THE REFLUX CENTER

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is the regurgitation of stomach acid up into the esophagus. This acid is often responsible for the many symptoms of GERD that can include heartburn, difficulty swallowing, chronic cough, asthma, sore throat, sour taste in throat, upper abdominal or chest pain, and an increased risk of esophageal cancer.

Ambulatory 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring is designed to measure acid reflux into the esophagus and compare with your symptoms experienced throughout a normal day. The monitor device records this information continuously throughout the 24 hours. This can help your doctor determine the cause of your symptoms and is the standard for conclusively proving reflux is occurring.

You can drive to the appointment and return home without difficulty after the equipment has been placed.

Do not eat or drink for 2 hours before the test

Comfortable clothing is recommended

In most cases you will not take your GERD medications for 7 days prior to your test unless otherwise instructed by your doctor.

Antacids 6 hours

Zantac 2 days

Tagamet 2 days

Pepcid 2 days

Prilosec 7 days

Prevacid 7 days

Aciphex 7 days

Protonix 7 days

No sedation is required for 24-hour pH monitoring.

You will wear a small monitor (like a beeper) on a belt or keep it in your pocket for a whole day and night.

The monitor connects to a thin flexible tube than goes through your nose down into your esophagus and this tube will stay in place for a whole day and night.

A local anesthetic spray will be used to numb your nose and throat prior to placement of the tube. You may experience some brief gagging sensation that will quickly pass.

This tube is actually a special recording device, a pH probe, and 30-40 minutes will be required to properly position the tube that is secured in place with tape.

The tube is left in place for a period of 24 hours.

You will be able to breath, talk, and eat with minimal disruption.

 

It is important that you continue your usual daily routine, including all physical activities, as well as meals, snacks, drinks, smoking and other habits.

If possible, we would like to have your symptoms occur during the period of recording so we can correlate with acid measured in your esophagus.

Please write down the time and specific symptom you experience during the recording period.

You will also record meal times and sleep times. There are specially marked buttons on the recording device that allow you to mark these times.

Please do all activities that may ordinarily bring on your symptoms. You will be asked to keep a record of all symptoms which occur during the recording period.

You may experience irritation of your nose or throat from the catheter. In most cases, you will become accustomed to its presence in a very short period of time.

Do not swim, bathe, or shower during the recording period as water can destroy the Monitor.

At the end of the recording period, our trained staff will pull and discard the catheter. We use disposable catheters to minimize any risk of infection.

Your doctor will have the result within seven days