Scared of gastroscopy

[Wmoejg]

Having a gastroscopy tomorrow due to ongoing nausea symptoms for months. I have really bad anxiety (particularly about health) and am prone to panic attacks. Does anyone have any tips?

You will speak to a nurse beforehand, it's best to let them know your worries and about possible panic attacks and they will take good care of you. I assume you are having sedation which will make it easier and will make you relaxed. I've had one without sedation and I found it to be ok, it's over fairly quickly. Concentrate on swallowing the camera when you're told to and breathing through your nose.

The doctor will spray back of your throat to numb it.. ask for sedation ..also ask for the mouth piece to be put in at the very last minute.. the nurse will hold your hand and reassure you.. once you have swallowed the camera .. it's very easy and okay from then on.. you won't feel anything.. the tube is so thin. It will be over before you know it.
I have high anxiety and had loads of these..
Good luck . Sending healing thoughts.

I was really nervous when I had this last month, but it was surprisingly fine. I asked for sedation, kept breathing through my nose and really concentrated on taking breaths in and out. It was over so quickly and I wouldn't be worried about having it done again. Good luck

I e had 2 and It's a very fast procedure. I got talked into having it without sedation both times, and it wasn't very nice, but it was so fast. Honestly, I counted and it was in and out within 90 seconds, which was amazing.

My first went through my mouth, but interestingly, the second one I had went up my nose and down the back of my throat. It was less invasive, but sore.

If you decide no sedation, you need to stay calm, take deep breaths and relax. Listen to the staff who will be trying to help you. It makes it so much easier. If you go with sedation, you'll wake up and not remember a thing anyway.

Good luck op!

Op.. please let us know how it went.
Hope everything went okay and the outcome is good.

Thank you everyone! It went really well, I was so pleasantly surprised. I explained my anxieties to the nurse who really calmed me down. He was so kind. The actual endoscopist spent 10 minutes talking me through my fears too and was so lovely. They gave me the throat spray and sedation, the throat spray made me feel a bit strange as my voice became odd and I felt as though I couldn't swallow (but I could?) and the sedation made me feel just like I didn't care about what was happening. I was conscious throughout and could tell things were happening, ie. Gagging and burping. But I wasn't sick, and got my results immediately. Just feel a bit sleepy and drunk from the sedation.
Thanks for all your reassurances. If I had to have it again, I wouldn't be scared!

Oh l am so pleased it went well.
Imagining the worst isn't a nice thing ..
Glad it's over with and the outcome is good.

I'm glad it wasn't too bad. Did they find a reason for your nausea? I've had similar symptoms and j'm considering asking my GP about it.