Guest guest Posted April 7, 2004 Report Share Posted April 7, 2004 I'm scheduled forPH probe and Esophageal Manometry 4/8. Should I experience and complications, pain etc.? Does it hurt..has anyone had the surgery lap. Myotomy? What were your results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 8, 2004 Report Share Posted April 8, 2004 Hi, Like said the manometry is very uncomfortable and unpleasant. Just stay focused on what they are telling you to do and you should be fine. The PH probe is really not that bad, it is a very thin tube that you have inserted in your nose and goes to your stomach, it stays there for 24 hours. It checks to see if you have acid problems. I had surgery 2 weeks ago, but it was an open procedure. I am doing very well. I have lost most of peristalsis in my " E " , so I must drink water as well, but now it is COLD water. Things that are unfamiliar can be a little scary, most of us have had the manometry and probe. YOU'LL DO GREAT!! let us know how you did, okay? Genia > I'm scheduled forPH probe and Esophageal Manometry 4/8. Should I > experience and complications, pain etc.? Does it hurt..has anyone > had the surgery lap. Myotomy? What were your results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 8, 2004 Report Share Posted April 8, 2004 As said, I do have a really big long descriptive post about this - I'll paste it here for you. You can also do searches through the archived messages -- there's a search box at the top of each message page. Debbi ------------------- Here are a couple of posts I've written about my own manometryexperiences. After having typed this info up a few times for differentpeople who asked about the procedure, I saved these two emails so I couldjust copy/paste it w/o having to take the time to type it all up again. (Shortcut Suzy is my nickname at the office!)I hope this helps you some -- let me know if you have any questions!Debbi in Michigan------------------------------------------------------I found this post I wrote a month or so ago. Some background: I'veprobably had the esophageal manometry procedure done 5-7 times in the pastten years. The first one was done by a GI doc himself during the samesession when he did endoscopy, so I was SEVERELY sedated and mostlyunconscious (I remembered two things from the manometry, and just 5-secondbits of those two things -- him putting a tube in my nose and him tellingme to take a drink). You are NOT supposed to be unconscious for this test-- he just was a quack of a doctor. The next 3-5 or so times the test wasdone at the University of Michigan. This was before they had theircomputerized equipment (the machine looked like a seismograph or polygraphmachine, with a roll of paper that was continuously fed under three pens,which squiggled when my esophagus contracted), and the probe was larger,so they put it through my mouth when they couldn't get it through my nose.The last two times I had manometry done (once at U of M, once at TCC) itwas using the new, computerized machines with the smaller probe, and bothtimes they were able to get it through my nose with very littledifficulty. The only differences between these two were theadministration technique for the anesthetic in my nose and the position ofmy body.The UM technician used a long cotton swab to gradually introduce more andmore anesthetic gel to my nostril (see description below), while at TCCthe nurse had me take "hits" or "snorts" of a combinationanesthetic/decongestant gel. She had it in a special syringe, and she putthe tip in my nostril and squirted in a bit and had me sniff it in as muchas possible, then we waited 60 seconds or so for it to take effect, thenwe did it again. I think I probably took 3-4 hits off it altogether (itwas great, b/c I had a cold that day and the decongestant cleared one sideof my head so I could breathe again! I meant to ask if I could have a fewhits of it when we were done for the other nostril!), and each time itnumbed more and more -- we stopped doing sniffs of it when my sniffingbrought it all the way to the back of my nose and I could feel/taste thestuff dripping in my throat. (note for those who hate the "nasty tastingspray" -- when using the sniffer method, they don't use the spray ATALL!!!!)At U of M, they have a chair that kinda reminds me of an Electric Chairfor the death penalty! It has arms and a headrest and it's elevated sothe technician when standing is at the right height for pulling/pushingthe tube and giving you drinks. At TCC, they had just an exam table thatwas propped up on one side so my body was at about a 30-degree angle, andI was lying on my side.Here's my post from about 6 weeks ago:------------------------------------------------------------My joke about booze in the bottle aside, I really DON'T think themanometry is all that bad. I think the skill level of the technicianmakes a world of difference in your comfort level and the quality of thetest results.For people who find the "going through the nostril" just toouncomfortable, ask if it's at all possible for them to go through yourmouth (the run the tube along your cheek, between the teeth and the innercheek, and then down behind your last molars and into your throat). Alsoas if they have the "new" probes or the "old" ones. Five years ago, theUniv. of Michigan clinic only had the older probe, which is bigger andless flexible. They weren't able to get that one through my nostril (Ihave a deviated septum and sinus problems, etc). When I was there a yearago, they had a newer probe that was smaller and more flexible, and withpatience they were able to get that one in through my nose. Make surethey use LOTS of the lidocaine gel and only take it one step at a time. Idon't know if everyone does it this way, but this is my experience withgoing through the nose:Swab gel into front of the nostril with the biggest Q-tip you've everseen; wait a few seconds (30? 60? 90?) for that to numb up.Push the swab with gel a bit further into the nostril.... moan a littlewhen it gets uncomfortable and the tech will stop, twirl the swab to coatthe entire area with lidocaine, and wait for the numbing to happen.Push the swab with gel a bit further into the nostril.... moan a littlewhen it gets uncomfortable and the tech will stop, twirl the swab to coatthe entire area with lidocaine, and wait for the numbing to happen.Push the swab with gel a bit further into the nostril.... moan a littlewhen it gets uncomfortable and the tech will stop, twirl the swab to coatthe entire area with lidocaine, and wait for the numbing to happen.Push the swab with gel a bit further into the nostril.... moan a littlewhen it gets uncomfortable and the tech will stop, twirl the swab to coatthe entire area with lidocaine, and wait for the numbing to happen.Then when the tech has reached all the way back through the nostril, heslowly removes it, twirling it a bit for kind of an "unscrewing alightbulb" effect and to further spread around the lidocaine gel.At that point, the entire pathway is numbed up and the probe can be slowlyinserted without much discomfort.The main thing I've found with the manometry is that you HAVE tocommunicate with the tech -- each person's nose is constructed a bitdifferently, and he has no way of knowing exactly what he can and cannotdo in your nose unless you tell him. Work out a code before you start sohe knows to stop when you moan, etc. Same for during the procedure itself-- if you have a burp or a gurgle, tell him so he can mark it on the chart(b/c it will show up on the manometry readout). If you're to the pointthat you simply cannot take in any more water, let him know -- they do NOTwant to torture you! But they don't know you need to take a break or thatyou need to gurge before you can take in any more water unless you tellthem.If you've had a manometry test before and considered it a fate worse thandeath, ask to have a different tech do it the next time, or at a differenthospital/clinic. My WORST experience was when the GI himself performed it(of course, he was a quack -- told me it was all in my head, etc). MyBEST experiences have been when "just a technician" did it -- they getpaid the same whether it takes them one hour or four, so they have noreason to rush you through it. Also, if you have the Bernstein doneafterwards, the tech gets to just sit around and chat with you for 45minutes (you can't talk during manometry b/c it shows up on the readout,but you CAN talk (or just read a book) during the Bernstein.) B/c thetechs have that "face to face" time with the patients, I think they have abetter understanding of what we feel, emotionally and physically, and sothey tend to be more compassionate.------------------------------------------------------------During the procedure, they will identify the depth at which your LES liesby slowly pulling the tube up and down and monitoring the pressures theyget at different positions. When they push the tube back down, you'llneed to swallow to try to help it go down again (I know, it doesn't helpmuch when we're aperistaltic, but every little bit helps!)Once they have the LES identified and the probe in the right position,they'll give you tiny sips of water at specific times, wait to see whathappens on the monitor/readout, then pull it up a centimeter and give youanother sip, etc. This is the most time-consuming part of the test, b/cthey have to wait in between each swallow before they can move the probe acm and do another swallow. Sometimes the esophagus is feeling REALLYfrisky and just keeps doing a boogie-dance for a minute or so, and theydon't like to move the probe again until the esophagus has finished theboogie-dance and settled down again.You should try not to swallow or talk unless they ask you to, and if atany time during the procedure you swallow accidentally, just say "swallow"and they'll mark it on the readout as such. I do the same when I have a"gurgle/burp" -- just say "burp" so they know what the funny reading wascaused by.When they have their measurements for the length of the esophagus, theypull out the probe and give you a tissue to blow your nose and you're onyour way! Honestly, with my last one, since I had a cold and they hadused a decongestant along with the anesthetic gel, I felt better AFTER theprocedure than I did before! )I hope this helps, and if you have any questions about any of this, feelfree to ask me anything!Debbi in Michigan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 8, 2004 Report Share Posted April 8, 2004 I agree, you will got through the manometry and probe. It will be over in about 30-45 minutes. I just focused on listening to them as well, during the procedure...seemed to help. I kept thinking " another minute forward is a minute less to go. " And I made it. The probe hurt a bit if I talked as that made it move around more. I told my family I was on silence til the next day. I got busy glazing some pottery and watched a movie or two. That helped to pass the time. I slept ok, too. I was glad to get it out, but I just kept thinking about how difinitive the test is and how happy I would be when it was over...that got me through it. You'll be fine too. > > I'm scheduled forPH probe and Esophageal Manometry 4/8. Should I > > experience and complications, pain etc.? Does it hurt..has anyone > > had the surgery lap. Myotomy? What were your results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 8, 2004 Report Share Posted April 8, 2004 One thing I liked that they do at the hospital where I have my manometries, is put on some relaxing music to listen to and dim the lights a little while doing the procedure…and I always get warm cozy blankets. Anything they can think of to get me to relax! Sandi Re: getting scared! I agree, you will got through the manometry and probe. It will be over in about 30-45 minutes. I just focused on listening to them as well, during the procedure...seemed to help. I kept thinking " another minute forward is a minute less to go. " And I made it. The probe hurt a bit if I talked as that made it move around more. I told my family I was on silence til the next day. I got busy glazing some pottery and watched a movie or two. That helped to pass the time. I slept ok, too. I was glad to get it out, but I just kept thinking about how difinitive the test is and how happy I would be when it was over...that got me through it. You'll be fine too. > > I'm scheduled forPH probe and Esophageal Manometry 4/8. Should I > > experience and complications, pain etc.? Does it hurt..has anyone > > had the surgery lap. Myotomy? What were your results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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