Escapades in my stomach

Oh my. I was so lucky to get to experience my first scopes of my GI tract. What a horrible experience. The doc says he did 12-14 biopsies while in there and I'll be waiting quite a while for the results.

I have diverticulitis which isn't a big surprise to me because I have IBS (like half the world).

My results for H Pylori are also positive again, which really sucks in many ways, but is also good because they will treat it again. I get so freakin sick from it. On top of that I had the pleasure of going off most of my meds in prep for the scopes and tests.

I think this doc will have a very hard time convincing me to do another scope. I was so sick from the prep that even now, a week later, I'm still not able to think about it without having my stomach turn. I've never vomited so much in my life. Certainly it will take a long time to say yes again, and I'll do a natural prep with several days of clear liquids instead of the horrible crap they force down you. Four litres of pure torture! If only I'd known that you can do it much easier if you just take four or five days of clear fasting beforehand!

At any rate, I'm glad to at least know they will retreat the HP, which will bring considerable relief.

Curiously, a large part during my prep was migraine free.

If anyone has experience navigating awesome GI issues I'd love you to share some success stories.

Is the scope like an upper gastroscopy? if yes, shouldn't you have been put to sleep for this? it takes longer, but at least you feel better afterward - don't puke so much. so sorry about your experience.

Risa

I've had both scopes run (gallbladder), and DH has had them done multiple times (IBS-D and celiac).  By any chance were the biopsies for suspicion of celiacs?  There's a couple of other prep methods that don't involve the gallon of Go-Lightly (it's the actual name of that junk-no joke).  

My GI doc had me get the Fleet's prep kit #2, there was 4 oz of liquid (horrifically salty), and stool softeners.  I did still have to follow it with lots of fluids, but as long as they were within the general prep rules (no caffeine, food coloring, or alcohol), I could choose whatever beverages I wanted.  

DH tried the go lightly, and started vomiting like you, when he called in they just told him to switch to clear liquids, since he was already passing loose stools.  The second time they had him use stool softeners and miralax (a LOT of it), once again, that was followed with lots of liquids, but it made it easier for both of us and nausea.

For me, getting the gallbladder out solved my issues, but DH's are ones he'll deal with for the rest of his life.  A gluten free diet takes care of the issues associated with the celiacs.  IBS is trickier for him, since stress makes the IBS worse, and the IBS flaring makes him stressed.  It really didn't help when he was traveling for work a lot, since then he can't just say pull the plane over, I'm gonna be ill.  He did discover that if you tell the flight attendants what you're doing before take off (running to the bathroom with IBS), Southwest Airlines was really cool and understanding.  American was less so, to the point of being jerks.  We don't fly on American much anymore.

A bit of research I found recently showed that SSRI type antidepressants can help IBS-D.  Apparently low serotonin levels can cause peristalsis to change it's rhythm and/or pace (peristalsis is the muscle contractions that push food through the intestines).  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1192440/

Sorry I don't have a just do this, and it'll all go away success story.  Wished I did, but I'd want to have it for migraines just as much, and I don't see medical researchers finding the wonder drug for either condition anytime real soon.

Risa- they do usually give you twilight sedation for this type of procedure, upper or lower GI, but it's not general anesthesia, and many people remember all of the scope. DH said it was weird, he knew it was his lower GI scope he could see on the monitors, and occasionally feel a bit of a poke or a push, but there was enough medication that it wasn't painful or scary.

I don't remember any part of either of my scopes, I remember the doc introducing me to the anesthesiologist, and me asking her if I told her I loved her, would she give me extra meds? I then remember them asking me to roll on my side, and something cool going into the IV, and then I remember giggling that I'd caught my gown on the bed rail on the side of the bed that was now behind me, since I couldn't untangle it with the IV in the hand that I would need to use. I remember them covering my behind again (laughingly told me they didn't need that much of a show), and then, waking up

I remember the doc introducing me to the anesthesiologist, and me asking her if I told her I loved her, would she give me extra meds?

LOL Sara, aren't these twilight moments special
I remember mine, when I asked my doc if he liked my breasts  

I think these doctors should write a book with funniest quotes they patients said  
Risa

Too funny! I had a fight with my specialist as they gave me the meds...lol.

Ok, so the specialist that I have a love hate relationship with got my results and called in the quad therapy within hours. I'm trying to figure out if I can afford to hold off starting the heavy antibiotics until after I get my energy back. I guess I'm risking permanent damage but I don't want to risk missing more work.

I remember every moment of my scopes. The one in my throat had me gagging so much I thought I'd choke. I guess it's not uncommon. Yuck...oh the memories!

Now I'm hoping that the infection is the worst of my results. Guess only time will tell.

Milo, I think you'll get the energy back from the antibiotics! I certainly felt a whole lot more perky after finishing 6 weeks course of amox-clavu for my sinus infection. most miraculous of all,  my years long daily M has stopped!
alas, it returned after a few months, the good news being - not with a vengeance.  just a dull HA, but manageable with occasional breakthrough.
Now I think all of us with chronic M should get treated with extended a/b therapy for sinus infection. you never know.
it could be just 'the one thing' that one needs!
anyhoo, the crux of the story is, I never felt better!! in years!! as after this  antibiotic.
wow, all this energy and even the chronic fatigue was gone. just a-mazing!
so I dunno, Milo, you have to decide yourself, but if I was you I would start it asap. unless you are talking about some last resort,
truly heavy duty dangerous one? then maybe, yes, perhaps wait.

Risa

That is great news Clueless! I suppose you are right. I have a really important and long meeting today, but maybe I'll start after that. I suspect I'll have a very upset stomach once I start, so that with a long meeting would really suck. But you are right, maybe I'll feel much better on them.

My pharmacist gave me a great advice- unless is not allowed with your particular a/b,  eat a lot or probio yogurt, like Iogo probio.
It really does help with stomach issues, and yeast, too while being on it.
(I think most if not all yogurts have those pro-bio cultures? if I am mistaken, then do correct me, pls)
Hope that helps.

Risa

Sadly I'm not allowed any dairy while doing the treatment, but I already take a very good probiotic, so that should help.

Right, I forgot you can take probio without dairy. Good luck, then! get healthy, and happy

Risa

Risa- I was unmedicated and terrified of remembering the scope when I asked about extra meds.  I was drugged to the gills when I was giggling and mooning the room (nobody was behind me to see until they discovered why I was giggling and squirming)

On sinus infections, I could write a book...I've had them, diagnosed as chronic, did septoplasty  and the roto-rooter sinus cleanse, as well as having the 'windows' widened at the back of my sinuses (nasophrangeal openings)- all one surgery.  I've been on many, many rounds of antibiotics, including three different, progressively stronger rounds between the beginning of November and Christmas.  

Had allergy shots to try to keep them from occurring, fought with an allergy specialist about sinus rinses (remember those windows...they let most of the rinse down the back of my throat, witch caused gastric 'distress'), and currently take Zyrtec and Claritin every day, plus Mucinex D (maximum strength, the old prescription for Entex) as needed with a nose spray during ragweed season.  Right now with benedryl for the house upgrades in progress (finishing our basement-wow we have a lot of dust...and cobwebs <shudders thinking about spiders>).  

I do think that many of my migraines have sinus issues somewhere in the root of the problem, I think that's a contributing factor in more than just my migraine issues, it may be a common factor for a percentage of us.  All the sinus cavities are lined with blood vessels and most of the facial nerves travel close to one of our sinus cavities.  It could be the pressure in the cavity is what triggers the nervous issues, which would explain why Botox works in some cases- numb the nerve, numb the migraine.

I've done rounds of up to six weeks of moderately strong oral antibiotics, at one time, the six weeks before the sinus surgery, most recently the rounds during the holidays.  They were not the strongest antibiotics, all of those are IV, and trying to get a US HMO to allow for a six week inpatient stay for IV antibiotics every 8 hours (typical hospital IV dosing schedule) would require both a miracle and divine intervention.

I've found that there's a probiotic called Pearls: http://www.amazon.com/Enzymatic-Therapy-Pearls-Intensive-Probiotics/dp/B002NL165W/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1422594834&sr=8-2&keywords=pearls+probiotic  These are the specific ones I really prefer.  Don't take them at the exact same time as you take your antibiotic, the antibiotic will kill the probiotics before they can repopulate your GI tract.  These are nice because they don't have to be kept in the fridge, so I can keep them by my bedside, take them at bedtime and let them work on my guts while I sleep.

I do find that right after I've finished a round of antibiotics, especially if I get to the point where I feel like it kicked the infection, rather than just knocking it down, I have more energy.  It's when I've had ten days of meds, and feel no better, sometimes worse than when I started it-I honestly felt horrific over the US Thanksgiving weekend.  

I knew I had a sinus infection, I was taking the second round of antibiotics, but we took a road trip to family, which was at a different altitude.  I got an ear infection from the sinus infection, and a whole mess of tummy woes from meds and nausea from my inner ears being unable to adjust.  I told the doc I'd never felt so car sick in my life, and I did a home pregnancy test on Sunday when I got home.  It would have required me changing my name to Mary, but it was the only thing I could think of to make me so suddenly so extremely motion sick.  Both ears looked really bad, the doc offered and I accepted a large dose steroid injection in office, the third antibiotic (one of the strongest oral ones), and a medrol dose pack of oral steroids.  I couldn't sleep for two nights, but boy my ears and my tummy were happier.  

For yogurts, you'll want to look for ones with live active cultures (how the good ones are labeled in the US), some of the more tasty, full of sugar varieties here won't have active cultures, because it makes the yogurt taste more tangy and yogurt-y

Sorry, it's a novel, but like I said, I can write a book on the sinus infection/migraine combo

Sara, thanks, it's very enlightening. did all those procedures on your sinuses were worth it?
I am going to see an OTO- laryng in April because I have this weird feeling of fullness in my maxillary  sinus area,
that was triggered by NeilMed sinus rinse.
never ever any sinus rinse for me. pressure or neti pot (I tried both).  this might be fine for some people, just not for me. it just sorely  burned my sinuses, and ever since I feel like I have humongous ping pong balls inside my sinus cavities..
I too, have allergies to dust, pollen, cats, dogs and whatnot, my nose is constantly running (away from me, probably,  lol) and this irritates my sinuses most likely, too.
I take Reactine which usually works, but I am finding it less and less effective every year, which worries me.
I am thinking of getting allergy shot this Spring, the only problem they are costly, so we'll see if I will be able afford them. hopefully yes.

Thanks for the info Sara, I will remember to try  Pearls if taking a/b, and checking yogurts for the live culture from now on, thx

Risa

I do not regret the sinus surgery at all. Without it, my sinuses could not drain, and my septum was so deviated that I still had an infection going into surgery, I just could get all the infection mucus cleared. I wasn't able to breathe through my left nostril, when I got that cleared after surgery I drove myself nutty not realizing why my upper lip was so itchy-breathing moved the little hairs on my upper lip. Dad has had the same procedure, and I know my brother needs it, but wont go in to an ENT.

Allergy shots...at the time, I was hugely annoyed at having to go in every week, and constantly having bruises or welts (typical reaction but itchy and it never failed the kids I worked with never failed to poke the biggest bruise every time) With time and no more welts, since I finished therapy, I do have less trouble with allergens. Weeding or mowing isn't a guaranteed sinus migraine/sinus infection.

They weren't the magic bullet that the docs want to tell you it will be, but it has helped. And the allergy pills and decongestants work better when you can get your mucus moving enough to clear it.

Sara, you have no idea how much your reply helped me! I am very worried I may need one or the other procedure myself at some point,
and wasn't sure if it is worth the trouble.
Also, thanks for explaining about how the shots work - I had no idea I am to expect to be bruised :O but oh well I am sure this is well worth it for sure, if that means no more crazy running nose and teary eyes and blast out like sneezing lol. oh, itchy scratchy throat, too.

All this is still a few good months ahead, though, so when the time comes, I'll let you guys know how I fared.
Meantime, you girls  keep me -us- updated about yourself, too, please.

Risa

I'm glad I helped, and please feel free to ask me anything.  I'm pretty willing to be an open book about medical stuff, and all considered, my head's tolerating the computer more recently.  Plus we've got blizzard level winds, freezing rain and snow (gotta love the Midwest, it was 70 F on Wednesday, today we won't get above 35 F, and it won't even feel like its above 0 F) so I'm not leaving the house if I can help it.

I have a friend locally who just got her skin tests, and posted a photo of her arm covered in welts...the skin tests to determine what you're allergic to.  Like me, she'd reacted to nearly everything, but they did all her tests on her arm.   For me, they had me lie on my stomach and they marked a grid on my back, then set drops of each allergen in a pattern.  Then they use a needle and 'scratch' (poke) each drop, to let the liquid get just underneath the skin. Then you wait, I think it was for 20 mins, and they measure the welts to see how bad your allergies are to which thing.

The obvious ones, grasses, trees, fur and feathers...the less obvious were cockroaches and dust mites  I knew they existed, but I had no clue people were allergic to cockroaches (technically their poop).  This happens to be the only lottery I've ever 'won'.  The only things I didn't react to were the cockroaches and foods.  If they do yours on your back, ask them to work above and below your bra line...both times I had skin tests, they manage to put the most highly reactive things right where the strap runs under my shoulder blade (mold and dust mites).

From there they had some borderline reactions, so they did repeat a few as subcutaneous injections (just under the skin-better measurement of exactly how allergic, but it takes longer, and if you're really allergic the hive from one can throw off the results of the neighboring tests).  Mom had the same tests, and her cat fur subcutaneous made a welt the size of a US silver dollar, she's highly allergic to cats, and knew that long before the test.  

They take that info and make a mix of all the things you're allergic to, for me it began as 2 shots, but I was struggling with everything in the one mix, so they ended up separating it into three, that way the arm that got two shots the first week would only get one the next, and that let the bruise go away before they were back to the first arm again on week three.

I'm very very fair skinned (not ginger, but as close as you can get without being albino), so I bruise and it shows.  I also have weird skin sensitivities, I can't use scented laundry detergent on my underclothes, or I'll end up with a UTI-just with regular scented Tide I was having issues, so I've never been able to handle the extra scented stuff.  So realize that your reactions may not be as severe, but it is a decent chance that at some point you will get a welt or a bruise.

Over the weeks they then increase how much they inject, and once they hit a specific amount, or use up the vial, they increase the strength of the solution they inject.  Once you're at 'full strength' they start stretching your injections times to every other week, then every third or fourth, then they declare you're 'fixed'.  I still have allergies.  I always will.  In fact I'm having trouble right now, we've been finishing our basement, and the drywall dust is making me cry, and sneeze.  But I'm not constantly struggling, and I am able to get relief from the oral meds, which were getting so they weren't working.  

I also am now where I can clear up those sinus infections, like I said.

Common reactions are swelling, bruising, a lump or knot at the injection site and itchy, itchy skin around the injection.  Less common are hives/rash that are not near the injection site, and the rare and terrifying anaphylaxis.  Most severe reactions occur very shortly after injection, so they have you wait 20 mins after your shots before you can leave.  That way if you're having trouble you're right there.

I happen to be 'special'.  I got my shot, waited, went into work, and after a half hour my throat got scratchy, then I started to cough.  Then I couldn't stop coughing, then I started making an audible wheeze (sign of airway swelling).  I called their office number and when the nurse heard me she demanded I take my inhaler.  I didn't have one then, I'd never had asthma, just allergies.  When she heard that she told me to come back in immediately.  She should have told me to call 911, because I had black spots in my vision when I pulled into the parking lot and was 'whooping' with each breath.

I got two shots of epinephrine (epi pen drug), a breathing treatment and an inhaler.  I also got a syringe of epi, to keep on me, just in case it happened again.  This is NOT typical.  The nurses and the doc were baffled at why I reacted so delayed, and I still don't know why, my personal theory is my hypothyroidism slowing things down.  I don't want this part to scare you from pursuing this, but I want to toss out there that it can happen.  It's treatable, and I have no lasting issues from it, so don't panic.

And to think that all this came from asking about your GI tract, huh <shrugging>.   This is becoming yet another novel, so I'm cutting myself off.  Just ask if you want the companion novel about my/my father's sinus surgeries.

Sara, thanks, that's a load of info!
Thankfully, after my skin tests (on both arms) I haven't got such severe allergic reaction as you did (how very scary!), however I did reacted severely to dust and tree pollen - more than a quarter  size  red spots appearing on both, and an angry redness showing immediately. I am also allergic to cats, and now, sadly, dogs too, since I do have a dog. A few years ago I was allergic to cats, yes,  but not dogs. oh, I don't remember if I am allergic to feathers itself,  but since I am to dust (very) I need to have a special anti-dust and a/mites pillow cover. I bought one at amazon, but I am not sure if it's as good as they promise it is.
For starters, it is just a very very thick pillow cover and not very soft. that's about it.
So  I am planning to get one from the dr office as it has a special latex or rubber like lining,  and is very soft.
I can't have these pillows with artificial stuffing, too hard for me. it has to be down filling. The Ikea have feather pillows that can be laundered, then dryer dried, plus they are not so expensive. well worth to last at least two, three years.
(make  sure you dry it at least twice for an hr at high temperature. shake the pillow well during drying to rearrange the inside. smell to check for any hint of odor, and if anything lingers, dry again)

I will probably ask my family dr to be re-sent to the allergist so I will have my tests retaken,  to see if there are any changes.
Then I will get the shots (fingers crossed).
Thanks again Sara, that was most informative, and I will sure ask you if anything comes to my mind  

Risa

ps I am also very light skinned. perhaps not to the point of an albino, but my grandfather was redhaired, so I inherited his fairness.
I never  ever tan very deep, and before I turn into decent golden color (never brown) I burn  red. my hair was sort of medium brown, which I since 18yo always colored bright red from all shades of poppy red to cherry red with occasional  strikes into black or chocolate,
even blond once but that was disaster lol.  turns out not everyone with fair skin looks good with pale hair, go figure