Who has had an upper GI?

maryinaz

maryinaz

New member
I mentioned on Laura's thread a week or so ago that my college student son was having stomach problems. He is nauseous most of the time and has lost 10-15 pounds since last summer. Weight he can't afford to lose.

We had tests run on him and so far everything has come back negative. I was actually hoping one of the tests to be positive because it's easily cured and we could start treatment. :(

So now he has to go to a gastroenterologist and have an upper GI. I've had colonoscopies (3 before I was 30!) but never had one of these. Can anyone tell me what to expect?

And please keep him in your prayers - I'm very worried about the whole thing and since he is up at school, I can't monitor what he is eating or doing.
 
I have had one, but mine was in combination with a colonoscopy. So, I'm not really sure what the prep, etc is like for "just" an upper GI. I will say I didn't have any issues afterwards with having a sore throat, or anything like that. And they give you meds, so you don't remember what happened anyway. He will need someone to drive him home afterwards though.

I sure hope they can find out what is going on and get him to feeling better.
 
My husband had an upper GI about a year ago and I honestly do not remember any type of prep except fasting for like 8 hours. He had one today along with a colonoscopy and that is the bad one as I am sure you know. My husband had four attempts prior to today with the colonoscopy but the prep just made him sick it never got through his system. So the upper GI should be pretty easy for your son except not being able to eat. He does need someone to drive him there and home and they usually say do not drive for the rest of the day just go home and rest. If I remember correctly with the first upper GI my husband was up towards later afternoon when he had the upper GI in the morning ready to eat and feeling pretty normal and did not complain about sore throat or anything else other then feeling tired and hungry from fasting.
 
My dad has had number of them through the years... and my hubby had one a few years ago, too. And like Jessica... outside of fasting, nothing special, that I remember. They make them loopy so my hubby said he doesn't remember anything of that day - just that is throat was a bit sore afterwards.
 
ce had an upper and lower together-- they put him to sleep fully (though that might be bc of his age at the time). I don't have any words of advice but wanted to say good luck with the testing. It was fairly simple for ce, though he did have a bad reaction to the anesthesia afterwards. His throat hurt him a lot post scope but it was easily rectified with popsicles and tylenol.
 
Baby Derek had one last year at one month old but it really wasn't a big deal...he wasn't knocked out, nothing was put down his throat. He had to drink Barium. It took about 30 minutes for all the scans.

I had one years ago and the same thing...drink the barium and then do the scans.

From what I remember from me it was no big deal. Derek didn't seem to mind either. We just had to make sure he was due to eat (he was only a month old) so he would drink the barium.

Good Luck!!
 
Thanks for all the responses. I haven't yet called the GI doc yet since I need to talk to my son and he's in class. Just trying to get him scheduled is going to be no small feat since his classes are all over the place. But SO glad he is nearby.

Sounds like there are 2 ways to do it - scope or barium liquid?
 
I"ve had a barium liquid GI test before. You basically have to swallow all this liquid stuff and then they take pictures (Like a CT scan). Thankfully, the last time I had it done the clear liquid tasted so much better than the sticky chaulky stuff you used to have to drink...yuck. That's how they finally diagnosed my volvulus (in the beginning part of the colon). This test is relatively easy except for the swallowing of the goop.

Sounds like some of the other gals are talking more about a scope that goes in through the throat to look at the stomach.

I suspect it depends on what they want to look at which test will be appropriate.
 
Jacob had a barium swallow upper GI test due to food getting stuck in throat and causing him to throw up frequently. His was done at a hospital. He swallowed the liquid and they did a series of xrays to watch the liquid. They found a blockage, which they frightened me and said it might be cancer. It ended up they found a problem with his esophagus (chronic eosinophilic esophagitis and Schatzki ring) and he has a hiatal hernia. Due to all that, he was scheduled for outpatient surgery in the doc's office and they took biopsies to check for cancer, but weren't able to correct the schatzki ring problem due to the eosinophilic esophagitis problem. The hernia problem is manageable and the doctor actually doesn't recommend surgery for it. So despite a lot of drama and conditions with big words LOL, Jacob ended up just needing a couple medicines. In all, the upper GI and even the surgery was pretty easy.

I hope your son's situation resolves quickly! It's always scary when a kiddo (no matter the age) is sick!
 
I've done both the barium swallow and upper endoscopy. Neither one is that bad. For the upper endoscopy I was put under general anesthesia, but the prep was easy - just fasting - and I was back to normal activity the next day. No big deal.

Hope you get it figured out and your son starts to feel better soon.
 
I just had an Upper GI done in Oct. I was more freaked out about it then really needed to be. They make you fast for 8 hrs. and then hook you up with an IV and then basically give you some Versed to make you be awake but not remember anything (most people feel like they are asleep and you remember nothing.) The procedure is really quick about 10 to 15 mins. He will need a ride home and shouldn't drive the rest of the day. Basically they will take any biopsies to be tested if they see something out of the norm and then just take a peek around. I had to have some blood work ran afterward too from my findings but that was no big deal. Hope you guys get some answers soon.
 
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