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Gastroscopy (Endoscope)

Posted , 2 users are following.

Reassured
Reassured

I spent some time reading posts about having a Gastroscopy yesterday as the procedure was booked in this morning. Some of the bad experiences posted really worried me and got me thinking things like 'do I really need to put myself through this? 'I'm probably okay anyway'. I didn't quite get to the point where I cancelled but it did cross my mind. Well, I had the Gastroscopy about 3 hours ago. I opted for the banana throat spray (which wasn't as bad as some people say and I had mild sedation (2.5 mg of the happy drug). I remember the throat spray and I think I remember the mouth guard being put in but I can't really remember much else. In fact, the procedure to me seemed like it only took a couple of minutes but it probably took about 15. I have this idea that I didn't even gag but who knows and I don't really care right now. I remember being wheeled into the recovery room and then was wide awake watching the blood pressure monitor kick in about once every 15 minutes.

It turns out that I have a hiatus hernia which has resulted in inflammation of the oesophagus. So now the doctors know what the problem is I can start receiving treatment which wouldn't have been the case had I chickened out.

So 3 hours later and I've just cooked and eaten an omelette and baked beans and my only side effects is a slight tummy ache which comes and goes and not even a sore throat. So to all of you worried about this take the drugs and it'll be fine. Going to the dentist is probably worst.

1 like, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Elle_Woods
    Elle_Woods Reassured

    Posted

    Hi Reassured, thanks for your comment. In which hospital did you have the procedure? I'm with a bad abdominal pain for two years now and was scheduled for endoscopy for this moning at St Thomas's hospital in London but after I read about 200 horror stories I just had to cancel it. I went to speak to the doctors two days ago and asked them what would they do if any of the complications happen. They just shrugged and said that what my concerns are COMPLETELY UNREALISTIC AND IMPOSSIBLE to happen, which got me really worried as they werent prepared to handle any of the complications. Im also having a really bad reaction on any type of sedations, anaesthatics or painkillers and my normal blood pressure is 90/60, not 120/90 like the majority of the people. Also the air they insert into the stomach - I have a serious trouble with it as my stomach is very small and a very little amount of gas would make it press my lungs and heart and I'll start suffocating. Also the lying on the left side - I can never sleep on my left side as my heart starts struggling to beat. And the worst thing that no one tells you about is that if you have a single gag - your vocal cords can be damaged irreversibly and at this point I just had to call off as Im a singer and can't take any chances to have my voice damaged... I feel like a coward but if they showed up confident preventing all of these risks - I'd have probably trusted them. But the fact that they thought it was impossible - melted every enthusiasm I had to find out what was wrong with my abdomen. Everyone thought that Titanic was impossible to sink.. And it sank on it's first course... Fact. sad
    • Quandryite
      Quandryite Elle_Woods

      Posted

      I don't minimize your observations, but must urge limiting internet searches.  On what basis do you say your stomach is small.  I do empathize with health anxiety.
    • Elle_Woods
      Elle_Woods Quandryite

      Posted

      I guess I expressed my point wrong here. I think it's rather the space around my stomach that is too small and when my stomach expands (when I eat a bit more or get gases) then my lungs and heart get in the way. There is no other logical explanation why I have trouble breathing and get dizzy. As soon as I manage to get the gas out of my stomach  and I manage to take a proper breath and my heart stops struggling from the tightness - I get back to normal in about 5 minutes. But if I don't manage to burp the gas out - I faint. This happens to me since I remember.
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