Test Subject

I had more medical testing recently.  This is more or less normal for me...and results tend to be normal as well, even though clearly I am not normal. Current guess is this test will be normal as well. What was this test? Esophageal manometry, or motility study.  Do you know how not fun it is to have a tube placed up your nose, down your throat, into your stomach? Nose was numbed prior, nothing else was as they needed me able to swallow still.  I have an over-reactive gag reflex.  Maybe the real reason for minimum of 6 hours NPO (nothing by mouth: complete fasting--no food, nothing to drink) before this test is to prevent patients vomiting during tube placement???  Do you know how much this nutrition professional dislikes fasting?  I slept most of the time prior to having to leave for the test to avoid being awake any longer than necessary when hungry, thirsty, caffeine deprived. I had another upper GI endoscopy this afternoon and had planned to sleep until time to go, but my body woke too soon. So, was awake, hungry, tired, thirsty, etc. (So, for those seeing dietitians/nutritionists, please remember we are real people and do not like fasting or diets or changing eating patterns any more than anyone else does. Or, at least I don't.) Anyway, so far, things looked normal on this scope, which is an improvement from last scope, but still leaves unanswered questions. And, a recommendation to see another specialist. This again, is not an unusual outcome.

What tests have I had?
Laboratory
-Blood work, lots and lots of blood work
Imaging
-CT scans, with and without contrast (numerous)
-MRIs, with and without IV contrast, or arthrogram--contrast injected into a joint (numerous)
-X-rays (numerous)
-DEXA bone density testing (multiple)
Gastroenterology
-Colonscopy (multiple, I am nowhere near screening age yet....)
-EGD (multiple)
-Esophageal manometry/motility test
-Gastric emptying test
Cardiology
-EKG (so many times, no idea how many?)
-Echocardiogram (multiple)
-24-hour Holter monitor
-4-week event monitor (reacted to electrodes, had open sores, scarred, they had pity on me, ended the test a week early)
Neurology
-EMG testing (miltiple, mostly normal, one diagnosed radicluopathy--by a neurologist who had told me directly that all of my symptoms were due to anxiety, repeated the positive portions of the test multiple times because he thought I was faking it--I did not know enough about the test to have any idea how to fake it or that it could be faked. He begrudgingly diagnosed me with radicluopathy.)
-Nerve conduction studies (multiple, mostly normal)
Miscellaneous
-Salt chloride test for cystic fibrosis
-Muscly biopsy for muscle disorders
-Autonomic testing
Numerous other tests, some highly specialized.

I have also participated in research studies...more testing.

It is a relief to find out test results are normal, as that means no additional issues to have to deal with. However, it can also be a relief to have abnormal results, as that at least provides direction for additional approaches to managing things. Additionally, as odd as this may sound, it is somewhat validating when a test comes back abnormal--it confirms that my body was not making things up, or exaggerating symptoms. What I experience is real, even when tests come back normal. Tests are fallible, do not provide definitive answers. They are only one part of diagnosing issues. There is a saying, "Treat the patient, not the labs," that I find especially important with the more medically complex situations. I would extend the concept further to treat the patient and not the condition, as well. Not all patients manifest the same even with the same medical condition(s).


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