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Endoscopy - anyone had one

44 replies

LuigiB · 17/05/2010 10:02

I am having an endoscopy in June and to be honest, I am starting to freak out a little bit.
I have a fine-tuned gag reflex and feel all hot and cold about a tube going down my throat - has anyone had one of these and can reassure me that it isn't going to be absolutely awful?

Thanks.

OP posts:
meatntattypie · 17/05/2010 10:07

Hello,
they do give you some pretty good sedation which sends you to sleep and means that you wont remember the whole experience that acually takes about 10-20 minutes start to finish.
Sedation wears off quickly so you should be sat up having a drink in about an hour, ready to go home shortly after.

The sedation is very good stuff.

kreecherlivesupstairs · 17/05/2010 10:10

I had one about 10 years ago. I too had the sedation and don't remember a thing about it. I do remember having been nil by mouth for about 29 years (or so it felt) and very crossly asking the doctor to stop eating crisps in front of me.

LuigiB · 17/05/2010 10:47

Thank you both, the doctor has said that I could have it with or without sedation so if I can't remember anything about it then I will take the sedation option!

OP posts:
ladylush · 17/05/2010 10:50

I wasn't given the sedation option and tbh it was absolutely horrible. I'd go for the sedation if I were you. The surgeon wasn't at all sympathetic and said children have it all the time and don't make a fuss

tiredfeet · 17/05/2010 10:53

I was persuaded not to be sedated and it was pretty awful, made me burp a lot really loudly which was really embarrassing and it is uncomfortable. I would definitely recommend being sedated for it based on my experience. But I wouldn't worry too much, and after a few minutes of painful trapped wind afterwards I actually felt back to normal pretty fast! (and I am a big wimp!) Plus it was totally worth any amount of suffering as they finally figured out what was wrong with me so I could start getting better

C4ro · 17/05/2010 11:00

Due to coeliac testing I've had this and my brother also. I had the sedation and apart from being woozy-headed for a few hours afterwards, no problem at all and barely even sore throat. Means you can't drive though and need to be collected by someone- hence my brother did it without sedation so he could drive himself there and back. He described it as not pleasant but bearable. If you can get collected then go for the sedation and it will be fine.

herbietea · 17/05/2010 11:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

canella · 17/05/2010 11:07

i second what herbietea said! i chose not to be sedated cause i had no-one to look after me or pick up my 3 dc from nursery/school (dh couldnt get time off work).

i have a really strong gag reflex and yeah it did make me gag but as herbie tea said you just need to concentrate on taking deep breaths and its only down there for about 3 mins! afterwards i was very glad i'd not had the sedation.

good luck!

LuigiB · 17/05/2010 11:07

Oh thanks everyone for your replies - I will be getting public transport there and back so I still think I might use the sedation option - especially if I have an unsympathetic doctor!

tiredfeet I am hoping it will be worth it as well so they can figure out what's wrong with me - nothing serious I think but enough to impact on my life...

OP posts:
ladylush · 17/05/2010 11:14

Maybe I'm a wuss No throat numbing spray offered either.

KnottyLocks · 17/05/2010 11:14

Hi.
I had an endoscopy with sedation - didn't have a clue what was going on.

You need to have someone with you for the 12 hours after sedation - especially important if you're using public transport! Any chance a friend or family member could take you or at the very least pick you up afterwards?

LuigiB · 17/05/2010 11:21

I didn't realise that Knottylocks, thanks for letting me know - I will find someone to hang around with me until.

Also they don't tell you anything on the appointment letter they send to you - are you supposed to not eat or drink for a certain number of hours beforehand?

OP posts:
OurLadyOfPerpetualSupper · 17/05/2010 11:21

Another one here who had it without sedation and found it absolutely hideous!

I agree it depends very much on your doctor, though - DH had it done privately recently (as did I), and he said it was nasty but bearable.

The whole department seemed very caring and solicitous, as opposed to the tense atmosphere where I went, and the nurse said DH's consultant took pride in being able to do this successfully without sedation.

I'd definitely go for it, though.

Remotew · 17/05/2010 11:30

Had one a few months ago. Try not to worry as with sedation you won't know anything about it. You will need someone to drive you home afterwards. Sedation wears off quickly and I didn't have any after affects, no sore throat!

My results were good, nothing nasty found and I don't even take tablets. I had problems swallowing certain foods.

Remotew · 17/05/2010 11:31

You will need someone to be with you getting home, see you are taking public transport.

ifancyashandy · 17/05/2010 12:04

I had one three weeks ago. it's not as horrific as you might think (but it ain't lovely either...!)

They will spray the back of your throat (and sometimes under your tongue) with something to numb it (tastes a bit like burnt banana!).

Then they'll give you a shot of sedation and probably (well, they did me) a shot of a painkiller.

Then, as you are beginning to go all woozy (it's nice!), they will put a mouth guard in (looks like one you get at the dentist). This keeps your mouth open during the proceedure. Then they put the camera down your throat. To be honest, although I remember that, I really didn't feel it. They told me I probably wouldn't remember anything but I do remember it all - albeit, it has a kind of dream like quality.

Depending on what you are having done, they might inject a dye inside you (I had this happen). This is the bit that hurt - think of it like an internal scratch BUT it was over sooooo quickly. The staff will hold your hand / expect you to be nervous and, as ever with the NHS, are bloody marvellous.

I would not have wanted it without sedation. If you are having it with, they will keep you on the ward for about 3-5 hours afterwards (you will sleep a fantastic sleep!). They have to keep you in for that time and they won't let you go home alone. If you are in hospital already (I was having it done as another op had gone wrong and was already in hospital), they send you back to your own ward after about an hour.

It'll be ok.

kreecherlivesupstairs · 17/05/2010 12:50

I am in awe of anyone who had it done without sedation.

magso · 17/05/2010 12:52

I have a very strong gag reflex too and would opt for sedation if I had to do it again. The down side of sedation is that you cannot go straight home or drive. I have had sedation for another type of scope (lungs) and do not remember anything which means apart from the slightly sore throat etc, if felt like nothing had happened except sleep!

Hohumchops · 17/05/2010 12:58

I didn't have any sedation, but did have it done privately.
Doc said 'you're strong, you don't need sedation, besides then you can go home soon after and be fine'. Wasn't fun, but that wasn't the point of having it. I did hold one of the nurses hands and did some deep breathing. If you've given birth, it's a walk in the park by comparison!!

Mouseface · 17/05/2010 13:08

I've had four thanks to a botched operation done on the NHS. The fisrt three I was sedated, some weird cold air going up my nose and remember very little.

The last one was at a v posh private clinic (DHs company healthcare plan paid) and it was GOD DAMN AWFUL!!! The sedation didn't take effect and I just lay there trying my best to fight the urge to grab the tube out of my mouth and punch the bloody woman full in the face!

Cowbag took no notice of the fact I couldn't breath!

I'm sure you'll be fine though, tell them you are really nervous, they might up your sedation!!

thirtysomething · 17/05/2010 13:16

I had one with sedation and was still aware of it all but in a kind of floaty way - recovered from the sedation very qucikly. To be honest I found having dye squirted into my ovaries and womb to show up on an x-ray far worse than an endoscopy!

bloss · 17/05/2010 13:24

Message withdrawn

LuigiB · 17/05/2010 14:06

Thank you very much everyone for your replies, ifancyashandy that was a great description too.

I feel sedation is definitely the way to go, it is happening in the morning so hopefully I can have a bit of a sleep afterwards.

Can they refuse to sedate you if the think you are 'strong enough'?

OP posts:
Mouseface · 17/05/2010 14:21

Nope, they can't refuse sedation, the kind they use has been especially developed for procedures like Endoscopies.

tiredfeet · 17/05/2010 14:23

No I don't think they would refuse to sedate you. I was just 'encouraged' not to be as then I could hopefully go home much sooner. But I know that if I had said I didn't think I would cope then they would have sedated me. I am a big wimp though and whilst it wasn't much fun, I coped. But I wish they hadn't talked me into it (I was an inpatient and it was being done very promptly so I didn't have a chance to find out what it was like from other sources)

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