Upper Endoscopy Question

[bushydougie]

I've just found out that I am having the gastroscope (throat camera) on Monday.
The GI said that I would have the option to either have a throat spray or to have a light sedation. I'm a bit nervous about having to swallow it. Any advice about which meds to have?
Thanks

Sam

 

[Mayflower537]

They knocked me out with propofol for mine, which they also used for my c-scope. I don't know what kindof sedation that's actually considered, or if it's available in the UK, but all I remember was they put the mouth guard in (i kindof started to get worried b/c i have a sensitive gag reflex) and then the nurse said, "sweet dreams," and i woke up in recovery. I don't think I would want to be awake for them shoving something down my throat, but that's just me. I was more worried about that than the c-scope. Go figure.

 

[bushydougie]

Thanks Mayflower.
When I found out I was going to have a colonoscopy I was so relieved that I wasn't having the throat camera. I too, somehow, think its worse! My friend only had the throat spray and advised to be knocked out. Just wondered what others though but looks like the likely option at the mo

 

[Lisa]

I had one done years ago...kind of remember being half awake....personally I'd want to be knocked out....I know when my husband had one, the spray didn't work well, and even though he tried to tell them it hadn't, they went ahead anyway.....needless to say he never went back to THAT doc!

 

[beth]

Sedation. Sedation and... shed loads of midazolam!

Had one a few years ago, and dont remember a thing about it. Only hubby laughs about it as when I was coming round I would wake up and say something like 'done then...'. Only to fall asleep again, wake up and say the exactly the same thing.

 

[Rebecca85]

That's all very well, but in the UK you don't usually get the choice of being knocked out completely! I guess if it were me, I would want the numbing spray as I have a strong gag reflex, and the 'twilight sedation' for my c-scope didn't seem to do much. Though my boyfriend's dad had the endoscope done and I think he did it without any sedation or spray, he said it wasn't that bad once you have swallowed the first part of the scope.

 

[beth]

I might have been off my head, but I was certainly in the uk at the time Seriously, I guess it depends on the doc/team doing it. I mentioned that a previous procedure where I was supposed to not remember, didn't work, and I really didn't want to remember this one. So they gave me a wee bit extra to make sure. I guess I'm simply not brave enough to just have the throat spray.

 

[Silvermoon]

I found the throat sedation worked very well.... AFTER the procedure.... It was HOURS before I got my gag reflex back and was allowed to eat/drink anything... but during the actual procedure, I gagged the whole time....

As many have mentioned, if I have the choice, I pick sedation.....

 

[Starlight]

That's a no brainer for me. I wouldn't do it without sedation!! For all my EGD's I have been sedated and they sprayed the numbing stuff in my throat. So they gave me both.

 

[Crohn's 35]

Had the spray and no sedation for my initial dx.. what a nightmare. The tech must not have liked it either I sprayed the stuff back into his face... ew.

Second endoscopy put out, bang... woke up and findings were a Hiatus Hernia..isnt life grand??:yrolleyes:

 

[suzielouwhoo]

i have had that countless times and it is not so bad. i don't like the sedation. so i opt for just the throat spray but i also only have a bit of pain meds when i get a colonoscopy too. that twilight sleep stuff freaks me out and i also like to be able to watch the screen and see it all for myself.

the nurses look at me like i have grown a second head but it is what i prefer. the gastroscopy scope is smaller, not so bad to swallow. hope that helps.
susan

 

[Starlight]

Wow.. More power to you suzielou! I can't even imagine being awake for an EGD or colonoscope. I would refuse to do it without it! I'm sure I sound like a druggie, but it's the only thing I can " look forward" to when prepping for the scopes. Best sleep you can get lol. But its not just that, I would be so self conscious and embarrassed if I were awake during the scope. Yea I couldn't do it awake lol.

 

[Aura]

I had the throat spray and sedation. It was great, I did not feel a thing which was great as I had been gagging and throwing up for a year. I was worried that I would feel it, I let them know my concerns and they made sure I felt nothing.

 

[bushydougie]

Thank you everyone! This forum is so useful to get such a wide variety of advice:wink:
I still haven't got the info from the hospital but the GI said I'd get a choice.
Going from most of your advice I think I'll probably go with some form of sedation. Not sure I'd be able to swollow it any other way!
Thanks for all your help

 

[bushydougie]

Well... I had the gastroscopy yesterday and after taking everybodys advice and going there expecting to have the sedation I ended up having the throat spray! When I spoke to the nurse about the procedure she advised me to go for the throat spray as the sedation is so light (much lighter than for a colonoscopy) and she said it wouldn't touch the pain and can even make you more anxious as it doesn't stop your gag reflex as the throat spray does. So I took her advice. It was pretty awful but I did it! i had an amazing nurse who talked very calmly to me as they were doing it and this really helped!
They did find some red spots (haemorrhagic gastritis) in my fundus (stomach). They said that it could be due to the pred (though I've been on them less than a month?) or it could be helicobacter pylori (on reading up on this it doesn't seem to fit though). They took biopsies here and also in my duodenum but they doubt I'm coeliac. Does anyone know what any of this means? I've got to wait 10 days for the results.
I'm so glad it's done now and I didn't have to spend the rest of the day being knocked out!

 

[Mayflower537]

Glad you had competent medical staff around you to talk you through it. Wow I am impressed; I don't think I could have done that. :worthy:

I didn't have any red spots, just "mild, chronic gastritis" the pathologist picked up. So, no, I don't know what that means. Sorry. I do know they should be able to tell you if you've got H Pylori when you get your final pathology results.

Anyway, don't go crazy waiting. I know it's difficult...

 

[Dallies]

Coeliac disease (pronounced see-liac) is not an allergy or simple food intolerance. In fact it's an autoimmune disease, where the body's immune system attacks its own tissues.

In people with coeliac disease this immune reaction is triggered by gluten, a collective name for a type of protein found in the cereals wheat, rye and barley. A few people are also sensitive to oats.

Hope that helps just found some info for you, my friend's mum has it and has a very strict diet. xx

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

Wow Sam, that's good that you were able to handle just the throat spray! I don't think I could have done that, my gag reflex is way too strong. My endoscopy's next month and they've already told me that it'll be the same sedative that I had for my colonoscopy (they call it "twilight sedation", but I was out cold for the colonoscopy and woke up relatively quickly & easily, so I'm happy that I get that same sedation again). I hope you get your results back sooner than 10 days, that seems like a long time to wait!

How are you doing today? I remember feeling really good the afternoon after my colonoscopy, but the next morning I was in tons of pain (not sure if it was from the gas or because they took a ton of biopsies or maybe both). Hope you're still doing well, let us know when you get your results back.

 

[Jennjenn]

OMG some of you guys were not knocked out....EEEEEEEE.....I would not do it without sedation.....

 

[Dallies]

I know Jennjenn!!! They are all amazing! Meg had a colonoscopy and endoscopy done at the same time under a general anaesthetic.

 

[Astra]

:award2::award2:

here you are Sam!!
well done, thank god that's all done & dusted!
xxx

 

[bushydougie]

Mayflower - The nurses were amazing. I don't think I could have done it without them talking to me calmly!
Dallies - Thanks. From what they could see they don't think I'm coeliac but got to wait for the biopsie results. Would be really difficult for me as I'm also vegetarian.
Cat - I totally thought I would have the sedation. It was only when the nurse explained everything to me that I opted for the throat spray which actually seems to be the best option and what they recommend. I don't know if it's the same over there but they do not give you any where near as much of the sedation for the gastroscopy as they do for the colonoscopy. The nurse said that the sedation would not do much at all and could even make you more panicky (she said it was a bit like when you have 1 glass of wine too many and you can get a bit anxious). She also said that the sedation does nothing for the gag reflex so even though your sedated when they start putting it in your throat you can gag and then get panicky. However if you have the throat spray this takes away your gag reflex (somewhat, I might add!) so it is easier to get the camera down. As I knew the gagging bit would be the hardest part for me I decided to go with her advice and just take the throat spray (you can't have both mores the pity). I don't know if it is similat for you in the USA but it would be worth you checking it out to see. It was quite hard when they first put the camera into your throat but as I said earlier the nurses were so good at calming me. Once its down its easier. I concentrated on my breathing and biting down on the teeth guard (though I now have bite maks on the inside of my lip!). So you may, like me change your mind. I really did not think I could do it but I managed it!
Joan - Thanks. I was a very brave girl indeed!:biggrin:
I am glad it'd done.
Got in touch with GI's secretary yesterday and she's phoned me back today. I'm going back up to 20mg of the pred and am seeing him again on 11th August. He'd originally only wanted to see me in 3 months time and said he was on holiday/training so couldn't really see me sooner...

 

[Entchen]

Brave? You were a STAR! Wow!

 

[Swirl]

Tell them you want nothing!!!! You've been through too much pain already and this one shouldn't be anything different lol
I was on light sedation before and it knocked me out. The Spray still sounds like you'll feel something. But only someone experience can tell you.