre-prep nurse told me it was two nurses doing it.  Claire and her trainee Lynn.  Was asked if it was OK for the trainee to do it.  I said yes as long as she didn’t mind a nervous patient – I mean folks have gotta learn how to do things.  Was told she needs to do 200 before she is signed off.  Anyway, Claire decided she was doing the first 3 of the afternoon, and I was first in.


To my surprise you don’t get changed or anything.  Two nurses and an assistant.  They gave me plenty of spray.  Got me on the table, gave me the gum shield thing and away we went.  It’s not pleasant.  I wretched a bit when it first went in, and getting down into the stomach was OK where she had a brief look around.  Couldn’t feel anything.  Then she went for the upper bowel.  I can see her feeding it in, and you can sort of feel something which made me wretch again.  I got a bit excited when she came out of there as I thought that was it.  But she wanted a good look round my stomach after the upper bowel.  So just as thought she was coming out, she stopped and fed it back in.  By this time I’m getting keen for it to be over, and retching more and more.  But eventually she pulled the thing out.  I’d say it was 4 or 5 minutes start to finish, no more.  It’s OK but I don’t think I could handle say ten minutes or more of it.


Anyway, I don’t have the hiatus hernia that I had previously been told I have.  I have a slightly relaxed hiatus and some mild gastritis.  Nothing too serious.  So back to the GP.


Back to work tomorrow.  Then Wednesday I’m off to another hospital for lipotripsy to hopefully smash a kidney stone or two.  Happy days.

[VNA]

Yeah I’m fine folks.

I've been on omeprazole for several years now, and it solves the reflux problem well.

About ten years ago I was having a hell of a time with heartburn.  So, got sent to see the consultant.  He told me that I almost certainly had a hiatus hernia.  He said if I really wanted, they could stick the camera in, have a look, and operate on it.  He said if he operated, I’d then need the operation about every ten years.  So he recommended omeprazole.  So I’ve been on 20mg omeprazole daily for about ten years.  I forget to take it and I knew about it.
Ten years later I’m back at square one, constant heartburn and acid coming up now and again.  So see the GP.  I mention the hiatus hernia and the GP asks if they stuck a camera down for a look.  He checks my records as well.  He tells me the only way to know if you have a hiatus hernia is to have a look.  He says – I bet you don’t have one.  I’m like – what?!  So he books me in for the gastroscopy.  Then he recommends dropping me to 10mg omeprazole.
So I try 10mg and the heartburn stops.  Then I try not taking it, and apart from the odd day, is fine. 
My other reason for seeing the GP is I seem to have an irritable bowel.  As some of you know, it’s really annoying.  So, need to see the GP, and discuss the way forward.  Might yet make this a camera hat trick.
But yeah, I feel the consultant ten years back should have stuck the camera in.
Oh yeah I asked Claire how many she does a day.  Average about 40 a day!
Also asked how many get sedated, she said about 50%

[ogri48]

really glad your ok and good to see you back feller. despite your best attempts otherwise (and they really are sterling at times  ) you got solid mates here. foccer... :lol

[Anquetil]

Thanks for the update VNA.  That's really good news that everything is ok following your endoscopy. Ogri is dead right. People on this forum do care about the well-being of their fellow foccers, even though most won't ever meet. Long may it continue !