Endoscopy (Gastroscopy) sedation or not?

[Baileysandcream]

I'm booked in for an endoscopy and am just wondering if anyone has any advice or tips?

I've got an option of local pain relief (throat spray) or sedation and am wondering which to choose. If I opt for sedation it sounds like I'll have to arrange someone to stay with me for 24 hours, I live alone, but can ask a relative to stay with me.

I'm tempted to opt for local pain relief so that I can manage alone and not trouble anyone else, but if the procedure is really unpleasant/uncomfortable then I'd much rather have the sedation !

Just looking for other's experiences and advice really. Thanks for reading.

I had it without sedation as the clinic wouldn't let me leave on my own if I had the sedation (it was a private hospital).
It was fine, a bit uncomfortable as it went down but the surgeon was superb and I tend to be quite calm in most situations. I needed a water tamponade at one point but he talked me through it so it wasn't scary. I was up and out to get on with my day 15 mins later.

I've had 2, although they went a bit further down into the intestine for gallbladder investigations.

1st one was lovely, brilliant sedation was aware but sleepy, no pain.

The 2nd, I swear the Dr was a sadist who preferred 'light sedation' and it was fucking awful and I spent an hour afterwards in tears.

Take the sedation and tell them to turn the fucking thing up.

I think this is really going to depend on the type of person you are.

I hate hospitals. Have had 3 endoscopies with just the throat spray. Wasn't pleasant but it was quick and wasn't so bad that I opted to do it differently the subsequent times. Meant I could leave immediately after the procedure, drive myself home etc.

Worked for me, but as you can see by the responses on here it's going to vary from person to person depending on their threshold/preferences.

I wouldn’t do it without sedation. It’s automatically done with sedation here, I’ve had to have it done a few times and no one has ever suggested doing it without sedation. The worst bit is definitely the prep before hand. The procedure have no recollection of, and felt a bit groggy after, like sleepy, but within an hour I felt absolutely fine.

Sedation. Did it without and massively regretted it.

I've had it down my throat with just the throat numbing stuff it was horrific and although I got through it I'd never do it again, kinda traumatised me it was that bad. Just get the sedation as people have said. You still feel abit rubbish without it anyway and need to rest for the day.

Sedation.

Especially if, as you say, you’re already having trouble swallowing. The person who said it’s just like swallowing food is talking rubbish. When you swallow food, it doesn’t remain in your throat and keep moving - if I ever need another one, I will definitely ask for sedation. The throat numbing spray just didn’t do much for me.

This sounds like the perfect procedure to me, if only they could all be like that !

Good luck with yours @Orangesandlemons82 I hope it all goes smoothly for you.

I had throat spray and sedation, I don't remember anything about it and came round really quickly with no after effects. My mum drove me down there as you can't drive afterwards.

They don't let you go home until you can swallow safely, so they give you water to start with and then a hot drink when you can feel your throat again , and a biscuit :)

The nurse did try to talk me out of the sedation before the op, probably to keep costs down, but I insisted on it as i knew I would panic otherwise. I would never have it done without the sedation.

I opt for colonoscopies without sedation and found it fine. But endoscopy I found much more distressing due to the gag reflex. It was not pleasant. I'd definitely have the sedation for an endoscopy, particularly if you have pain on swallowing.

Definitely opt for sedation. I have a corkscrew oesophagus and that may have made it worse but I opted for the throat spray (twice - I must have been mad the second time!) and the gagging etc was awful plus when they took biopsies it was incredibly sore. I wasn't allowed sedation for a colonoscopy as my oxygen levels were low, it was pretty nasty but I'd do it again before another endoscopy without sedation.

Very unhelpful.
Most people find the sensation of being choked deeply unpleasant.

Thats not a sensation I have ever had during an endoscopy.

Good for you.

Clearly I did as I fought so much and became so distressed they couldn’t even complete it.

100% sedation. I could barely even tolerate the throat spray they used before sedation…

I'm glad you had a good experience but I don't think you can compare swallowing food to having a tube inserted through your oesophagus and into your stomach, if it was that simple no one would need sedation and they wouldn't offer it. It's an unpleasant experience and one I absolutely would not repeat without being sedated first.

The difference between food and the tube is in your mind.

Oh right. That’s helpful, thanks.

Get both the sedation and the throat spay. Trust me

I had sedation when I had top and tails, but I also took the gas and air when they did the tails

I ahd one with sedation and it was still a bit unpleasant to be honest.
When DH was sent for one a few years later I advised him to do the same but he insisted it wasn't necessary, when I went to collect him from the hospital he admitted I was right

Bollocks.

I've had two with only throat spray. If you can focus and stay calm you will be fine. You have to swallow the tube which isnt painful at all. It is a very strange feeling, as others have mentioned almost like choking. I just concentrated on breathing in and out through my nose calmly, reminding myself that they would not let me choke and I would be fine. It literally takes a minute or two.
I would just have throat spray again, I liked just getting up and walking out both times.
It really is down to the individual person.

That's complete nonsense.