EGD Tuesday and stressing...need to calm down

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Having my second EGD Tuesday and have big time anxiety. Had one 8 years ago which just showed reflux, no need for biopsy or anything like that. Been on Aciphex since then which worked like a charm. I took it upon myself to have another one done just to see how I am doing now. I've been having a bit of trouble with the meRAB for the past 4-1/2 months, but I think that was kind of self-induced (went off meRAB cold turkey, etc....long story). Had a barium swallow in January which showed severe reflux. My stress level has been through the roof since the beginning of the year which does not help one bit.

Anyway, I am scared first and foremost of what they may find and also having something terribly go wrong during the test. I know there are risks to every procedure, but boy I think the worst right away.

Please, someone, I need reassurance.

Thanks.
 
It sounRAB like you may be experiencing rebound from having taken yourself off the Aciphex "too fast." I did the same thing in January and suffered with horrible acid for nearly three months. My stomach seems to be calming itself down now.

Having a second endoscopy is a great idea. I am sure I will do the same in the next couple of years, particularly since I am currently on no medication at all and relying on "natural remedies" to control the heartburn.

I don't think they are going to find anything terrible but more of the same, i.e., irritation, reflux, etc. They took biopsies when I had my first endoscopy. I think that is fairly routine now. They are screening for H-Pylori and abnormal cells.

I think you are very smart in getting that endoscopy. It will probably be fine and worth the aggravation for your peace of mind.

If there is any consolation, I have read and been told by physicians that severity of symptoms does not correlate with underlying disease. That is, people can have terrible reflux and Barrett's and not experience heartburn while other people experiene terrible heartburn and only have mild irritation when they are scoped.

Let us know how it goes.

By the way, I too took Aciphex and it too worked like a "charm" for me. That might have been partly to blame as to why it interfered with calcium absorption for me. Not enough acid in the stomach to aborb calcium.

Rose
 
Thank you Rose. I am back on the Aciphex for now. I was off everything for 2-1/2 weeks, then went to Omeprazole for 4 weeks, then back to Aciphex in February. There were a few times since then that I've tried to go off it (every other day, every two days, etc.) I'm back to every day for the past couple weeks. I probably didn't allow it to get in my system right. I really know how to mess things up and then try and explain that to the doctor. I can't even keep it straight myself.

Do they biopsy even if they don't see anything when they scope? Sorry, I'm just a mess over this.
 
Had my EGD today. Doc said I was completely normal (thank God)....my husband would beg to differ with that :). He also said I was a NERD....that is, I have Non-erosive reflux disease. However he suggests further testing....PH Bravo and Manometry, I'm guessing. I could have had the PH test done today but there was something about them attaching that little capsule to my esophagus that bothered me. I'll decide in the next few months what I am to do. For now, I'll continue with the meRAB and see how they work. I am however, experiencing more in my throat (LPR) than anything. I guess an ENT visit is in the works, too. Uggh. So frustrating.
 
My doctor told me that she biopsied me without suspicion because they had the endoscope and instruments in place and it seemed a shame to miss out on an opportunity to obtain a baseline of how my stomach and esophagus looked even when she was not really worried about cancer. The biopsies are tiny, almost microscopic samples they take while you are asleep. I did not feel anything nor suffered adverse side effects. It sure made me feel better when she told me later there were no precancerous or weird looking cells in my stomach. Otherwise, she would have just told me everything looked "fine" and I would have been annoyed at spending the money I had to spend to just be told everything looked fine. I think a good GI doctor should do endoscopies if they already have the endoscope down there and you are sedated. I am sure it probably takes a few more minutes, if that long. Today is the day you had your endoscopy. Let us know how it went.

Rose
 
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