[Closed] How unpleasant is an endoscopy?

I've had 3; 1 with sedation and two with just the spray.

If you can control your gag reflex then I'd go with the spray. The sedation obviously increases the recovery time. The worst part of not being sedated is the obvious sensation of being violated and the slight sense of panic once the scope goes in. The whole procedure only lasts a couple of minutes though so if you can man up then you'll be out of the hospital quicker.

Depends where they are putting the endoscope

I had one inside my knee and I am bloody glad I had more than a throat spray.

In my case
-Throat spray and don't panic when the little man with the big black snake tells you to relax. 😉

- Then sit back and enjoy the show.

I've had a transesophageal echocardiogram which is similar and managed with the throat spray. Have a packet of throat lozenges ready for afterwards I found they helped with the sore throat.

Incidentally, throat spray won't help at all if they shove it up your jacksy!! 😯

Depends where they are putting the endoscope

Well the OP could have typed oesophagogastroduodenoscopy, but that's a bit of a mouthful.

Fortunately it is indeed for my throat (I can see why a throat spray might not help with your knee!).

I had something similar done last year but they stuck the thing up my nose and down my throat. They didn't offer me anything for that but I imagine the "snake" must have been narrower.

Alex

[i]but that's a bit of a mouthful. [/i]

*badoomtish*

I had it with the throat spray but it doesn't magically make it all nice and pleasant or anything. I'd still go with the spray, at least you'll be complis and be able to leave on your own. It's an intrusive experience and isn't the best fun I've had but it doesn't last too long.

I went in saying "can I see the camera picture? this is going to be really interesting!" which is quite funny given 2 minutes later all I could see were tears and the nurse shouting at me to breathe!

ah if its just going into your throat it might not be so bad. having it wind its way through your intestines might be a bit more involving.

Your being sandbagged - go for the sedation every time and don't get talked out of it. I've had 2, the first one I thought how bad can it be and had the spray - went for the sedation next time, was up and about after about and hour though I didn't drive home

Thanks. I'd almost decided on the throat spray until Nipper's reply. The reason for the endoscopy is trouble swallowing so maybe sedation is the way to go!

You won't die if you don't have sedation, but I pretty much guarantee if you need another one you'll choose sedation!
I've had 3 intrusive cameras, 2 from below 1 from above, the two colonoscopys weren't too bad, bit uncomfortable but nothing unbearable (fentanyl helped with the second one), had the throat spray for the endoscopy and I'm not sure it made a blind bit of difference, a bit painful going in and the sensation of the tube in your throat is not something I want to experience concious again. The nurse was quite impressed I'd managed to crack the mouth guard though. Definitely take some strepsils or similar as your throat will be sore afterwards.
It is over in about 5 mins though,

Good luck whatever you choose.

My cycling buddy is a gastroenterologist. He says different people show widely varying tolerance to the discomfort of an endoscopy, some find it very painful and unpleasant and others not at all.

[i]I've had 3 intrusive cameras, 2 from below 1 from above[/i]

The trick is to get them done in the right order.

Nipper plus 1000 !!!

Had two now, first time with sedation which was a pleasant afternoon off work with tea, toast and out an hour later and one with throat spray. Walked out 10 minutes after it was done but don't be fooled into thinking you can control your gag reflex without a fight!! 😯

I'm also of the opinion that the doctor can take a better look at your insides if you're not writhing around like a snake with its head cut off !

Had one with just the throat spray. Not nice, had real problems controlling the gag reflex. Not helped by a large Glaswegian nurse yelling "JUST RELAX!!!!" in my ear hole. I'd go for sedation.

I can't think why you wouldn't go for the sedation
I had one with just the spray and it was bearable and no where near what I'd convinced myself it was going to be like but I can't - in hindsight - think of the advantages of just the spray.

This reminds me of the YouTube video of some rap musician or other being force-fed by tube, to see how it is for Guantanamo Bay inmates 🙁

Another vote for sedation if you can get someone to take you home after. I thought I was double-hard until I had an endoscopy with just the throat spray. I came out wishing they'd stuck it up my jacksy, seriously

I had sedation when I had mine, it wasn't particularly pleasant. Felt like I was being throat f*cked by a power washer.

I don't think I'd want anything less.

Sedation sedation sedation. It's a truly horrible experience.

+1 for the sedation. I'm told people pay good money for these sorts of drugs (benzodiazepiene hypnotics). I had a really nice sleep afterwards.

This is really leaning towards sedation now...

I had the spray, if I need another I'm going to either go sedation, or see if they'll do it with neither- the spray really screwed up my whole ability to swallow normally, it felt like I was about to choke constantly and it lingered for ages. The procedure wasn't too bad- not nice, but doable, but I really did not like the side effects of the spray.

Having said that, maybe the procedure was only doable because of the spray and it'd be hellish without, I have no idea. And I get the impression there's a huge amount of ymmv.

Had one with throat spray, actual procedure was fine, the tube was larger in diameter than I was expecting (more hose pipe like). Most disconcerting thing was the insertion length figures you can see while they're going in. Mine was for a stomach biopsy, I'm sure I saw the 1m mark approach!

i had a date rape thing whilst they chucked sommat down my neck for a scan of my heart.. not a problem no after affects easy.. same up the chocolate staircase .. worst part of which is the laxatives the day before. quite interesting watching the inside of your bum, bout seeing that stuff going round your heart that they pump in your groin marginally beats it.. i'd pass on open hart surgery though. it doesnt hurt persay but the broken ribs kill and it hiurts to sneeze for the next 5 years..

I've had it a couple of times for my lungs. Throat spray then though the nose. The only difficult bit is relaxing at the point where you think you're going to choke. You're not and it's just fine. I can't think of any reason for going for full sedation. Mtfu and get on with it.

Spray worked for me and i thought this is not too bad until it wore off, them its very unpleasant, you could ask for double spray at half time or just fix your gaze on a point and blank the experience out....

hiurts to sneeze for the next 5 years..

What did they do to your nose??

I've had OHS and could sneeze just fine afterwards.

By all that's holy get sedated.
I'm not normally too squeamish about medical procedures but just having the throat spray almost had me asking for PTSD treatment after. I do have quite a small throat so YMMV.

natrix.. the scaring of the tissue in my chest / broken ribs left me in pain after every sneeze for fully 5 years.. proper pain. had a big absece ( rotting hole) when the stiches went green..

I had one with the throat spray.

It is one of the most unplesant things to have ever happened to me.

However it only lasted 30 seconds.

30 seconds of crapness vs a day off work/ bing picked up/ no driving/ being spaced out...

I mtfu and take the throat spray again.

Just the spray for me too. After the 12th gag I'd had enough and tried to get the sod to stop. Nuthin' doing. Also had a lung wash, had to snort the saline solution down which was fine but I spent a good hour coughing and spluttering getting through two boxes of tissues.

Throat spray plus happy pills turn a TEE into quite an enjoyable experience. I recall an irrationally attractive nurse but she could easily have been a figment of my imagination.

I have had two and had the throat spray both times. The first time was unpleasant, and needless to say I was not looking forward to the second, but it was OK, perhaps I just knew what to expect.

The benefit for me is you can pretty much just stand up and walk/drive away etc.

It doesnt hurt, and you get free toast and biscuits.

I had one a few months after my op. I also did it only with throat spray and repeatedly had the gag reflex and sweated buckets it wasn't as bad as I was expecting and I could drive back to work after. The removing of the draining tube which went through my nose into my stomach a few days after my op was much more unpleasant.

However it only lasted 30 seconds.

you lucky b*stard, in the life of brian style

seeing as any smoothing over of the horrificness for the op has passed by, might as well say the lady that had it done after me said she'd rather give birth again than have another endoscopy.

I wonder if the doctor makes a difference, mine certainly wasn't bothering with any foreplay, pretty sure the nurse had to hold my head still.

Didn't have spray or sedation, stay relaxed and MTFU.

I've had three, throat spray each time as I didn't fancy the anaesthetic hangover - first two fine but the last seemed to trigger tears galore. Poor nurse must have thought I was having some kind of snake/throat violation breakdown.

Just concentrate on breathing, it's all done and dusted pretty quickly.

Didn't have spray or sedation

Perks of being a fluffer, I suppose 😆

I had an ERCP which involves injecting a contrast into the pancreas and a series of sectional X-rays. I had spray and Midazolam. I can still remember the girthy, ribbed tube being drawn out of my mouth. God knows what it would've been like without the super benzo. Recovery was overnight along with oxygen and regular ob's. The decision is yours but the tube is thicker than you'd imagine.

Well, I had it today.
I'd all but decided on sedation but realised this morning that it was going to screw up everyone else's day if they had to come pick me up, and also I could do with going into work this afternoon, so I went for throat spray.
It was pretty unpleasant to be honest, but having it all over and done within 5 minutes (and just walking out afterwards) was worth it. Once you've swallowed it, it's not too bad (never thought I'd type that sentence) - a bit of gagging but as BoomBip says you just concentrate on the breathing and it ain't too bad (even when they have to re-do the biopsies).
Thanks for all the advice.

Sedation Defo. Had a cystoscopy with just a numbing gel, stung for days afterwards and stung like mad when they inserted it.

Sigmoidoscopy and botox up my arse 1 under General, had it done at 1100 home for 1500.
Sigmoid oscopy and botox 2 under sedation and fentanyl. Couldn't remember anything or feel anything. Recovery for half hour, ward for an hour and home.

You pay your National insurance, so use the wonder drugs. Fentanyl is good, it's used in conjunction with propofol to induce you for surgery.