Terrified of Endoscope test !

[Cathy]

Hello,
> I am 39 years old and approx 12 months ago, I started having pretty bad acid reflux symptoms and I was having a LOT of pain in the end esophagus/top stomach area.  It seemed to be right where the esophagus ends and the stomach begins (diaphram area). It felt like pain and burning.  I went to my dr and they did an upper GI where you have to swallow the barium stuff.  When my dr got the written results back, all he said to me was that the test showed a small (1 cm) hiatal hernia.  He said this is a common condition and started me on Prilosec. Because my anxiety level was so severe, he gave me a 30-day supply of xanax too.  Prior to this flare-up, I had never been sick with any type of serious illnesses.   I took the Prilosec for 3 weeks and just a few of the xanax, and everything got better.  A few months later, it's starting to bother me again (nothing as severe as that first flare-up tho), and this time I decided to go see a gastroenterologist on my own.  I asked for a copy of the barium report that we did 10 mos ago from my family internist, and when I took this to the gastro-ent, he said that he thinks an upper GI endoscopy needs to be done because the barium test showed "a slight nodularity in the body of my stomach which was of no clinical significance".  Those were the words used on the test.  The gastro-ent seemed to think that the "nodularity" could be something serious and it should be biopsied.  The discomfort I'm having is not in the body of my stomach...it's at the end of my esophagus and very very top of my stomach (right where the hernia is i guess).  My appetite is fine and I love to eat! This discomfort seems to get a little better whenever I eat.  That barium test found no ulcers anywhere.  My question is this: do you think I should have that endoscope test?  I am terrified at the thought of having a t

[lady45]

I am new here and haven't, I admit browsed your forum. My dad had an upper GI recently that showed an esophageal ulcer, in an unusual place. This may be the cause of his non-cardiac chest pain. what I want to know is if the biopsy shows cancer,or not,what then?

[Chuck]

I had the endoscopy done this morning at 9:30am. I was up all night worrying about swallowing that HOSE. Wow...Should have just got a good nights sleep. The mouth spray was no big deal. Tasted bad, but not unbearable. When I was injected with the sedative, I was immediately in La-La land. Did'nt even know the procedure took place. When I woke up, felt fine and revived from my groggy state in about 20 minutes. You'll need someone to drive you home and its probably good to rest the remainder of the day. I could'nt take sitting at the house and had my wife drive me to work to do some administrative task.

If they said I needed to have this procedure done again, no problem....best sleep since before having children.

It is also reassuring to know what is causing your discomfort.

Have the procedure...Its a breeze.

PEACE!

[debbie]

I had an endoscopy done in January.  Like you, I too, was very apprehensive.  The only yucky part was when they sprayed my throat with anesthetic and then told me to swallow. It tasted terrible and makes your throat feel weird.  The anesthetic was no problem , though.  They slowly put it into my IV and it was just like feeling drowsy and drifting off to sleep. Don't be afraid about it.  The nurse watched me for about an hour when I woke up and then I went home.  I was sleepy for the rest of the day and took the next day off of work to relax. However, I had no sore throat at all.  Good luck to any of you who have to have this test.

[Ian Waterson]

I must be unlucky!  I had one done, and it was the worst experience I've had in my life.  I would only have one done again, if my life depended on it!!  I mean that..
Ian (London)

[Rick]

I've had 2 endoscopies.The first in January of '98,this January and another coming up in April or May.Yes,I have it all,Gerd,hietal and Barretts.An endoscopy is one of the easieast and least painful procedure you'll ever have done in a hospital.

[Claudia]

Cathy,

I too had the scope, they found nothing, thank god, but i did have a bad reaction from the anesthetic mix they gave me.  It was a demoral/Versad combination.   The procedure itself was a breeze, but I was extremely nauseous from the anesthetic for about 10 hours.  If you are drug sensative, make sure you mention it to your doctor.  I did right before they gave me the injection of anesthetic and he decreased it by half.  Who knows how long i would have been sick if he had given me the whole dose.  Godd luck.