my upper endoscopy, or egd.

So a few days ago, I told you that I was scheduled to have an EGD, or esophagogastroduodenoscopy, or upper endoscopy (which is much easier to pronounce).  Let me tell you about what happened, which I must stress is only indicative of my own experience.  YRMV.

I showed up at the medical center in jeans, t-shirt, and flip-flops.  When I had my colonoscopy, I wore black yoga pants, mainly for comfort but somewhat for camouflage against any, um, stains (which I fortunately didn't need to worry about).  I didn't figure it would matter too much for a scope scoping out the other end, and it turns out I was right.  I was taken back to a prep room, where I was asked to remove my shirt (bra stayed on) and to don a hospital gown.  I was then sat in a lovely overstuffed leather recliner while a nurse asked me a series of questions that I've already answered a thousand times.  Another nurse came in and attempted to place an IV in the crook of my elbow.

Let me stop at this point to say that I have very shy veins.  They don't like to come out and play with the nurses with the funny needles, and I can't say as I blame them.  I really, really, really don't like needles.  So anyway...I have one good vein, in my right inner elbow, about a knuckle's width from a certain freckle, and I always point it out to the nurses as a sure bet.  That way, they're not poking me unnecessarily.  I know that hitting the same vein over and over can't be good, but since I don't get stuck but once every so often I'm not overly concerned.  If I ever get to the point where I'm having to have blood taken or an IV inserted on a continuous basis, we might have to look around for more veins to mine.

So, continuing...the first nurse couldn't find a vein.  She poked my inner right elbow, the back of my left hand, and then the back of my right hand.  By this point, I was getting quite anxious (I was being good, though) and she was obviously getting flustered.  Fortunately for me, she went and got a nurse who was able to get an IV in the back of my right hand.

Yet another nurse came and took me to the exam room, where the gastroenterologist and anesthesiologist were waiting.  We made some small talk, and then I was asked to lay on a wheeled cart and to turn on my left side with my knees drawn up, just like when I had my colonoscopy.  I was waiting for the anesthesia to take effect; I remember during the colonoscopy that the anesthesiologist told me when he was giving me the sedation so I knew when I was going under.  That didn't happen this time.  I do remember a slight feeling of my head swimming, but other than that I didn't feel any different.  The nurse told me to open my mouth, and they put a sort of hollow piece of plastic in there, held in place by my teeth and lips.  They asked me to bite down on it, which I found weird.

Then, before I knew it, the procedure started.  They asked me to relax and then they began to thread the scope down my throat.  I started to fight it and they again told me to relax.  Now, all this time I am thinking:  "When do I go to sleep???"

Let me again stop and explain:  The day before, when I talked to the doctor, I asked her a specific question.  The problem is, I can't remember which specific question I asked; "Will I be sedated?" or "Will I be asleep?"  Either way, she assured me the answer was yes.  Also, when I filled out and signed some papers the previous day, the nurse asked me to sign a specific place "so we won't have to wake you up to get your consent," the implication being that I would be asleep.  I was fully expecting to be asleep.  I would not have consented to being awake.  I was slightly sedated, but not much; not nearly enough, as it turns out.

So they are threading the scope and I am starting now to freak out.  I realized that I was not going to be asleep for this procedure.  I'm not going to sugarcoat it; it hurt.  It hurt, I was uncomfortable, my anxiety level was extremely high, and I was not a happy person.  The nurse and anesthesiologist had to tell me again and again to just relax, be still, it's okay, all that stuff that makes me want to freak.  I was hurting and about two seconds away from gagging, vomiting, and jumping off that table and running into a dark closet.  I was getting very close to a full-blown panic attack (which I've had).  At that time, mercifully, it was over.  They wheeled me out of the room and into a recovery room.  I was slightly groggy, but still very coherent.  I never went to sleep, although I did close my eyes a few times.

While I was resting, I got a look at my blood pressure.  For an old fat girl, I have really good BP readings; often they are around 120/65.  However, after this procedure, my readings hovered around the 158/92 mark.  That is very abnormal for me.  I know my BP readings go up when I am having a panic attack, and that is exactly what happened.

I sat on the cart for a bit, they brought my shirt to me, I got dressed, and my husband (you must have a driver) and I left.

I hadn't eaten since midnight the night before, and it was now after noon, so we went to Panera and got some food.  I had a lovely salad with chicken and poppyseed dressing and strawberries and blueberries and pineapple, and I made sure everyone changed their gloves and made my salad in a gluten-free manner.  At that point my husband decided he needed coffee, so we went to Starbucks (yes, I know Panera has coffee, but that's what he wanted).  He had worked the night before and was starting to feel sleepy.  I felt awake and not drowsy at all, unlike when I had the colonoscopy and I went home and slept the rest of the day.  In fact, I drove the rest of the way home, about forty minutes.  I know you're not supposed to, but my hubby was sleepier than I was.  I was fully coherent and alert with no signs of the sedation at all.

I have yet to get my results; when I do, I'll let you know.

Let me stress again that these are my experiences; not everybody has an experience like this one.  I would not let this deter you from getting an upper endoscopy.  They are the one sure way to see what damage has been done by the Celiac Disease.  And honestly, if I had to do it again, I would, mainly because I know that I really don't have any other choice; but I would make sure I was much more sedated if not totally asleep.  My stress and anxiety levels were just way too high and I will definitely make that very clear to the doctor next time.  If you have good communication with your gastroenterologist, you should be able to make your wishes very plainly known.

One other thing; I received a paper from the medical center asking me to review and critique my experience.  Let me just say that I filled the back side of the paper.

Again...if you need an upper endoscopy, go get it done.  But make your wishes and fears plain and clear to everyone involved.

In related news, I went and got my CPAP machine today.  Let me tell you, the fun never stops at my house!