Private clinics for gastroscopy?

Does anyone happen to know of a reputable private clinic that performs high-quality gastroscopies?
I’m specifically looking for a place that uses smaller-diameter scopes to make things more comfortable, and where the pricing is somewhat reasonable...
My stomach is acting up again, which means I really need to get this done, as much as the mere thought of it makes me feel physically ill. 🙂 🙂

I had that procedure done at the hospital and it was a total nightmare—they were shoving half-meter tubes down my throat while nurses were just rushing around like crazy 😲 🙄 🙂
Seriously, don't ever let anyone talk you into getting a gastroscopy if you actually value your sanity
Does anyone have a recommendation for a good private clinic? I’m honestly done dealing with the chaos of public hospitals

urbanseal6 said:I had mine done at the hospital and it was an absolute nightmare. They shove this half-meter long tube down you while the nurses are just pushing through the pain and digging around.😲 🙄 🙂
If you value your sanity, stay far away from any hospital if they suggest a rib-side scope or a gastroscopy.
Honestly, I’m looking for a decent private clinic recommendation because the thought of stepping foot back into a public hospital makes me shudder.

Look, from your front teeth down to the cardia, we're talking about 40 cm. There is simply no other way around it—you have to swallow a tube that is at least half a meter long. And the diameter? Well, it's exactly what it is. You don't get to negotiate the thickness.😛

A gastroscope is a fiber-optic instrument; there's no way it can be as thin as a toothpick...
Most of them are manufactured in Japan or Germany, and the ones used here are no different from the equipment at the Mayo Clinic...
Honestly, people... why is it that we don't value things just because they're covered by insurance?
It’s the exact same device, the exact same procedure, and often the same specialist whether you're seeing someone privately or through a referral... 🙂
Human psychology is something else, haha.

I honestly don't know, I had just heard that private practices tend to utilize much slimmer, more compact devices, so I thought I'd ask... I'm certainly not trying to act like an expert here!😠

I had my gastroscopy done at the Mayo Clinic and honestly, they did a great job. It was quick, and unlike some people I know, my throat wasn't sore afterward. nimbleskipper13 is spot on here. They use the exact same equipment, and half the time it’s even the same staff members moonlighting at private clinics on the side.

Well, I have to say, nimbleskipper13 is always spot on... 😈

urbanseal6 said:nimbleskipper13 is always right! 😈

Do you have an issue with that? 😎

nimbleskipper13 said:Do you have some kind of issue with that? 😎

😉 😉 🙂

Not at all...
I am simply stating things exactly as they are...

Not sure which city you’re asking about, but I headed over to Cleveland to see Dr. Venus Williams. My primary care doctor just couldn't figure out what was wrong with me; he spent a whole month messing around with useless tests instead of just giving me a referral to a specialist.

So, here’s my take on the private clinic experience:
It’s pretty fast—I had the initial exam, an ultrasound, and then the endoscopy all in the same day. The nurse was great, though; she gave me a quick rundown of what to expect and actually tried to cheer me up a bit. They gave me this injection that made my head spin for about an hour. It wasn't exactly fun—I felt incredibly nauseous and kept thinking, "Man, I hope this is over soon, because I feel like I'm dying." About thirty minutes after that, everything was done—diagnosis, meds, diet advice, the whole nine yards.
My throat didn't even hurt afterward, even though they warned me it might.

Now, I don't know much about getting treated at a public hospital through insurance, but it drives me crazy how they make you wait a month or more for appointments. You're sitting there in pain, but apparently, nobody cares. Plus, the staff isn't exactly warm; they tend to be pretty indifferent, and honestly, a little kindness goes a long way for me.
Specifically, a colleague told me her sister had the same procedure done—once at this private clinic and once at the hospital—and now she refuses to ever go back to the hospital. Apparently, they use a thicker tube there and the staff is way rougher with you.
Anyway, that's the gist of it. Hope that helps (or doesn't 😁 )

I’m with you on the scheduling mess. Honestly, you could probably die before they even call your name for an appointment. But when it comes to the actual exam? I think it really just boils down to whether you luck out and get a doctor who actually knows what they're doing—not every specialist at a private clinic is top-tier by default. For instance, I had the same doctor perform a gastroscopy and a biopsy on my rib twice, and if I need another procedure, I'm going straight back to them. Also, during the two times I was admitted to the internal medicine ward at Cleveland, the nurses were absolutely incredible. During one particularly brutal procedure, a nurse actually held my hand and talked me through it. I'm not sure if we're allowed to drop names here, but if we were, I'd be naming that doctor in a heartbeat. I don't remember the nurses' names, which sucks because they truly deserved the credit.

How long does that exam usually take?

It’s only been a few minutes, but honestly, it feels like hours have passed 😁

Dennis Mitchell52 said:It was only a few minutes, but honestly, felt like hours... 😁

For me, the gastroscopy wasn't even that bad—people say everyone handles it differently, I guess—but I almost lost it on my doctor. Like, seriously. Right while the scope was actually in my stomach, his phone starts ringing, and instead of ignoring it, he just leans over to check his messages and leaves me hanging there!! I mean, come on... if someone were checking your knee, you wouldn't expect them to start texting mid-exam, let alone during something as intense as this!!! 😠

Justin Perez2 said:I’m not quite sure which city you’re asking about, but I actually went to see Dr. Venus Williams over in Cleveland... my primary care physician just couldn't figure out what was wrong with me, and he spent an entire month putting me through the wringer with nonsense instead of just giving me a referral to a specialist.

So, my experience with a private clinic was something like this:
It’s relatively quick—I had my initial exam, an ultrasound, and then the endoscopy all on the very same day. The nurse was wonderful; she gave me a brief rundown of what to expect and helped calm my nerves a bit. They gave me some kind of injection that left me feeling dizzy for about an hour afterward. It wasn't exactly pleasant; I felt incredibly nauseous the whole time and kept thinking to myself, "Gosh, I hope this is over soon, because I feel like I'm going to pass out!" About half an hour later, the results were ready, along with the diagnosis, prescriptions, and dietary recommendations...
My throat didn't even hurt afterward, even though they warned me it might...

Now, as for getting treatment through public insurance, I can't say for certain what that's like, but it honestly gets on my nerves sometimes how they schedule everything a month out or even later (while you're sitting there in pain, but who cares, right?) and the staff isn't exactly warm; they tend to be quite indifferent, whereas a kind word really means a lot to me...
To be specific, a colleague told me her sister had the same procedure done at that same private clinic versus at a public hospital, and now she refuses to ever go back to the hospital again. Apparently, the tube they use there is thicker, and their bedside manner is much coarser...
Anyway, that's about it, and I hope I was able to help a little (or at least not make things worse 😁 )...

Justin, thank you so much for such a thoughtful reply, but unfortunately, I'm currently in Washington, D.C.
I actually heard that story about the thicker tubes used in hospitals recently too, which is exactly why I started this thread...
I'll have to spend some time searching for a private provider, though I've already tried Googling without much luck...
I imagine what you went through was quite intense, but I suppose it's better to endure a bit of discomfort once than to live through the misery every single day...
I did take a Helicobacter breath test, but it came back negative, so I don't see any way around getting an endoscopy. Honestly, it's better to just get it over with than to deal with this crap every day...
Also, what kind of recommendations did they give you after the exam? Are the dietary restrictions major, and are you feeling any better now?...
😉

Jose Miller3 said:My endoscopy experience wasn't actually all that unpleasant—people say it varies quite a bit from person to person—but I nearly lost my temper with the doctor. While the scope was literally inside my stomach, his phone starts ringing, and instead of ignoring it, he actually picks up to chat while leaving me just sitting there waiting... I mean, seriously? It’s like if you were examining someone's knee, you wouldn't be expected to take a call right then, let alone during a procedure like this!!! 😠

😲 😲 😲
Good grief, oh my goodness...
I would honestly consider filing a lawsuit over that!
It’s funny how every single medical facility in the country is plastered with signs saying:
PLEASE TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES!
It seems strange that those rules only apply to the patients, while doctors apparently get special treatment... 🙂

urbanseal6 said:😲 😲 😲
Good grief!
I would sue them blind!
It's ridiculous because every single hospital has those signs plastered everywhere:
TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES!
It’s funny how those rules only apply to patients; apparently, doctors get special treatment! 🙂

Are you even certain it was a personal phone?

The thing is, most hospitals provide official mobile phones for doctors on call... so, if that physician was on duty that day, it’s entirely possible it was an official device ringing. They have to answer those, since they might be getting paged for an emergency endoscopy in another department or something in the ICU.

granitebadger25 said:Are you even sure it was actually his personal cell?

I mean, most hospitals here have those official work phones for doctors on call... so, if he was pulling a shift that day, it’s totally possible it was just the hospital pager or duty phone ringing—you know, because they're calling him in for some emergency endoscopy over in another ward or maybe even the ICU

Personal, my foot...

The guy was literally texting his wife about whether they should grab dinner before or after their movie night, and which one of them had to deal with the parent-teacher conference the next day!

@ urbanseal6, who would she even sue? I went straight to the department head, but he just brushed me off, saying he has total faith in his colleague's professionalism 🙂

I dealt with Helicobacter issues myself and ended up getting a gastroscopy at the Mayo Clinic. It was definitely awkward... but manageable. I'm actually planning on heading back there soon for a follow-up.
btw, they put me on a cocktail of antibiotics and the bacteria finally cleared out.

Jose Miller3 said:Private, private... everything is just private...

He was sitting there negotiating with his wife about whether they should grab dinner before or after the movie, and even trying to decide which one of them would handle the parent-teacher conference the next day!

@ urbanseal6, who would you even report him to? I went straight to the department head, but he just brushed me off, saying he has total confidence in his colleague's professionalism...🙂

Good grief, what an absolute jerk!
And the guy who refuses to doubt his expertise? He's even worse!
Honestly, if I were in your shoes, I’d have gone to the department manager too, or maybe I would have just given him a piece of my mind regarding how poorly he conducts himself... it's just awful, Jose Miller3, I feel so bad for you...😢