I thought sedation would be actually unconscious?

[Soubriquet]

I just had my endoscopy. I had the throat spray and the sedation and I was completely aware throughout the whole thing.

Gagging a lot, and it was so uncomfortable. It was horrible and not something I wanna repeat in a hurry

Just had a look at my leaflet. I had 1.5mg midazloam

As promised I am reporting back. I just had a gastroscopy and then a colonoscopy at a private hospital with an anaesthetist present. I woke up between the 2 procedures but of the rest of the time I recall nothing.
I got the banana throat spray for the gastroscopy but the i/v medication then was given almost immediately after the mouth guard and I remember nothing more until it was over. My notes show I received 500mcg Alfentanil and 100mg Propofol.
I woke up and was encouraged to move for the colonoscopy but then they sent me straight off again with 500mcg Alfentanyl and 150mg propofol according to the notes. I recall being aware one more time but not in pain and I then saw the anaesthetist put some more stuff in my i/v and then I remember nothing more until back in recovery.
So I think you probably can get a better level of sedation privately than on the NHS. It doesn't seem right but there we are. I once had a sigmoidoscopy without sedation on NHS and it wasn't too bad but they can only go so far with that.

Thanks for the feed back tt9!

I've been avoiding a recommended colonoscopy for over a year now - for this very reason in that I don't want to risk "an attempt" that ends with what you are describing as I think it will set me back no end (hence me avoiding it as I have huge medical procedural fears). If the policy is the NHS want folks to have "failed" with conscious sedation first then be transparent and say so. I did try to engage a private consultant but got the same story - so couldn't see to point in spending £2.5k for exactly the same approach. The one thing I really can't square away is for those people who had a negative procedure, is how on earth they stayed put to complete it or ever considered having it again - I would have been out of the door!

I had an endoscopy last month. I am claustrophobic and have difficulty breathing through my nose. I hate anything covering my face. Even seeing someone being gagged on television gives me a feeling of panic. An endoscopy was my worst nightmare. I explained this to the nurse when I arrived and then to the consultant who was doing it. She said I would be fine. I didn’t believe her.

I got 3mg Midazolam and 50mg fentanyl. I remember her putting the mouthpiece in my mouth and the next moment I was sitting in a chair, reunited with my belongings, waiting for dh to collect me.

I also had a colonoscopy last week. Following my endoscopy experience I wasn’t really worried and happily agreed to a trainee performing it. According to the discharge letter I was given I had 2.5mg Midazolam and 100mg Fentanyl and it didn’t do anything for me at all. I remember everything. It ranged from slightly uncomfortable to really quite painful. Fortunately the nurses were so nice that it got me through. If I ever had to have another procedure I would definitely discuss my experiences beforehand.

I had it and chose no sedation (never again) and it was exactly as yours was so are you sure you had any sedation or just the spray?

I had endoscopy and colonoscopy in November and it was brutal. Had failed non sedated endoscopy years ago so, next one in 2021, I had sedation and was ok throughout - could recall conversation around me, comments about biopsies and recommendations (I told consultant what he said and he confirmed).

This time round, different hospital to last one, I opted for sedation again as had colonoscopy as well. Was given 2mg midazolam and 50mg fentanyl plus throat spray. Tolerated endoscopy but not as well as previous one but found colonoscopy horrendous - sedation was wearing off; could feel every twist of the scope as well as it poking into my bowel as they negotiated the bends. I was crying almost from the start and, despite having been told before they started that they could top up the sedation for the colonoscopy if needed, when it came to it the endoscopist refused because it would mean I’d have to stay on the unit for longer and it was almost time to close (yes he actually said that to me!)

And the worst thing was, they didn’t even find a cause for the anaemia or positive FIT test, which was why I had to have it in the first place; so they said they wanted it to be repeated after 6 months - no bloody way am I going through that again and am thankful they’ve yet to send me an appointment!! If I ever have to go through it again, I’m going to insist it’s done under GA or at the other hospital who seem to have a better sedation protocol than the recent one!

I asked for extra sedation for this because I fought them the first time (many years ago) and they had to give me extra to get it done. This time I was given the maximum dose straight away and even though I barely remember any of it, they couldn’t do the procedure because apparently I pulled the tube out and tried to hit them every time they put it down my throat. I am a very relaxed, compliant person, non confrontational, not argumentative, don’t like a scene, but apparently I am so scared of endoscopies that even really sedated I can’t cope with them.

On the other hand. I had a colonoscopy a few weeks before the failed endoscopy, I was only lightly sedated, fully alert throughout and remember every tiny thing, and it didn’t bother me at all.

Same! I’m having a gastroscope on Tuesday through private care. I specifically asked (and paid extra) for the anaesthetist. I’ll be having propofol. I’m really hoping I don’t remember a thing, this thread has me freaking out now 😭😭😭

Don't panic. Youll be fine. I've had several now with just regular sedation and they were fine & I can barely remember what it was like.

@Redglitter thank you so much. Hoping I won’t remember a thing and trying my best not to worry too much. Ill keep you posted

So I had my procedure (gastroscope) and I was given propofol, I was completely asleep, I don’t remember a thing. It was brilliant 🙌

Fantastic - the way it should be if you want it to be in my opinion - fingers crossed also for a good outcome!

They couldn't do one on my mother she went back and had a GA.

I've had two gastroscopies, the first one was with no sedation, there wasn't even an option of sedation they just told me this is how we do it. Was absolutely horrible as I have a very strong gag reflex.

The second time I insisted on sedation, they gave me a pill (diazepam I think) while in the waiting room, then put a cannula in, no idea what was in that but it did sod all. Wasn't relaxed at all, almost punched the doctor in the face when my gag reflex made me panic.

Also had two colonoscopies, no sedation for the first and afterwards they told me I have to be sedated next time because my screams scared the people in the waiting room! But the next time they gave me something in the IV but again it didn't do anything, I asked for more part way through and they added extra but it still didn't work. After they finished and I was lying on a bed in the recovery area it finally kicked in and I started dosing off - bit too late!

They gave me 60mcg fentanyl and 140mcg propofol…it was amazing 🤣

I’ve had two endoscopies without sedation. Took biopsies both times.

The first one I struggled because when I gagged I tried to swallow. I found the whole experience quite upsetting and the nurse was a snide bitch which didn’t help.

The second time I had a lovely nurse who really helped me. I felt much calmer and learned not to swallow when I gagged which worked much better.

Wish they'd have given me that! But knowing my luck it wouldn't work for me either, or work too late. At the dentist they always have to give me a double dose of local anaesthetic to get it to work, but then it kicks in fully an hour later and my face is numb for the rest of the day.

My body is just too slow!

Same for me OP. It was actually quite traumatising for me and I cried on and off for week afterwards and even had nightmares.
I went in not worried and thought it would be quick and painless and I wouldn’t remember as that’s what others had said who had the sedation.
Nope- stayed awake but was like I was paralysed. Literally felt like I was dying as couldn’t breathe and gagging / reaching continuously but couldn’t even raise my hand to say stop. It felt exactly like you would imagine someone shoving a hosepipe down your throat. Even typing this is making me gag remembering it.
If I ever have to have another one it’s going to have to be GA or not at all. Can’t ever go through it again!
Friends who have had it done say they literally don’t remember anything about it- how can it be so different!

I had very light sedation for a hip replacement under epidural recently and was completely out of it. I remember nothing. I'd choose heavy sedation for an endoscopy though my sister warned me. She said hers was awful with light sedation.

Had this for a wisdom tooth removal - first time = away with the fairies, second time= fought the dentist and howled the place down. Awful. Natural redhead although dyed blonde so will remember that for the future....

A co-worker of mine said it was like this and like drowning as well - people holding him down etc. - and this was private with BUPA as well. I know he paid extra for sedation dentistry which he managed to get a follow up meeting arranged as that didn't work also. I think there should be a pre-assessment question introduced that would establish which part of the scale you were on, ranging from couldn't-care-less-just-get-on-with-it to fucking-no-way. That way if we had some reliable stats we could make the whole process more streamlined - I think the BCSP is behind in it's numbers (both for taking the FIT test itself and the follow up colonoscopy) - doesn't really need to spend millions working out why...

This thread is so helpful.

I had a combined colonoscopy/ endoscopy procedure about two months ago. I was given fentanyl and another drug I think via cannula. Colonoscopy absolutely fine. No pain.

They then gave the throat numbing banana spray for the camera down the throat. I can honestly say it is the equal worst thing I have ever experienced medical wise. I felt so helpless as I couldn't speak. Felt like I was being choked to death and retched constantly. Made them stop. Traumatised is an over used word but I definitely was. Nightmares , flashbacks etc.

Fast forward to last Friday. They recommended trying the procedure with a nasal scope and smaller camera. How I wish I had declined as exactly the same scenario happened. No sedation for that, just the throat spray. This time that constricted my throat so I felt unable to swallow. More gagging and retching. More spray up nose. Camera inserted and at that point I made them stop. I totally lost the plot and began to cry hysterically and demand to be let out of unit. I felt like a trapped animal. No one came to sit with me afterwards or try to comfort me at all.

Totally unlike me. I've had many different procedures over the last few months and have usually breezed through dental procedures etc. but these have left me traumatised and I suspect will have lasting detrimental effects.

I’m not in the UK. We actually call it conscious sedation.

I’ve had it multiple times when having egg retrieval for ivf. But saying that I’ve been deep asleep that I don’t remember a thing.

I can't remember anything of mine apart from the tube going in my mouth at the very start.

I also can't remember bumping into some friends who'd been visiting someone in the hospital, giving them a lift home, stopping to pick up burgers on the way, going back to their place to eat them or anything else until the following morning.

Apparently, I was off my tits and talking gibberish all evening. It sounds like it might have been fun, it's a shame I can't remember any of it.

Why were you allowed to drive?