Extreme Fear of Endoscopy Sedation!!!!
Posted , 8 users are following.
hello! Im brand new here!
Ive recently been treated for an H PYLORI infection and still have stomach pain and waiting for two weeks to retest. My doc said i should do an endoscopy since i shouldnt still have pain. I.AM.TERRIFIED. I have severe panic/anxiety disorder and have lost days of sleep and function over my fear of this procedure that i havent even been scheduled for yet. My fear is basically of the conscious sedation. I will panic if i feel drugged and out of control. If i knew i would be simply put to sleep id feel fine about it. Has anyone had an endoscopy that also has severe or similar anxiety? Everyone says they dont remember from the drugs but could i possibly be tortured with a panic attack and then just forget about it?? Or can I actually be put to sleep? THANK YOU for the support.
0 likes, 19 replies
SerenityFaye linzetta
Posted
I'm not familiar with a conscious sedation for this type of procedure. I've had it done about 3 times and they put me to sleep for it.
linzetta SerenityFaye
Posted
i think most are not done under general anesthesia but under a moderate or deep sedative. Most people have no memory of it so they think they were out cold. im wondering if some people really do just pass out because that would be something i prefer instead of laying there drugged but conscious.
ashley44325 linzetta
Posted
hi yes i suffer with anxiety and had an endoscopy. i opted for just the numbing spray in the end and it was fine. i think i gagged once and didnt feel any pain at all. Dont get me wrong its not a pleasant experience but its not as bad as you imagine and mine took about 4 minutes. its quite interesting to watch on the screen! its a tiny pipe and camera and the thought of it is far worse than the procedure. its over in a flash
linzetta ashley44325
Posted
im fascinated by your experience...you have anxiety but did not panic with the numbed throat and there was no sensation of choking? Everybody i have talked to that did it without sedation said it was horrific and traumatizing. Id love to try but am a little fearful of feeling as though its bard to breathe or gagging the whole time. What was the part you found most unpleasant?
ashley44325 linzetta
Posted
id much prefer to be in control of my breathing etc rather than be in a daze doing it. i looked at the other people zonked out and dribbling in the waiting area who had the sedative and thought thats not for me lol the only unpleasant bit really was swallowing the tube for a start but it wasnt that bad at all. i agree with some of the other comments on here, im sure you cant be knocked out completley. its 4 minutes and its done 😃 you can breathe just fine through your nose
Eliaimee1970 linzetta
Posted
i dint had it . i was sedated for a few minutes and they wake you up and i suffer from anxiety . maybe ask the doctor to sedate you
pippa58442 linzetta
Posted
I had a very bad reaction to conscious sedation and remembered everything about the procedure. It was no bad thing to remember it because I won't make the same mistake twice. Being put to sleep also causes me the same bad reactions. Maybe ask for a pill camera or a barium meal procedure instead.
The antibiotics for h pylori are very harsh and can irritate the gut on top of the h pylori. This infection can also lead to gastritis which your doctor may want to look for. These could be reasons for your pain.
Vish2015 linzetta
Posted
It's not a nice feeling, but it's not that fearful. I got it without any type of drug or sedation. However they spray in your throat so it helps. It is only for 4-5 minutes. You should see the positive side. If doctor is able to find out the problem, then the frustrating stomach problem will be gone and sorted out. It's much better to go for endoscopy, a 4-5 minutes of trouble rather than suffering from unpredictable and frustrating stomach issues. Best of luck 😃
linzetta Vish2015
Posted
i can get past it not being a favorable feeling since its so quick but if it causes panic about not feeling the throat or like you cant breathe well might cause a panic attack. I know im prone to panic BUT my fear of the drugs is quite intense. hmmmmm....
Vish2015 linzetta
Posted
I am happy that I took the decision to for endoscopy. It was a small trouble but helped me ultimately to get rid of my problem completely. I suffered from hpylori since many months, but it was detected only after I had got an endoscopy.
linzetta Vish2015
Posted
Did you do sedation? What treatment regimen did you do for the h pylori and did you have any pain after treatment?
Vish2015 linzetta
Posted
Linzetta,
In India, the triple medication is called "Somprz HP" . It was 10 days course. 2 antibiotic + 1 ppi in the morning , and same in the evening. I did not have any pain after the treatment. 90% of my problem was solved.
But yes, 10% problem was still there. It was a bit uncomfort from time to time. So, I took a course of hi-dose probiotic. In India, there is one called "Wow". However I have also heard about "Flora probiotics".
You should consider taking one, if you have gone through the h pylori medication. Because this could be the case with you too. After taking antibiotics, stomach flora gets badly affected, and you need to re grow all good bacterias. Sometimes normal probiotics don't work. So try to take the course. I took 1 capsule morning and evening for 3 months regularly. It did help me.
joanna17875 linzetta
Posted
Hi there
.y daughter is a nurse in an endoscopy suit, you CANNOT be out to sleep for this procedure as you need your swallow reflex to have it done, do not listen to people on here who say they were, you can only be sedated. My advice to you is to talk to your health professionals about your fears and they will work you through this. Maybe try hypnosis as I have heard this can help greatly.
very best of luck.
linzetta joanna17875
Posted
Thank you! I do understand they dont call it putting you to sleep like general anesthesia but in some videos it appears as though people are heavily sedated enough to appear as sleeping basically. I can see why people call it asleep if you appear calm enough to be asleep and have no memory of what happened to you maybe haha. I also know that people think they were asleep simply because they dont remember it. Id love to pick your daughters brain haha. All i know is im really afraid of that in between state and whether Ill be panicking inside but paralyzed essentially by the drugs. It probably sounds like a really silly fear to most but its so real and debilitating for me.
clarabella2 linzetta
Posted
hi, i had this procedure with conscious sedation i was really nervous about it before hand. i do not have anxiety but was really nervous. i never felt groggy or sleepy. i remember being given the injection. I remember seeing the light of the camera coming towards me and then I cant remember a thing. i do remember the end of the procedure where i retched a couple of times and felt bloated. i didnt panic in anyway and felt really quite relaxed (not sleepy). i know you will have read this lots but its honestly not that bad. i never had any issues breathing at all. i dont think conscious sedation is meant to make you feel sleepy its meant to make you more relaxed and help you forget the procedure. thats how it worked for me I never felt groggy in anyway. if i had to have this done again I would be fine with that
clara
linzetta clarabella2
Posted
Thank you for such details!! Do you know what drug they used? Ive heard propofol is a deep sedative and then there is versed and fentanyl for light or moderate so im sure the type of sedative affects everyone differently
clarabella2 linzetta
Posted
hi, i agree i do think the medication is different for each person it was midazolam that i was given .
pippa58442 clarabella2
Posted
Conscious sedation made me groggy and sleepy for a short time which I recovered from quickly. However, several hours later I developed terrible depression which lasted for 3 weeks.