Endoscopy (and emetophobia)

[BlackInk]

Hello...

I've been referred for an endoscopy via my GP (ongoing issues with nausea, indigestion, lack of appetite, etc. not resolved by a couple of courses of Omeprazole).

GP didn't say it was urgent, but I've already been called by the hospital offering me three different appointments at short notice. I freaked out and declined the first two (not enough notice for work/childcare) but have today accepted an appointment for 20th Feb.

I am so scared. I have a serious fear of vomiting which affects every part of my life. The greatest fear for me is losing control and being sick in front of someone. Everything I've read suggests that retching and vomiting (acid, fluid) during the procedure is inevitable. Even with sedation. The hospital I'm going to don't offer sedation as standard although the lady on the phone said I can ask for it. However, I'm also sacred that the sedative will make me sick.

I know I should have this done. I declined referral a few moths ago and symptoms then got worse. I've actually felt a bit better in the past few weeks and am starting to think I might be wasting the hospital's time.

I'm just dreading it. Does anyone have any experience that could reassure me? What will I feel like afterwards? Will I be fine to work the next day?

Thank you

BI x

Deep breaths OP.

You need to find out if they definitely offer sedation before you attend. With the sedation you know absolutely nothing about what's going on and if even if you do retch you won't know, you'll come round and be none the wiser.

You'll need someone to drive you home and be there the rest of the day but should be back to normal the day after.

Please try not to worry. I've had this procedure quite a few times and it's really nothing to worry about.

Two of my DDs have had endiscopies under full GA as they were very young at the time. Neither of them was sick or even nauseous afterwards.

I suffer with emetophobia too, so quite understand your anxiety. I would explain and ask to be sedated, which is unlikely to make you sick.

You will be offered sedation (not a GA). Take it - it will relax you and you won't remember a thing.

I've had endoscopies without any sedation (control issues) and they are not for an emetophobe.

I’ve had an endoscopy and I’m emetophobic.

I didn’t have sedation mainly because I was worried it would make me sick, I just had the throat spray which numbs the back of your throat. When they first put the tube down I did retch a bit but I really concentrated on my breathing and the retching stopped.

I was fine. I wasn’t sick. It’s all over and done with really quickly. You get a cup of tea and a biscuit then you can go home. Please don’t worry.

As others said, take the sedation. I had to have one a couple of weeks ago and they tried to do it without sedation as I was pregnant at the time. It was traumatic and made me heave and I'm not emetophobic at all. Then they injected the sedating drug and the next thing I knew was waking up in recovery with no further memory of the procedure.
Seriously, take the sedation, don't put yourself through it awake.

Everyone is different but personally I would always go with sedation. I have had it done without and found it really quite unpleasant.

I heaved and retched throughout the whole procedure!

Thanks everyone

I'm planning to get my partner to pick me up afterwards anyway, so I think I can leave my decision on sedation to the day.

As well as a fear of being sick I also hate the idea of losing control (I'm quite normal really though !) so I just don't know which way to go...

I know I will be ok either way. I just want to take the option least likely to make me puke!

Were you all ok afterwards? Could you have gone to work the next day even after sedation?

Thanks again x

I was more scared of the thought of it than the actual thing. No sedation and camera up the nose rather than in the mouth. Much more bearable. I wasn’t sick or anything.

I was quite tired during the afternoon of having it done but back to normal the next day, I'd say you'll be fine for work.

Hi, just to let you know that you can explain about your emetophobia and ask for an anti-emetic injection - I can't guarantee it'll be standard but I've had one after an endoscopy with sedation so it is worth a try.

The sedation is great and you float away/don't remember a thing :)

I've had it twice with sedation and it absolutely fine. I had fish and chips straight after as I was starving! The fear beforehand is much worse than the actual procedure. Good luck!

You’ll not be allowed to eat for six hours (I think) before so it’s unlikely you’ll be sick. Loads of manly belching afterwards though! I wanted sedation but my vein collapsed so they couldn’t give me anything. I was glad afterwards as the procedure probably only took a couple of minutes including four biopsies and I left and went straight home. With sedation you have to stay for an hour afterwards.

It wasn’t half as bad as I thought and wouldn’t blink if I had to have another.

Another emetophobe here. I had to have an endoscopy (postponed it twice due to fear of v). The GP said I could ask for sedation, which the hospital duly provided (I thought I would have to "fight" for this, but the first thing the lovely nurse asked was "Would you like to be sedated?" I was also afraid that it might make me v, but fear of the endoscopy outweighed that)

I don't remember a single thing about the experience, thank God, but neither the procedure nor the sedation involved the dreaded v or anything remotely along those lines. I was a bit dopey after the sedative, but it was all absolutely fine.

Thanks again for all your replies.

I had it done yesterday. I opted for sedation. The actual process was pretty horrific for me, although over very quickly and I felt slightly distanced from everything. No nausea afterwards.

I have a hiatus hernia. Not sure whether this is responsible for my symptoms, but at least it's nothing too serious!

BI x

Glad it’s over and done with

I had one done last year without any sedation and it was horrendous. Literally felt like I was being murdered as I felt like I was choking to death on that tube. Glad you got yours with sedation and it’s nothing too sinister xx