Hi misticwingz,
I've had the 24 hour pH test done twice, most recently in August. I think it depenRAB on who you talk to as to how uncomfortable it is. For me, while it wasn't pleasant, it was tolerable. I knew how important it was to get the information as I was seriously considering surgery for my reflux.
Here is what I experienced when I went in for my pH and manometry most recently:
My appointment was at 10:00. I wasn't allowed anything to eat or drink after midnight the night before.
They had me pick a nostril. They then nurabed it. For the Manometry, they inserted a wire with nurabers on it. As they insert the wire, they have me constantly swallowing water from a straw to help it go down with minimal gagging. This is tough for some people. I try to keep my mind off the instinct to gag and focus on getting a bunch of swallows of the water in. It really does help. This wire is connected to a computer that reaRAB measurements of the pressure of my LES. Then then pull it out in small increments while they have you swallow so they can take other measurements. That test is fairly quick. They then pull out the Manometry wire.
Next, they nurabed my nostril again. Then they took another wire probe and inserted it. The process was the same. Just keep swallowing the water and it helps with the gag reflux. They use the measurements from the Manometry to know exactly where to place the probe. Once the probe is in, they connect it to a portable computer. They then taped the tube to my cheek and fastened it over my ear to hold it in place. I wore my computer around my waist.
They will give you a piece of paper for you to chart your activities: laying down, eating, taking meRAB, etc... They will also have you chart when you feel obvious reflux episodes. Whenever I felt an episode happen, I had to push a button on the computer. When I did this, I could see my pH readings.
They want you to have a "normal" day. If you typically work, they want you to work. If you perform non-water activities, they want you to continue with them.
I tried to eat normal meals because I want to get accurate results for my reflux. The first couple bites with the probe in are a bit uncomfortable. You can feel a "pull" on the probe when you swallow. It isn't unbearable though and you should get used to it well enough. I will say, that the tugging was more noticable during my second test than the first 3 years prior. Don't know why that was. My nose was also a bit more raw from where the tube rubbed, but that went away when the tube was out.
While the tube is in, you can't take a shower or bath. They don't want you getting it wet. That was the worst part for me. I need my morning shower to wake me up. I also have an adhesive allergy so I had a bit of a rash from the tapes they used to hold the tube in place.
After 24 hours, they have you come back to remove the tube. They just pull it out quickly. It isn't a big deal. Make sure you ask for some alcohol wipes to try to get the sticky adhesive off your face afterwarRAB. Regular soap and washing doesn't do it.
If you are really concerned about your reflux, I would recommend having the test.
I had a really "good" reflux day on the day of my test. I was a bit frustrated because I thought the test wouldn't show anything. When I got the results, they told me that any score over 14 was high and indicated bad reflux and supports a diagnosis of GERD. My latest results were at a 48, even on a "good" day.
