Endoscopy

While the endoscopy/gastroscopy isn't the most fun test in the world, it's not the worst, either. The preparation was easy: all I had to do was not eat or drink anything after midnight last night. The doctor came in a bit late so I ended up having a little nap while I was waiting (and when I wasn't listening to the guy next to me talk on his cell phone. Grrr).

Although the test isn't painful, normally they give patients fentanyl together with Versed to semi-sedate the patient and help them relax through the five- or ten-minute procedure. Because I'm already on a fairly high dose of fentanyl, we decided that it wouldn't be a good idea to give me more of it. Apparently a few patients this week had received a bit too much fentanyl as they had to give them an anti-opiate.

They also gave me oxygen through a nose tubing thing, probably because a person's respiration is shallower and so the blood oxygen level goes down with the fentanyl. My breathing is always a bit shallow and my oxygen is always a touch low. It isn't a big deal except after surgery, when my oxygen goes too low and they tell me to take deep breaths to bring it up. Having to do that interrupts my sleeping.

They said that I might feel like I was choking or that I couldn't breathe during the test, and to remember that I could breathe. They also said that it might hit my gag reflex. Well, I definitely didn't feel like I was choking, and they did hit my gag reflex. In fact, I spent most of the time gagging which was uncomfortable. Thankfully, the test was short and I don't remember it too clearly because of the Versed.

After it was over I slept for an hour or so and then walked out on my own two feets. I got myself a coffee and something to eat, Ian drove me home, and I napped most of the evening. They told me that I would be too tired to go to my metalsmithing class and they were right.

I'm left with a bit of a sore throat and some lingering tiredness. He didn't see anything unusual although he took a few biopsies of my stomach. He has no idea what is causing the pain and he's given me a prescription to take for the next six weeks or so. I forget what he gave me because the prescription is in my purse which is way over there and I'm too tired to go and look at it.

I'm looking forward to having a good long sleep and feeling refreshed tomorrow.