Endoscopy

OneForTheTeam

Hi all,


Im not looking for any medical advice. Im having a endoscopy done soon and im kinda starting to freak out about it. I already suffer from anxiety so wont be too happy getting a camera put down my throat. They only sedated you so you are awake for it, anyone get one done before and what was it like?


Thanks

RVD420

Had 2 of em done over the years.... My one bit of advice would be definitely go for the sedation option. I chose not to be sedated for the last one...BIG mistake! They don't last too long either, which is good. They make you lie on your side with your back to the screen that shows what the camera is seeing...

mcdoogle

Got one before, I was sedated and went to sleep. Its grand. Small bit of a sore throat afterwards but that's all. You'll be fine!

OneForTheTeam

Thanks guys i have read not everyone falls asleep from been sedated so thats whats kinda freaking me out.

LegacyUser

Don't worry, even if you're not asleep, you'll remember virtually nothing - the sedation they use is picked specifically because it stops you recalling every detail! and they're over pretty quick! good luck!

Mr Johnson

I've had it done twice. Didn't get sedated either time as I had to go straight to work. It's very uncomfortable but it doesn't take long and there's no major aftereffects, just a slightly sore throat. The nurses were impressed with my manliness as well

sollar

I got one done a few months ago. I asked the nurse what do most people do and she said its 50 - 50 with being knocked out or just the spray on the throat.

There was an old lady of about 80 in when i was in and she opted for the spray so i did the same. Its fairly unpleasant but i thought it would be worse.

If your gag reflex is bad get knocked out.

pookie82

If there's an option to get sedated, get sedated. Tell them about your anxiety if necessary. It's not pleasant if you're awake, but the good thing is, it's over very quickly, and on the up side of not getting sedated if you can't, you're able to walk out of there and go about your day's work/driving whatever with just a sore throat for a few hours.

ordinary_girl

I've had it done twice and was sedated both times. They say you're 'awake' for it but you're not really, you have no awareness of what's happening and you don't remember it. All you remember is when the IV is put in you and then you wake up in the ward.

They'll put some spray in your mouth for the camera to go down, and when I got it done they also put a plastic thing in my mouth, like a soother but with the centre taken out, so that my mouth would stay open when I was sedated. It's really fine, it's nothing - once it's over you'll wonder what you were worried about!

OneForTheTeam

Thanks everyone feeling a bit better now:)

mdebets

I got it done once and just went with the throat spray.
I didn't find it too unconfortable. The most unconfortable part was that I couldn't eat before and it took the hospital a long while afterwards to get me some food.

Swampy

sedation all the way.

ErinGoBrath

Had my first one last year, went without sedation, found it very uncomfortable and it lasted 15 mins due to the amount of biopsys they had to take.

Opt for sedation would be my advice. Good luck.

ordinary_girl

mdebets wrote: »

The most unconfortable part was that I couldn't eat before and it took the hospital a long while afterwards to get me some food.

Now that I think of it they usually make you have some toast or some food afterwards. Sedation's best in my opinion, especially if you have quite a strong gag reflex.

blackbird98

I've had it done 4 times.....1st time was sedated a bit, didn't fall asleep, but wasn't allowed to drive home after, had to wait a good few hours.

didn't bother getting sedated for the other 3 times. they just put a spray on your throat (similar to what you get in the dentist). Little bit uncomfortable when the camera is passing your epiglottis (the dangly bit at your throat that makes you retch,) but not a bit sore, and able to drive / go back to work immediately afterwards

LegacyUser

Hi OP I have had it done twice. The first time I was sedated and don't remember a thing from it even though I was awake. The second time I chose not to get sedated and it was fine over I'm a few minutes. Don't worry the worst part is fasting the night before

dekbhoy

OP this procedure is a snip , i have had it done a few times . My 1 piece of advice is simple , take the sedation , you will remember going into theatre but will not remember going out , have had it done without sedation and its a very uncomfortable experience not painful just really uncomfortable ,besides the hospital does around 5 patients in any one day and all the results are administered at the same time , my point is you may as well be sleeping and waiting.

OneForTheTeam

Thanks everyone, everything went well and im just after getting home now not so long ago from getting it done. Im not sure it as a endoscopy they were using a different name. Anyway They knocked me out fully and before i did i asked how long would it be they said anything from 30min to a hour. Anyway one min im in theater and the next I start to come around in the recovery ward. They took a biopsy of my throat I have some sort of acid reflux and a pooling of saliva on one side.

Nothing too bad i think will be meeting my ent in 4 weeks to talk about it. Thanks to everyone for the help:)

tk123

Thanks everyone for this post and replies. I have to get a bronchoscopy soon and it's been playing on my mind a little but this make's me feel better!

not yet

Had one last friday. really not as bad as I thought, A friend of mine desribed it very well, It's like getting sick backwards.

I just got spray as the nurse said with sedation I'd have to stay for hours and be a little off for the rest of the day.....

Honestly you will walk out after it thinking....that wasn't half as bad as I thought.

gerryk

You'll be fine. I had a couple last year, and chose to not be sedated, as apparently you are not insured to drive for 24 hours, and I had to work the following day. It was a bit uncomfortable, but once I got the gag reflex under control, the worst of it was the roughness of the tube.
Seeing the inside of my stomach was cool though.

Regarding sedation... I had ankle surgery a few years ago under sedation rather than general. They gave me an epidural and a bunch of sedative. I was awake for some of the procedure but was very relaxed and didn't really care, even though I could feel the vibrations of the saw as they dismantled my ankle!

FAILSAFE 00

I have to get an endoscopy done. I have chest pains and a mad burning sensation in the stomach, it feels like I am digesting blades.

How long did you all have to wait from GP visit to having this test done. Do you get your appointment faster if you go private?

Great information in this thread, thank you to OP and posters.

CathyMoran

Iin the past I have always got them done via my gastroenterologist, I went privatly and my health insurance paid for them. In one case because it was an emergency I got it done two days after the tests were requested. It really is a case of how long is a piece of string.

ordinary_girl

I was waiting over a year after the intial GP visit where he said I'd have to get an endoscopy and he'd make an appointment. I was public, as such I'd recommend private if you can afford it!

FAILSAFE 00

FAILSAFE 00 wrote: »

How long did you all have to wait from GP visit to having this test done. Do you get your appointment faster if you go private?

I was private, and the appointment was about 9-10 weeks after the referral by my GP.

Esoteric_

I had it done twice last year, and honestly it was fine. No sedation, just a spray down my throat and back of my nose. It was a little painful at one stage, but nothing bad. I thought I'd feel like I was choking or something but it was totally fine, easier than having blood taken actually just relax and don't worry!

ppink

I got one done privately within a week of referral by GP

LegacyUser

I had an endoscopy done there a month of two back,

it was the other end to what your getting, but I will say get sedated.
It really wasnt a bad experience,
i made sure i wasnt stupidly nervous or anything going in.

I tried to have a laugh and that,
and when the valium kicks in, your awake for about 2 mins, and then your in happy happy land for an hour maybe.

I half woke up durin the exam, and ask if that was me on the screen.
the doc just kinda chuckled and said yeah gwan back asleep and i did.

I can honestly say to you, dont worry about it.

neuro-praxis

I had one done and it was fine. It was the other end that was difficult!

Something that surprised me was that I burped a lot during it - everyone does apparently!

LegacyUser

this sort of thing makes me hysterical, but I am in the minority among my close friends and family to have not had this done. to a man, they all said it was easy, painless, and although they could not have been more keyed up beforehand - every single one said they couldn't remember a damn thing about the procedure or the immediate aftermath. no one had any pain. there people were for all walks of life and age groups, and they agree on nothing else. I wouldn't worry in the slightest.

not yet

fun_times wrote: »

I had an endoscopy done there a month of two back,

it was the other end to what your getting, but I will say get sedated.
It really wasnt a bad experience,
i made sure i wasnt stupidly nervous or anything going in.

I tried to have a laugh and that,
and when the valium kicks in, your awake for about 2 mins, and then your in happy happy land for an hour maybe.

I half woke up durin the exam, and ask if that was me on the screen.
the doc just kinda chuckled and said yeah gwan back asleep and i did.

I can honestly say to you, dont worry about it.

Sorry...../ we're you still sedated posting this.

aidan24326

OneForTheTeam wrote: »

Hi all,


Im not looking for any medical advice. Im having a endoscopy done soon and im kinda starting to freak out about it. I already suffer from anxiety so wont be too happy getting a camera put down my throat. They only sedated you so you are awake for it, anyone get one done before and what was it like?


Thanks

Never had an endoscopy but I have had a colonoscopy under sedation and I can only echo what others have said here, it's pretty straightforward and I remembered nothing afterwards. I actually thought they had put me under general anaesthetis but was told afterwards that it was just sedation. You'll feel nothing and remember nothing, so don't worry at all.

Emma1980

im due to go in for one next month and am terrified of it! i was doin ok until a friends husband got one done and said it was vile!!!

silly question here - do i need to bring anything with me going to the hospital or do i just go in comfy tracky bottoms????

Taltos

Closing as OP was from January.
Last poster - comfortable clothes are good, and don't worry, very common procedure.

Taltos