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AIBU?

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Pretend you're swallowing a big piece of meat.

208 replies

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 01/05/2026 17:23

Have been to the hospital for a Gastroscopy. Consultant came to have a chat before the procedure, just him and I in the little room.
He explained what would be happening and said " as the tube goes down, pretend you're swallowing a big piece of meat".

I was nervous about the procedure and once it was done, I was chatting to a male friend and mentioned the comment above.
Friend says to report him as that's unacceptable language from a professional and thinks it was a sexual innuendo.

Also thinks it would have been inappropriate to a vegan or someone with eating issues.

YABU : It was an innocent remark.
YANBU: Dirty minded consultant.

OP posts:
BiteSizedLife · 02/05/2026 11:33

NotAnotherScarf · 02/05/2026 08:07

Because meat feels completely different to say a roast spud when you swallow a big lump of it...it is more rubber like and doesn't crumble...actually I don't know why I am explaining this because you're as bad as the rather pearl clutching friend

I'm only now with this thread, starting to realise that I must be the only one who doesnt consider or notice the texture of different foods in the swallowing part of eating 🤯

Chewing, sure - definitely noticeable. But at the swallowing bit nope.

Fair enough - I'm an outlier I guess!

Lmnop22 · 02/05/2026 08:31

MyBraveFace · 02/05/2026 07:59

I was offered sedation but also told the spray would make me not feel anything, wrong!

Yeah, that's complete bollocks. The spray is useless. Sedation doesn't do much either. The only way not to feel anything is to have a proper GA.

I had the spray and then some drug which made me feel loopy and don’t remember the procedure at all despite being awake the whole time!

NotAnotherScarf · 02/05/2026 08:07

BiteSizedLife · 01/05/2026 17:36

Going against the grain here but it could be a bit sleazy... it depends who says it if you know what I mean.

Why meat? Why not big piece of food?

Plumbers and Physiotherapists have definitely said "innocent" things to me before that were sleazy from them but would have been totally innocent if anyone else said them

Edited

Because meat feels completely different to say a roast spud when you swallow a big lump of it...it is more rubber like and doesn't crumble...actually I don't know why I am explaining this because you're as bad as the rather pearl clutching friend

MyBraveFace · 02/05/2026 07:59

I was offered sedation but also told the spray would make me not feel anything, wrong!

Yeah, that's complete bollocks. The spray is useless. Sedation doesn't do much either. The only way not to feel anything is to have a proper GA.

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 02/05/2026 07:25

AmyDudley · 01/05/2026 21:36

I've had lots of them, never been offered sedation. A bit of numbing spray stuff on one occasion.

OP, your friend sounds like a complete knob/big piece of meat.

I was offered sedation but also told the spray would make me not feel anything, wrong!
Could also feel the tube in my stomach.

Only upside was not having to wait for anesthetic to wear off after.

OP posts:
Statsquestion1 · 01/05/2026 21:43

AmyDudley · 01/05/2026 21:36

I've had lots of them, never been offered sedation. A bit of numbing spray stuff on one occasion.

OP, your friend sounds like a complete knob/big piece of meat.

Good god I was put to sleep! no question, fentanyl and propofol…and out!🙌🙌🙌

AmyDudley · 01/05/2026 21:36

BunnyLake · 01/05/2026 21:03

Me too. I go under for mine.

I've had lots of them, never been offered sedation. A bit of numbing spray stuff on one occasion.

OP, your friend sounds like a complete knob/big piece of meat.

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 01/05/2026 21:28

EmeraldShamrock000 · 01/05/2026 20:34

Why are you not being sedated for the procedure. I had a squirt of lemon flavoured medication and conked out for mine. There’s no chance I could be awake for the procedure.

I should have in hindsight, definitely for next time.

OP posts:
OhBettyCalmDown · 01/05/2026 21:26

Don’t report him for that. That’s a massive over reaction from your friend

Lmnop22 · 01/05/2026 21:23

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 01/05/2026 19:15

Drip feed alert, not NHS but point taken still.
I was doubting myself as friend said imagine him saying it to a young girl.

It did make me think twice hence asking.

Young girls also have the experience of swallowing large bites of food so works just as good as an analogy….

This is on you for sexualising everything

Ferrissia · 01/05/2026 21:22

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 01/05/2026 17:23

Have been to the hospital for a Gastroscopy. Consultant came to have a chat before the procedure, just him and I in the little room.
He explained what would be happening and said " as the tube goes down, pretend you're swallowing a big piece of meat".

I was nervous about the procedure and once it was done, I was chatting to a male friend and mentioned the comment above.
Friend says to report him as that's unacceptable language from a professional and thinks it was a sexual innuendo.

Also thinks it would have been inappropriate to a vegan or someone with eating issues.

YABU : It was an innocent remark.
YANBU: Dirty minded consultant.

Aside from considering if it is 'innocent' or 'dirty', isn't that an absolutely bizarre thing to say?? An instruction like that should be aimed at helping the patient mentally compare the procedure to a harmless sensation that they have previous experienced.

Who in the wide world would have ever experienced eating meat like this?!

I'd love to hear from those who have had this procedure and see if they can make sense of it (I haven't, so may be missing something). OP?

Hollowvoice · 01/05/2026 21:22

BunnyLake · 01/05/2026 21:03

Me too. I go under for mine.

Not on top?

(Sorry, this thread is so ridiculous I couldn't help myself)

hourglass2 · 01/05/2026 21:20

Plummagic · 01/05/2026 17:30

FFS.

I know, the worlds gone fucking insane....

WLMummy · 01/05/2026 21:12

LadyVioletBridgerton · 01/05/2026 17:27

Your friend is being utterly ridiculous.

This!

BunnyLake · 01/05/2026 21:07

I might have replied “as the bishop said to the actress” (aka as the actress said to the bishop) but I don’t think people say that anymore, a shame really, I was quite fond of throwing that line in where appropriate (or not appropriate).

CrowsInMyGarden · 01/05/2026 21:03

I'm vegan and if the Consultant had said this to me I'd be enraged. How dare he not say Tofu or Seitan? It would upset me for months, just imagining swallowing a piece of meat. Well, I am vegan but the rest of this post isn't true.

BunnyLake · 01/05/2026 21:03

EmeraldShamrock000 · 01/05/2026 20:34

Why are you not being sedated for the procedure. I had a squirt of lemon flavoured medication and conked out for mine. There’s no chance I could be awake for the procedure.

Me too. I go under for mine.

Lavenderandbrown · 01/05/2026 20:58

I can’t even RTET it’s so ridiculous but I can assure you as an American equivalent healthcare worker….no one is going to jeopardize their job by saying something sexual to you over a scope drop.

We all use a script basically saying the same thing to every patient for this very reason. Your friend is ridiculous please tell him that for me… are you ridiculous too?

Sprinkleofspice · 01/05/2026 20:54

I’ve never referred to a penis as a “piece of meat” so that definitely wouldn’t be where my mind went. I think it’s completely appropriate for a young girl because most people know what it’s like to not chew enough (especially kids who are still learning). If someone said they were vegetarian all their life he would probably change it to big piece of baguette or something but nothing really feels the same as a half-chewed/tough/too big bit of meat

PopcornKitten · 01/05/2026 20:49

Your friend is an idiot. Says far more about them. Meat can be hard to swallow so the consultant is trying to reassure you about the process. They also prefer it if you opt for no sedation as they get through all the patients quicker so are keen to make it sound more palatable.
re saying it to a young girl. Youngsters are chaperoned.
there’s nothing remotely sexy about the procedure and loads of people in the room.
the vegan thing is just ridiculous.
it all says more about your friend.
incidentally, if you have a choice peeps opt for sedation.

FashionVixen · 01/05/2026 20:47

Flowersforyourchocolateprettyplease · 01/05/2026 17:23

Have been to the hospital for a Gastroscopy. Consultant came to have a chat before the procedure, just him and I in the little room.
He explained what would be happening and said " as the tube goes down, pretend you're swallowing a big piece of meat".

I was nervous about the procedure and once it was done, I was chatting to a male friend and mentioned the comment above.
Friend says to report him as that's unacceptable language from a professional and thinks it was a sexual innuendo.

Also thinks it would have been inappropriate to a vegan or someone with eating issues.

YABU : It was an innocent remark.
YANBU: Dirty minded consultant.

Is your friend 15?

PoppinjayPolly · 01/05/2026 20:43

EmeraldShamrock000 · 01/05/2026 20:21

Think of a piece of steak 🥩 not a penis.

Maybe he’s just a sex pest who sees people as meat?

or a zombie?

ERthree · 01/05/2026 20:38

FFS what kind of mind does your friend have? That of a 13 year old boy obviously.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 01/05/2026 20:34

Why are you not being sedated for the procedure. I had a squirt of lemon flavoured medication and conked out for mine. There’s no chance I could be awake for the procedure.

MyBraveFace · 01/05/2026 20:32

PhilosophicalCheeseSandwich · 01/05/2026 20:29

FFS. It's a very sensible way to describe what you've got to do, tell your friend to get their mind out of the gutter.

It's extremely silly to compare a horrible, painful plastic tube being put down your throat with swallowing a tasty piece of meat (unless perhaps you're talking to a strict vegan who is repulsed by meat).

But it's daft, not sordid.