Hi, I have an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy on Monday. I've read a lot about sedation or no sedation, and as i'm very nervous I'll probably opt to be sedated. I know i'll still be partly conscious, bit I am unsure how much I'll know what is going on during the procedure. Those that have the spray only and are fully conscious mention having to swallow hard,I am wondering will I be expected to do this/follow similar instructions to swallow if sedated? I've read about people who are spark out of it, so how will I know what to do? Very nervous about the while thing, especially complications with aspiration issues, as I am currently struggling to swallow some foods down and also suspect that I aspire food sometimes.
depending on how you react to the sedation you wont remember a thing tbh! so dont worry about it.
The normal sedation does not work for me so I have the next level of sedation which always works and I remember nothing at all
Thanks for letting know about your experience, I appreciate it. Just want it over and done now, not too long to wait now at least.
Swallowing the" camera" for me was exactly like swallowing a rather dry piece of bread. I chose not to be sedated. Easy to say, but if you can persuade yourself to consciously relax it’s a help.
The worst part for me was not being allowed to drink until the throat relaxant had worn off. I was SO thirsty.
If you choose sedation you get wheeled back to bed and given a cup of tea before being sent home. I’d make the same choice again. I do like to know what is going on and was offered a guided tour of my stomach.
Thanks for letting me know your experience of not being sedated, I struggle with high anxiety so not sure how well I would cope, but am also anxious about sedation as well as what they may find. I’ve been reading too
any horror stories online, just need to get though these next few days of waiting. Really appreciate the response.
I was sedated with propofol and it was great felt nothing and woke up and did not remember a thing I also had it done years ago without sedation and it was not pleasant
Good luck also the whole test does not take long
Thanks so much for the response. Glad your experience was ok. I guess what has been confusing me is that I’ve read i’ll still be conscious with the sedative, but not sure if I’ll have much awareness of what is going on (id rather not). Cannot wait for it to be over, and like you say it is a quick procedure, so I need to focus on the positives.
i just had this done last Friday and chose sedation, ive never been sedated before so i was super anxious, but honestly it was nothing. i felt nothing as the sedation puts you right to sleep. woke up about 5-10 min later as they were wheeling me out to recovery. you wake up as if nothing happened. your not even groggy or anything. they used a drug called propofol and it puts you right out. i would choose sedation if i had to again. all that worry for nothing that i felt.
I was very scared the first time but remember nothing under sedation. I awoke rolling down the hall to my room. Had a second one the next year, again sedated and no fear.
Many thanks, that is very reassuring.
Thank-you, the worrying is driving m crazy so I appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.
i worried for weeks, driving myself crazy, but honestly you will feel nothing with sedation. dont worry you will be fine and its over super fast.
Just in case anyone else who is anxious read this I’d like to say it really was not that bad at all. The sedation really helped and I didn’t feel a thing. I stressed far too much.
what was your diagnosis and are you better now?
Hi, it came back clear apart from some “mild” reflux and further tests were inconclusive. A diagnosis was never reached. I was unwell for a few months, struggling with no appetite until January, I often felt very poorly when I did get food down dry heaved every day. Things slowly improved in January when I returned to work, and my appetite started to improve slowly but surely, I am a lot better now thankfully, it was frustrating to never really know what going on. My gastroentologist was very thorough with lots if tests but with no new angles to explore & some improvement he discharged me in early March.