Gastric issues /gastroscopy & colonoscopy

[emham]

Hello ladies, I’ve been reading related threads religiously over the last few weeks so felt it only fair to add my story.

Around 6 weeks ago I developed a nagging ache around my right side, upper abdo and around the ribs. Sometimes it was the left but mostly the right and I worried my love of wine had caught up with me due to the liver area.

An abdomen ultrasound ruled out liver or gallstone issues but the nagging continued and developed into reflux, burning stomach and loose stools (mainly in the morning). My HA really started to kick off at this point.

Fast forward and I found Nexium didn’t really make any difference, in fact the burning in my stomach increased and sometimes radiated to my back.

Saw GI consultant privately and he referred me for gastroscopy. I had this without sedation and to be honest it wasn’t that bad, camera was in and out within 5 mins or so. He diagnosed gastritis and advised to up the Nexium to 40mg (which stupidly I didn’t because I felt it wasn’t helping).

Then came the colonoscopy….as everyone says, the prep is dreadful. Really struggled to drink it but it certainly did the trick. My advice to anyone is definitely definitely take the sedation. I thought I was brave after the gastroscopy and decided on gas and air but they had to stop half way through to administer a sedative. I found it quite painful.

Good news is the report says no evidence of cancer, took biopsies for microscopic colitis.

Seems a lot of this kicked off after taking antibiotics and ibuprofen after tonsillitis a few months ago. Hoping the increased Nexium and peace of mind is enough to settle symptoms.

Hope this may be of some help to someone as I found these posts incredibly helpful.

When I was in a similar situation the gastro department in my local “centre of excellence” hospital suggested I try to repopulate my gut flora, which might have been damaged by the antibiotics.

I’d go with eating yoghurt with as many strains of live bacteria as you can find, plus taking a tablet such as Bio-Kult. Although the bacteria in yoghurt might be killed off by your stomach acid, I was told that this didn’t happen with Bio-Kult . The hospital suggested other probiotic supplements too, but Bio-Kult was the cheapest one I could find. It’s often on 3 for 2 at Boots.

I'm waiting to have gastroscopy and i'm terrified, am going for the sedation as i do not think i would cope without it. I had a colonoscopy recently with sedation but do not think it really worked that well as i could remember everything afterwards. I'm scared that the same thing will happen with the gastroscopy and i wont be able to get them to stop the procedure.

@Nicklebox ask your admissions team if it is possible to have a naso endoscopy as this goes up through the nose and bypasses the gag reflex. Otherwise, sedation for an OGD is more comfortable but sedation can effect people in different ways; some patients don’t feel any difference with the sedation whereas others are totally out of it! It isn’t pleasant but it is quick and an important procedure. My best advice is to try and relax as much as you can and it only lasts minutes

I also forgot to say, if you really struggle with it they will stop - they won’t continue if you are struggling / asking them to stop.

Thanks that's good to know. I'm having it done at a private hospital but as an NHS patient. So i'm hoping that they will take good care of me.

Nicklebox I was exactly the same, absolutely terrified but I promise you I didn’t find the gastroscopy nearly as bad as I anticipated. I didn’t have sedation, but only because I’d waited so long to be taken to the endoscopy suite that I didn’t want to hang around after (which I was told I’d have to of I chose sedation). Honestly you’ll be fine.

thanks i'm definitely having sedation dh is having the day off to look after me😀

@emham hey I wondered what your biopsy results were, I'm having the exact same symptoms as you describe which started in pregnancy and nearly a year on still on going. Only diff is I had mucus and bloody stools and colonoscopy did indicate colitis. I've had endoscopy which they said was clear and now waiting for ultrasound to check liver, gallbladder etc xxx its so scary