Last Thursday I had a catheter put in to measure non-acid reflux. This procedure is called an "impedance test"and it is not fun. The first step of the procedure involves having a rather large tube pushed through your nose, down your esophagus, and into your stomach. You feel simultaneously like you are going to vomit and choke to death. When the nurse first started working the catheter through my nose I jumped off the bed, started dry heaving, and pulled the catheter out. She looked mildly annoyed and said we'd have to try again. After much gagging and resistance on my part the catheter was in. I couldn't really talk and it hurt like hell to swallow. The nurse had me take sips of water while she monitored the flow of liquid into my stomach from a computer. After that, she took out the large catheter and inserted the small catheter pictured here via the method describe above. The method met with the same reactions from me (namely dry heaving and cursing). I had wore the catheter for 24 hours and then had it removed. I carried a little monitor that received information transmitted from the catheter and they had me document the time at which I ate and/or had symptoms. Of course this happened to be the only 24 hours in months that I've not had nausea. We haven't received the results yet, but I don't know if I have it in me to swallow the catheter through my nose again... After the procedure I told Mat that I thought the nurse was a sadist. He said he didn't know what I was talking about and that she seemed very patient. It seems that having a catheter shoved down your throat through your nose changes your perspective of people;)
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Impedance Test
Last Thursday I had a catheter put in to measure non-acid reflux. This procedure is called an "impedance test"and it is not fun. The first step of the procedure involves having a rather large tube pushed through your nose, down your esophagus, and into your stomach. You feel simultaneously like you are going to vomit and choke to death. When the nurse first started working the catheter through my nose I jumped off the bed, started dry heaving, and pulled the catheter out. She looked mildly annoyed and said we'd have to try again. After much gagging and resistance on my part the catheter was in. I couldn't really talk and it hurt like hell to swallow. The nurse had me take sips of water while she monitored the flow of liquid into my stomach from a computer. After that, she took out the large catheter and inserted the small catheter pictured here via the method describe above. The method met with the same reactions from me (namely dry heaving and cursing). I had wore the catheter for 24 hours and then had it removed. I carried a little monitor that received information transmitted from the catheter and they had me document the time at which I ate and/or had symptoms. Of course this happened to be the only 24 hours in months that I've not had nausea. We haven't received the results yet, but I don't know if I have it in me to swallow the catheter through my nose again... After the procedure I told Mat that I thought the nurse was a sadist. He said he didn't know what I was talking about and that she seemed very patient. It seems that having a catheter shoved down your throat through your nose changes your perspective of people;)
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4 comments:
I feel for you. I had a tube down the nose for about 4 days a couple of winters ago and it was not fun. Especially when they tell you "SWALLOW SWALLOW SWALLOW!!!!!" and you just want to puke it out....
Hope this testing helps find something.
4 days!!!!! I think I would have pulled it out...
Ugh, sorry Caroline.
Please tell me the endoscopy isn't this bad?
The endoscopy is no problem. They will go over every possible thing that can happen to you and you will awake from the procedure feeling absolutely fine (albeit a bit groggy). You'll probably just be tired for the day, but there shouldn't be any pain or discomfort. Let me know how it goes -
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