Gastroscopy - what is it like?

[jammyredroo]

I've been referred for a gastroscopy and I am bricking it.
I'm massively anxious and will be a mess when I have to have it done.
I can't decide whether to have it without sedation or with. My mum had it done without sedation and she's not painted a pretty picture to me. A friend had sedation and said it was ok but felt lousy afterwards.
I think I will go for no sedation so I can leave as soon as it is done.

Does anyone have any advice or can tell me their experiences?

Just noticed your further question. You're not likely to be at the hospital long. In pre-COVID times they would normally offer a cup of tea and a biscuit afterwards (I'm not sure whether they're doing that ATM - they weren't when I had a BCC removed last week), but after that it's generally possible to go.

Do you have somebody to take with you, to drive you home? If you have the sedation they normally insist upon that

Have the sedation. My specialist won't do them without as he says it increases the chance of patients refusing them on another occasion. I felt fine after mine, just sleepy. Obviously, you can't drive afterwards.

I've had two without sedation and they were honestly ok. I mean, it's never going to be a pleasant experience but you know.

I WOULD have sedation if they were actually doing a procedure while in there (purely because it would go on for a lot longer) but for normal exploratory reasons, it can be done without sedation unless you're really in a panic (or just want to be sedated). The benefits are obviously that there are no after effects and nobody needs to pick you up.

I've had one without sedation and if I had to have one again I'd opt for sedation definitely.
I ended up in recovery for about an hour afterwards as I had an anxiety attack and was a sobbing mess once the procedure was over. A mix of pent up worry and relief it was over I think.

I’ve had tons

I’m super tolerant to benzodiazepines. So I always have the midozolam slammer. My dr always reminds me in the ONLY person he’s ever given so much too

I’m always out the door within 45 mins.

I had it done without sedation and it really isn't pleasant. I was retching so much.
The procedure is very quick though.
I was glad I could go home straight afterwards and on my own, rather than those who had been sedated and needed to wait and then have a chaperone.

I had one last year without sedation- it was awful. I felt like I'd been assaulted. I have a high pain threshold- 3 natural births with no painkillers. I would never ever have it done without sedation again.

@jammyredroo I'm a really anxious person too and always ask for the maximum sedation and it's fine, I have to have them annually, however had a telephone consultation last year where they told me they're going to give me an annual MRI instead so hopefully never again

@jammyredroo

How long were you at the hospital? Just want to be in and out. Glad yours has gone well for you though.

Around 30 minutes. But the exam itself took around 15.

I'm due to have it done tomorrow OP, I'll be being sedated because I daren't without but I'm still terrified. My stomach is in knots.

I bloody love sedation! It’s like a lovely deep sleep nap. I have had it for a colonoscopy and gastroscopy before and didn’t know a thing about them, was kept in hospital for a couple of hours afterwards but that was done privately and they kept me in for a lovely lunch as I was starving after having to fast beforehand

I have also had sedation for a dental procedure and was allowed to leave shortly after they finished, though I did have to have someone with me.

I'v had both done twice. First time such strong sedation that I only awoke at the end of the colonoscopy. Second time less sedation but it was fine, I was aware through out but it was fine.

You have to be escorted home - and an adult has to be with your for 24 hours after - incase there is a side effect to the sedation. You can't drive for 24 hours either.

I think they always give you a drink and food to check on your reaction to that.

Yep, sedation. I think I was unlucky - however, if may have been because they were used to having people on sedation and unresponsive - but the team doing it barely acknowledged me while it was going on. Ironically, as a complete opposite to a previous poster, I think I would have coped better had they demonstrated any care or physical comforting. It felt rather brutal and I did feel as if I'd been assaulted as @Abbey0134 said. I would DEFINITELY have sedation for the future - especially as I had to have sedation for a nerve root injection months later and found that far less stressful and worrying than I'd imagined!

I’ve had one with sedation and one without. I can’t remember any of the sedation one other than burping at some point and spent the non sedated one violently retching despite the throat spray to the point my whole body was convulsing and I’m not sure that they did a very thorough job because I wasn’t tolerating it well.
Even with sedation I walked out of the hospital within the hour. I will reiterate you can’t drive and need to be supervised, I felt perfectly fine and on top of the world but in hindsight I wasn’t thinking straight!

I’ve had two. I now work in that field! (Staff were so nice I got a job there). Knowing what I know now I could do it without the sedation, but as a patient I had the sedation. The sedation doesn’t stop you gagging but it makes the process fuzzy round the edges. Like you’ve had a few drinks! Usually without sedation it’s one blood pressure, discharge info and you can go. With sedation they’ll want to keep you for a bit (30 minutes ish) and you’d need someone to drive you home afterwards. I think since you’re so nervous sedation is probably for the best.

@TheFlis12345

I bloody love sedation! It’s like a lovely deep sleep nap. I have had it for a colonoscopy and gastroscopy before and didn’t know a thing about them, was kept in hospital for a couple of hours afterwards but that was done privately and they kept me in for a lovely lunch as I was starving after having to fast beforehand

I have also had sedation for a dental procedure and was allowed to leave shortly after they finished, though I did have to have someone with me.

I think it may have had this happy outcome because it was done privately. I say that because over 20 years ago I had a lot of these (it took a couple of years to diagnose my gallstones) and became very scared of them quickly because the sedation didn't ever work for me - I was always conscious of what was happening as it happened, and I didn't ever 'wake up' afterwards with no recollection of what had happened.

Except for the one time that I had one done privately by the bloke who went on to diagnose my gallstones. I told him I was scared of them but he promised it would be fine. Indeed it was! I don't know what I experienced during it, but afterwards I had no recollection of what had gone on.

Maybe the privately instructed surgeon has more motivation to ensure that procedures are comfortable for their clients? I don't know, but wouldn't be surprised.

Maybe the privately instructed surgeon has more motivation to ensure that procedures are comfortable for their clients? I don't know, but wouldn't be surprised.

Or they are not under pressure to make savings on the costs of anaesthetic drugs?

I had mine with sedation and it took me ages to come round afterwards, the nurses on the ward had to keep coming in to wake me up. I spent most of the afternoon lying on my bed feeling pretty wasted.

If I was to have another one I would do it without sedation so I could get out of there quicker and get on with my day.

I'm reading all the replies with interest. I keep swaying from 'sod it get it done without sedation and you'll be out of there in no time' to 'I'm terrified and maybe I'm better off being out of it'

I decided to have mine without sedation and got the throat spray. I didn’t find it too bad. The gag reflex makes it a bit uncomfortable whilst the scope is going down then it just feels like it’s a bit difficult to swallow. I think the trick is to keep taking deep breaths and try not to panic. It was over quite quickly.

@Shamefulcorners

Maybe the privately instructed surgeon has more motivation to ensure that procedures are comfortable for their clients? I don't know, but wouldn't be surprised.

Or they are not under pressure to make savings on the costs of anaesthetic drugs?

Yes, that as well

There was no pressure on me to not have sedative. They were very understanding and let me be 100% in control of that decision...