Comment on Why are doctors so hands off and unhelpful in the USA?
Buttflapper@lemmy.world 3 months agoI know the sedation is not medically necessary, lots of places outside the USA don’t do it at all. Japan, Europe, etc. There’s research studies that even show non sedated procedures are being used and have been favorably received. Every single doctor I’ve asked about them, they outright refuse to do it without sedation or anesthesia. Guess how much that costs? Thousands of dollars, with insurance. So I have to pay about $5,000 at least out of pocket a year for insurance, then I have to pay $3,500 for this procedure, and the last two that I’ve gotten, they haven’t shown anything. So naturally I’m like okay, can we do a less invasive one without sedation, like they do in other countries? Absolutely not. We won’t do that, and we don’t know anyone else who will ever do it. Like what the hell is this?
crusty_baboon@lemmy.world 3 months ago
This is not medical advice, just some general comments regarding your post.
An upper endoscopy is rarely needed for evaluation for uncomplicated acid reflux. It alone is not even an appropriate indication for an upper endoscopy, except for a specific patient population and that’s to screen for a disorder related to acid reflux.
Unsedated endoscopies are uncomfortable for the patient and the physician. They suck. Many gastroenterologists will do it, but there’s at least some reason for why others won’t.
The tube you’re referring to sounds like pH monitoring with an impedance catheter. It stays in your nose for 24 hours, and generally isn’t more convenient than an upper endoscopy. It’s very, very rarely used for acid reflux. It’s used mainly when the diagnosis is in question. Most gastroenterologists aren’t sufficiently trained to read these studies anyway. These patients are usually referred to high volume centers.