Gastroscopy

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Im just going in for an OGD gastroscopy. Im horribly nervous. They wont let me have sedation because Ive got nobody to bring me in and I have to drive myself so Im raw dogging it. I have CPTSD from SA so I dont deal with people shoving things down my throat well. It seems unfair that people who have to come in by taxi or just dont have anyone to bring them in are the only ones who cant have sedation. Its just great being penalised like this because you are alone.
Im getting myself in a state here in the car park.

I had a similar issue was breastfeeding twins and a single parent, had to drop twins at nursery and drive myself. I also have ptsd due to medical issues so just being there was hard.
I will say the thought was worse than the procedure. It isn't as long as you think (takes longer to set up). I felt I wanted to pull it out all the time so a nurse told me to lay on my hands. This helped a bit.
All the sedated people were feeling unwell after and I was able to have some water and toast (no hot food or drink) and go home.
Its not a nice procedure and seems not right that some are refused sedation but you will get through it. Tell the staff your nervous and they should support you. Good luck.

I don't want to make you feel worse about it, but I have to say that individual experiences differ hugely. My husband can have one unsedated, no bother at all - mild discomfort at most.

I can't even have one with sedation, I need to be completely unconscious.

If you are in pain when they put the scope in, do not feel you must proceed. You can refuse consent at any point - you are in control here.

For what it's worth, I didn't find the sedation even did very much - it didn't stop me retching and feeling pain. I pulled the scope out myself and told them I couldn't continue, which they had to accept.

That does seem unfair. They used to book you in for an overnight stay if you opted for sedation and had no one to take you home.

When did this change? Some people simply wouldn't have the procedure without being sedated. I think not having the choice is wrong. I'd be contacting PALS.

Well I survived. The only thing Id change if I had to do it again is not wear a full face of slap. By the end it was all over my face like a clown 😂everything waters...eyes nose saliva and dreadful belching.
She asked me if I was an alcoholic as my gastritis was terrible. My stomach was red raw.
I dont drink alcohol..havent for at least 10 years, dont smoke and Im vegetarian so that's a mystery.
Barium swallow next and then old gastric band removal.
I did want to pull it out but I sat on my hands as suggested. Thanks.

Ahh well done and good luck with the next procedures xx

I'm glad you got through it.

I wonder if your old gastric band could be irritating your stomach?

I was also reading something yesterday about hot drinks being bad for your oesophagus. I am terrible for drinking things scalding hot so I wonder if that has contributed to my issues. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce3r77d9n90o

Yes I do drink boiling hot drinks di Im going to stop doing that. Next step barium swallow then gastric band removal.
It never worked anyway. I lost all the weight on mounjaro in the end but Ive had no side effects from that. The same surgeon recommended I keep taking a 2.5mgs dose for a few years so I dont put the weight back on.

You are a very brave woman, well done.

There's no way I could have that without being knocked out with conscious sedation, I mean the type where you just don't remember anything at all. I can't even let them put the mouth guard in before I'm sedated as I gag so much.

Anyway, another non drinker here with gastritis also. Mine was caused by the Helicobacter Pylori bacteria, now successfully treated. Have you been tested for that?

Yes they are testing for that.
I know how you feel. It took every bit of self control I had not to yank the tube out of my mouth and run away screaming.
But I thought if I dont do this I'll just carry on being sick and in pain. At least its done now and I can move on.
But Im never doing it again!!!
There was a guy there who has to have them every two months. He looked properly miserable.