endoscopy?
Hi all,
Dr. Pupkova had referred me to a gastro doc because I was having heartburn post-surgery and the Pepcid she gave me was not helping. I saw the gastro doc about two weeks ago, and she agreed with my assessment that it's probably residual pain from the (not officially diagnosed) GERD that I had as a pre-op, and the pain goes away as long as I remember to take Prilosec every day. Still, she wants to do an endoscopy anyway to get a look at everything, and I am scheduled for that bright and early tomorrow morning.
Now that it's almost here, I am SO NERVOUS. I am so worried that it's going to hurt my pouch somehow, and when I think about it, it just about makes me want to cry! I know I am being a big baby. I know this. But still, I am nervous.
Has anyone else had this done as a post-op??? Any advice? You can tell me I'm just being a baby -- I know it's true! Thanks for listening.
Lesley
Dr. Pupkova had referred me to a gastro doc because I was having heartburn post-surgery and the Pepcid she gave me was not helping. I saw the gastro doc about two weeks ago, and she agreed with my assessment that it's probably residual pain from the (not officially diagnosed) GERD that I had as a pre-op, and the pain goes away as long as I remember to take Prilosec every day. Still, she wants to do an endoscopy anyway to get a look at everything, and I am scheduled for that bright and early tomorrow morning.
Now that it's almost here, I am SO NERVOUS. I am so worried that it's going to hurt my pouch somehow, and when I think about it, it just about makes me want to cry! I know I am being a big baby. I know this. But still, I am nervous.
Has anyone else had this done as a post-op??? Any advice? You can tell me I'm just being a baby -- I know it's true! Thanks for listening.
Lesley
Hi Lesley,
My hubby who had his WLS in Jan 2006 has been scoped twice since he's had a pouch. both times were within weeks of his surgery as his stoma had closed due to scar tissue and they had to use the balloon to open his stoma. This scope didn't do anything to his pouch and he was perfectly fine after each scope.
Lately he has also been having problems with acid reflux, he's had a swallow study, and might need to be scoped again to see if he's developed an ulser. Since he's had his surgery his acid reflux has remainded and like his surgeon told him some people just have more acid producing cells in their pouch than others. He's going to go over the tests that have been done but I'm guessing Gene is going to have his third scope since his surgey.
Good luck tomorrow.
Ida
My hubby who had his WLS in Jan 2006 has been scoped twice since he's had a pouch. both times were within weeks of his surgery as his stoma had closed due to scar tissue and they had to use the balloon to open his stoma. This scope didn't do anything to his pouch and he was perfectly fine after each scope.
Lately he has also been having problems with acid reflux, he's had a swallow study, and might need to be scoped again to see if he's developed an ulser. Since he's had his surgery his acid reflux has remainded and like his surgeon told him some people just have more acid producing cells in their pouch than others. He's going to go over the tests that have been done but I'm guessing Gene is going to have his third scope since his surgey.
Good luck tomorrow.
Ida
IdaMae
Thank you Ida! It helps to know that he's had the scope done too and everything has been fine. I know I am worried for nothing -- I wish I could go over there today and just get it over with. I'm also disappointed that I still have heartburn after surgery, but I am hoping that it will either go away as it heals, or at least can be well-controlled.
Hi Lesley,
I'm sorry to hear you're not feeling that well. Hopefully, things will turn around for you soon and you'll feel alot better.
You're not being a baby by any means. You're worried and rightfully so. We don't have the "normal" anatomy that some of these doctors are so used to dealing with so one wrong move and we're the ones that end up paying the price. But on the other hand, I also think that many doctors have come a long way compared to many years ago with their knowledge of the do's and dont's with WLS patients so I think procedures like this have become alot safer for us when done by someone other than a bariatric surgeon. There might be some who will disagree with me of course but in my personal experience, things are alot different now then when I first had my surgery.
I've only had to be scoped once since my surgery and I was a wreck over it. I just made sure it was crystal clear to the doctor and nurses that I was a RNY patient and that my tiny pouch needed to be handled delicately. I didn't know what more I could have done. Everything was fine in the end though and I'm sure it will be for you too. Try and relax about it and think of it this way - I'm sure Dr. Pupkova would never have sent you to this gastro is she didn't have faith in him herself. I'm sure you're in very good and capable hands.
Good luck to you!
I'm sorry to hear you're not feeling that well. Hopefully, things will turn around for you soon and you'll feel alot better.
You're not being a baby by any means. You're worried and rightfully so. We don't have the "normal" anatomy that some of these doctors are so used to dealing with so one wrong move and we're the ones that end up paying the price. But on the other hand, I also think that many doctors have come a long way compared to many years ago with their knowledge of the do's and dont's with WLS patients so I think procedures like this have become alot safer for us when done by someone other than a bariatric surgeon. There might be some who will disagree with me of course but in my personal experience, things are alot different now then when I first had my surgery.
I've only had to be scoped once since my surgery and I was a wreck over it. I just made sure it was crystal clear to the doctor and nurses that I was a RNY patient and that my tiny pouch needed to be handled delicately. I didn't know what more I could have done. Everything was fine in the end though and I'm sure it will be for you too. Try and relax about it and think of it this way - I'm sure Dr. Pupkova would never have sent you to this gastro is she didn't have faith in him herself. I'm sure you're in very good and capable hands.
Good luck to you!
Hi Leslie,
I haven't read all of the other responses but I can certainly tell you first hand that the endoscopy was nothing! A good gastro-endoscopic surgeon should have no difficulty sneaking in and taking a peak at you. I had mine done in April for basically the same reasons except I was almost a year post-op. I had used Nexium prior to surgery and continued it through nine months post op. I started having problems and Dr. P. recommended a scope be done. Nothing major wrong but it was recommended that I just keep taking Nexium. I do an no problems!
Good luck but I am sure it will all be fine.
Jan
I haven't read all of the other responses but I can certainly tell you first hand that the endoscopy was nothing! A good gastro-endoscopic surgeon should have no difficulty sneaking in and taking a peak at you. I had mine done in April for basically the same reasons except I was almost a year post-op. I had used Nexium prior to surgery and continued it through nine months post op. I started having problems and Dr. P. recommended a scope be done. Nothing major wrong but it was recommended that I just keep taking Nexium. I do an no problems!
Good luck but I am sure it will all be fine.
Jan
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