Endoscopy Fear
Posted , 5 users are following.
I have had a endoscopy before and it was under sedation. I Vaguely remember the gagging but not much else, until I woke up and I lost all respect of how long I had been. Now reading about other people experience I am concern about being man handled if I get sedated again. I dont have a date for mine yet but I really really dont want it know what I have read
1 like, 17 replies
marion56895 UK-Ven-medicate
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UK-Ven-medicate marion56895
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My concern is all the man handling. that what scares and panics me
jay40m marion56895
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UK-Ven-medicate jay40m
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mrsmop UK-Ven-medicate
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I haven't read what you have read, so am currently living in a state of blissful ignorance!
lily65668 UK-Ven-medicate
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In spite of the so-called sedation, I was fully conscious throughout (and for the next 30 hours - it's called a paradoxical reaction) and that certainly didn't stop anyone from manhandling me. Six people held me down throughout the 20-minute mediaeval procedure.
If you're under 65 and have no cardiac or respiratory problems, you should be OK with sedation, as they'll give you an adequate dose. After all, you say you only have vague memories of the last time. Isn't it better not to remember the manhandling? If you're over 65 you might be better going with throat spray alone. That way, you'll at least remember exactly what happened, if it's the memory blank that's worrying you.
Elle_Woods lily65668
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lily65668 Elle_Woods
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But to reiterate - I was 69 at the time of the procedure, so only received a tiny dose of sedation. If you're under 65 and you don't have any heart or breathing problems, you'll get the full dose. Also, my case was much more complicated than a straight down-and-up-again gastroscopy. My reply to Jimmy was meant for the over-65s in here, who doesn't say how old he is, not younger people like you.
As an ex-nurse, though, I have to say I agree with you in not believing what St. Thomas's are telling you. I have no specific knowledge of this hospital, just doctors and hospitals in general! I do feel they should be more honest.
Btw, I'm assuming that by "endoscopy" you mean a gastroscopy - a tube down into the stomach? A colonoscopy (other end!) and a bronchoscopy (down into the lungs) are also endoscopies.
If you're having a lot of abdominal pain you shouldn't ignore it, but try to find out what's causing it. If you're really too scared to go through with it, you could try insisting on a general anaesthetic. Another option would be a CT scan. You might need to change doctors but it's worth a try. Some are more flexible than others on things like this.
Most important - try a bit of self-help. Can you identify what it is you're doing or eating that makes the pain worse? I sometimes have an ulcer-type pain in my stomach when I'm stressed, so I know I have to chill out and be a bit careful about what I eat for a few weeks when that happens. (And stay off the wine, of course!) It's always worked so far.
Elle_Woods lily65668
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I believe that I have a bit smaller stomach and when I it accumulate gases (when I’m on a bus or a car or just eat a bit more) it doesnt have space to expand much and starts pressing my lungs and heart which causes me to faint from the lack of oxygen. (Doctors NEVER assume that).
Then I can't lie on my left side as my heart starts struggling so I only sleep on my right side. Then I also have 10 years history of grand mall epilepsy, I have a blood pressure 90/60 which my body is comfortably adjusted to and I feel great when it's that low. When it gets 120/90 - I get muscle spasms, start vomiting and feel like my head will explode.
Another problem is that I have a really bad reaction on diazepam, valerian, nurofen and all other painkillers for the same reason – low blood pressure. I also can't take sleeping pills or birth controls (because of the epilepsy).
I don’t drink alcohol, coffee, fizzy drinks for the same reason. Also doctors never measure the sedation according your weight or blood pressure and I’m only 46kg.
I have a friend who was overdosed with sedatives and nearly died because her blood pressure went too low.
I’m also very aware of my body and if someone holds me down when I’m trying to give a signal that something is not right – it will most probably kill me as they wont stop to check on me and if I start having seizures from a lack of oxygen, due to the air in my stomach – the endoscope will rip me up internally and I’ll be dead before they take it out.
The biggest problem is that they said all these things are IMPOSSIBLE to happen which made it clear to me that they are not competent to handle any complications and they will blame it all on the patient if any damage is caused. So I just couldn't entrust them with my health and had to cancel it.
But I'm going to my gp on Monday to ask for an appointment with another gastroenterologist and get a second opinion.
UK-Ven-medicate Elle_Woods
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Elle_Woods UK-Ven-medicate
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UK-Ven-medicate Elle_Woods
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lily65668 UK-Ven-medicate
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But do look at what is triggering your attacks of abdominal pain, Elle. It should be possible to identify the cause and deal with it. I firmly believe in self-help and live my life largely outside of the medical "system" apart from seeing a dentist, getting blood pressure and eye pressure checked and blood tests from time to time. My endoscopy experience was the exception, of course - but then it's not that easy getting a denture out of your own throat!
Elle_Woods lily65668
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However I tried really hard to find out what is causing it but couldn't. I isolated the foods, stopped the gluten for a while, nothing.
The pain comes after I eat, when I don't eat, when I'm sleeping, when I'm running, when I'm nervous or when I'm calm. It's like a stabbing and it's pulsing. It lasts usually for 30-40 minutes and then it's gone.
It starts from the liver exactly at the point of the gall bladder; I first thought it was the hepatic flexure but it's a 2-3 centimeters to the left so that should be the gall blader, according to anathomy pictures. Then it moves to the left between the bottom line of the stomach and the transverse mesocolon but not sure which one as they overlap. Then sometimes I'd fel the pain in the left part of my ribcage at the bag - where the kidney is. Then the pain usually starts traveling on zig zag down the sides of my abdomen but never in the middle. And if I apply pressure with fingers on the spot of the pancreas - I have a very sharp pain. That's the picture basically. And this has been going on for more than 2 years now.
lily65668 Elle_Woods
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By all means have your MRI but if everything comes back negative, I'd strongly suggest you simply stop worrying about yourself, accept this pain and learn to live with it. Sounds odd, but this is often how the body works. Not many doctors will tell you that - after all, they depend on people being ill to make a living - but it's often how it works out in real life.
The interaction between mind and body is very complex. And "psychosomatic' doesn't mean the same as "imaginary". That's a mistake a lot of people make. Psychosomatic conditions can cause a range of verifiable signs, including serious abnormalities on blood tests etc. For that matter, you can even die of a psychosomatic condition!
But you don't have to. You're still young enough to heal yourself. Have all the investigations that are prescribed for you, even the dreaded gastroscopy if you can bear it (though you shouldn't need one if you can get an abdominal MRI). If something is found, get it treated. If nothing significant shows up - which often happens in cases like yours - then just accept it and start trusting your body.
I'm not really talking as a former nurse here - though more nurses than doctors would be likely to agree with me. I'm talking from personal experience. I had all kinds of mystery illnesses when I was young. Then I got wise to what my mind was doing to my body. I'm 71 now and have the constitution of an ox!
Elle_Woods lily65668
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I also know that the stress is what triggers the explosion of abnormalities and symptoms but if a certain type of stress lasts for too long - then an illness occurs.
Unfortunatelly I'm a very complex a mind and my brain works on many levels at the same time. According to my EEG record my brain is incapable of producing proper Alpha waves for some reason. So I can't really get to the point of relaxation. I just have to keep myself busy to avoid anxiety and stress.
I'm also very conscious about any drugs, I question and make a research about every word a doctor says to me. Let's hope I get lucky with the MRI, if not, I'll ask a friend of mine who is a doctor to come and be present during the gastroscopy and assist me with the procedure so no one lays a finger on me.