Had Scope on Monday, Feel Awful

[nanci]

I had a scope on Monday, diagnosis is gastritis.  Waiting for results of tissue samples taken for h-pylori.  I didn't have the infection four years ago so don't think I have it now.

I feel absolutely terrible and have felt this way since Tuesday.  Monday after the test, I felt great, no burning, no discomfort.  I was gleeful thinking I'm getting better.  Since Tuesday, my symptoms have returned with a vengence.  Out of desperation, I've been taking Prevacid hoping to stop some of the burning.  I call the doctor Tuesday nite.  His nurse called back to tell me he doesn't want to prescribe anything new until after the test results.  I can understand that but what do I do until then.  I can barely function now and it's difficult sitting in the office feelng this way.  The other issue I'm dealing with is burning pain in my upper back and a bad taste in my mouth.

Any ideas?

[JCLingo]

Oh my gosh.  I shouldn't have read your post.  I'm scheduled for an EGD in the morning and am nervous enough as it is.  My problem is that currently I'm not having symptoms and am a little scared that the scope going down my throat will cause the symptoms to re-occur.  I'm also questioning as to whether to put the scope off or not because of not having symptoms at the moment.  Do you know if it is better to have the scope done while you are having symptoms or does it matter?  I hope you get some relief soon . I've been putting up with the burning in my chest on and off since April and had my gallbladder removed in May.

[nanci]

I don't know if it's better or worse if you're symptom free but if it were me, I would have it done just to get it overwith.  I had mild symptoms when I got to the clinic, mainly because you can't eat or drink anything before the procedure and I wasn't scheduled until 11:30.  I don't remember one thing so it's not an uncomfortable test at all. Being uncomfortable now wouldn't stop me from having another one if I needed to.  I just don't know if this discomfort is from the test or the gastritis!

Can I ask you what your symptoms of gallbladder problems were?

The doctor diagnosed gastritis which I have been dealing with for seven years now, off and on.  This past April/May, the symptoms came on with a vengence and since then, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, I've had constant burning, discomfort and just an overall feeling of being sick.  For the past several weeks, I've been having burning in my mid back to under my right shoulder blade.  I contributed this to sitting at my desk all day and lifting my heavy grandbabies!  I'm hungry enough but after I eat, as I did this morning, it feels like I have a lump under by breastbone.  I don't have any nausea or severe pain.

Can you tell me what your symptoms were that caused your gallbladder to be removed?  

My profile is:  I don't smoke, drink, not overweight (5'9", 145lbs); eat okay, not a fast food person, I'm 56 and in decent shape.  Don't exercise formerlly but will walk when I have time and keep going most of the day and night.

[JCLingo]

My symptoms were nausea and the worst diarrhea I have ever had in my life.  I thought I had a stomach virus.  A day or two later the burning in my chest started.  I was nauseated and upset stomach 24/7.  I started to get a burning in my chest along with it and eventually started getting the pain in my right side and upper right shoulder.  My general doctor put me on Prevacid thinking I had an inflamed esophagus.  It didn't help.  Went back to her and she ordered bloodwork, chest xray and barium test.  All normal.  I finally begged her to do an ultrasound on my gallbladder and that is when they found the sludge and tiny stones in my gallbladder.  I had the g/b removed the next day.  I was just plain out SICK.  Didn't want to eat, everything I did eat ran right through me.  I was great 4 1/2 to 5 weeks after g/b surgery.  The surgery wasn't bad at all.  Now I just continue to have the burning in my chest on and off.  A lot of people told me it was my body adjusting to the removal of the g/b.  But that was back in May.  I don't know.  Maybe the EGD will show something.

[nanci]

Then please have it - if you never had one, I promise you it's
not a big deal.  The biggest issue was a problem with the IV tube and the nurse not accepting the fact it was faulty - she stuck me three times but that didn't even hurt.  

You may have mild reflux or even gastritis.  Trust me, don't do what I did.  I went two years before I agreed to a scope, that was four years ago.  So, for these past four years, I've struggled with symptoms off and on, not taking the prescibed Prevacid the way I was suppose to and now here I am with the worse case of gastritis and the struggle these past 3 months to feel better.

I don't have diarrhea at all, maybe a loose BM once in a while.  Nor do I have nasuea - that's why I wonder if it is gallbladder.  I have this burning in my upper back but it could be because I sit for hours at a time and use a mouse or it could be because I lifted my grandchild who weighs a solid 25 lbs!
I'm just confused because it's not a pain like an ache, it's burning.  I did have a Ab CT scan last month which showed everything as normal.  Do you know if this type of scan would have picked up anything with the gallbladder?  I'm sure that was viewed along with the liver, kidnes, etc.

[JCLingo]

I would think if they were doing an ab scan that they would have checked the gallbladder.  I know they looked at all my organs also along w/gallbladder.  I'm going for the endo. in the morning at 8 a.m.  I'm a little nervous, but since I've been through the gallbladder surgery I'm not THAT nervous.  The gallbladder removal is the only major surgery I've ever had since I'm only 32 and still with no kids.  So THAT was really scary for me.  I think since I've made it through that, then I can handle just about anything now.  hahaha.  I don't even faint when I get injections or blood drawn like I used to since I've been poked and prodded so much for the past 4 months....  best of luck to you.

[Abbey]

I had a endoscopy along with my colonoscopy in April and it wasn't so bad. I'm getting ready for another endo because my problems haven't cleared up and I'm now going to a new gastro doc. Every doctor wants to run their own set of tests so I'm doing it again. For me it was no big deal. Good luck to anyone having theirs.

[Bionic Granny]

I hope your test go ok tomorrow. I've had four endoscopes in two years and 10 surgeries. I've almost become an expert on the gastro tract, but there are still alot of un-answered questions for me. If you have problems with re-flux---get it checked out. There are so many people who just keep taking pill after pill with no relief from the burning and pain. I had a nissan done two years ago and it was great (not counting the fact that I lost my spleen, got a bad staph, entercoccus,pneumonia, a ruptured gastro-tract, and nine incisional hernias.) Gerd can lead to Barretts esophagus and then to cancer. I don't say this lightly to scare you, but I had no reflux-valve left. The acid ate it up and I had a straight shot to the stomach. My cousin died from this, because he kept putting off seeing a doctor till it was too late. I don't know where you live, but there is a great reflux-center in Houston, Texas. My gastro doctor also tried to tell me I had IBS and it turned out I had a hernia. I have not been back to see him, since he removed four polyps. Said I had IBS, but never mentioned the polyps he removed. I wish you the best. I have a surgeon taking care of me, and I trust him very much. I think if I would have had the surgery in my small town, I would not be alive today. God Bless you!

[lylsiem]

I had two scopes done, one about ten trs ago, it was uncomfortable, but fast, so it was not too bad. I then had a hiatis hernia, ulcers, and too much acid for yrs. After I had an acid test, a tube inserted in my nose and down my throat and into my stomache for 24 hrs. Duh! guess what this acid test said. I've taken every medicine and herb known to mankind. Losec helped 97%, so it was perfect. For the last 6 months I've been getting worse again. Losec helps only 15%, constant burning from inside, lots of heartburn, chestpains, chronic diahreha, and no energy. I just had another scope done 3 weeks ago and it was so painfull, I was in tears, gagging, groaning and moaning, it felt like I was being ripped apart. It did not go down properly the first time, then he removed. I ask for anethesia, but not enough nurses on staff. He just told me to relax and swallow and forced it down again. The pain was descided as having your stomache twisted and squeezed. I ended up hrs later getting I.V. at the hospital, with lots of pain killers, and felt horrible for day later. Last Thurs. my biopsies came back, they found one to be Maligment, other results were: Gastritis, Hiatis Hernia, and Barretts Esophogus. Now I know why this scope was painfull, I will NEVER get it done again without being put under.

[nanci]

What the hell kind of doctor did you go to!!!  I have never heard of anything so barbaric in my life.  Anyone having a scope is put out unless the patient specifically requests no anathesia.
Did you do that, tell him you didn't want anything.

I would get a second opinon right away - ask for the pathology report and go to another doctor and if it were me, I would file a formal complaint against this doctor.  

Good luck - let us know how you make you - what's the next step for you?