Gastroscopy - DONE!

Hey all,

So, I thought I'd jot down my experience with the gastroscopy or 'scope'.

Got to Endoscopy an hour prior to appt, verified appt with admitting.  Sat in waiting area for a few minutes and a nurse came to get me and my friend (who was my driver, support for the day).

Got to a curtained off 'room' and given a bag to put clothes and items in.  Got changed to gown and only leave on panties and socks.  Get under blanket.... (Nurse said she didn't know if the old guy across from us had seen such a short skirt - the gown - in awhile and didn't want to give him a shock hahaha...I love a sense of humour)

Went through paperwork with nurse, allergies, meds, permission form to do procedure.  Found out that test is only about 15 minutes but that they DO keep you in recovery for an HOUR afterwards. 

After all of this was done, they put in a port for IV (if needed) and sedation to be injected (all this done in the test suite).

At my appt time, they were on time..yay, another nurse came and got me and wheeled me into the room where the procedure would be done.  Dr. Birch was there, and support staff (nurses, tech etc).

He reviewed my file, why were were doing the test we spoke for only a few minutes.

Nurse in the meantime had me roll onto my side, put a support wedge against my back, put little 'tubes' in my nostrils that were blowing oxygen, and put a 'guard' in my mouth that had a round hole.  She explained this would protect my teeth and the hole is where the scope would go through.

Dr. Birch told her 10mg of Vercet (the sedation), which she administered through the IV port in my arm...as soon as she gave me the second one...I was feeling dizzy within 15seconds.

I don't remember a dang thing after that!  ahahah!  Yay!   If I was responsive it's news to me.  Supposedly this is a twilght sleep where you are able to respond to requests to swallow etc....I remember NOTHING.

I woke up in recovery probably close to that hour later.  I saw that there was a bit of fluid on my gown's shoulder adjacent to where my head was...and on the sheets.  I asked if I threw up or something?  They said I was very gaggy.  Weird.  I'm not a gaggy person.  So thank goodness that the sedation ROCKS!  :)

They said I could try drinking as soon as I was comfortable to do so, I had a nice bottle of iced tea afterwards which was refreshing.  Tolerating that meant i'd be able to do food soon too.  GOody...i was starving.

NOTE:  I was very woozy and somewhat unstable still when I left, but i was able to dress myself.  This is definitely why you need a someone to drive you.   Still woozy when I got home, slept like a beast...and I got up for dinner which my husband made, and I may go right back to bed!

Also, the only soreness I have is right behind the hard thyroid tissue in the mid throat area.  I feel a bit bruised there when I swallow. 

Otherwise, no discomfort, no problem and nothing to be afraid of.  I would do this test again if needed and not be nervous at all. 

Thank you for telling us your experience! I have never had a scope done, and now if I do I know what to expect.

So glad to hear that your experience was somewhat normal. I had it done in Newfoundland without sedation and my experience was awful.
I so love vercet, I had it when I had my carpal tunnel surgery.
I also seen Dr Birch today and was given the 2 thumbs up, everything is going well and he was excited to see that I am doing so well after all that gross nausea while in the hospital.
Now Miss Dreena lets get the next steps rolling so you can join us on the loser's bench.

Kee.

I think I saw you there yesterday Keelan, you left the clinic right before noon?

I had to come in to see Dr. Birch as well.

Jill

Jill I was there with my sister and ya we left just before noon. **** girl why didn't you speak. I would have loved to meet you and chat. Next time don't be shy.

Kee.

I thought it was you!  You looked like you were feeling some pain?

I was sitting right across from you, very long blonde/brown curly hair, dark jeans, red shirt and blue jacket.  I've been feeling some pain under one of my incisions so Corey wanted Dr. Birch to check it out.  I didn't get to see Birch, I only saw one of his fellows, but apparently what I'm feeling is "normal", I disagree so I made an appt to see my family dr. to get his opinion.

Jill

OMG that was you. Well I wish you would have spoke. Girl let me tell you that you look awesome. I was feeling some pain and then Dr Birch removed all my steri strips and the 2 incisons on the right are still super sore. They are pretty much closed up but still feeling some burning with a cramping like feeling right in that area. It didn't help that it's almost 2.5 hours driving to get to the appts either. I have to say that I am starting to feel better as each day goes by but I'm not a 100% yet. Still feeling a little tired in the afternoon.

Kee.

Thanks!  I'd say I'm not doing too badly... I've lost almost 100 lbs since I started with the program, I'm 6 months out of surgery as of today and I can fit into a size 14-16 jean and a Large or XL shirt.

You will feel better, it will just take some time.  Do you have the big indent below your right incision?  It was the strangest feeling when that one released, but I felt better once it did.

I didn't start feeling 100% until about 3 months out.  That's when the swelling in my stomach went down and it finally sunk in what I did and I got used to what I could eat and what I couldn't (or shouldn't).  I was able to move better and not get winded going up and down stairs and I didn't need a nap after walking to the mailbox and back with the dogs lol.  I think it was at 3 months that my stomach stopped making funny noises after I drank something and I could start drinking more normally instead of small sips.  Oh, and my hair started falling out at the 3 month mark too.

Now I'm at 6 months out, my hair loss has slowed down considerably, I can eat a decent portion (probably about 3/4 cup) and I'm getting a crap-load of comments about how good I look.  I still see the old me in the mirror, but I think the mind is the last thing to change.  My weight loss has slowed a lot too, but I think it's partially my fault because I could be working a whole lot harder at the exercise part of the deal.  I think it'll all come together for me at some point, it just requires a conscious effort to work on myself.


Sorry Dreena for hyjacking your post!

Jill

No apologies :) 

I'm glad that you are all connecting.  I'm happy to hear how well you are all doing.

I've got to be honest that I"m a little wigged out by the hair loss...if I lose any hair I'll be bald!  I guess I could always hope that it will regrow dense and curly? :)  ...in my dreams right?

Thanks everyone for being supportive!

"wigged out" lol

My hair loss was pretty significant at times in the last 3 months.  From what I've read on the VSG board that it happens no matter how much protein you get in.  I've tried taking biotin, I use Nioxin and I get in all my required protein and I am still losing hair.  It just happens, unfortunately :(