MetaChat - I lived.

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13 December 2006

I lived. Had my endoscopy yesterday.→[More:]
Sedation/anesthesia experiences are so weird. I remember the nurse injecting two things into my IV and the doctor asking me to turn on my left side. After that, my memories are very dreamlike. I remember the scope being inside me and me waving my right hand frantically that they should get it out of me, then I jump ahead to seeing her put the entire scope into some sort of plastic bin, then I remember being offered a can of Hawaiian Punch with a straw in it in the recovery room, then realizing that my girlfriend was there with me and feeling very relaxed and safe, then the doctor talking to me about what they found (though I don't remember any of the actual things she said), then stumbling out of the office, using my girlfriend for support. I remember the drive home and saying I needed to lie down and her saying we were almost there.

I don't remember what the doctor said to me, but I do have her report. All she found was some mild gastritis, and they took 4 tissue samples to test for H. pylori. On the one hand, I'm glad there isn't anything serious (at least not in my esophagus, stomach, or duodenum, but the endoscopy doesn't look at the gall bladder), but on the other, I'm not satisfied with the non-explanation so far. More waiting.

The good news is that last Wednesday they started me on the reflux medication twice a day rather than once and that seems to have helped a bit. I still don't feel normal but I haven't had any meals completely ruined since then.

Test results should be in by the end of the week, and I have a follow-up appointment in January to determine if I need additional tests. *taps fingers on desk*

post by: mike9322 at: 09:29 | 23 comments

eep, hope you get this solved and fully recover!

posted by By the Grace of God 13 December | 09:35

Thank you for the stirring bowelogue.

posted by jonmc 13 December | 09:37

Glad to hear you made it through, bud. :)

Kind of frustrating they didn't find something and go, "There's the problem!" but on the plus side, it's great to hear there's nothing major wrong in there.

So they're testing you for helicopters in your stomach? It's insane what medical technology can do these days.

posted by BoringPostcards 13 December | 09:40

There is nothing wrong with my pooper. Upper GI Endoscopies go in through the mouth.

posted by mike9322 13 December | 09:41

Then why did you tell me your bum was sore afterward? I'm sure you mentioned that in a chat, or something. Odd.

posted by richat 13 December | 09:42

heh helicopters...good one BP

posted by richat 13 December | 09:43

Must have been one of those dreamlike anesthesia things, richat.

Seriously, glad you made it through and nothing is so far wrong.

posted by rainbaby 13 December | 09:46

Aw, mike. I'm glad they didn't find anything really serious, but I hope you get it all sorted out soon. Gut problems are the absolute worst.

(BTW..how's your dad?)

posted by jrossi4r 13 December | 10:13

Relief and frustration! All in one untidy, anesthetized package! So, yay, mike! And also, boo!

posted by taz 13 December | 10:46

Aww, jrossi, I am amazed and touched that you remembered that. That was months ago.

He is doing great, actually. The FAA reinstated him to fly just weeks after his diagnosis, and he's teaching a spin class at his gym, and resuming his life as normal. Basically, with prostate cancer, it's a wait-and-see thing. There is no reason to treat it if there are no symptoms and if it doesn't spread, which is true for something like 90% of cases. So he'll have a test every 6 months or so to monitor it, but otherwise it shouldn't affect his life at all.

However, it does mean I'll begin my visits to Dr. Jellyfinger a little earlier than most men...

posted by mike9322 13 December | 10:52

I'd spread a tablecloth over it and eat an Egg McMuffin.

If I had mike9322's behind.

That is what we're talking about, right?

posted by rainbaby 13 December | 11:10

However, it does mean I'll begin my visits to Dr. Jellyfinger a little earlier than most men...

Time to get a lady doctor. Smaller fingers. Trust me, you'll appreciate that.

I had teh assid reflucks and took meds for it. After I lost 70 lb. last year, I got off those pills and didn't have a problem unless I ate crazy insane stuff I shouldn't eat. I've gotten off my diet entirely, and the symptoms have returned. So now I'm transitioning back to the diet with full Phase I planned for the New Year. I guess what I'm saying is that some of these things can be controlled by diet.

Since I went on the low carb diet, too many carbs (which for most people would be normal intake, I think) makes me extemely bloated and can aggravate my esophagus.

posted by Doohickie 13 December | 11:24

Doohickie, you are right, and I do notice differences in my symptoms based on diet, but I have a hiatal hernia, meaning my diaphragm can't close completely, and meaning I'll never be able to rid myself entirely of the issues without surgery or medication. And the potential side effects of the surgery to correct a hiatal hernia are much more terrifying than the reflux.

I've learned how to manage it pretty well, but if I miss even a day of the Protonix, I am in absolute misery. I hate hate hate being reliant on medication, but at least I have no side effects.

Also, rainbaby, *blush*

posted by mike9322 13 December | 11:32

Glad your test went okay... Have they done an ultrasound to check your gallbladder? That's how they finally figured it out for me, after two trips to the emergency room. Do you get a lot of cramping-like pain after eating, especially fatty foods? Does the pain wake you up in the middle of the night? (Course, I was somewhat atypical, since a lot of my gallbladder pain radiated to my lower right side, but it was my gallbladder, since it went away after the surgery.)

(On preview: Ah, hiatal hernia... my mom has one of those... that can be very painful, too... anything acidic can aggravate hers...)

posted by Pips 13 December | 11:35

I'm guessing that'll be the next step, pips, if I turn out not to have H. Pylori or if treating that doesn't get rid of my symptoms. I really don't have pain at all, not even heartburn, believe it or not. My symptoms are just general nausea, lack of appetite, and the inability to even chew without gagging sometimes, much less swallow. The thing is that it's intermittent and unpredictable. Sometimes, I feel completely fine and can (and do - after all, who knows when my next good meal will be?) pig out. But often, I'll sit down to a meal, and it just completely nauseates me. It feels like an aversion like a pregnant woman might have, except that mine doesn't seem to be at all related to certain foods. When I feel like that, the only things I can get down are fruits, or smoothies, or something that doesn't require a lot of chewing. Failing that, I have to have a full glass of water at hand at all times to help me chew and fight the gag reflex. It's bizarre and has my doctor perplexed.

As I mentioned, doubling my Protonix dose has helped. Maybe this gastritis is the problem, but I'm not very confident. It just doesn't feel right - I think it's something else.

Maybe I have an alien growing inside me.

posted by mike9322 13 December | 11:44

Maybe it's a cute alien that, instead of busting out of your chest all gory-like, will gradually flow out your ears like misty rainbows that then will coalesce into a wittle bunny. Or something.

I'm glad everything went okay!

posted by Specklet 13 December | 13:14

I'm going to ask my doctor about that, specklet.

posted by mike9322 13 December | 13:23

Hope they manage to figure it out. The worst part about aging is all the weird stuff that starts happening that takes months and months for the docs to figure out.

Maybe I have an alien growing inside me.

That can't be it, he'd want more food not less.

posted by Mitheral 13 December | 13:31

Mabye it's an anorexic alien.

posted by jonmc 13 December | 13:50

Glad to hear your dad's OK, mike! Hope he stays that way.

Your symptoms sound exactly like me for the first 4 months of my current infestation. Try some Preggie Pops. They do help a bit.

posted by jrossi4r 13 December | 14:04

God. I knew it. I'm pregnant.

Which one of you Bunnystockers did this to me?

posted by mike9322 13 December | 14:06

Wow, mike, that sounds awful. Hope you feel better soon...

posted by Pips 13 December | 20:02

(I mean the nausea/gag reflex symptoms, of course... not the preggers. : )

posted by Pips 13 December | 20:03

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