To be terrified of an endoscopy...

[ShartOfGold]

Now I certainly know it's not the worst procedure to have done, far from it... but I'm absolutely shitting myself.
I need to have one done on Monday....

Anyone here had one done? Is it as bad as I'm imagining?

@Thisnamechanger

But why? It’s totally non invasive, all you do is lie there! I don’t like small spaces but even I coped.

I've had one without sedation. It made me gag a bit, but it was OK, especially once the tube was down. I didn't get any feelings of suffocation - let them know how nervous you are. They are usually very understanding and will do everything they can to make it as easy as possible.

As you've done no prep, they may just want to check you on Monday. I can't remember exactly, but I'm pretty sure I had to fast before mine.

I had to fast before mine too.

They said that they don’t like it when patients are sedated. They behave the same way (bad drunks) it’s just that they don’t remember it afterwards.

Really? The nurses who did mine said it is far easier if the patient is sedated as they simply comply with what as asked of them.

I haven't had one but witnessed several when I was in nursing school. (Rural placement - students were allowed to go in the OR.) While they didn't look pleasant, they didn't last very long and the patients were sedated.

I had it without sedation. It is not very pleasant, but nothing to fear of.
You won't have any choking / suffocating feeling, your airways will stay open, you will be able to breathe as normal.

I'm glad a pp has detailed what happens.

I didn't opt for sedation.

The Consultant tells you to put your hand up if you really need them to stop.

You normally have a nurse with you as well.

I just closed my eyes and put myself somewhere else, thought relaxing thoughts etc.

Then I got curious and watched them take samples from a couple of lumps inside my stomach.

It's an odd sensation. But not painful.

You've just got to forget there's a pipe down your throat.

To the person who asked how do they know you'll manage breathing OK. I had oxegen through my nose, but I don't know if that's standard. I was an inpatient.

@Gold, I had one a few years ago, and I didn't have sedation as I was going home on the back of DH's motorbike...!

I did have to fast beforehand, so it might be worth checking whether your appointment is for a consultation rather than the actual procedure.

PPs have already given you a lot of useful information, so I won't duplicate what they said; the procedure did make me gag a bit, but concentrating on my breathing worked, and the tube is quite small and doesn't impede your breathing at all.

The local anaesthetic spray to the back of your throat is fairly effective, although mine tasted like the worst Pina Colada I've EVER had - I think it was supposed to be banana flavoured. I think.

It was all over very quickly, and at no point was it painful, just uncomfortable.

The only thing I will add is to go for a pee shortly before the procedure and wear a maxipad or one of Tena's finest, because if you are like me (slightly weak of sphincter) and you do find you gag a bit, you might leak slightly. I knew nothing about this and had a full bladder and no protection when I was called in for mine - I left a bit of a puddle on the couch

But honestly, I remember that as being the worst part of it. So it can't have been too bad!

You'll be fine

I've had three. Two with sedation and one without. They often give you a drug that stops you forming memories, the time without sedation I remember staring at a clock throughout and every time I blinked it jumped forward a min or two.

The one without was unpleasant but not painful, and fairly short. I barely even noticed a throat pain after any of them and recovered within a couple of hours each time.

You are all so kind ☺️ thank you all for taking the time to share your experiences. It's definitely helped me feel slightly calmer about the whole thing.

I'm definitely asking for sedation! Luckily my husband will be accompanying me so hopefully I'll be ok.

Hi,

I had one earlier this year. I have an immensely low pain threshold and very bad anxiety. I was terrified. I had a sedative and honestly it was absolutely fine. I was not in any pain afterwards. I would say (as someone with health anxiety) as understandable as it is, try not to consult the Internet too much. You will just make yourself more worried. I really wish you well x

I didn't have any throat pain afterwards either.

Just wanted to add that the nurses when I had mine were absolutely lovely. I am a very very anxious patient and I remember one nurse actually cuddling me from behind because I was shaking so much as they did it. She really really helped.

Just remember that it's over in a matter of minutes however unpleasant it is.

Both my nana and my dad have a condition called Barrett's oesophagus which means they have to have endoscopies every 2-4 years. Both refuse sedation and both say it's easy peasy so it goes to show everyone tolerates it differently.

Good luck and let us know how you go on.

I've had 2 and I was sedated both times and I can't remember anything. There is no way I would have that procedure done unless sedated as I've heard too many horror stories. I would therefore insist on being sedated.

So after all that panicking... turns out my appointment was just for a consultation!
I now have to wait another 6-8 weeks for them to actually do it...

Oh no . Well good luck for when it's done and insist on sedation

Thank you! I did tell him how nervous I was and he said there was the option of sedation... I shall definitely be opting for it!

I hope yours was OK OP. Mine was done without sedation as they were running late and I was last on the list (I wasn’t consulted about this, they just went for it). I tried to stop it by putting my hand up (I was gagging constantly and panicking about not breathing - I’m asthmatic). They just pinned me down and carried on. No nice nurse holding my hand at that establishment. I complained but was told I “misremembered” the procedure. My advice: if you are the sort of person that gags or worries about breathing, go for maximum sedation. And make sure you are not last on the list!

If it’s any help I have had one down the nose to the throat every month for the last year, moving now to every 2 months. Definitely go for the local anaesthetic or whatever it is that they offer you. I find that it helps to “consciously” relax the muscles - bit like meditation. Good luck, and you may find it’s not as bad as you are expecting.

I have theses regularly. They're not pleasant but not horrendous. My advice is to take the sedation, I have had it without, but now I ask for sedation.

Yes ask for sedation. I have had it done twice the last one was so quick a number of gags but I couldn't believe it was done so quick. I couldn't have the throat spray with it being banana flavour apparently there is a mint flavour too but you have to request it well in advance.

I'm having an endoscopy next week and I'm really anxious about it because I have a deviated septum and rhinitis which means I struggle to breathe through my nose (I basically have year round sysmptms of a cold from allergies.) can you still breath through your mouth when having this procedure? I'm definitely opting for sedation too

I had one about eight weeks ago. I won’t lie to you, it was a bloody awful experience.

I just had the throat spray. They told me that the sedation would just make me feel drunk and forget what happened afterwards, but it wouldn’t actually do anything to help me during, so I may as well have just the throat spray.

I can’t remember if you can breathe through your mouth still or not! I was panicking and coughing too much. The consolation was that it only lasted a few minutes, maybe five at most, and a lovely male nurse wrapped his arm around me and whispered instructions to breathe (a bit like a very unpleasant yoga lesson) the whole time it was happening.

I've had it recently with throat spray it's obviously not nice and you do gag once it's in but they get you to focus on breathing and that helps and it's over very quickly they also kept explaining and talking to me so I tried to listen and focus on his voice .

Oh yeah they do hold your head in place but not in a horrible way but you wouldn't be able to jump up ect

@Gogi1 yeah they told me to breathe through my mouth in and out it helpd with the gagging. I was breathing very fast at first and they made me focus to slow it down and it really helped . It's honestly ok it's over quickly but obviously it's not a lovely experience but of it helps I would have again without sedation