A little update
I just got back from Cleveland on Sunday. I was supposed to come back on Saturday, but I had a complication after my EGD. I know you aren't supposed to remember anything from the sedation procedures, but I think at some point the medication may have started wearing off a bit because I do recall waking up while they were in the middle of the procedure and gagging/wretching like crazy, and they tried to talk me through it, and then the next thing I remembered was waking up in recovery. My throat was dry, which is normal, but all those meds were still on board, so I didn't really have any soreness or trouble swallowing until about 4 hours later in my hotel room. I had napped when I got back from the procedure, and when I woke up I was really thirsty, so I tried to sip some water and even though I have never personally swallowed glass, I think I know what it feels like. I have had so many of these EGD's/upper endoscopies that if it weren't for the sedation part, I feel like I could do one to myself; so I know what to expect. I usually get a mild to moderate sore throat for a few hours, no big deal, sometimes no sore throat at all. I remembered the gagging/wretching, so I wasn't really starting to panic yet. I had my procedure around 12pm, and they said I couldn't take my regular pain meds for 8 hours, so I waited, took my pain meds, and it had zero effect, and the weird thing was that it wasn't the back of my throat that was sore, it was way at the base of my neck, and shooting into my left chest. It was worse when I tried to breathe in deeply and swallowing.
I have never taken an ambulance to the ER, I have gone from one hospital to another in one, but never to the ER as a patient in one...I'm used to being on the other end of the cot, either driving or in the back with a patient. I felt silly as I rode in this ambulance going to the ER at Cleveland Clinic, but I just knew something was wrong, and I am glad that I followed that feeling. It was kind of confusing because although the ER resident was very nice, he didn't hear any air escaping when he listened to my neck/chest, so he was still going to order some tests but was pretty confident that everything was ok. The ER attending came in and he listened to my chest and neck for a lot longer, and he heard something that was not right. I ended up starting with an x-ray, and there was an abnormality that they could see, so then they were going to do a CT Scan (ah, more radiation, that's what I was thinking). After talking to the radiologist, they decided that it would be better for the Ear/Nose/Throat doctor to come to the ER and do an intra-nasal scope...cue the giant freak out here!!!! I can take a million needles, pain, whatever...but I really have a thing about anything that is going to mess with my gag reflex, just can't take it. I spent the next hour freaking out waiting for the ENT to get there. I convinced the ER folks that it would be in everyones best interest to give me something to relax/pain med right before the doc started, and they did...I have to admit that it was all OK in the end, but seeing that 12" long scope that she was going to jam up my nose and down my throat pushed me to the edge. I also had some time to ponder if what they were seeing on the x-ray was possibly cancer because that was discussed...it was just really a scary time. In the end, they gave me a mega dose of IV antibiotic, pain control, fluids, and determined that the symptoms plus the weird x-ray added up to a microscopic leak of the esophagus that was causing the pain and weird air leak sound the ER doc was hearing in my chest. I spent about 12 hours in the ER, and then went back to the hotel, stayed an extra day to make sure I felt ok going home, and then headed home. It's still pretty painful, but it will get better as it heals.
I'm going back to Cleveland November 14th to meet with the surgeon to see if he has anything in his bag of tricks that can improve my quality of life and/or surgically treat the cause of my very frequent pain/nausea episodes. I am also going to discuss the possibility of placing a medication port. I'm seriously running out of veins, and the PICC line is just too much of a risk of infection, and I can't work with a PICC. The last few PICC's I had kept failing anyway.
So, this last trip was a lesson in Listen to Thyself, if something doesn't feel right, and you have the heebie jeebies, don't ignore the signs, there's probably something wrong.
I hope this finds you all getting better, and at the very least, getting the right care and answers :)
I have never taken an ambulance to the ER, I have gone from one hospital to another in one, but never to the ER as a patient in one...I'm used to being on the other end of the cot, either driving or in the back with a patient. I felt silly as I rode in this ambulance going to the ER at Cleveland Clinic, but I just knew something was wrong, and I am glad that I followed that feeling. It was kind of confusing because although the ER resident was very nice, he didn't hear any air escaping when he listened to my neck/chest, so he was still going to order some tests but was pretty confident that everything was ok. The ER attending came in and he listened to my chest and neck for a lot longer, and he heard something that was not right. I ended up starting with an x-ray, and there was an abnormality that they could see, so then they were going to do a CT Scan (ah, more radiation, that's what I was thinking). After talking to the radiologist, they decided that it would be better for the Ear/Nose/Throat doctor to come to the ER and do an intra-nasal scope...cue the giant freak out here!!!! I can take a million needles, pain, whatever...but I really have a thing about anything that is going to mess with my gag reflex, just can't take it. I spent the next hour freaking out waiting for the ENT to get there. I convinced the ER folks that it would be in everyones best interest to give me something to relax/pain med right before the doc started, and they did...I have to admit that it was all OK in the end, but seeing that 12" long scope that she was going to jam up my nose and down my throat pushed me to the edge. I also had some time to ponder if what they were seeing on the x-ray was possibly cancer because that was discussed...it was just really a scary time. In the end, they gave me a mega dose of IV antibiotic, pain control, fluids, and determined that the symptoms plus the weird x-ray added up to a microscopic leak of the esophagus that was causing the pain and weird air leak sound the ER doc was hearing in my chest. I spent about 12 hours in the ER, and then went back to the hotel, stayed an extra day to make sure I felt ok going home, and then headed home. It's still pretty painful, but it will get better as it heals.
I'm going back to Cleveland November 14th to meet with the surgeon to see if he has anything in his bag of tricks that can improve my quality of life and/or surgically treat the cause of my very frequent pain/nausea episodes. I am also going to discuss the possibility of placing a medication port. I'm seriously running out of veins, and the PICC line is just too much of a risk of infection, and I can't work with a PICC. The last few PICC's I had kept failing anyway.
So, this last trip was a lesson in Listen to Thyself, if something doesn't feel right, and you have the heebie jeebies, don't ignore the signs, there's probably something wrong.
I hope this finds you all getting better, and at the very least, getting the right care and answers :)
Jules RNY 10/30/2007
Dear Jules:
I am very happy to hear from you, but very sad to hear that you are still having so many problems. What a nightmare!
I am sendning good thoughts and healing eneergy and hope you continue to keep us updated and come here for support. We are here for you and I for one, will support you however I can.
I agree........if you KNOW there is something wrong, keep at it until someone will listen.
I am very happy to hear from you, but very sad to hear that you are still having so many problems. What a nightmare!
I am sendning good thoughts and healing eneergy and hope you continue to keep us updated and come here for support. We are here for you and I for one, will support you however I can.
I agree........if you KNOW there is something wrong, keep at it until someone will listen.
Tell someone that you love them!
Dawn
253/223/167/127
HW/SW/CW/GW
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