[Closed] upper intestinal endoscopy - sedative [yes/no]

I was in the same position so just had the throat spray, and managed it ok. It definitely wasn't the most pleasant experience, but if you relax and breath like they say then its definitely doable.

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Spray here too it's not pleasent but it isn't painful.

I take it thats not 'Heaven' the nightclub

I had the probe of doom at t'other end and elected for the sedative but now I've been through the process then I wouldn't bother again. Obviously things are different for you but depends upon how nervous a patient you are. Some people require sedatives to go into an MRI scanner! If you're a resilient type then just go for the spray IMO. You can then leave earlier and drive yourself home.

Do make sure to ask if you can have your turn with the endoscope before the Picolax crowd.

[quote=wwaswas said]Do make sure to ask if you can have your turn with the endoscope before the Picolax crowd.

I found Picolax to be a disappointment ! The consultant said if there's a next time then ask for something stronger 😯

@allthepies - have had with and without, I am a firm believer in the general !

Good luck op, rather you than me 🙂

I found Picolax to be a disappointment ! The consultant said if there's a next time then ask for something stronger

Moviprep. Like jet washing a dirty old radiator.

That's the stuff which was mentioned PP.

I had 4 done within 2 weeks. 3 were using spray but the 4th I insisted on the sedative as couldn't go through it again. First 2 were unpleasant but manageable, the third was like a torture scene in a movie, felt like a hose pipe rammed down throat and was constantly gagging throughout the whole procedure.

get a minicab home?

I'm not squeamish so I opted for the spray and spent a good 6 hours (could have been 5 minutes, felt longer) lying on my side reflexively gagging as they went about their business before emeging into the daylight like a shell shock victim and driving home. If I had to do it again I'd be fully sedated and sleep in my car on completion if I couldn't be collected.

I have one every three years at the moment, always had sedation, nothing would make me change that. Even with the drugs I was still aware of retching throughout, no way would I want to be fully conscious!
But then I'm a wuss 🙂

so we're all agreed then 😆

Spray, try and relax and go for it. It lasts for a couple of minutes, a bit of gagging then its all over.
Its not nice but easily manageable!

A couple of people have said that if you relax it is doable. Yes it is doable; giving yourself an enema on stage in front of your extended family is doable but I would choose not to. Also, if you can relax when someone is jamming a tube down your throat then you're a better man than I.

I was scheduled one the day before the last available day of my MSc dissertation - I had to decline the sedative and just go for the spray

It's a bit terrifying - plastic thing in your mouth to stop you chewing the endoscope, scraping in the throat, but the gag reflex kicking in becomes a primal reaction of panic.

I wouldn't recommend it, but I understand your predicament. Not something I'd like to have again.
Good luck.

P.s. the anaesthetists all recommended the sedative - "like having 10 pints, without the hangover"

I had a Colonoscopy and told the person administering the sedative that 'I'm a right wimp - feel free to go large'
I don't remember anything after that.

I'd be just the same for an endoscopy.

I had it just with the spray, but whatever you do get some strepsils in as they will ease the sore throat that you'll most likely have afterwards.

giving yourself an enema on stage in front of your extended family is doable

They can't take you anywhere can they. They certainly can't take you anywhere twice.

TAKE THE SEDATIVE!!!

my mum (86)is as tough as old boots childhood in the blitz and on a ward for terminally ill children given birth to three boys . She did not want to make a fuss and wanted to drive home so she went for the throat spray, if she has another one she is going for the sedative.

Not pleasant and you will gag a few times during the procedure. Best tip the nurse (she'd undergone it too) gave me was to focus on something, breath normally & try not to think about what's happening. I found an object on a piece of equipment & really really focused my thoughts on that. Weirdly I think it did make it easier.

If you start gagging after the spray just keep swallowing. Should stop after a few seconds. The length & thickness of the black tube is a bit off putting to say the least (apparently thinner thesedays!!).

As I am sure you can tell I have not had this procedure but going with the consensus i would say plus 1 for the sedative.

do get some strepsils in as they will ease the sore throat

TAKE THE SEDATIVE!!!

This, absolutely this!

I had it without and it remains to be the single most horrific experience of my life. Maybe I'm a bit soft but I freaked out and lost the plot big time half way through.

I had the probe of doom at t'other end and elected for the sedative

Skip the sedative and get the probe before this guy

P.s. the anaesthetists all recommended the sedative - "like having 10 pints, without the hangover"

I don't know which anaesthetists you've been talking to; that's certainly not what I'd tell anyone; some drugs used for procedural sedation do have a hangover effect.

If I had to do it again I'd be fully sedated and sleep in my car on completion if I couldn't be collected.

Definitely wouldn't recommend this - advice is not to drive for 24h post sedation/anaesthesia as your judgment is likely to be impaired, even if you feel fine.

I had the probe of doom at t'other end and elected for the sedative but now I've been through the process then I wouldn't bother again.

no no no no no...

I made the same mistake...with sedative its no issue, without its a whole different kettle of fish. Trust me on this one....

I've been having an endoscope put up my nose and around down my throat for the past three years as part of my post cancer checkups, it's probably not the same as the OP but it's never been a problem for me.

I had one about 20 years ago and was recommended to have the sedative by a colleague who'd just had one with the spray. I really don't think I could cope with the spray.
Recently I had an hour and a bit in an operating theatre at Moorfields having my left retina fixed back in place with just a local anaesthetic. That was extremely unpleasant- I had 2 nurses holding me down whilst the nitrogen probe was manoeuvred in my eye socket behind my eye. I also expected them to play Beethoven as I had eye clamps on my eyelids like in A Clockwork Orange.

I had an endoscopy a couple of years ago (somehow related to my gall bladder but I can't recall why). I took the spray. It was pretty unpleasant, but bearable. Just about.

I had one a few years ago now as a check up after a stomach operation. I did it without anaesthetic and though it was pretty unpleasant and I sweated buckets it was all over after a few minutes and that was that. If/when I have to have it done again I will choose without. I think having work done on a tooth without anaesthetic is much worse. Or having the drain to my stomach pulled out from through my nose after the op was infinitely more unpleasant.

I just took the spray. It's not a lot of fun but I really didn't find the procedure too bad. Invasive, mind, but physically it really wasn't that big a deal (*) Having said that I found the spray itself more unpleasant than the procedure, I had a bit of trouble swallowing and quite a lot of what I think was wee cramps or something (started before the exam, just for clarity). If I had to do it again i think I'd actually be seeing if there was an option of skipping the spray entirely. It might be awful mind 😆

(* It's possible I have a valuable skill here that I'm not utilising. Ah well)

Had one, they put a large rubber bubng in your mouth with a hole in it and then shove slowly a large rubber looking truncheon down your throat, a kindly male nurse held my arms, as he said the last chap struggled a bit and almost fell off the bed.

They give you toast and a cup of tea afterwards, to check you can swallow without chocking or being sick.

Doesnt hurt, is a bit unpleasant and dont struggle.

If someone offered me a sedative for anything, I'd take it. The stuff they use - often benzodiazepines - have a decent street value because people use them (and pay good money for them) to get high. I suppose it depends whether you like getting high (on real, top quality pure shit in a safe environment) and whether you have to drive / cycle / operate heavy machinery / be a responsible adult afterwards though.

Also, upper GI endoscopy can be horrible so I'd take it anyway. Your shout though.

Taxi!

The hospital will have a fixed-rate with a taxi company. Or a bus - every 10 mins from FVR!

Nopety nope no way Jose, sedative all the way. I am gagging just thinking about it, I too would be in a state of panic halfway through, good luck whichever way you go

If you've not taken the hint yet HAVE THE SEDATIVES

I've had a variety of cameras inserted from below due to ulcerative colitis and other than being recommended I have the sedation for the most recent as it was likely to take a while I'd have no problem without.

I stupidly agreed to an upper GI just with the spray as the consultant said it would only take 10mins. That was a mistake, the feeling of the tube in your throat is undescribably awful and the 10mins felt like several hours. When it was over the nurse said she could tell I hadn't enjoyed it as I'd cracked the plastic mouth guard biting down on it.
If I ever have to have another I'll be asking for a general!

There seems to a lot less tough mountain bikers on here than you'd have of thought.

If I had to do it again I'd be fully sedated and sleep in my car on completion if I couldn't be collected.

Definitely wouldn't recommend this - advice is not to drive for 24h post sedation/anaesthesia as your judgment is likely to be impaired, even if you feel fine.

You're obviously completely right; so if you can't be picked up sleep in your car for 24 hours rather than go without.

I had an ERCP twice last year, to have a stent put in/removed from my bile duct. The first time I'd have been happy with a 'Victory V', but I was bright yellow and off my head on morphine!

Second time I went for the sedative, woke up about an hour later, taxi home, job done. I was happy to get out quick as the recovery room was full of blokes whose intestines had been blown up with air desperately trying to fart.

Definitely the sedative.

Matt

I had it without the sedative and would probably do the same again next time just to get it over and done with. I'd much rather they went in the other end.

Depends on what's wrong with you my symptoms meant I was happier having the sedative, the only real downside was that I was a bit hazy when they talked to me about the results.

I've had it done twice now . Wasn't even offered anything other than the throat spray . It certainly isn't pleasant but it's quite doable without a sedative and if I have another I will go for the throat spray again but then again I probably won't be offered anything else .

I had one done last Feb, all I got offered was the spray.

I had some issues swallowing, what Man doesn't ?
But being told by a burly Nurse of Nigerian origin to "think like you are swallowing spaghetti" and "you'll be here all day if you don't stop wriggling" all the time with her claw shaped hand holding my head at a jaunty angle.

Unpleasant an experience made so much worse.

However, in and out in 15mins including biopsy..

Couldn't eat for a day after.

Gross.

There seems to a lot less tough mountain bikers on here than you'd have of thought

Do you think we could correlate the sedative takers with the sit down wee-ers??