Endoscope Friday. Advised to stop meds.

[Whoyagonna]

Just received appointment letter for endoscope on Friday morning. It states that I should come off my stomach meds for a week before (obviously I only have two days). Would you? As it is, I've been vomiting all day, that's with taking lansoprazole twice daily. I'm afraid that if I'm off it for 2 days, I'll end up dehydrated and very unwell from vomiting. At the same time, there must be a reason they want to see how your stomach is without the meds and I could do with them getting to the bottom of this?

Also, they have advised that if you have sedation, you must have an escort. Would a taxi home count as an escort?

I don't think a taxi driver would want to be your offical escort home, the reason you need someone with you is to keep an eye on you after sedation, if it's not possible then they may prefer you stay overnight. Is there going to be anyone at home afterwards or a friend/family who can take you. Not sure about the meds, seems a week is a long time to be off them.

Just got through to them and they won't do the procedure under sedation without an escort. What's the daily rate for escorts these days lol?
Ffs. I really need this to be done to find out what the hell is going on with me.

Not sure what to do now. Nurse I spoke to told me to ring my GP to make alternative arrangements.
No way I would get through procedure without sedation as I'm vomiting constantly and I panic.

Of course you need an escort, you'll be sedated. Haven't you got anyone who could pick you up? I hope you get sorted.

I'm not English and have literally nobody I could get to come with me. Recently split with ex and he isn't answering his phone. There is a bonkers neighbour downstairs who stalks me but I think I'd prefer not to have her in my hair. Oh dear.

Maybe it would be better if you stayed in hospital overnight. Call them and explain the situation. Maybe you could get an early morning appointment then you could be safely sent home late afternoon.

Ask a friend? Doesn't need to be a close friend. Most people like to feel needed and would help out.

A taxi driver would not count as an escort. They will expect to see the escort when you turn up and know that they are going to be at home looking after you.

Knowing I had to drive home was a major motivation for me not to have sedation. I was a bit nervous, but when I got there and was waiting the other ladies in the room had all had endoscopies loads of times and weren't having sedation which reassured me. Plus most of them were having colonoscopies - that's hard core, compared to a gastroscopy!

I had the throat spray which is weird and given the choice, if I had another one I wouldn't bother. Everyone is very lovely to you, the whole procedure is very quick and the best bit of not having sedation is they can tell you the results straight away - you can see the video footage too if you want.

You do need to come off meds though as they need to see what the problem is, and they can affect some of the tests they do. TBH, your lansoprazole isn't stopping you vomiting anyway so it quite possibly isn't helping.

Well, second nurse today told me not to bother coming off it as it's too late now. Only got the letter today! I'm vomiting almost constantly and have a desperately strong gag reflex and would panic about anything going down my throat, even the thoughts of it make me panic, so I don't think I'd manage without sedation.
I literally have no-one to ask.

I guess I can try to go through it without sedation. Only possible solution.

But I'm just going to vomit on them and they won't be able to do it so what's the point of that either! Oh, I don't know what to do.

Just remember - they have done 100s of 1000s of these and know exactly what they are doing. And they will be really expecting you to be nervous and know how to reassure you.

You'll have starved for the procedure so your stomach will be empty too.

Also you really want to know the result and get your problem sorted out - it will help you go through it. The throat spray stops you gagging so you can't even if you want to and the nurses keep you really calm and supported.

I've had one before. Under sedation. The throat spray freaked me out, then they started putting something down my throat and then the sedation kicked in. I was an in-patient at the time though so no hullabaloo about escorts. I don't think there is a chance in hell I'll get through it without sedation. I suppose I'll just have to try.

Hulder, I can vomit for England. Bile usually when I have been vomiting for days.

The throat spray freaked me out because I couldn't feel whether I was breathing. I panicked enough at that bit!
I suppose I'm just going to have to cancel it. Bastard ex won't answer his blooming phone.

I'm incredibly nervous in hospital and had to have this procedure. I opted just for the the throat spray as the idea od sedation scared me more. I was in and out under an hour.

Don't cancel. If you can't find an escort try just with the spray. Honestly they really help with nervous patients. I just kept thinking I have this done, over and over.

Who don't you ask your neighbour. I wouldn't cancel.

I had sedation - please don't think about not having it - otherwise you will probably keep gagging each time they try to put the endoscope down your throat. Explain to the hospital that you have no-one to accompany you home - hopefully they will keep you in overnight. So sorry that you are ill with this.

I've worked in that area before and patients frequently went home by taxi! As long as they keep you for an hour or so afterwards until you're fully awake, had something to eat etc, you would be fine for taxi.

Neighbour is a very elderly lady who, after our first conversation (I had locked myself out and gave her a key as she was involved in getting me in the front door at least), has tormented me with constant phonecalls. So I've had to block her. If I now ask her for help again, she'll have me tormented again. She's a nice enough lady, but has 3 birds and one cat (all of whom I am allergic to), and I'm a little allergic to her too.

GP had gone home for the day so receptionist said he'd try to get her to ring me tomorrow.

There are home help agencies (elderly care or home help) online that do once-off minding. Would something like that work if you could find somebody local to drive you home from hospital and stay with you for a couple of hours? Not sure what it would cost though...

I know I'd be fine by taxi. They just won't allow you to! I even have a form here that I've to fill in and there's the discharge bit and one of the things on it is 'Escort collected' or something.

I'm considering lying and just saying that my virtual dp is down parking car/having a coffee or something. Then just get a taxi home.

Well the Lord has intervened. Ex has replied.