Hi everyone, I've got a bit of problem, would appreciate any advice. You may have seen my posts here already, I've had a problem with my throat now for just over a month. It's vague, but constant, and usually manifests itself as a nervous feeling in the throat (tight, raw, strained), a tickle in the back of the throat, sometimes waking up with an awful bitter taste in the mouth, some heartburn, and occasional difficulty swallowing (but never with food or drink, only my own saliva or pills). None of this is debilitating, but because it is constant it has become a problem. I saw a gastro doc who thinks I have acid reflux. He's starting me on nexium and wants me to get an endoscopy. My question is, is the endoscopy procedure dangerous? Is it worth the risk and the discomfort when my symptoms are not terrible? I wouldn't want to make things worse. I didn't want to have to go this far, but neither do I want to live with these symptoms, and they are persistent. You see, I have a therapist who thinks there really isn't anything wrong with my throat, that it's all caused by anxiety. I disagree. I remember exactly where I was and when this started, but still you can see how I'm a bit ambivalent about the whole situation. Also, could anyone could tell me how long Nexium should take to work? Thanks.

Do it. You'll be sedated and won't feel/know a thing.

Hi there. I responded to your previous post regarding your symptoms and therefore will not reiterate that. But if your symptoms are bothersome, why not have the tests done to find out the cause? An endoscopy carries slight risk (like any potentially invasive procedure) related to the fact that you are sedated and a tube is inserted into the mouth and travels through to the stomach and duodenum. The procedure is used to look for stricture of the esophagus, the presence of reflux and the amount of damage from reflux. The doctor can also take biopsies of suspicious areas if needed.

Endoscopy is not painful, and you are basically in a "twilight zone" during the procedure and probably won't remember anything. You'll have a follow-up appointment with your doctor a week or so later to discuss the results.

The choice is ultimately yours, but since you're asking for advice, my opinion is to have the procedure done. If you truly have GERD, the doc can measure/monitor it for future reference.

As far as Nexium, I was Prilosec for years - can't say as I really noticed any difference in my reflux while taking it, so therefore, I can't answer your question about how soon it starts working.

Good luck and keep us posted,
Katie G

Thanks for the replies, guys. I probably ultimately will end up doing the endoscopy. I've just always been nervous about medical procedures. Although, Katie, I'm sad to hear that Prilosec never helped your reflux. Hopefully I'll have better luck. Hope you're doing well.

Hi again. Please keep us posted on your outcome if you do have the scope done. As far as me being on Prilosec, I found out from other medical procedures that my lower esophageal sphincter was not staying closed, therefore allowing reflux to occur. No amount of Prilosec was going to fix that, so in 2001, I had Nissan fundoplication surgery to fix the problem. I no longer take Prilosec, and believe me, I don't miss it a bit.

Katie G

Katie,

What procedure was used to determine that your esophageal spincter was not working right?

If it were me I would wait and see if the nexium worked. I personally wouldn't want to go through an endoscopy unless I absolutely had to so I would try all other avenues first. Good luck!

Hi Prostator. I wanted to reply to this because I have had every test known to man when it comes to gastrohealth. I am not (and beleive me why would i want to???) making this up. I have had the test that you were debating about, and was wondering if you went through with it. Actually i have had several of them. I have also had what they call a "PH Probe" to measure the PH levels in my stomache. I have had tests done on the inside of my esohpagus (which involves have a tube inserted up my nose, down into my stomache, which measuring lines on it, pulled out bit by bit while i swallow amount of water so they can tell how tight my esohpagus (sp) gets each time i swallow. The Ph probe is quite similar just with a smaller tube, and you are sent home, with a monitor, pressing buttons when you feel heartburn etc, so they can read the results and match up the inconsistencies. respond to this if you want my email address for more info. good luck. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

Hi prostator. The test I was talking about is called esophageal manometry, and kc_1309 described it perfectly. It's a test where you go to the hospital and they push a tube through your nose and slowly go down to your stomach. At different points along the way, the nurse will ask you to swallow and they take measurements of the contractions of the esophagus and measure the strength of the swallow too. It is NOT a comfortable test, and there is no sedation except for the lidocaine on the tubing which numbs the nose as it moves through. The discomfort comes from the feeling of that tube going down past the gag reflex, and then the urge to swallow is so strong, but they don't want you to swallow until they tell you. I just did a lot of deep breathing to keep relaxed as much as possible.

As far as the response from one poster about holding off on the testing to see if the Nexium works, that's fine. But other testing will tell you how much damage has occurred due to reflux, or if the upper & lower esophageal sphincters are weak. Just because you feel better on Nexium doesn't mean the reflux is necessarily gone. I still refluxed small amounts even on Prilosec (40mg per day) and the damage was still occurring. Remember too, you might not just be refluxing stomach acid (which is what the PPI will reduce), but other acids from the liver, pancreas, small intestine, etc. that are not affected by PPIs.

Ultimately, the choice is yours and we're all pulling for you here.

Good luck,
Katie G

Hey guys, thanks for the input. I have the endoscopy scheduled for August 1, but honestly, I might wimp out in the end. As far as the test you described, kc and Katie, wow I don't know if I could ever handle that. I could have a panic attack right in the middle of something like that. The main reason that I am ambivalent about the test is because my symptoms are so subtle. I have described my symptoms on this board, but it is very difficult to find the words to do so. Even in my own mind, I am not sure exactly what I feel. I don't even get a lot of heartburn, which is the main symptom of GERD, is it not? I get it occasionally, but I've always gotten it occassionaly, like everyone else. It's not as if I can say "Oh yeah, I have the pain, right there, God, that kills." All I can truly say is that something in my throat feels "funny," or, "off," and that I did not feel it before June 5th. I have done my best to describe my symptoms, but when I do, I think it is more of an approximation than a very accurate description. I know how ludicrous this sounds, believe me I do, and it is very frustrating. Originally, I felt as if I had to yawn constantly. Sounds crazy, doesn't it it? Then, after the throat business started, I had problems with my eyes and sleeping, which I won't describe number one because this is the wrong forum and number two because you would think I am a nut if I told you! And honestly, I think I may be a nut. I will tell you that last night, for about ten minutes, I lost my peripheral vision - but I just got my eyes checked two weeks again and the doctor told me they look fine!I am on a bunch of medications, some for my prostatitis, others for anxiety. I only started the anxiety medications after the throat problem started. These drugs all, of course, have their own side effects which could be affecting me in ways I don't know. I fear I am losing the ability to objectively judge my own sensations - that I can no longer tell the difference between what I really feel and what my anxiety or drug side effects is making feel. So when I can't even say to myself what I feel is wrong with my throat, only that I feel some vague discomfort, maybe it's just all in my head? The only thing I know for sure is that none of this was a problem before June 5, 2003. Sorry for going on so long guys, I don't expect any answers from you, I just had to get that off my chest. Thanks for listening.

I have had two endoscopes and I suffer from panic attacks too. I don't remeber much from the first scope because i ws so tired due to other tests that had already been performed. I was hospitalized in Mexico and they wouldn't let me eat anything. They gave me a barium enema and took xrays. Later they did the scope. I was lying there and the doc sprayed some junk in my mouth that numbs your throat. Then he put a round donut thing in my mouth and said bite softly down. The donut thing was for the scope to go through. The next thing I know the doc said he was about to give me something to sedate me. The next thing I remember is waking up. I felt like crap because of the sedation medication.

My next scope was a week ago here in the US. I was hooked up to a heart machine, a blood pressure machine, and one of those thumb thingies that measue your oxygen level (I think) and heart beats per minute. I started getting a little panicky due to all the equipment but I kept looking at the monitor and saw nothing wrong and so I focused on that thought and calmed myself. I was given medication but I ws not put to sleep. I remember everything. The only discomfort was when the scope was going down my throat. I gagged a little but it was nothing major. The doc said I did really well. The sedation makes you feel really good and I like the fact that I wasn't sedated to sleep. I would love some of the sedation stuff in pill form! My wife was also able to be in the room to observe the procedure.

The aftereffects of my scopes were a sore throat and sore stomach. Both went away in a few days. I have gotten to the point where I will let any test be performed to make sure all I have is gastrtis (though I did have ulcers first which started this mess) since that's all I have been told I have so far. I just have a hard time believeing gastrits can last this long (two months). I have had the barium xrays, blood tests, two scopes, and a head MRI amd CT scan (for another problem). I bet my picture is on the hall of fame wall at my insurance company!

Actudan,

Do they give you antiobiotics or anything before the endoscopy? Seems to me there may be a risk of infection, sticking that long tube all the way into your stomach and all.

I don't think antibiotics are common to give for endoscopes. Yes they stick a long tube down your throat but the tube is sterilized and a good doc isn't going to jab your stomach to give rise to a possible infection. Now if a biopsy is taken and H Pylori ir some other sort of bacterial infection is found then you would be given antibiotics. Usually anitbiotics would only be given in procedures that require some sort of incision. At least that is what I think.

hi prostator i too have that same feeling in my throat that you were describing. i have been on aciphex for 2 weeks hopin that would help and for a few days it seemed to then it started again. its a tight aching feeling almost as if i swallowed a big bite of cold ice cream too fast. i went to the drs on thurs and she thought that it could be reflux or anxiety. seems i also have it when im tired or stressed. as soon as i lay down and relax the feeling goes away but sometimes it comes on after i eat. i also have that tickle in my throat like specks of dust or something. if i try to cough it away i feel like my throat is closing and i cant breath. better to clear my throat. take care

Hi Yvonne,

It's good to know someone is feeling something similar to me. I was wondering, do you have frequent heartburn? Because I do not have it all that often, and that is the most common GERD symptom. I'm glad you can at least get some relief through lying down and relaxing; my symptoms, unfortunately, stick around all the time. Have you made any more progress? What's your plan of action? I also was told by my doctor that this could be caused by anxiety. But after taking anti-anxiety medication, doing my best to keep busy, and doing my best to ignore the symptoms, the feeling did not go away. So I've now decided there must be a physical cause. Also, lately I have noticed that I am short of breath. I often find myself wheezing, and when I go up the stairs sometimes my heart is pounding. Also, I can barely hold my breath - like fifteen seconds tops. Maybe this is just the beginning of a cold, and unrelated to the throat symptom. Oh well, guess time will tell. Best of luck.

My uncle died from esophageal cancer and my father has Barrett's. I have subglottic stenosis due to reflux (I have scar tissue building up in my trachea just below my vocal cords). Get the endoscopy. Even if you don't have a lot of heartburn symptoms, you could have damage. My endoscopy was a breeze. Seriously. In fact, it's been the easiest and most comfortable procedure I've had. I've also been through Ph monitoring and other tests. The endoscopy was a piece of cake. You'll probably even enjoy the drugs they give you. You wake up feeling wonderful and relaxed. Trust me.