My endoscopy is scheduled for Thursday... Sort of nervous for it!

[ettegdirb]

Well, the next hoop to get through is my Endoscopy. I have to be there at 7:15 AM and my mother is taking me.

I'm excited and nervous at the same time. I know there isn't really anything to worry about. The woman scheduling me said nothing to eat or drink after midnight, not even a mint. Does this mean I can't brush my teeth? I totally forgot to ask her.

One step closer to getting my surgery date... This appointment has carried so much annoyance and stress with it. (It was supposed to be done in early February, but the woman who was supposed to get it scheduled for me pushed the whole process almost 2 months).

Anyway. Was this required for anyone else? How did it go for you?

[jlovetro]

Yes i am supposed to be scheuled for Monday the 18th @10 am. Hoping to get ins precert by then. This whole process has beenvery stressful but well worth it in the end. All i have left is
2 suport group meetings
adbominal sono
and nutritionist
sleep study waiting on pre cert.

Good luck I hope it moves faster for you

[Erce]

Took me a year. Honestly, though, it took me that long to make sure I was making the right decision (I was.) I wanted to make sure I was fully committed.

Oh, and not to scare you, but if you are resistant to anesthesia, TELL THEM. I did not fall asleep and was awake during the entire procedure and it was hell. They told me "Oh, it's because you're a redhead." Oddly enough, they gave me something right before surgery that should have made me fall asleep, but I was still wide awake and the surgeon kept asking if they had given me the drug. They also said, "It's the red hair."

[Sparky102]

Wow! It only took me 4 months to get everything done and have my surgery. I had to see a hematologist (blood doc) to check for any clotting abnormalities, a psychiatrist, a nutritionist, and had to have the endoscopy done. They just want to make sure that they don't get you under for the surgery and find something crazy. They gave me a little propofol and was asleep until they were wheeling me to recovery then I was fine the rest of the day. They found a little stomach tissue in my esophagus (also called Barrett's Esophagus) and it in no way affected my surgery, I just have to take Prilosec everyday now. However...if they hadn't found it, it could have spread and turned into cancer (not trying to scare you). I even got fun pictures of my stomach! Haha! You can brush your teeth, just don't swallow the water. Since they're scoping your stomach, they don't want any leftover pizza to look like cancer or something! It'll go fine and it's really just precautionary-good luck!

[starflip]

I was a bit nervous as well before having my endoscopy. I had a general anesthetic for mine and before I knew it I was in & out. Didn't feel a thing after. I drove myself home. When you're done you'll be surprised at how we tend to work ourselves up over things that aren't so complicated. You'll do great!
As Spary102 said, you should brush your teeth.
Good Luck

[Erce]

I was a bit nervous as well before having my endoscopy. I had a general anesthetic for mine and before I knew it I was in & out. Didn't feel a thing after. I drove myself home. When you're done you'll be surprised at how we tend to work ourselves up over things that aren't so complicated. You'll do great!
As Spary102 said, you should brush your teeth.
Good Luck

You drove YOURSELF home after general anesthesia?! That's really major anesthesia for an endoscopy! Are you sure it wasn't sedation?

[starflip]

It was a general and yes I realise I wasn't suppose to. My circumstances changed at the last minute, it wasn't planned. However I felt fine but I wouldn't recommend it. My point was the procedure was minor.

[ettegdirb]

Thanks guys. They told me they're doing conscious sedation. So I'm going to be awake but they said I probably won't even remember much of it. It said s exactly like what they did for my wisdom teeth, so if it's anything like that, I should be okay. I started my process December 17th.this is the last hoop before I go back for my second consultation and get my surgery date. My case manager said they have to wait for the results to come back before scheduling the last consultation. Does anyone know how longresults took to come back?

[Erce]

They gave me a print out right after the procedure.

[kpr]

Mine was a breeze. Results were same day/next day, but my WLS surgeon did the procedure, so that probably shortened the wait. Took 15-20 minutes. Jaw was a little sore for a day or two, minor nausea from anesthesia, typical for me. But I was OUT....wouldn't want to do it conscious if I could help it. Im a baby like that. I was given Protonix...and after suffering awful reflux for years, and chronic diarreah after gall bladder removal, this stuff helped a LOT. Hardly ANY reflux now, and though my stool is still soft, its usually just in the mornings, not as soon as I think about eating something. Sorry if this is TMI, but it's what we deal with....anyway...I wouldn't worry. Easy procedure.

[ettegdirb]

Good deal. They told me the surgeon was the one doing the procedure.. so hopefully he'll be able to see it all immediately, and then I can get the show on the road! I'm so close to getting my surgery date I can almost taste it

[ettegdirb]

Okay, so I had my endoscopy today... It really was not a big deal. Just had to get up super early, once they put the IV in, I can't remember much. It's so weird, because it only took about 2 minutes to do... and after a few minutes in the recovery room, I walked out of the building. That was waaaay easier than I thought it would be!

Thank you to everyone that responded with their experience!

[mhardester62]

I was wondering what kind of insurance you guys have, I have Aetna and I was scheduled for surgery at my first appointment, I don't have to have endoscopy and I only have to do the Dr. supervised diet for 90 days. I did do a Barium swallow and thyroid test 2 days after first appt . I have done my pysch evaluation, I have to have a pre-op exam 30 days before surgery and I have to go to my heart doctor but that's it. I go once a month to see the surgeon and I go to support classes but only one was mandatory and I have that done. I'm just wondering why things seem so different

[ettegdirb]

I have BCBS.. they only require a psych & nutritionist visit, and a bmi of 40 or 35 w/ co-morbidities. All the other hoops are what the surgery program I'm going through requires. I believe it has something to do with them being a center of excellence? Not really sure.

[Lea]

Glad you had an easy time Bridgette....I think we have a tendency..me included to make the anticipation worse than the procedure.....good luck with the rest of testing