Endoscope… Journey into the Inner-space of Your Body.

I recently had an endoscope. I did the kind that goes straight through your nose. I’d like to share you my wonderful uncomfortable experience. For those who have never had an endoscope and for the curious this is for you. It’s truly a strange fantastic journey into the inner-space of your own body.

Now the reason to have an endoscopes is to check your stomach and your small intestine. The doctor needs to check inside you to make sure nothing is strange. They will also check to see if you have cancer or not.

An endoscope in Japan costs 13,000 Yen (150.00 USD) without insurance. With health insurance my endoscope only cost 3900 yen. That’s roughly forty-five to fifty USD. As you can see our health insurance and medical in Japan is very awesome.

This was my second endoscopy through the nose. I have had an endoscope through the mouth and I must say that that was the most unpleasant experience. I felt like I was going to throw up. It was painful and uncomfortable. Imagine someone sticking there finger in your throat and wiggling it around. And than they do that to you for three to five minutes. You get the picture right. An endoscope through the nose is the better choice. If your thinking of getting an endoscope and the doctor gives you options. Go through the nose.

Before the doctor starts the “exploration” the nurse must first prep you. First the nurse sprays an anesthesia mist into your nostrils and than you take a shot of this citric flavored drink. The nurse asks you than to lay down on your back. Then she asks you to roll to your left, onto your belly and back to your back. And this is to get the drink to coat your stomach.

After this is all done than the nurse proceeds to put an anesthesia gel into your nose. It goes down your throat. The flavor is very terrible. You can picture me making a yucky face sticking out my tongue.

Now for the finale. The nurse has you lay down on your side. They set a large monitor in front of you so you can monitor the journey into your very own inner-space. Take a deep breath relax. I said a prayer to God to help me get through the next 5 minutes.

The doctor comes in. He puts on his gloves. He then. proceeds to prepare the camera. Putting a gel like substance on it. Tells me to relax and then proceeds.

I watch the camera enter my nose and then watch it journey down my esophagus and down, down, down to my stomach entrance and then into my stomach.

Amazing… simply amazing. In case your wondering when it passes through your throat and everything it’s quite a sensation. It’s like swallowing a giant noodle that doesn’t quite bend. That’s thick and hard. You feel it down through the insides of your body. I breath in and relax myself. Sometimes you’ll burp uncontrollably while the camera goes down. Your body also creates a lot of saliva that the doctor needs to vacuum out.

The doctor wonders around the inside of your stomach. Taking pictures of the entrance to your stomach and than another picture inside the walls of your stomach. And than a photograph of the area into your small intestine. That’s as far as it goes.

While doing all of this you have a front row seat watching this camera wondering your inner-space. Every thing in my body is a light pinkish peach color. Doctor says very it’s healthy color. I watch in amazement because it’s not very often you get a good look inside yourself. I mean literally your really looking deep inside you.

After the doctor is done taking pictures of your insides. He will slowly take the camera out. On the way up and out you will burp even more as more air enters your body. The camera coming out is the best part. Your body is happy to get rid of it.

At the end I have a nice sit down with the doctor. He goes over the results. Everything is good and I am very healthy. Normal.

I leave the doctors office with only an itch in my throat. I haven’t had anything to eat the past 14 hours. I’m actually quite hungry. Leaving the doctors office I can’t help but feel almost giddy.

I got to see what I was made of inside. How wonderful is that. Medical technology is truly amazing. Thank you for joining me on this endoscopic adventure.