Saturday, April 02, 2011
Endoscopy
I had my endoscopy on Thursday. I had one 14 months ago and I had slight varices so I wasn't sure how much that had changed. I got to the hospital and checked in with General Daycare. They sent me to a waiting room and about 5 minutes later a nurse arrived to collect me and another fellow. We followed her to our respective beds and I was given a gown and told to change and get on the stretcher. A nice lady brought me a warmed blanket and then they took the normal blood pressure etc. and asked a ton of questions regarding prior history. Warm blanket nurse came and started my IV. Then it was my turn. They wheeled me into the room - brand new state of the art - huge computer monitors everywhere and lots of long armed equiment. So they sat me up first and sprayed the gag reflex numbing stuff into my throat. I am such a bad gagger! The nurse is saying swallow that and I'm gagging and trying to spit it out! But we got through that and they make you lay on your left side and then she tried to put in the mouth guard which started the gagging again. They gave me a bit of the anesthetic and then no problems. Once the mouth guard was in I was gone and don't remember anything until they were waking me up back in my curtained cubicle. I think the first thing I asked was did he band any and she said yes four or five. When I was awake enough they started telling me I could get dressed and they would call my ride home. Then I threw up. Not pleasant. They gave me all my instructions on a piece of paper and I held my paper plate to be sick in again if need be and I was going to go to the waiting room downstairs and as I staggered by the nabbed me and made me sit in a chair and wait till Lynnie arrived. Once she got there I started to get up to go and staggered around some more so they sent her off to get a wheel chair to get me to the car. We got home and from the car to the apartment door and as we stuggled to get a key in I threw up again. Made it in and basically waved goodbye, said thank you very much and went and laid down. I was on fluids only for Thursday and soft foods for yesterday. It was very sore all day yesterday and I didn't manage to eat much. Spent most of the day watching tv and resting. Today it is 4:00am and I am wide awake. I'm trying to drink a cup of tea but am feeling queasy. I go back to see him in six weeks. This morning I am realizing how much damage has been done in the last year. From slight varices to having to band them seems quick to me. So along with the varices and the acites I would say we are getting closer to the end of my liver.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Sunday in the UK as I type this and hope you are feeling slightly better. It sounded so horrid and such a shock to wake up and hear you had needing banding. I was so suprised to read that, after your other endoscopy report came back 'slight'.
As you know I've yet to have my first endoscopy as I 'failed' the first attempt - am dreading going through it again. I must be an even worse gagger than you!
However, I received a surprise call on Friday from a hospital 20 miles away where a hepatologist has set up a new liver clinic. I will be one of his first patients, and see him on Monday. I looked him up and he comes from a transplant centre.
After he and I have gone over my entire history (as you do with any new doctor) I will report back on my blog what HE thinks my treatment (if any) should be for the cirrhosis.
From a mother to a mother (and Granny) sending you UK mother's day good wishesbis
Thank you Fiona, I didn't realize today was Mother's Day in the UK. Happy Mother's Day to you as well. I hope you have a lovely day surrounded with loved ones. :)
I was shocked too about the banding and how quickly this all seems to be progressing now. I have been doing some reading and internet searching and I know that people can go along with having banding done for years and still maintain but it's still scary.
I hope this new doctor turns out to be good and you like him. It will be so much better for you to have a liver clinic close by. I am interested in what he will have to say.
Gagging has always been a big problem for me and my mom too actually. It is a problem for me with pill taking too. I realize it is all a mental thing and not physical but geez you can't convince my thoat of that as it is madly trying to expell anything it doesn't think belongs!!
If you have another go at the endoscopy make sure you take the spray first. It does help in the long run.
Wishing you all the best,
Anne
Well as you may have already read on my blog I came away from the hepatologist with a new diagnosis: autoimmune hepatitis. On top of the inactive Hep B. It's taking me a while to adjust to something new to deal with and it seems I will be on long term tablet treatment for both.
Any tips from you on how to swallow tablets would be great. I've only ever taken painkillers and antibiotics over the years, and I HATE taking pills. I'm convinced they will get stuck, so my compliance at completing a course is low.
How are you feeling
Hi Fiona,
Yes I did see it on the board and the blog. I don't know much about autoimmune but I will be following along with your blog.
The way I take pills sounds gross but it's the only way I can get them down. I have to have food with them. I chew up a mouthful of food, pause and stuff the pill in the middle and then swall the food. For me that works and I can fool my throat into thinking it is only food. Sounds bizarre this whole gagging thing doesn't it?
I'm feeling ok. Getting through the days and maintaining. :)
Post a Comment