Endoscopy without sedation?

[Minai]

Has anyone had one?

I’m due to have an endoscopy on Sunday. It’s the same day we are planning to go visit my family for a few days for Christmas. We have 2 small children so we’re planning to go up in the morning (5hr journey) but now I have this endoscopy appointment in the afternoon I’m wondering if my husband can go up as scheduled with the children and I can get the train that evening after the endoscopy, obviously only possible it not sedated.

The only other option is to go the next day but we would lose a day of our Airbnb which we’ve already paid for.

Unsure what to do really. If you’ve had one would it have been horrendous without sedation?

[Popsdob]

Why don't you rearrange the appointment?

[Trumpton]

@minai
How did it go for you ? Did you travel ? I do hope you are comfy .

[Ohyesiam]

It's down to cost - an anaesthetist is required for general anaesthetics, but not for the conscious sedation that's offered in NHS units.

It’s not just cost it’s risk. GA carries much much greater risk factors than sedation.

[Trumpton]

@Minai
Thinking about you for tomorrow . Hope it all goes well for you . Did you make a decision about sedation ?

[Trumpton]

I have had endoscopy , colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy ( different times ) all without sedation .
I needed to drive myself there and back and found it ok . Not particularly pleasant but certainly ok . The nurse helped me with breathing through it so I suppose that the HCPs play a huge part in how comfortable and relaxed you are .
But if I had read all these experiences before going I might have been more nervous .

[Egghead68]

Believe me I complained loudly about being held down when I tried to have the procedure aborted (without the promised sedation to boot) but the nurse (who had privately indicated to me that she was shocked) either changed her story or was not consulted when it came to the "investigation" and the whole thing was covered up (private hospital doing work for the NHS on a pile-them-high-sell-it-cheap basis).

[FruitcakeOfHate]

Oh, Rott, there's a lot of that about. Women having procedures in actual theatre, such as polyp removal with hysteroscopy, with no anaesthetic at all. Women being held down during coil fittings and LEETZ procedures who had no idea a cervical anaesthetic is available.

[VictoriaBun]

My experience of it without was I was really salivating and gagging, I was naturally trying to pull my head away from it and a nurse was holding my head to help them get it down.
Given the choice I would have the sedation.

[northernlittledonkey]

Drive up in the evening after your procedure. Kids can sleep in car, as can you?

[Soontobe60]

I’ve had one without too. Only because my Dh could not come with me so I had no choice. It was absolutely fine tbh and I’m a real wuss! I’d do it again without.

[Seaweed42]

For the sake of losing a night in the AirBnB I would have the sedation.
If it were me, I'd either have everyone wait and go the next morning or else your DH and the kids go and then you wait and go the next morning. What time is your train? It may well be 6pm before you get out of the hospital sedation or no sedation as you are in a queue.
You will just feel a bit shaken, but fine after the sedation.
But you can't drive til the next day. You would be fine to just sit quietly on a train and have a snooze if you had lifts to and from it.

[Rottnest]

@allthegoodusernamesaregone,
Being told sedation is no longer available at your trust(hospital) is shocking, where on earth is this place. I simply would not accept this, it is barbaric. I would contact the office of the gastroenterologist or the chief medical officer, or the CEO of the organisation. I am not in UK,
I do not believe any medical facility in my area would get away with this.
After reading the thread re males staying o/nite in post natal wards in UK, I can only think NHS patients (some at least) are accepting the status quo, and not complaining loudly or long enough to bring about change. I don't think any hosp would get away with that in my area

[Carrotv]

I've had with and without sedation. I wouldn't do without sedation again.

[FruitcakeOfHate]

he was told a few years ago that sedation was no longer an option at our nhs trust,

Typical barbarism. We're so backwards here it's pitiful. I would not be able to have it done at all without sedation due to past trauma. I'd have to go without treatment.

[veryboredtoday]

I'd never do it again without sedation. DH had had it done and was fine without sedation, whereas I gagged and gagged throughout the procedure. horrible experience and i'm usually quite brave with these things.

[allthegoodusernameshavegone]

My DH has them regularly, he was told a few years ago that sedation was no longer an option at our nhs trust, he says it’s painful but goes straight back to work.

[AuntSpiker]

I think everyone's experience is going to be different. I had a flexible sigmoidoscopy (so less invasive than a colonoscopy) done with gas and air and found it verging on unbearable. DH was the same. We've both had major surgery and have pretty high pain thresholds but were on the verge of asking them to abandon the procedure. Others, as some posters above say, find sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy perfectly bearable. Not much help to the OP, but I guess the message is that you might need sedation, and best to make plans around that really.

[TheFairyCaravan]

I had an endoscopy without sedation. It was absolutely fine. They used the throat spray, I concentrated on my breathing and it was over and done with before I knew it.

DH had a colonoscopy without sedation recently too. His pain threshold is non existent yet he said it was only mild stomach cramps that he experienced

[AntiHop]

I had one a couple of years ago. They tried me without sedation, just a throat spray. I couldn't tolerate it so they then sedated me. I'm due another one soon and I'm going straight to sedation.

[VLCos]

In the last few weeks I had a colonscopy with 2 puffs of gas and air. Not painful at all

Last week endoscopy with throat spray , not a nice procedure but manageable and they put you at ease.

I like to leave straight after and drive myself home so I would always do it without sedation

[efer]

I’ve had one without sedation and the perks are you can just walk out after which sounds like what you are looking for! I personally would try it without the sedation and then ask for it if needed. I think it depends on your luck if you can swallow it first time which I thankfully did so felt much better after but just go with what’s comfortable

[Pomegranatemolasses]

Definitely definitely have the sedation! I had a gastroscopy without sedation and I found it an horrendous experience. It’s all very well saying ‘try to relax’ but your gag reflex kicks in when they shove that tube down. You also burp uncontrollably which adds to the pain.

[NorthernLightss]

It's down to cost - an anaesthetist is required for general anaesthetics, but not for the conscious sedation that's offered in NHS units.

OP no one can tell you how you'll react, but conscious sedation isn't pain relief, it's just something to make you more relaxed. Yes you can expect to gag, and it's a bit unpleasant, but you may well find it tolerable. In my unit if someone has had sedation they must be collected by an adult who comes right in to collect them - you can't get away with "oh they're in the car park, no spaces, I'll be fine".

[AuntSpiker]

Interestingly I've recently had a gastroscopy and colonoscopy in a European country. It was GA, no offer of sedation. The consultant said that people from the UK are very grateful when they hear that! For just gastroscopy, they offer sedation or GA if you want it. I'm curious whether the difference is down to cost or culture. Or maybe a bit of both. FWIW I've been with patients having gastroscopies and I'd want at least sedation.

[Rottnest]

I have had a colonoscopy without sedation, tolerable. No way would I think about an endoscopy (top end) without sedation just so I could drive home. It is not pleasant.