Ok so I finally got a diagnostic test to rule out serious issues with EC. I do not have Esophageal Cancer or Gerd or LPR.

That is a big relief.

The test however, was HORRIBLE. I got the Trans-nasal esophagoscopy (TNE), which puts a slightly larger scope up your nose and down into the esophagus. I had a scope that just went as far as the voice box... so I thought this would be pretty easy.

Noooo.

1. First they had to pack my nose with medication to decongest and numb my nose. That involved sticking cotton up my nose-- FAR... and it was extremely painful and uncomfortable. I had thought at most they would do one nostril but they did both and later chose which nostril to go up.

2. Then they gave me a nebulizer with the packing still in. That was ok but I didn't feel like it really numbed me. Just really uncomfortable.

3. They sprayed this thing down my throat and had to gag me to do it.

This all took about 30 minutes and I only got through it by making me think this would make it so the scope wouldn't hurt... *spoiler alert* it did.

4. It wasn't bad going up the nose but getting into the esophagus was like having a piece of metal smash down into your throat and then, and I didn't think of this, the covering for your esophagus was trying to close the entire time. But the scope kept it open. This caused me to feel the need to swallow.

5. it seemed to take forever and it hurt but once it was over I thought I was done. Nope.

6. My throat hurt like a strep throat. On my drive home I was hacking so bad that I had to pull over. The pain in the throat was so bad I couldn't eat. It has, however, gone down today and I am hopeful it will be totally gone by tomorrow.

I will really have to think long and hard about doing this again if I need to have it done.

Of course she did find something to make me worry about but, overall I don't think it is a big thing. I had some food in my esophagus after 18 hours of fasting and that makes her wonder about my motility. So she wants to get that checked out with another test... personally I don't agree and I think it is due to fasting. This lack of motility could be a reason for the trouble swallowing in the first place so this is helping me get closer to figuring things out.