Endoscopy tomorrow

[Stygimoloch]

Hi,

I have an endoscopy tomorrow afternoon.

I would like to have it done without sedation, just with the throat spray, because I need to be able to drive and go to work the next day. I’m a bit scared though!

Had anyone had this done without sedation and the procedure been ok?

Thanks

Bit late to the party but thought this might help anyone searching and googling threads to reassure them!

Had mine on Monday, wanted to try with throat spray but had a cannula in case I couldn't after reading loads of threads. Had a fabulous team who explained and said you will gag and retch for about 5 seconds then just breath. It worked a dream - this will sound weird but, I would rather have this again than a big tooth filling - seriously it was so quick. My only regret was not asking the doctor to talk me through what was on the screen. It's also a bit strange being aware of the scope moving at times.

I haven't posted this to brag about how easy I found this, believe me I spent from Friday to Monday googling and dreading this but as the doctor said having sedation will make no difference to what happens it just might make you feel a bit more woozy or out of it. People are all different though but, my tips would be.

1. when they spray your throat, wait for it to go numb before you say you are happy to start. Make sure the top of your throat is numb, and the bottom at the base of the tongue - remember they can't feel this only you can so if you don't tell them it's not numb, they will assume it is. Don't assume by a nurse spraying it in its in the right place - only you can tell. Take a couple of minutes to be sure and if there are bits you can still feel, ask for more spray. The whole way round the back of your throat needs to have been covered.
2. As the scope goes into your mouth just breath. You will gag and retch for a few seconds, ( I just gagged three or four times) they are used to this and will carry on but it will stop when the scope gets into the oesophagus. As soon as you stop gagging BREATHE, don't think, just breathe and concentrate on each breath. At this point you won't feel the tube, open your eyes and see whats happening and just keep breathing. If opening your eyes makes you panic, shut them and just breath.

I'm so pleased I gave this a go and it was so much easier than I thought especially as I am a grade A wimp - enough said as I cannot stand fillings at the dentist!!

@Redstarfalling1 - did the numbing spray stop you from being able to swallow your saliva?

And I don't understand what the doctor meant - if you feel woozy from the sedation - wouldn't that stop the gagging?

Hi, you don’t swallow saliva it pools in your mouth - to be fair I didn’t even notice till it was over and I wiped it away! I didn’t have any urge to swallow either if that makes sense?

Sedation works differently for different people it might make you very sleepy, put you to sleep or it just might relax you a bit. Basically I don’t know, but I would suspect you might still gag any way even with a slug of sedative just maybe not be as aware? That’s certainly the way I interpreted it. Suffice to say, as soon as it was in, I basically wasn’t aware the tube was there, as in feel it in my throat, as it was so numb. I did feel it a bit moving in my gullet but that was just weird not painful at all. Hope that helps a bit?

And for those who, despite reading this, still can't face the procedure: there is sometimes another option, not usually spoken of, but if you insist, you may be offered it: having it done under propofol. You are totally unaware of anything, as with a general anaesthetic, but it isn't a GA exactly. I arranged this, was still bricking it, but, having had it done this way, could now recommend it to anyone like me with a complete aversion to the concept of swallowing a camera.

I suspect this is a really dense question, but can someone explain please how you only gag for five seconds when it goes through oesophagus? I'm not doubting that's the case but want to understand more. Surely the pipe is being passed through your throat continually for the whole procedure ifyswim?

Thanks @Redstarfalling1

I just wonder if some people have a - don't know the proper term - more reactive gag reflex than others?

@Kittytheteapot - sounds good. I worry I'd feel the panic but not be able to express it.

God I'm overthinking this!

Just to add, you can't ask for propofol on the day. This is something that has to be agreed in advance and you attend a specific clinic where they have an anaesthetist on hand to administer the propofol. At least, that was how it worked for me. I knew I would never be able to endure the gagging etc, so I looked into having the endoscopy done privately, and, as a result of that enquiry, a kindly gastroenterologist took pity on me and told me about the special propofol clinics. They are usually only offered to people who have tried the endoscopy under normal sedation and failed.

Re the gagging thing, I suppose you only feel the need to gag as the camera is passing that trigger (gagging) point at the back of your throat.

Hi gingersnaphappy

The gagging is because moving the scope in is stimulating the gag I think. Once it’s in my feeling was that it wasn’t poking at the back of my throat but resting on a numb bit so although it was there, I couldn’t feel it and it wasn’t poking at the back of my tongue which causes the gag. Does that make sense !?

Thank you very much Redstarfalling1 the thought of it still freaks me out, but yes that absolutely does make sense!

Good luck to you all, not a nice thing but, I hope my experience might help.