I suspect it's maybe a couple of centimeters above the lower sphincter. Manometry can be a bit uncomfortable because of the swallowing aspect... While they're running the tests, you're only supposed to swallow when instructed, or when the nurse uses a syringe to put water in your mouth. Since the probe is thicker, it creates a stronger urge to swallow, which was certainly my experience. The second type is much thinner and you barely notice it once you get used to it.
Both are a piece of cake compared to a gastroscopy, since these tests go through the nose and generally avoid triggering a gag reflex.
No, they won't provide anything like that... Not for a gastrointestinal endoscopy, let alone for this. You might only be able to get it through a private provider. I believe Helena has those specific tests available. https://mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/...esophagus/ though from what I can tell, that's just for pediatric cases... Try reaching out to some other private clinics instead.
ironsurfer10 said:Zachary Gomez, could you please describe how these tests are performed? Are they uncomfortable?
I deal with that constant hunger too; I find myself eating all the time, and I've actually gained quite a bit of weight over the last two years.
At first, I thought my Gaviscon wasn't doing anything, but when I forgot to pack it for a trip abroad, I realized pretty quickly that it actually does make a difference.
I don't have any burning, but I do have a dry throat, a constant feeling of hunger, frequent coughing, and hoarseness. My voice gets strained if I talk for too long. My doctor says it's LPR because they can see that my throat and esophagus are irritated by the acid.
Manometry feels like a thicker straw; it's relatively quick, lasting about 10 minutes, but it does force you to swallow. You have to hold it for about thirty seconds without swallowing, then swallow only when the nurse tells you to—you get a sip of water via a syringe roughly ten times during the process. For the 24-hour pH testing, the probe is much thinner, though slightly stiffer and it can feel a bit scratchy during insertion, but it’s fine once it's in... My advice is to eat and drink immediately to get used to it. While I was eating, I barely felt it, except for an occasional tugging sensation in my nose. Just be careful not to catch any wires on anything... I was worried about how I would sleep, but in the end, it was perfectly fine... By morning, I had completely adjusted, so if I had to, I could have managed like that for a few more days.
Gaviscon is excellent because it keeps stomach acid and contents right where they belong, preventing them from rising. It works best before bed, though you can take it after meals during the day too—just make sure you don't eat or drink anything for a little while afterward so you don't wash it away. I used to take Gaviscon years ago, which works on the same principle, and I found it helpful; I haven't tried this specific one yet.
I received my test results, but I'm having a hard time interpreting them... and it looks like I'll be waiting a while for a follow-up appointment based on these findings. If the manometry was done correctly, it shows a hypotensive lower esophageal sphincter—meaning it’s likely weak and doesn't close properly—which explains why I feel liquid rising sometimes, like if I drink a lot of water and then lie down or sit in bed... There is also an unspecified peristaltic disorder in the esophagus. I'm not entirely sure what that entails. The 24-hour pH testing points toward acid reflux. I showed the results to my primary care doctor and described my symptoms, and he prescribed Zoprax 40mg in the morning (a PPI) for me to try. They didn't have it in stock at the pharmacy when I went to pick it up, so I haven't even started yet. In the meantime, I'm trying to schedule an appointment with a gastroenterologist to see what they think, whether they agree with the current treatment, or if I need more testing.
The worst constant symptom, though, is this unrelenting feeling of hunger that doesn't go away even after eating... I honestly don't know what it is. Two years ago, my gastro specialist noted quite a bit of bile reflux. I haven't tried many different remedies, so I'm not sure what would help most. On top of that, I deal with typical LPR symptoms, like throat burning, hoarseness, postnasal drip, and that constant need to clear my throat...
If you haven't already, you really ought to schedule both an esophageal manometry and a 24-hour pH test. I had mine done at Mayo Clinic, though the waiting list to get an appointment can be a bit long...
What a massive disappointment at Holy Spirit... I’m not sure when things went downhill, but it’s clearly a recent development because it certainly wasn't like this before. Regarding the lab... under this "new" system, you have to wait forever at the information desk just to even get a turn at the service window. You take a number from the machine and then sit there like an idiot for maybe two hours waiting for your turn at the counter, only to finally get registered and then head down to the basement to wait all over again for bloodwork.
I arrived this morning around 8:30, thinking since it was almost the end of the rush, it wouldn't be too crowded. Not a chance. My number was 136, and there were 90 people ahead of me??? Since I had no idea what that number actually meant, I thought it was for the lab and headed downstairs to wait there. It wasn't until about 20 minutes after they called about ten people that I realized—I had to go back upstairs to wait for the registration window. The woman next to me, who was only about 20 numbers ahead of mine, had already been waiting for an hour and a half, and the screen still showed 30 numbers to go before mine. In the end, I just left; I can't justify waiting two hours, even if I didn't have a little baby at home or a deadline to meet. The system is a total DISASTER!!!! And they supposedly take patients from 7 to 9... Well, it's past 9 now, and a crowd of people hasn't even made it to the counter yet. I don't know if it's always like this, but I am definitely not going back upstairs.
I sent an email to Vineyard since they handle the scheduling; they don't accept walk-ins for bloodwork without an appointment. Honestly, I'd rather wait a few days for a scheduled slot than spend hours stuck in this chaos.
That sounds awful... I honestly don't even know what to say, but my heart goes out to you. I’m going to ask my primary care physician to recommend some extra testing if my GI doctor thinks we should hold off. It would be such a relief to finally pinpoint the issue and start some kind of treatment or a specific diet, because this constant bloating just isn't sustainable anymore. Even when I wasn't pregnant, I’d feel like a balloon after eating. Now that I am, it's harder to hide, but I can really feel that tightness in my stomach whenever I finish a meal... and then the cycle repeats. The only time things felt even remotely normal was when I took that premium Omni Biotic probiotic for about a month; my stomach stayed flat all day regardless of what I ate. As soon as I stopped, the bloating came right back, and by evening, I looked five months pregnant.
For instance, about two and a half hours ago, I had leftover potatoes, grilled veggies, and mushrooms. I could have kept eating forever. Then, suddenly, I felt full. But just five minutes later, the hunger pangs hit again. Now I'm sitting here snacking on Oreos and already wondering what else I can grab. I eat fruit every day, so I try to tell myself it balances out somehow. I just wish I could get rid of this constant craving. I try to ignore it since I've become somewhat used to it, but there are times when it truly gets under my skin and starts messing with my mood and mental state.
Hello... Just wanted to share some more details from my side. I don't really experience any unusual fatigue, nor am I gaining weight unexpectedly. I do feel weak if I haven't eaten for a long time—for instance, when I have to fast for medical tests, like that time I needed an abdominal ultrasound. When I was younger, this was never an issue; even if I missed a decent breakfast, I felt perfectly fine.
Regarding weight gain, the only time I actually put on pounds is during pregnancy. Outside of being pregnant, I'm basically skin and bones; there is no way for me to gain weight no matter how much I eat (about 99 lbs at 5'4"). Right now, I'm 28 weeks and 2 days along, and I'm nearly 121 lbs. In my previous pregnancies, I would reach about 130–132 lbs by this stage, but after giving birth, it quickly drops back down to a meager 99 lbs and just stays there.
The only thing is, much like you, I deal with this constant, inexplicable ravenous hunger. It’s not just when I’m sick with a fever or while I'm sleeping, though even then, I feel like I could eat immediately upon waking up. This hunger is, just like yours, even worse right after eating, but for me, this has been an issue for years—whether I was pregnant or not, regardless of what I ate. I'll eat something, literally anything... and within five minutes, that sensation returns, as if I haven't eaten a thing. It's a feeling of hunger and emptiness traveling straight from my mouth to my stomach. My mouth starts watering from hunger, and my stomach feels like a bottomless pit. Eventually, I have to snack, OR drink something, OR chew gum, OR brush my teeth just to get that feeling to subside for a moment. I've had a gastroscopy... they didn't find anything "special" other than supposed biliary gastritis (there was quite a bit of bile present), so I wonder if that hunger could be related to that. A few years ago, I was told I have LPR, and it all seems to have started after I treated H. pylori about ten years ago, though subsequent tests were always negative.
I might be rambling a bit here, but I felt I had to add these details as they might be important. Whether any of this is interconnected, I simply don't know... But this condition really takes a toll on my mental state sometimes. Being constantly hungry without knowing why is not fun at all.
And yes, I also have intense sugar cravings and consume quite a lot of carbohydrates. I've been vegan for the last four years, so I've introduced many new foods, but it was the same before when I was an omnivore, so diet doesn't seem to be the factor. Whether I ate healthy or unhealthy, the hunger was there. Of course, I've already Googled diabetes and insulin... However, looking at some old lab results, my fasting glucose was always normal (around 70 mg/dL), even during OGTT tests in previous pregnancies when I didn't experience this strange drop (the only difference back then was that I didn't move a muscle and just sat there for the full two hours).
So, that's the "short" version. I'm going to head to sleep now before the urge to start snacking hits me.
I'm a bit unsure how to interpret these OGTT results. My doctor isn't overly concerned about these lower numbers; she mentioned we’ll just retest the fasting glucose in a month. She feels that even though the other two are slightly low, there's no need to "investigate" further much more...
Fasting - 5.2 (pregnancy 1-hr - 4.4 (pregnancy 2-hr - 3.2 (pregnancy I had my OGTT done at my local community health clinic. It was incredibly crowded, so I asked if I could spend the waiting period between blood draws at home. They said that was fine, as long as I took a slow walk. I live literally about 200 meters from the clinic—maybe a 2 or 3-minute walk—and I certainly wasn't rushing. I also checked if I could use the restroom, and they told me it was okay... Now I've ended up with these results and I'm wondering if the levels are artificially low because of that light movement, or if it points to an actual issue. For comparison, my fasting level was identical to this one during my last pregnancy, but the rest of the sequence followed a more typical pattern: 5.2, 7.8, 6.4.
I suppose I should probably get started on those juices... For the most part, I just make smoothies, though occasionally I'll drink straight celery juice. It's hard to shake the habit.
Are you experiencing any symptoms from low potassium levels?
I am practically drowning in bananas and tomatoes, yet clearly none of it is being absorbed... I am constantly hovering at or below the lower limit. The only time it hit the midpoint at 4.4—which really caught me off guard—was when I had my blood drawn a week after dealing with a stomach virus, since I expected things to be even worse than usual. It is a complete enigma to me...
I am starting to wonder if there might be a connection to bile reflux; it is possible I also have low stomach acid, which means food isn't digesting properly, or perhaps something is interfering with nutrient absorption in my gut...
There has to be a reason...
Last year, my cardiologist prescribed potassium chloride 500mg just twice a week to bump up my level from 3.6. That helped slightly... though I hear some people take several of those tablets every single day..
It is definitely difficult to get that much through diet alone... OR it is possible, but something is wrong and it simply isn't absorbing. Of course, too much isn't good either, but I feel like I could comfortably be on at least two 500mg tablets a day (not per week). Either I'm not absorbing it, or I'm losing it somehow. My sodium was also at the low end alongside it... Potassium was 3.7 and sodium was 138. I drank quite a bit of water before the blood draw to make the process easier... so I am not sure if that caused the sodium to look low as well.
coppergardener said:Zachary Gomez, I suppose that’s fine for you. Personally, whenever I found myself feeling completely wiped out—you know that specific kind of exhaustion?—I used to just drink some Pedialyte powder. Granted, there's sodium in there too, which isn't exactly something I'm lacking right now, but I was just desperate! I didn't know what else to do because I'd start feeling so lightheaded... and one packet has 200 mg, which is double what you're taking, yet I felt perfectly fine—actually, it helped me snap back a little bit. But regardless, you really should go for that checkup; besides, you could always just get your potassium levels checked ahead of time to be safe—it's better to be informed, right? Electrolytes aren't exactly breaking the bank.
I tried Kalinor once and survived—barely! My only issue was that, along with a little bit of nausea, I had this strange sensation in my mouth and throat... almost like everything was dry, or as if I'd swallowed something incredibly astringent? It left me with this intense urge to rinse my mouth out immediately.
Yesterday, I decided to take matters into my own hands and check my potassium, sodium, and chloride levels. My doctor thought it wasn't necessary since everything looked fine back in March, but it turns out my potassium is low again at 3.7 (normal range is 3.9 - 5.1), and my sodium is right on the edge at 3.8. Now I'm waiting to see if she'll prescribe stronger tablets like potassium chloride or if I should just stick with these 99mg ones from Lifetime. I've been having daily palpitations that really scare me. When I'm resting or sleeping, my heart rate is fine, but during the day while I'm moving around, it hits 120 or even higher. At least, that's what my smartwatch shows. Sometimes I don't even notice the racing pulse if I'm busy cleaning, walking around, or going up stairs. I tell myself it's normal for it to beat faster, but then it'll suddenly skip a beat out of nowhere, or triggered by stress or anxiety. When those skips happen alongside the rapid heart rate, I start to panic. It also happens when I change positions, like bending over, or when there's a sudden temperature shift. For example, today when I stepped out of a taxi and into a shopping mall, I felt okay, but once I walked into a Gap where the AC was freezing, my heart immediately started skipping beats.
I also get this feeling like I'm short of breath, as if I can't take a deep enough breath or I need to cough something up.
Just as a side note, I wore a Holter monitor last year and it didn't show anything major. However, an echocardiogram did reveal a small 5mm mitral valve prolapse. My follow-up is on August 23rd, and I'm honestly dreading whether things have gotten worse.
They perform 24-hour 2-channel pH testing at Holy Spirit... and privately over at Helena. As for gastroenterologists, I've heard Dr. Marušić is excellent, though I personally saw a female specialist first, followed by a younger doctor later on.
I haven't used Gaviscon in quite some time. Ever since we moved back from Denmark two years ago, I used to order it from the United Kingdom. Here in the States, Gaviscon works exactly the same way.
Also... It seems like our doctors here just keep prescribing inhibitors. Or they simply refer you to a gastroenterologist. After my gastroscopy, which showed nothing but significant bile reflux, I was referred for manometry and pH testing... I haven't managed to get those scheduled yet, but I suspect those two tests are vital when dealing with Laryngopharyngeal reflux.
I'm wondering if it's safe to start taking 99mg of Kalinor from Lifetime on my own, just one pill a day? Last year, my cardiologist recommended a prescription dose of 500mg (the powder you dissolve in water or juice) twice a week because my potassium levels were always hovering at the low end or even dropping below... It seemed to help for a while through the fall, winter, and spring. But now, with this summer heat, I've started feeling heart palpitations and skips again. I need to schedule a follow-up and get some blood work done soon. I have a mild mitral valve prolapse, so I'm worried things might have worsened... Honestly, I can't tell if these skips are due to the valve issue or just a lack of potassium. So, I picked up some Kalinor from Lifetime at the pharmacy today. Taking 99mg daily shouldn't be an issue, right? The bottle says it's less than 5% of the recommended daily intake...
Regarding the Ursofalk capsules... My doctor mentioned she can only provide a private prescription because Medicare doesn't cover them for my specific diagnosis (biliary gastritis). That means I’ll have to pay out of pocket, which will be roughly $67. I pointed out that the instructions clearly state they can be used for this condition, but she insisted she could face disciplinary action if she issued a standard prescription for it. The gastroenterologist wants me on them for two weeks, taking one capsule every night before bed. During my endoscopy, they found quite a bit of bile in my stomach along with a few pre-pyloric erosions.
A friend of mine dealt with COVID back in March of last year. Even a full year later, she still shows antibodies, though they are starting to taper off. It might be worth checking your own levels just to see if you developed immunity at some point without even realizing you were sick. Plus, there's always the chance that whatever symptoms you're dealing with now could actually be part of long COVID...
ruggedfalcon48 said:My EEG came back clear... brain CT looks fine too. I can still go to the bathroom, but I’ve lost that sensation of knowing when my bladder is full. Heading to the outpatient neurology clinic this Wednesday... wish me luck...
And what are they saying...?
Kimberly Ward said:Consider testing for COVID antibodies, regardless of whether you previously contracted the virus...
Long COVID syndrome is becoming a frequent topic of discussion lately, appearing everywhere from news outlets to various Facebook groups. There are so many people sharing nearly identical experiences... I actually posted my own symptoms in a previous thread near the top of this page, even though I was never officially diagnosed with the virus. I’m planning to go get my antibody test checked out soon...