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Original poster

Endoscopy without sedation - experiences?

79 replies

danadas · 18/01/2020 21:16

Having a last minute panic over an endoscopy. I know I have the option of sedation but really don't want it so was planning on going without.

Having now read some horror stories, am I being stupid not taking the offer of sedation? I know it won't be much fun but will it be painful? There will be a biopsy taken too.

Hopefully someone will be able to tell me that it will all be fine!

OP posts:
Helini · 18/01/2020 22:10

I had one yesterday. With sedation mind. The sedation was lovely. All your worried just melt away and you're instantly relaxed. Lovely stuff.

MissingMySleep · 18/01/2020 22:10

Bit grim, made me gag, but not very long. Would choose sedation next time. But if you've got to drive then you can do it, it's just not much fun.

eminencegrise · 18/01/2020 22:13

From I hear, a lot depends on the staff. If you get unsympathetic staff having it without is highly unpleasant.

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Sammy867 · 18/01/2020 22:15

I had it done through the nose instead of down the throat as the camera is a lot smaller. I didn’t have the spray nor the sedation and asked to sit up instead of lie down and I was fine. I had a failed attempt at the throat gastroscopy first whilst sedated as apparently I kept holding my breath under sedation so they couldn’t get it down (I can’t remember any of this).

JeffreysWorkTrousers · 18/01/2020 22:16

I would have the sedation.

Like PP I reacted badly to the throat spray, I felt like I couldn't breathe and that was with sedation. I think the panic made the sedation not as effective as it should have been.

The feeling of the tube hitting the back of my throat before it curved downwards was traumatic. I gagged a lot and I agree again with PP my body went into flight mode but I was paralysed by the meds. So my brain was still with it but druggy and yet my body was immobile.

My Mum could hear me through the doors. She said it was awful to listen to and I was 20 years old. I made some sort of wounded animal noises. This was over 20 years ago and just thinking about it is stressful.

So take the sedation would be my advice. Is there anyone else who can sit with you or can your Dh make alternative arrangements for work?

DramaAlpaca · 18/01/2020 22:17

DS24 had one without sedation. I tried to talk him into having sedation but he didn't want to have to hang around in there.

When he came out he sheepishly admitted that his old mum had been right, and he really wished he'd had the sedation.

chocolate26 · 18/01/2020 22:17

Take the sedation 😊 I had it done without as I was trying to be brave and it really wasn't very nice! I was also trying to be brave and had it done the other end without sedation and that was also awful! Never again without sedation.

PointlessUsername · 18/01/2020 22:18

I had a thread asking the same not too long ago.

It was fine, gagged alot on the way in and out but was only in the room 5 mins in total i would deffo do it again without.

ChipInTheSugar · 18/01/2020 22:23

I had sedation but I'm pretty sure it didn't work. No floating away feeling, no 'not remembering' ... I clung onto the nurse's hand, and can still remember now what it felt like.

We went out for lunch afterwards, and a walk; felt a little sleepy but don't think I even had a nap!

Original poster
danadas · 18/01/2020 22:25

Thanks everyone.

I have rung my Dad and he is going to come to my house early afternoon if I am not out before my OH needs to leave and then he can sit with me in the afternoon and take charge of my 6 year old. He doesn't drive but can get a taxi if I decide on sedation.

Thanks for the honest accounts - at least that has made me sort a back up plan and I feel like I have an option if needed.

OP posts:
Original poster
danadas · 18/01/2020 22:27

Oh and now I am stuffing all the cake, bread and other gluten-y products in that I can just in case tomorrow means the end for all that stuff!

OP posts:
Rosehip345 · 18/01/2020 22:32

I had it without sedation. It’s fine, the gaggings yuck but not bad really.

millymae · 18/01/2020 22:32

I had one without sedation - just the throat spray and it was fine. A quick swallow when I was told to, and the camera was on its way down
It may be that I found it less traumatic than some because it was done by someone I knew through work and trusted, and that he talked the whole through, telling me what he was doing and showing me on the screen what he could see.
The whole thing took next to no time and if I had to have another one, no matter who was doing it I wouldn't be overly concerned.
I was back at work within the hour and had no ill effects.

PaprikaPringle · 18/01/2020 22:40

JeffreysWorksTrousers - the sedation sounds pretty horrific!

Is the throat numbing spray compulsory?

Borderterrierpuppy · 18/01/2020 22:45

Take all the sedation.
I don’t think I could ever have one without being knocked out.
I think I fought them like a wild animal
Thought I was suffocating. Dr managed to tear me inside I was fighting so much.
Take all the drugs!

WhiskersPete · 18/01/2020 22:48

I had sedation and it wore off very quickly. I felt completely normal again an hour after. It would have been pretty grim without it.

Aworldofmyown · 18/01/2020 22:51

Focus. Concentrate on breathing through your nose. Don't panic, your fine.
I've done it and would absolutely do it that way again. It's not pleasant, but very quick and it means you can just get up and walk out.
It feels like your suffocating so you just have to keep telling yourself you are not and you are fine.

NewMe2020 · 18/01/2020 22:52

Awful. I can't lie

squee123 · 18/01/2020 22:54

I've had a colonoscopy without sedation and it was totally fine which gave me a false sense of security for going without again. It was awful and I really regretted it. It felt how I imagine being waterboarded does. It wasn't the pain, but the awful feeling of choking and being unable to breathe and the more I choked the more they shoved the tube down.

LittleFishSwim · 18/01/2020 22:55

I have had with and without, the first was with and I remember the tube coming out and was really confused afterwards. The second one without wasn’t pleasant but it seemed to be over in about 3 minutes, it really didn’t seem that long. I had 6 biopsies taken and it was fascinating, I did cling to the nurses hand but they talked me through it and explained when they took the ionises it was magnified. I have PTSD and awful anxiety about everything so I was surprised to get through it. I did make some awful noises with the air though. All the staff were so nice I came away thinking is that it! I am also glad I was with it for them to explain everything to me. I have to have yearly ones now and it will be much better for me knowing I don’t lose a whole day each time.

xtinak · 18/01/2020 23:03

I did it without sedation a few years ago. Did try to remove the tube from my throat because I felt I couldn't breathe - which is apparently common slash universal - and I cried, but it was still not that bad! They gave us tea and a sandwich afterwards. You'll be fine.

NeverTwerkNaked · 18/01/2020 23:11

I hated it. I still feel my pulse rising at the thought of it almost 15 years later! It was really traumatic. Uncomfortable. Huge horrible belches. And then they found something and were all talking about it and I couldnt ask, I was so scared what they had found and no one explained anything to me.

SpaceCadet4000 · 18/01/2020 23:15

I had mine without sedation as the nurse said they were running behind and they'd only be able to get me in that day if I did it unsedated. It was honestly okay.

It's unpleasant, you gag a lot, but there will be a nurse there to hold your hand and the process is really quick. The worst part for me was that I had horrible diarrhoea the next day. The sedation wouldn't have prevented that!

I had another procedure (not endoscopy) with sedation and I can honestly say that I remember about the same amount from each procedure. Your brain just kicks in and deals with it really. The only difference was that the sedation took time to recover from and made the rest of my day a logistical challenge.

Ivalueloyaltyaboveallelse · 18/01/2020 23:17

Well I had sedation which didn’t work, was awful and burst all the blood vessels in my face and eyes. I had to hide for three weeks and was traumatic. I think gas and air would have been a better options but depends how you are with diazepam.

chesterfuckingdrorrs · 18/01/2020 23:34

I had it without sedation and can honestly say it was fine....I mean I'm not going to rush back to have another one but it was ok. And I was able to drive home and be self sufficient straight away.

I have a horrific gag reflex so was really worried but the hospital I had it at don't offer sedation so I wasn't even aware that was an option.

I was given a throat numbing spray, lay on my side and given a mouth guard thing and told to take deep breaths. The staff doing mine were great, A really calm nurse just spoke the whole time and I just concentrated on breathing slowly and it seemed to work.