you got it for your friend....been there got the tshirt myself....I know you are going thru stuff that is no fun...be patient...it is all in GOD's time

Emily,
I've never had an endoscopy myself, but I've assisted many times.

Basically, it will go like this: they'll start an IV and give you what is called 'conscious sedation'. You'll be awake, but at the same time you'll be snowed which is good.

They thread an endoscopy probe down through your mouth and into your stomach, all the while checking out your esophagus for any lesions. Then they take a good look at your stomach and may take some tissue for biopsy.

The whole procedure takes about 1/2 hour. They keep you afterwards until you completely wake up and then you go home.

As for your friend,she's in my prayers. I went through the same thing last summer, and it did me a world of good. I'm glad she sought help before doing anything drastic.

Sandy

Hey, Emily...I've had 2 endoscopies. Piece of cake! I remember just talking away about football to the folks in the procedure room, and this nurse says, ok, I'm going to give you something to make you feel really good now. Then I had this marvelous, wonderful feeling. The next thing I knew, I was awake and they were telling me it was over! Nothing at all to worry about the procedure. Good luck on your results.

Emily, I have had 3 endoscopys. The scope is actually a small camera that goes down your throat so the doc can see what is going on.

They do give you IV sedation so you don't remember any of it. The last time they did one on me was in July this year where they found 2 bleeding ulcers which were cauterized to stop the bleeding. My PCP wanted me to see the GI doc because I was having recurring anemia.

Anyway, after the endoscopy, I quit taking iron, went back to my PCP and he checked my blood and I am no longer anemic, so that could very well be your problem!

Your friend will certainly be in my thoughts and prayers.

Take care.

Jeri

Emily i've had them too and everyone is right, its very easy on your part. The day before you do have to clean out your system. sometimes even the day before that.

My last one I had I swallowed a pill the day before that was a tiny camera that was connected to a computer at the hospital. It took pics all day and night of it working its way slowly though my digestion system. Then I had the endoscopy. Technology is amazing!

I will keep your friend in my prayers and hope things work out for her.

Hugs,
Toni

I've had so many upper and lower GI scopes i've lost count. The upper ones aren't that big of a deal. They give you twilight sedation, spray the back of your throat so it's numb and your gag reflex is down and then feed a tube down your throat into your stomach whilst watchng it on a camera to see what's going on. You'll be out of of it and won't remember much of anything, so don't worry. If the start talking about lower GI scopes those are a lot less fun.

Hope your friend responds to treatment soon and gets better.

Kat

Thank you guys! :)