Endoscopy, has anyone had this just with throat spray?

[FreakinScaryCaaw]

And wished you'd had sedation?

Bloody hell it was grim!

Only one friend warned me. Everyone else said it's not that bad.

Only good thing was watching the screen. Fascinating.

Nope, you're nails. I found it traumatic and I was sedated!

I hate this trend towards not giving sedation - I am supposed to have a hysteroscopy every year to check for cancer as I have a genetic predisposition. I tried it without sedation - medieval style screaming agony and procedure abandoned. Can I have sedation next time please? Nope.

In the country where I live now, the gynae looked appalled when I mentioned having it done without sedation and she actually said "I would NEVER have that procedure without sedation". So it's all about saving money, as usual.

I had it done without sedation very recently and was glad I did.

I had no choice as I had to drive and go back to work though so
sedation was never an option.

I thought it was manageable, the gagging is uncomfortable but doable.
There were two women there who couldn't manage the procedure, both sedated. In my opinion that's why they couldn't manage as they were sedated so couldn't control what was happening and panicked.
Good luck whatever you choose.

Glad it's not just me.

I had a colonoscopy without anything. That hurt! I wasn't offered anything.

Glad to hear you're getting better care HappyME.

DH had his without sedation as he had to drive. He said he thought he was going to choke and it was awful. So when I had mine a couple of years later I opted for the anaesthetic (sp?) . It was fine.

I've been referred for one. My gag reflex is hideous so fully expect to get sedated. I had to be sedated for an MRI too.

I had a gastroscopy last week with no sedation, just the throat spray. I have had sedation in the past for a colonoscopy and it just did not work on me at all so I saw no point in having it.

Yes, it was not very pleasant, but was over very quickly. I did gag a few times and at one point, I could feel my stomach contracting to try and vomit the tube out but I just tried to remain calm and concentrate on my breathing. I just figured the calmer I was, they could just get on with their job and it would be over quicker!

It only lasted about 2-3 minutes.

My dh had one without sedation and said it wasn't bad

Groovee tell them you want sedation. It's grim. You'll feel much better.

A couple of years ago the consultant put the camera down my nostril to look at oesophagus. No sedation. It was eyewatering and gaggy.
He told me to stop smoking, lose three stones and stop eating spicy food whilst he himself was very overweight, reeked of smoke and garlic.

Hyacinth sounds the same as my experience. The air getting pumped in makes you wretch.

Tulip They're amazing aren't they? Dole out all this advice when they should listen to it themselves.

I had a nose camera in to look at my sinuses and found that strangely pleasant weirdo

I had an endoscopy with just the spray but mine went up through my nose and then down the throat so bypassed the gag reflex.

It was totally fine done like this. The only problem I had was that some of the spray got into into one of my sinuses and gave me a really horrible headache for a couple of hours. It was a bit wierd feeling everything moving around in my tummy but not awful.

Twice. It wasn't NHS so not cost saving
Horrible.
2nd time I knew what was coming so blood pressure sky high.
But I needed to get be able to discuss the results and action plan so had no choice.
Not sure I could do it a 3rd time.

Hiccup now that might have suited me?

Juggling my heart was pounding!

Bf had it. Said it was horrible. Horrendous. Nurses were very understanding though and helped him through it.
I'd opt for sedation.

Can't fault the nurse I had.

Nurses and Dr fab.
Still awful.
Freakin - mine too.

Yes and was only talking about this yesterday. Down my nostrils, it was a bit grim ....had much worse procedures ( yanking a drain out of my abdomen that had set in like cement).

they persuaded me out of sedation, stressing the recovery time etc

it was AWFUL

afterwards they sort of told me off and said next time, ask for sedation

I think this was all purely because it was a Saturday, poss (tho am not sure about this, of course) privately run service that wanted to get as many tubes down throats as they could manage in a fixed period

Told you off Muddha!

I promise up through the nostrils was ok. Obviously not amazing but with the numbing spray and I had a lovely nurse who stroked my head and kept me calm, it was fine. No gagging at all, not even when they asked me to swallow the camera down, and I have a really bad gag reflex.

I wouldn't be able to have it straight down my throat without sedation.

And it was Saturday and on the NHS. Really couldn't fault the level of care I had.