My throat. It burns. And it’s been burning for far longer than I’d like to remember. Thing is, my doc isn’t so sure that my GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is really caused by too much acid splashing my esophagus. At one point maybe, but not anymore. No, he believes what I have is NERD, or non-erosive reflux disease. (Poetic justice?) To find out, he had me go through a study called the Bravo pH Esophageal Test.
Academic Overview
The 48-Hour Bravo pH Esophageal Test monitors the esophagus (the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach) for 48 hours in order to determine whether the heartburn I’m feeling is really acid or something else. In this case “heartburn” actually means the burning in my throat, as if I’d just swallowed battery acid, rather than in my chest, as if my heart had burst into flames. (This might indicate another condition entirely, one called LPRD, or laryngo-pharyngeal reflux disease. It’s sort of like GERD, but felt in the throat, not in the chest.)
During the test, the doctor puts a 26mm capsule down the throat and sticks it to the side of the esophagus. A monitor is then given to the patient which records the capsule’s pH readings. These will, in theory, help determine if the person has GERD. Two days later, the monitor is returned. A week later the capsule will detach itself and go through the digestive track.
For more details on the test, including getting ready, check out the Cleveland Clinic’s information site on it.
My Experience
I went over to Tampa General Hospital to get implanted with the Bravo pH capsule. I got there, as per instructions, at 1:30 P.M. Got checked in, found the waiting room which overlooked Tampa Bay and Bayshore Blvd. The Wife, there with me, cracked a smile when she realized she “could see [her] old high school from here!” The soft music playing in the background made the scene like something out of a travel video. A few minutes later we looked at one of the nearby televisions and realized it was playing a travel video.
After an hour of watching, waiting, and enjoying the aroma of hot chocolate–especially aromatic considering I’d not eaten anything in almost 24 hours–the nurse stopped by with a device the size of a small-to-medium camera which I would, for the next two days, wear around my neck. This would be the external monitor, which would record all the transmissions sent from the tiny device which I would soon have implanted in me. Additionally it had three buttons which I would press every time I felt I had heartburn, regurgitation (food coming up to the back of my throat) or chest pain. Then she gave me a diary and told me to write down all my symptoms along with the time they occurred, making sure to use the time shown on the device itself, and not any other time piece. Beside the time, I would later find out, there was also a display of my current esophageal pH. I would later find this a very useful tool with which to experiment.
With all that said and done, I was brought in for the procedure. I laid down on a bed, clothes and all, and my gastroenterologist came in. He told me to gargle some numbing liquid–”DON’T SWALLOW IT!” he repeatedly reminded me.
“Aren’t you going to put me to sleep?”
“Nope. The procedure will take about a minute. The stuff you just gargled will numb your throat to quell your gag reflex.” As he said that, the nurse stuck a plastic ring in my mouth to keep it open, then strapped it to the back of my head. (Frighteningly S&M-ish.) Then he continued, “Alright, now I’m going to put this down your throat.” It was at that very moment that he pulled out this long, thin hoobajoob, about the size of my arm, out from under some desk. Oh, shit, I thought, as he asked me to turn to my side. “To make this a bit more comfortable I’ve lubricated the device with a bit of water-soluble KY-jelly.” Seriously, I didn’t need to hear that.
As I lay on my side, the doctor stuck the device in my mouth. When he got to the back of my throat he ordered me to swallow. As soon as I did he shoved the hoobajoob all the way down to just above my stomach. That’s when he turned the suction machine on. “Alright, now this will take about a minute, so just relax.”It took everything I had not to start heaving. All I could do was count. Seventy-two seconds later, he pulled out the hoobajoob. A monitoring device about the size of a #2 pencil’s eraser and ferule had been implanted in my esophagus. It would take about a week for it to dislodge itself and go through the Chamber of Doom.
The whole process, the laying down–the gargling stuff, the implantation–all took about ten minutes. It would be an hour before I ate or drank anything, as per doctor’s orders, seeing as the numbing agent I gargled also numbed the control valve which keeps food from accidentally finding its way into the lungs.
The Testing Period
Normal esophageal pH is somewhere between 4 and 7. If it goes lower it indicates that acid is being refluxed, since the stomach’s pH is between 1 and 2. If it goes higher it might indicate bile reflux, although the stomach sometimes as alkaline periods. (The pH of bile is above 8.) Sudden drops of pH (from 7.1 to 5.3, or 6.1 to 3.8) indicate acid reflux. During the testing period my pH went as low as 1.8 and as high as 8.6, possibly 8.8. All this as per the pH display in the Bravo monitoring device I now had hanging around my neck. (It really did look like a camera.) The vast majority of the time it stuck between 4 and 7, usually between 5 and 7. What this means, I have no idea. I will when I get my results back.
I was told to eat foods which would cause my symptoms, so the first thing I did was head to my parents’ house, where my father, a pizza restaurant owner for years, would be making pizza. It was delicious. Deeeelicious. I topped the pizza off with a small Starbucks frappuccinno. Yes, evil, I know, but these are foods I KNOW would bring about symptoms. There was one small hitch with my plan, however…
Did I tell you I have a bad gallbladder? Yeah, I do. Having it taken out sometime soon (probably in the next week). Runs in the family. Also doesn’t help that I spent more than my fair share of time pigging out to crapstacular food. Mia culpa, mia culpa. Problem now was all those highly acidic foods were also fatty enough to cause problems.
My gallbladder took its revenge on me not immediately, but rather the next day. (It holds grudges.) While I had heartburn after the pizza (the pH reading dropped as low as 2.0 for brief periods, but stayed mostly above the 4.0 mark), it wasn’t until the next morning that the problems really started. After my breakfast–a sandwich made of egg whites, wheat bread and kale, followed by a cup of vanilla almond milk–I started feeling bloated. Real bloated. Then suddenly I started having pains. I was having a gallbladder attack. This was at 9:30 A.M. It would be almost 7:00 P.M. that night before the attack passed. In the meantime, my pH fluctuated between way-too-acidic (pH 3) and way too alkaline (pH 8). Since I wasn’t able to eat or drink during this time, the test was pretty much ruined.
I tried to salvage the situation on the final day. I was feeling well enough to eat what I would regularly eat, including low-fat foods that would cause me symptoms, foods like barley, oats, and juice (although it never dawned on me to try out BBQ sauce). For the most part the worst food of the bunch was the barley, which always gives me problems after a while. Don’t know why, really. It goes down fine, but then about an hour later I start burning up. Same with oats. The pH monitor corroborated this observation.
Anyway, the test ended at 4:00 on the dot; that’s when the monitor shut down. I dropped it off at the hospital and was finally rid of the thing. I should be receiving the results sometime this week. At that moment all I cared about was that I could finally go back to doing things like sipping water throughout the day and eating mostly fruits and vegetables, things which I know keep my heartburn at bay, medications or no.
The hardest part of this test, gallbladder problems aside, was that I couldn’t take anything for the discomfort I felt. I couldn’t chew gum, couldn’t suck on hard candies, couldn’t drink water to wash out the acid, and certainly couldn’t take antacids. Hopefully, however, this test shows that things aren’t as bad as I thought they’d be, even though they’re obviously not good. Now that it’s over I’m only concerned with one thing: getting rid of the bad, un-salvageable gallbladder. That’s a story for some other time.
(The catheter-free Bravo PH capsule Monitoring System made by Medtronic) is very dangerous and it could and will cause catastrophic and permanent damage to the esophagus. My name is Chris and I have been investigating the Bravo PH 48 hour capsule. If you know of anyone that has had the Bravo PH 48 hour test and has been seriously injured and/or has taken one’s life, Please contact me at [REMOVED] I want to hear your story. I’m gathering more information about this very dangerous and potentially deadly medical device (Bravo PH 48 hour capsule). Thank you and God Bless.
P.S. DO NOT let any Doctor, Physician or Gastroenterologist tell you that the Bravo PH 48 hour capsule is safe. It is NOT safe…….The Bravo PH 48 hour capsule (made by Medtronic) is extremely dangerous!!!
I’m not entirely sure WHY the device would be dangerous (turned out just fine for me), but I if you can really prove it’s dangerous, then by all means. I’m all for cross checking and healthy skepticism. Unfortunately, your comment comes off as needlessly alarming and fear-mongering, which is why I’ve taken your email address off of it.
Now, why in the world would something like this cause somone to kill themselves unless you were so inclined before. Makes no sense to me. I am thinking about having it soon but I would like to have it done when they do the endoscopy. How the heck do you swallow lying down?
Hey Carol,
As I mentioned, I didn’t have any problems with the Bravo. In fact, I found it quite useful and wouldn’t have minded if a permanent transmitter had been inserted, since that would help me keep track of the situation.
For the procedure, I wasn’t really lying down, so much as I was lying on my side. In any case, you’re not actually swallowing anything, just doing the swallowing motions to quell the gag reflex. Trust me, it helps. Of course, you’ll also have been without food for at least 8 hours, and without drink for at least… some other amount of time, so your stomach will be empty anyway. Still, it’ll prevent any dry heaves.
Good luck. I, as a non-doctor and only a person with my own experience, recommend the test.
You should always do your own research and draw your own conclusions before having any medical procedures. Scaring people on web sites for your own benefit (and I’m suspecting, your own financial gain) is just wrong.
I have just had the ph Bravo capsule inserted into my oesophogus. All went well and I am surprised at how little discomfort I am currently feeling. The procedure was carried out by a specialist gastroenterologist at St Mark’s Hospital London and I would recommend this procedure to anyone. I was extremely apprehensive beforehand and worried myself into a very high blood pressure state. I am afraid I was greatly misled by some blogs on the internet sighting some suicidal incident which was attributed to this Bravo test. What rubbish, this is just scare mongering !
date of procedure 7/4/2010
Sue: I agree entirely.
Hi All,
I am having this test on May 10th with an EGD of which I am quite familiar. They are also doing an esophageal manometry. I was really looking forward to this test and once and for all finding out what has been plaguing me with grief for the last 25 years. But, once I actually went and talked to the specialist I wasnt so fond of the idea. Mind you, I am still having the test just not really looking forward to it anymore. See, I have been on medication for acid reflux for so long and trying new ones when the old ones failed me and even though none of them work very well anymore, they do work to a point. If I dont take my medication before I eat the slightest morsel, I suffer ALL DAY LONG. Right now I am taking Acifex in the a.m. and 150 mg of zantac 2x per day. And that isnt even doing the best job. So, when the doc told me I had to quit my meds 10 days before the test, I cried. Yes I admit it, I was a BIG BABY. But nobody that doesnt have this problem has any idea of how painful and miserable it is. He said I can continue the zantac till 3 days before and then take tums until the day before. Well, I may as well chew on a piece of paper for all the good Tums is gonna do me. So, needless to say Im scared to death, not because of the test itself but because I know what 10 days without my meds are gonna be like. By the way, has anybodys doc told them that many people who think they have acid reflux just have hormones(serotonin to be exact) that communicate with their brain too much and this is what causes the symptoms. And can usually be relieved by taking a medication such as amitryptilin? Apparently it is caused by stress, etc. I don’t think i’ve been stressed out for the last 25 years but we’ll see what happens. Doesnt explain the vomiting that procedes every meal, tho!! Would appreciate any feedback from anyone. Thanks
Actually your doc may be right, it might not be acid. Recently, a year after this test found that I wasn’t actually having acid reflux (although I did have the symptoms), an EGD revealed I had Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EE or EoE), an inflammatory condition of the esophagus which seems to be caused by food allergies. (I had 15 eosinophils per HPF in multiple biopses.) I just got this diagnosis a few days ago, and haven’t yet followed up with my gastro (or allergist), which is why I haven’t written about it yet. Still, it’s a possibility, so make sure you ask about it.
I hope for all the best of luck to you with the test (and the preparation time).
By the way, here were the results of my Bravo Ph test:
- DeMeester score: 8.9 (<14.23 = normal)
- Total # of events: 89 (<50 every 24hrs = normal)
- Events over 5 minutes: 0
- Total exposure time: 2.6% (~4.5% = normal)
- All events occurred when standing/sitting. None when laying down.
Of course, I do still have bad acid days (especially when the gastroparesis flares up, however infrequent that may be, thankfully), but it seems that most of the time I’m fine, maybe a bit hypersensitive, and the EoE doesn’t help matters any, though.
I am a big fan of the Bravo Ph Probe. I had one done in 2002, which led to my Nissen Fundilplication in 2003. I had/have suffered from Acid Reflux since I was a kid. Once I had my Nissen in 2003, I had relief for the first time in my life. When I became pregnant in 2006 with my daughter, the pregancy stretched out my Nissen and than the suffering really began. I also began to have severe pain with my gallbladder. Luckily my surgeon removed that diesased thing in 08′!!
I had forgotten how horrible, difficult and frustrating reflux can be. Since I have been a sufferer all my life, practically, at the age of 29, I have decided to indure the pain as long and for as many days as I can before taking meds that don’t really help. My choice to suffer the pain daily/hourly/every second of everyday without medication is a “stupid” one says my family and my doctor. However, meds never helped in the first place, which is why I was granted the privledge of the surgery. My surgeon says he will not fix my failed Nissen until I have all the children I plan to have. Since my husband has us on a have a child, wait 7 years than have another one plan, I have another 4 1/2 to 5 years to suffer. Looking forward to that ;0
I am now dealing and battling with my 3 1/2 year old daughters gastro. She has suffered from relux since she was born 5 weeks early. She has been on prevacid since she was a month old, etc. She already had a Traditional Ph probe in 2009, but her gastro wants to do another one. I have been fighting for my daughter to have the Bravo probe placed instead. It has and will continue to be a battle. I am taking her to an appointment this morning with her gastro to see if I can win this battle or find someone who will use the Bravo on her. She is a big kid and is well above the size of the average 4 and 5 year olds. So I am not worried about her size being an issue. My poor child has been through so much. She has been under anesthesia for various surgeries, procedures, etc. since she was 4 months old. This is just one more thing that needs to be resovled. She had an endonoscopy and a bronchscope in 08 which reveled a gapping esphogeal sphincter. I don’t understand why if they know she has reflux due to a gapping esphogeal sphincter, why don’t they go in and fix the broken thing??
I hope to get something wonderful accomplished today and that the doctor will either agree to do the Bravo on my daughter, or he will release her records to me and I can find someone who will and than fix the problem for good!!
Good Luck to you all and I hope you all find relief!
Great comment, LDO. Thank you. As for your daughter, in the doctors’ defense, perhaps they won’t operate because they’re hoping that as she grows older, future development will lead to resolution. She’s still young and there are a lot of anatomical changes that will happen over the next few years. I can’t imagine much worse than having to endure watching your child suffer through something like this. I hope you find resolution to your child’s problem soon. Good luck.
I just had the 48 Hr Bravo Esophageal pH Test done on Monday. 3 hours later after arriving home I was very ill and went to bed. When I awoke I started throwing up for several hours. I took prescribed meds for the nausea and experienced horribly painful headaches which can make you nauseas also.
I couldn’t eat. Every time I got up I experienced horrible pain in the middle of my chest. This went on for 3 days. I was barely able to get out of bed or eat. I still don’t feel well. Ironically I had no symptoms whatsoever before entering the hospital for this test. I’ve been in misery ever since. I would rather endure the heartburn then what this test put me through. The nurse said to call the doctor if there was chest pain or constant vomiting yet when I called nothing was done about it. They just told me it would pass. I can’t wait to get this thing out of my body. This is the most horrible test I have ever been through.
I am on Prilosec, 20 mg, twice daily. Nexium at 40 mg gave me horrendous side effects, so I can’t switch to a stronger PPI.
I had a BRAVO test, and my results were “normal.”
But I know I have reflux! When I drink cold water, milk, Gatorade, etc., this is what happens: I drink the cold liquid. My esophagus warms back up again. Then I feel a column of coldness rising all the way up to my larynx. And it burns, even though I’m on the Prilosec.
I also burp constantly.
I am a singer – a classical soprano. I have lost my pure tone and my pretty high notes. The reflux is merely uncomfortable, but I myself am MISERABLE. Singing is my passion, but my larynx is always a bit swollen, as if there is something stuck in my throat. After talking for awhile, my voice feels hoarse and sore. I can sing in my mid range, quietly, for only about half an hour on a *good* day before I have pain. I used to be able to sing high (Handel’s Messiah – soprano part) for hours with mere tiredness and no pain.
PLEASE HELP. What can I do to fix this? The Prilosec is better than nothing, but I’ve done all the lifestyle and diet modifications, and I still cannot sing! My doc upped the Prilosec dose, and I’m not noticing any difference.
I don’t want to live like this. I have extremely sensitive skin that bruises and swells extremely easily. Could this be why my larynx appears to be hyper-sensitive to reflux? HOW CAN I GET SURGERY?
Reflux medications like Prilosec don’t stop reflux. What they do is stop the secretion of acid, which is the primary caustic factor in damage to the esophagus. In other words, stuff still coming up, it’s just not causing (too much) damage. The exception to this, of course, is the upper portion of the esophagus, which is far more sensitive than the lower. If stuff’s getting that high (and it sounds like it is) you’re getting irritated in those areas, causing inflammation and mucosal buildup.
What you may want to ask for is what’s called an Esophageal Impedance test. “Rather than measuring acid, this test can measure whether gas or liquids reflux into the esophagus. It’s helpful for people who have regurgitation of substances that aren’t acidic and therefore wouldn’t be detected by a pH probe. As in a standard probe test, esophageal impedance uses a probe that’s placed into the esophagus with a catheter.” (from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bile-reflux/DS00651/DSECTION=tests-and-diagnosis)
As far as surgery is concerned, the only thing that you’ll be able to do is something called a fundoplication, which strengthens the LES to stop stuff from coming up. There are various types of this type of surgery, so you’ll need to do a lot of research. Still, given the symptoms you describe, it’s an option you should consider, and something you definitely need to talk to your gastroenterologist about.
Good luck.
My Gastroenteroloogist has been treating me for GERD for the last year and a half, but I’m not sure that I have GERD since I don’t have the typical symptoms. I never get regurgitation of food. What I do get is an ache which starts in the morning in my throat, and later in the day I get a strong steady ache behind my breastbone. When I eat, rather than causing acid reflux, the food relieves the pain. Basically the only time I get relief is when I eat or sleep. PPIs have not helped. Have any of you heard of anyone with these symptoms?
Robert: have you had an EGD (upper endoscopy)? There are a number of things that could cause this, some of which depend on other conditions existing which may not yet be discovered. Two come to mind, however:
1) Off the bat, I’d wonder about not having enough stomach acid. In fact, 75% of “GERD” is actually caused by too little stomach acid, which causes gasses to go up to the esophagus and bring about discomfort. You may want to discuss this possibility with your doctor. If you can find an integrative internal medicine specialist, you can also try them.
2) Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Basically this is asthma of the esophagus. It could be autoimmune or could be caused by allergies. This causes a lot of the same symptoms as GERD. (A related condition is Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis.) The problem here is that EoE is often attributed to GERD because reflux can cause an increased count of eosinophils in the esophagus. The treatment is steroidal inhalants, like in asthma, except you “swallow” the puffs, you don’t inhale them.
Discuss these with your doctor and tell us what (s)he says. Good luck.
GNORB, Thank you so much for the information. I will definitely discuss it with my doctor. I have had an EGD, and I was told that the results were normal. I’ve also had an Upper GI Series, an Ultra Sound, and I was tested for Gallbladder and the results were negative.
Thank you so much for these posts. I am due to have a Brovo test and I am stressing out.
My last test showed that I had normal reflux even though I had bad hearburn, was vomitting acid, had a sore throat and nausea. I was wondering how can I have these symptoms if the test showed normal readings? – although it was just for 24hrs unlike the Bravo test which is 48hrs. My doctor has recommended surgery but if my test is normal I’m not sure if I should consent to this.
Really confused. Any suggestions?
You could be experiencing regurgitation, but not acid reflux. You should probably have an esophageal impedance and manometry tests before any surgery, however, to verify the conclusion, and to make sure that what you have isn’t bile reflux. Also, you may want to look into the possibility of decreased gastric emptying (dyspepsia and gastroparesis) which can cause your symptoms the way you describe them. (It would likely also cause bloating, but not always.) For this, you then would also have the option of using Domperidone instead of the surgery, or another pro-motility agent. (And in fact, the surgery would be contraindicated, as it would worsen the symptoms and create what’s called “gas bloat syndrome”.)
Before getting into all this, however, I’d ask about the esophageal manometry and impedence testing. From http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17100961:
Potentially, this is a lot of scary stuff, but it doesn’t have to be. Just take it one step at a time, and be sure to ask a lot of questions. In regards to surgery… well, treat it like carpentry: measure twice, cut once.
If you have any q’s, you can reach me here or at norb@gnorb.net. I’ll attempt to help as best I can, but note that I’m not a doctor: I just watch one on TV.
I had the Bravo 48 hour ph test a week ago today. Last night I started having severe chest pain on the right side of the esophagus. I called the doctor and was told that I probably should have a chest xray in a couple of days if it doesn’t get better. My heartburn is worse than it was during the test. Has anyone had any problems after the test that caused them to have worse heartburn and complications from the capsule that attaches to the esophagus? When I asked the nurse if the capsule could have gotten into my lungs when I reflexed acid, she didn’t want to talk about it. Has anyone heard if this is possible.
Yes, thank you for your posts. I just had the bravo 48 put in this morning. I have a bit of uncomfortable pain where the device is attached to my esophagus, but other than that it’s been pretty good. I found that taking Motrin every 4 or 5 hours has helped some of the residual pain in my throat. I also had the Esophageal Manometry Study done, now that was NOT fun. It wasn’t the worst thing in the world, but definitely not pleasant. I just wanted to thank you Gnorb, because even though I already have the device “installed” I still didn’t understand a lot about it. Good info, with a bit of good humor too
Hi,
I have found this blog to be very interesting. My son(aged 10) is currently having a PH probe test(gets it taken out today), where a strong PVC tubing got inserted through his nose(with the help of anaesthetic spray). He drank water to help the oesophagus musle to open, so it could make the piping go down easier. This is also a 48hr test. There is a PH recorder which the piping is plugged into, recording his PH levels. We have also had to record down when and what he has eaten(and any symptoms such as belching, coughing, sore stomach, etc.). He has had to refrain from eating the foods stated(got a list) that are too acidic, which the hospital said may jeopardise his test eg. anything tomato, soft drinks, any fruit, vinegar, sauces, etc.). Unfortunately, yesterday I gave him seasoned hot chips without thinking(it said plain on the list – although the hospital said sausages is ok and they contain spices?). Also, last night he grabbed a fruit juice without realizing(and took 2 – 3 sips) and when I realized I grabbed it straight away. He also unthinkingly flicked a couple of switches on the recorder from standing to laying and another one which has symbols of a mouth closed and a mouth open(not sure what this is for), but I’m not sure when he did this exactly(he told me later). So, we are yet to find out whether he will have to redo the test. Fingers crossed. I hope not for his sake. He did tell me that he saw the PH number go low(like a 2.0, then rise back up – having read this blog, I now know that that is quite acidic – wasn’t sure before of how it works – mostly it has been above 7.0 and under 9.4).
His history:- we saw a Gastroenterologist in about August as he has had ongoing symptoms since he was about 3 years old(and he had had a really bad week prior to that). I didn’t realize that bananas were constipating and we went to the market and he used to like eating about 3 or 4 fresh, greenish(not totally green, but partly and pretty firm) bananas. He became constipated as a result. His bowel has never been the same since. He has been mostly constipated over the years, but as he has gotten older(say from about 8 years old), he has been having a hassle of eating breakfast(sometimes he wakes up feeling sick, other times the sickness comes on a bit later – either before we leave home and after breakfast – the food hits his stomach and it creates an ache, bloating and nausea – or the nausea can come on during the car ride to school – he can’t have the seatbelt pressing on his stomach, he moans from the pain, he dry reaches, he has excessive flatulence, etc). He also has excessive flatulence throughout the day. The Gastroenterologist asked me if myself and his father have reflux and I told him that me slighty and his father definitely, but we both only had the onset in adulthood. I also told him that my son has had a fair amount of anxiety of late and we weren’t sure whether this was making his underlying problem worse. He put him on Reflux medication(Omeprazole – Probitor) and told me to elevate the head of his bed. I was not convinced and am still not convinced that this is his problem, but still went along with the medication, to see if would help him improve. His symptoms are still ongoing, so the Gastroenterologist said for him to have this PH Probe. I have a lot of bowel issues myself(started in my teens) and my Grandmother died of Bowel Cancer in her 80′s(had constipation problems throughout her life from early). There are several allergies throughout the family too. I will keep going to find out the answers.
Correction – my son’s PH testing was a 24-hr test. We await his results now. The PH technician said that all that we thought we did wrong was ok.
Its very interesting…and scary…seeing all the posts on here about reflux and the Bravo test. I had the capsule placed last Wednesday (12/08) and returned the monitoring box on Friday. My capsule was placed under anesthesia during an endoscopy. I’m waiting on the doctor’s call today for the results of all tests performed over the past three weeks.
Has anyone suffered from lingering pain after this procedure? I was instructed to eat normally so they could get good readings, but it hurt so bad to swallow that I could only get down soft foods which has pretty much been my diet for the past 3 months. Today the back pain seems not as acute, but I’m still having a dull ache and shooting pains across my upper stomach.
I’ve been on some type of medication for the past 10 or so years for GERD and a hiatal hernia. A couple of years ago I started getting weird pain between my shoulder blades and upper right quadrant of my chest about an hour after I ate – particularly fatty foods. My doctor thought it may be my gall bladder, but symptoms were never bad enough for testing. In June of this year, it seemed as if my medication just suddenly stopped working and I started having bad reflux, couldn’t swallow properly, and pain. My GI doctor did an abdominal ultrasound, HIDA Scan, and endoscopy with dilation. All were normal. So he referred me to Mayo Clinic.
I hope to have the results of all of the tests run at Mayo today. Any insite on when the pain from the Bravo test will subside would be greatly appreciated.
@Linda
Unlikely that the capsule would have gotten into your lungs, but I don’t suppose it’s impossible: if you were regurgitating food and it pushed the capsule up, and if it then made its way down… but I think you would have felt a very heavy chocking feeling and gone through a few fits of coughing if something that large got lodged in your lung. An X-Ray should be able to pick something like that up, though. Maybe you could request one? I can’t tell you what it might be otherwise, except maybe acid (or refluxed material) getting into the lung, or simply that dreaded “a” word: Anxiety. (I hate to suggest it because I’ve heard it more than my fair share of times myself.) In any case, best of luck.
@Angela
Thank you very much for your kind words. Do you have the results for the manometry? What were they? I’m still waiting on mine, although I may ask the doctor to write up a script so I can go somewhere else. South Florida has the Cleveland Clinic and north Florida has the Mayo Clinic. In either case, I seem to be well covered, so long as I’m willing to drive about 4 hours, one-way.
@Cam
Has your doctor mentioned gastroparesis or any type of IBD, like Crohn’s? I only mention that because his symptoms sound a lot like a friend of mine’s son, and that’s what he was eventually diagnosed with. Don’t take anything I say seriously, though, because I don’t know ANYTHING about your son and I am NOT a doctor. Just wondering what other issues have been considered. I’d love to continue hearing about your son’s journey. If you have a site or something, please let us know. I’ll keep both of you in my thoughts and prayers.
@Angi G
I’ve had that pain you describe, but it wasn’t associated with the test. I did have gallbladder problems, and although the problems are gone, those pains do come back once in a great while. Doc says everything looks fine, though, so I won’t complain. By and in large I’m able to eat whatever I want (within reason; I’m not looking to commit any Deadly Sins). Do keep me abreast of your situation: I’m quite interested in hearing the results.
I was diagnosed with having GERD in April of 2009 and was put on nexium, a few months later i was put on nexium twice a day and still I have severe heartburn my symptoms are a painful burning in the chest along with pain down both arms and it stops me right in my tracks. It seems like exhertion brings it on i also think that stress brings it on. I have had 2 endoscopy’s and they came back normal. So today I had the 48-Hour Bravo put in. Of course I haven’t had any heartburn symptoms (i do always get symptoms many times through out my time of the month) But with this chip it hurts when I swallow or eat or drink and sometimes when I move. I have a feeling that everything will come back normal. I guess we shall see.
Sort of sounds like you have to LITTLE stomach acid already. (This is often the case when someone is unresponsive to PPI therapy; upwards of 75% of all GERD cases are actually due to this.) If the study shows no acid reflux, I’d definitely explore this option. Also, ask for a esophageal impedance/manometry test to see if you’re refluxing (gas/material) at all. Best of luck.
Hi
I recently had my gall bladder removed and am still suffering symptoms, these are now worse than before it was removed. I have a hiatus hernia. Can you please tell me if these symptoms seem correct.
discomfort on swollowing, lump in throat always in morning, when it
finally disappears, the taste in my mouth is nasty. Problem swollowing certain foods. indigestion. Really bad hunger pains, that even if I eat
do not go away.
I am due to have the ph + manometry tests, the BRAVO capsule under sedation on Tuesday 01/02, with the understanding that I will have sometime soon my hernia sorted.
I am now worried by these posts that maybe I shouldn’t have it done.
Serious scaredy cat and worrier
Jane
Hi Jane,
I don’t know the details of your situation and — far more importantly — I’m not a doctor, so take this with a grain of salt, unless you have high blood pressure.
Off the bat, it sounds like GERD, which can be caused (or made worse by) a hiatal hernia. The Ph test is a good move, as is the manometry test. (I still haven’t gotten one done: I still get regurgitation frequently, even though I don’t really get heartburn thanks to the Nexium. I, too, also had been diagnosed with a hiatal hernia via a barium swallow, even though 2 endoscopies have not shown one.)
As for the gallbladder, if it makes you feel better, the gallbladder issues have been gone for me. It took a while for all the symptoms to go away, though (2 months? About that much, total). The upper right quadrant pain was gone pretty quickly, but the heartburn and indigestion took a while. One possibility is that you may also be going through Post Cholecystectomy Syndrome (PCS), which isn’t too common, but common enough. (Stats on its occurrence vary WIDELY.) There are a large number of causes for this, so you’ll need to work closely with your doctor on this one, and keep on it! Another possibility is bile reflux. Still another is delayed gastric emptying, which may have a number of causes. (Unfortunately, taking out your gallbladder can sometimes make this worse. On the bright side, though, if that’s the case, then switching to a low-fat diet will probably be of help. I’ve found that going on a Pritikin-style diet
has helped me out a lot.)
P.S.
I found out soon after my gallbladder surgery that I had become lactose intolerant. From what I read, it’s actually quite common. Have you tried eliminating certain food to see if maybe they’re the cause? I would start with dairy and maybe glutenous grains (wheat, oats held in wheat silos, spelt, etc.), then go from there.
If you want to share more details, whether it be about your findings or because you just need someone to ask, feel free to ask here. I’ll do my best to answer any question, or at least point you to a good source of information.
Best of luck.
hi, i have to have the ph probe (bravo) test soon. waiting for the surgeon’s office to scheldule the test . i had the esophagus monometry test already and this is the nexted test that is ordered. ive had the nissen fudoplication surgery done twice already. im having these tests because my last surgery was at the university of chicago in 2002 and now the wrap has come loose. and the pain in the chest is bad and heart burn is horrible. im on the strongest heat burn med ok dexilant and it isnt even working for me. doctor told me today 2-3-11 that a redo is dangerous because he would have to be by some major organs. i trust this doctor he is one of the best in northwest indiana. so we will see what this test says.i hope the numbing med isnt bad, things like that make me gag. i hope its not like the gel they used in your nose for the monometry test. i will keep in touch after my test. nervous for this test… julie
Julie,
I pray all goes well with you. I’d love to hear about your experiences and results.
Thank you for your informative post.
I just got done having a 24-hour ph test with a tube shoved down my nose. It was uncomfortable the ENTIRE time. Every time I swallowed, it moved in my nostril. When I ate, it seemed to have been tangled or something.
Once, I accidentally dropped the monitor (think mine was similar to what yours sounds like) & I started having chest pains.
I had symptoms I’ve never had before, or haven’t had in years with this thing stuck in my nose, irritating me literally with every single swallow. It could not have ended soon enough. & we won’t even get into the removal of the tube.
Anyway, I digress. It pains me to discover that there’s a far less intrusive option available.
I am in the process of the 48 hour bravo test. The procedure was not fun! My doctor does the procedure at our local hospital without sedation only numbing the throat. I made it through the procedure, but the thing did not latch. I was a mess. I refused to do it again and they immediately said no problem we will sedate and you won’t know a thing. They were great. They rushed around and got all the necessary documents and procedures performed and in no time I was in la la land and didn’t know what happened. I came home and slept for 2 hours. Then it was time to eat dinner. I did feel some pain in my back, but I was ok. Then I had a snack before bed and about 20 seconds after I swallowed I could feel a pain where I imagine the capsule is placed. Not to comfortable, but I could deal. Today I feel nothing. I have had breakfast, lunch and dinner and I do not feel a thing. With the exception of the thing not latching the first time this has been a breeze. Now lets just hope it falls off like it’s supposed to and see the results.
I am in the middle of the 48 hour bravo test. My dr. told me that during the procedure (had it placed during an endoscopy, under sedation) I was coughing up acid. My shoulder was wet when I woke up. My starting ph was 1.75 (after not eating for about 24 hours), so I am guessing that when the results are back it will show some reflux. I don’t actually feel like a have a lot of reflux, but I have a hiatal hernia that gives me chest pain every once in a while.
I had the 48 hr Bravo capsule placed under anaesthesia last tuesday and turned in my monitor Thursday. The prieevious week I had manometry done. I have just restarted protonix after having to drop it 1 week before the manometry and my esophageal life started to go to hell. the manometry results were normal. Insertion of scope for Bravoe w/out incident. It is now Saturday and my back and sternum are on fire with what feels like a monster piece of charcoal in my esophagus. I called the nurse who helped w/ procedure. who called the M.D. Unusually, HE called me back. I told him that I was afebrile, able to breath and on a 8+ pain scale. He prescribe viscous Lido, which is an extremely temporary fix and makes me sound like a drunk. Great for Easter wkend. All food and bevs hurt. The M.D. also informed to go directly to the ER if I became febrile or had increased WOB or increased pain and to get an xray to check for an esophageal tear. Man, does this succor hurt! My gall bladder was removed 2 years ago as it was chronically painful. I have not received the Bravo results back yet, however, I noticed the pH readings low very often, as the catheter made me regurgitate often.
Whew, I should have used spellcheck! I was hurting when I wrote that and also very tired. Symptoms are still the same today.
Hello
I had the 48 hour ph probe test last Wednesday. About 1/2 hour after the procedure I had bad chest pain. I asked the nurse where the probe was and she basically told me it was where I wad feeling the pain, so I felt better about it. However, it is now Sunday and my chest is still aching!! And it kills everytime food goes past that area. So I have triedto eat soft foods. My appetite has also decreased , probably because eating is no fun anymore. Anyways, I’m worried this is abnormal. Not to mention the ph receiver they gave me kept shutting off during the 48 hours. So they after all this pain, they told me they are not even sure the device is properly recording data, and there’s a chance I would have to redo it. Tell ya what- if that’s the case, it better be free!! But minus the pain , I thought it was very interesting watching my ph level change. I’m glad I found this site, it’s nice to hear people are goingthrough the same thing.
Wow, I wish I found this website prior to installation of device on 5/13/11! The pain of swallowing even spit causes intense pain. Spoke to doctor and he has prescribed anti-spasm medicine prior to eating. It does not help and you lay down the pain between my breastplate is quite unpleasant. Great! I have suffered for years with Gerd/acid.Dr said he saw I had gastritis and esophatitis. Interesting, I have low B12/iron for as long as I can remember and also have Hashimotos(thyroid autoimmune) has anyone ever linked pernious anemia to this? All I can say is I hope this device detaches itself asap!! If I could turn back the hands of time, I would of never had this installed!
I had the Bravo PH probe inserted almost 48 hours ago. I was put under while they did the endoscopy and inserted the probe then. The doctor said that he didn’t see any damage in my esophagus from reflux – so we’re not sure if I have Gerd. The whole reason I had it done was because I had an ENT tell me that he thought I had reflux b/c my throat was so red (and I did have reflux years ago – but I thought it had passed). I told the ENT that I had no symptoms and he told me it could be silent reflux…and if not treated, could cause serious problems in the future.
Since the probe has been in, I have had TERRIBLE reflux symptoms. It hurts to swallow anything. My chest hurts all the time, like heartburn, and I have been burping and had slight regurgitation. I am terribly worried that I have caused more damage to my esophagus by having this thing put in. I wasn’t having any symptoms before, and now I am!
Can anyone tell me if these symptoms go away after a few days or if it may have damaged my esophagus?
The capsule takes about a week to dislodge itself and fall through, so if this is being caused by the capsule there’s a good chance it’ll pass as soon as it does. Otherwise, I don’t know what to say.
As for your previous symptoms, there could be a chance you have LPRD – Larynxophageal Reflux Disease. Basically your LES isn’t all that weak, but your UES is. Acid shoots up your esophagus and comes down pretty quickly. It’s too quick to do any damage to the lower portion of the esophagus (there are protective mechanisms in place), but it’s enough to irritate your upper esophagus/throat (which doesn’t have those protections and is much more sensitive).
There are exercises you can do to help strengthen this area. These are usually used to rehab people who need to re-learn how to swallow (for example, people who’ve had an esophagectomy), however they have been reportedly used to help people with LPRD get better.
Good luck.
Reading all of these posts make me feel better because I am not the only one suffereing from “uncured” reflux/ GERD.
Mine started approximately 11 years agao when I was pregnant with my daughter. Gall bladder removed one month after having my daughter because of severe gall bladder attacks…It was fun feeling like you were having a heart attack at 1am in the morning while feeding your daughter…ugh!!!
Anyway, a couple of years past and i went in for a EGD and they diagnosed me with Barrett’s esophagus…I then went on reflux meds..I have tried EVERY reflux med out there and additional meds to protect the lining of my esphagus and nothing worked. My reflux occurs mainly at night, with burning in my throat and at times during the day when I feel stressed.
A couple more years pasedt with trying various meds, which all failed and my doctor then recommended that I have the full Nissen fudiplication surgery…Well that was really scary and I waited one year until I made this decision. All the while, I have been having EGDs 1-2x/year to assess the Barrett’s situation, which by some miracle and a lot of prayer has not been seen or found through biopsy.
I had the Nissen performed February 2007 and the moment I awoke from surgery I felt reflux (burning in my throat). I could not believe it!!!! Anyway I went stayed on the reflux meds and have kept uip with yearly EGD exams to assess for the Barrett’s which fortunately has not been found again. My esophagus at times appears a little inflamed but always have a fairly normal exam.
I had my first Bravo performed 4 months in February 11 with a normal result. I had NO reflux those 48 hours because I was limiting my diet prior to the test. The probe took 10 days to slough off and it was very painful to eat. Anyway, I just had another one placed on Friday which I am hoping will show reflux so that the doctor doesn’t think I am a loon. This probe does not hurt as much ut the last one felt as if it wa dangling on those last few days and when food went past it pulled my esophagus…ouch!!!! I also have had laryngospasms with my reflux at night. This has only occurred a few times but most recently on Friday night. With the doctor probing around in your esophgus, it is going to cause an increase in reflux which has been my experience.
Good luck to everyone and I am going to look into the hormone cause…
I HAD THE TEST DONT FRIDAY AND IT DID HURT TO EAT NOW I HAVE PAIN ON MY RIGHT SIDE WHEN I SWALLOW IT FEELS LIKE THE CAPSULE IS GOING UP NOT DOWN
I had the BRAVO placement done on Friday with the esophageal manometry. I was in a semi- conscious state for the manometry, but the BRAVO was placed with a little more sedation. i don’t remember the Bravo placement, however i do remember the esophageal manometry. Not fun! When I woke up, they gave me water and graham crackers. That hurt too much in my chest, when swallowing it. They said it would pass.
I stayed the hotel across from the hospital, just in case something didn’t go well. I live almost 1 1/2 hours from the hospital and I wasn’t sure how I would feel after the sedation. Good thing I did. I had so much pain after swallowing, inbetween my breastbone (chest) I couldn’t eat or drink anything. I waited until 4 AM to call the oncall Dr. to ask him if this was normal. He said to wait until his intern came in at 7AM and he would talk to her and get back to me. He also said this was rare and that I could come to the ER and have it removed. I said I would wait and I did. Who wants to remove it after all that. Besides, I just wanted to know if it was okay to feel like this. I was willing to put up with the pain if this wasn’t a bad reaction or something else. He called me back at 7:15 AM and they told me it should be okay. So I kept it in. I just finished the monitoring of it and I still have the chest pain that radiates into my back. I cannot wait for this thing to detache. I couldn’t eat, drink, and do normal things because it HURT my chest too much. I hope this is the end of the testing. I have been on so many different meds over the past 20 years or so and nothing works.
I have endoscopic procedures done 1-2x a year where they dilate my esophagus and usually remove polyps from somewhere (benign). My local hospital said they call it the “teacher syndrome,” because we are constantly talking. They diagnosed “Functional Gerd” about 5 years ago.I also get B12 shots monthly and my Vit D is unmeasurable because it is so low. I noticed someone asked about this in their blog. Does anyone know if there is a link to the B12 or Vit D dificiency? Also, since I could not eat and drink very much, will this test be acurate enough or did I do this all for nothing?
i wonder if any one has had this issue or sympton, i too sufer from chronic ibs and last december was diagnosed to have acid reflux a test showed inflmation and irritation about two months ago i started to experience some intense heart burn shortky after maybe two days may voice became hoarse and within hours my voice was gone that was june 9th. still my voice is as if i have laryngistis with in those two months i have gone to my primary doctor, ENT, Allergist and my GI. i have gone from laryngitis to chronic pharyngitis to acute laryngitis to gerd. also was not aware that prednisone can irritate acid reflux so had atleast a months worth of prednisone by 3 out of 4 doctors. whats so frustrating is i am a telecommunication service representative so my job is being able to talk and be heard so i have not be able to work… i would appreciate anyone who has exprienced this and could share how they got better. fyi am having this test next week
My doctor prescribed the 48-hr ph study, based on my complaint about the 25-yr lingering heartburn symptoms. My heartburn flares up any time I eat or drink slightly “provoking” food, so I am pretty much on a strict diet (except for 2 glasses of wine that I drink once a week followed by about 6 tablets of 20 mg famoditine). My question is why the doctor is ordering this study? If my condition is not GERD, what else could it be?
Thanks.
Sam,
The “Lingering heartburn” symptoms you describe are in line with GERD. You may have GERD and not know about it. There are also other conditions that could mimic GERD, such as acid insufficiency, eosinophilic esophagitis, or an unspecified esophageal dysmotility. The doctor probably wants to do the Bravo study to rule GERD out.
Having the Bravo test now after recurring systoms post Nissen Fundolcation since April. My ph is running at 8.3 to 10.2 mostly at 9 and test is done in hour. What does this mean? I should not be having any syptoms everything is block from Nissen. I am unable to vomit, burp etc.
Has anyone experienced ITCHING behind and up underneath the sternum/chest and in the stomach?
What about BURNING TONGUE with a trembling tip?
Am I crazy?
Help!
There may be a number of issues at play here.
1) Esophageal dysmotility: if your esophagus isn’t pushing things through right you might have heartburn symptoms because stuff is stuck in there. This might be caused by a large number of issues, including as a residual side effect from the gastric reflux.
2) The wrap is too tight: If this is the case, the doc may have to go back in and losen the wrap some, though judging by your scores, I’m not sure this is the case. A overtly tight LES may lead to stuff hanging out in the esophagus longer than it should.
3) Esophageal oversensitivity: Some people (myself included) have normal acid exposure, but still feel heartburn symptoms. This is (not uniformly, but very often) attributed to those people simply being overtly sensitive in their esophagus. Often times acid reducers help, because they reduce the amount of acid that hits the esophagus. For some, anti-depressants work well, though in my case they led to decreased gastric motility, which caused even MORE heartburn.
This, of course, isn’t a comprehensive list. You’ll need to talk to your doctor about this and explore all the possibilities. I’m sorry to hear about what you’re going through, but I wish you the best of luck.
YES! I had! A LOT of that, too! Also in my mid-back. Heck, for a while I thought I might have psoriasis or something. That’s how bad it was! For the record, Hydrocortizone helped some.
In my case I eventually discovered part of it was due to lactose intolerance. (And maybe even milk allergy, since it very rarely appears now that I rarely consume dairy, although I’ve yet to test this.) As for the tongue, I thought for the longest time it might have been acid, but I never got an answer to that. My dentist never saw anything, neither did my allergist nor an ENT specialist. Eventually it stopped, but I never found out what it was. Maybe it was acid, maybe it was allergens. I don’t know. But you may want to keep a symptoms/foods dictionary to see if there’s any sort of correlation anywhere.
As a side note: I do have a lot of allergy issues, and have a higher than normal eosinophil count (normal is 0-500, mine was 684 as of my last blood test). This might habe something to do with it, but that’s merely conjecture.
Gnorb,
Thanks for your reply. Giving Bravo to rule out GERD makes sense. However, the fact that antiacid relieves me from
heartburn doesn’t mean that it has to be GERD?
Rather than going through Bravo, Fundoplication, etc, is it not better to be on antiacid all the time? or that will imbalance the acidity in digestive system?
Sam
Antacids for life? Hmmm seems like a poor solution. Chances are your acids are either fine or maybe even deficienct, and that it is at least poor integrity of the lower esophageal sphincter. This allows acids to rise up into the esophagus regardless of amount of acids.
If you’re overweight, start there. The extra weight pushes on the stomach driving acids up against the sphincter. This is very damaging to the junction of the stomach and the esophagus where the heartburn is taking place.
The second element is that simple carbohydrates/sugars such as sweets, processed flours and even fructose can be very problematic. These feed gastric bacteria in the stomach which off-gas excessively causing bloating under the sternum, pain, burning and even possible hiatal hernias.
So in summary, if you’re over weight, lose weight. If your diet is filled with simple sugars, reduce or even eliminate. Try it for a week or two and see if your symptoms decrease. Nonetheless you’ll feel better.
I appreciated this story. I am at this moment wearing a Bravo. I wondered why when I was having symptoms my ph on the reciever would drop. Silly me, I was thinking that if I had high ph levels the number would be high. Thanks for helping understand.
The problem I am having is I can feel the bravo! It is in a place where I would get pain, so it really feels tender and when I eat, bread, anything that is not soft YEOW!!!! But pretty much almost everything gives me reflux, so I have chosen to eat soft foods because even if I am not eating it sends a pain. (Not sure if it is the pain I usually get or the device!)
I had this test done 11-10-11 to 11-12-11. I went in this morning for my follow up appointment and they say the capsule dislodged too early and no information is available. They said they would do it again at no charge. I am so upset, I sure don’t want to go through that again! My throat is still sore from having that capsule in there. Like Ranae mentioned, eating things like bread was extremely painful.
Just had the bravo test through sedation and endoscopy. It should not hurt to swallow! I noticed that water hurt after the placement. Went to a restaurant and tried to sip some water, tea, and soup and ended up passing out from a vagal nerve response. After I came to, I went to the ER in an ambulance. They ran tests and everything looked ok. I had severe chest pain where the bravo capsule was and it hurt to even swallow my saliva! Dr concluded that I could not tolerate the capsule and removed it the next morning. I had to be admitted to the hospital to receive fluids since I could not eat or drink. After the removal I was finally able to eat and drink normally with some residual achy chest pain. I was told I am about 5% of people who could not tolerate the capsule. If you feel pain when swallowing liquid, get it taken out! What a nightmare! And the short time it was recording showed no reflux which was not even helpful.
I have a bravo meter in right now. It sucks. It hurts so bads. Every time I swallow food or drink it sticks on that damn thing and leaves a hard know in my chest followed by awful burning and cramping for several seconds. I hate it. I’ve had no PPI’s or anything for almost four days and I’m pretty sure I’m dying, Death by GERD/hiatal hernia. Lame.
Did they also tell you sometimes this implant causes respiratory arrest or cardaic failure. There are alarms built in and the Dr who installs these should know what the alarms mean when you call them and SOME DO NOT HAVE A CLUE.
Pretty serious complications can occure for the sake of ? Acid Reflux testing….that for years they have seen and diagnosed fine with endoscopy…Seems like its a new toy and the patients are new test probes to me. Just my own thoughts on the subject. Would be extremely helpful if in training the Dr. was taught about the alarms and when enough is enough.
I have read several of the replies here and one thing is clear to me..The Doctors are trained differently then others . Some was told to eat things that brought on their acid reflux while my daughter was told not to eat things that brought on symptoms…Some took medication up to 3 days before. My daughter was instructed to stop the medication at Least 7 days before…She was also instructed to Drink all at once not sip to avoid juice and foods that cause the reflux.
Now with all these different instructions given for one simple test….which one is right and whose test results….were right because of instructions given and whose were not even close. I think maybe we should be contacting the manufacturer of the contraption that can cause cardiac arrest and respiratory arrest if you read online about the test and possible complications and find out what the proper instructions were and who would really like to retake it knowing they could possible die.Not from suicide but from health complications of the capsule.
Currently doing the Bravo test now. everything is so true hurts when you eat and when it hits that spot were the capsule is you know it sharp pain like heartburn then a minute later goes away.. I was just looking for information on the numbers on the receiver since I forgot to ask at the dr office..I didn’t have chest pain until they put this capsule in, not so good, only had lower pain in the stomach region and Nexium most times helped when I took it for at lease a month or longer..
Thanks for the good information from the people that actually have been through it and know what it feels like!
Just to reiterate: I’m really surprised at getting all these responses complaining about the test. I had it done and, as the story states, it wasn’t at all a bad experience. It felt a little odd at first, but otherwise I didn’t really have any issues.
And how, as some claim, it can cause respiratory failure and cardiac arrest is beyond me. Seriously, it’s like getting a heart attack from getting a piercing.
I had the brovo done last Friday and have suffered with very bad chest n back pain when I eat. Now I’m noticing a lot of burping n pain on my left side the same site of pain when I eat. I saw the Dr on Monday he said he has heard this complaint n was calling the manufacture. I’m glad I found this site now I pretty much know I’m within normal. Can’t wait for it to float away. If the pain doesn’t go away by Monday which will be 10 days I’ll go for an xray.
Martha – Did the doctor give you the result of the test? How were your scores?
I just had the bravo done yesterday for the 2nd time – 1st time was about 2 yrs ago and the results showed no acid reflux. Still been having alot of problems don’t I don’t think it heartburn but maybe an ulcer? So the dctr decided to try this again and see what happens. Yes it is painful in the spot where they attached it but not so bad as the first time. Thanks Gnorb for all the info. The only time I saw mine ph drop below 4 was when I awoke in the middle of the night so not really sure what that means. I was also told to eat foods that what cause acid reflux so I went right for the pizza! I was also told that I could chew gum. Didn’t really feel any different than the usual burning in my stomach and upper chest. I had been on Dexilant (like nexium) and it wasn’t helping at all – I felt no different while on the meds than I currently feel right now. I should have the results next week.
Hi Vicky,
Best of luck finding your answer, and glad to hear the test is going well for you. What other possibilities has your doctor considered? (Bile reflux? Eosinophilic esophagitis?)