I'm too scared of endoscopy side effects, should I still do it ?

I am with you, the option of doing sedation or not. I cough a lot so I am not sure to do awake or not. I have heard good and bad on both ways. I have mine on Mar 1st. Please reply to me to let me know which way you did yours.

Thx

Robin

awarded the best patient of the morning too lol ! After reading

these posts I was very aware that relaxing and breathing were

the key factors in this being as easy as possible. The team

could not have been nicer and sympathetic to my nerves which

had gone haywire by the time I went in. I decided to go for the

throat spray which was banana flavour but nasty at the same

time. The effect was immediate but my fear of not breathing or

coughing was unfounded. You can still swallow and this is key

to staying calm and not panicking. I lay down on my left side

and they put a guard in my mouth. The nurse just told me to

close my eyes and follow her instructions and breathe and

swallow when asked to. The doctor talked me through the whole procedure. I felt the tube on my tongue then the back of my

throat, then he asked me to swallow twice and then it was down. There is pressure in your tummy and some air and you burp a

few times then when biopsies were taken you feel a slight pinch. Then he told me the camera was on its way out and that was the only time that I gagged. Results were negative h pylori but mild Antrim gastritis but nothing nasty. Go back onto meds straight

away. I asked the doctor if the pain I was experiencing would be right with only mild gastritis and he said yes that is very possible so .......my throat a little sore but not too bad, slight discomfort

in tummy but used to that and for the time you are in the

procedure I wouldn't bother having sedation. I really hope my

experience will help you to decide which way it will be for you. Good luck and please let me know how you get on with yours xx

I am so happy for you... I think if you did it and you sounded nervous and had anxiety I could too. You didn't feel you had to cough or clear your throat?

When the throat spray took effect immediately did you not panic from what I hear and felt restricted and not breathe.

So no gagging going in.... how long would you say it took.

Did you see others with sedation how were they .

No mention on why you have the chronic cough and the gastritis what causes this in your situation?

One more thing did the nurses speak to you before, here they spend an hour before but maybe that is for monitoring for sedation.

Bottom line did you start to cough again after the procedure and how long was your throat numb and you were able to eat?

I appreciate your time with me .... my fear mostly is if I can't handle it I will get him to remove it and he won't do what I have been waiting for on my symptoms these past 15 months

Robin

Yes I think you can do it. I didn't feel the need to cough when the throat spray was done. I didn't have any gagging at all until the camera came back up and then it was only the once. The fear of not being able to breathe is just that....A fear. I could breathe normally and still talk and swallow. The doctor said he would time it for me and the whole thing took 4 minutes from the tube going in to coming out. I did see other people after sedation but they were a little out of it and lying quietly. No reason given for why I've got it or the cough except that I produce a lot of catarrh which is an irritant. The nurse took me in for an assessment took blood pressure and talked me through everything. She also made the endoscopy team aware of how nervous I was. Once finished I sat in recovery and the feeling came back pretty quickly. The taste isn't pleasant and my throat was a bit tickly which made me cough for a couple of minutes

I am not sure I would want to go through 10 mins of the tube in me. lol

So your not coughing now or back to coughing also what meds are you taking. I was put on lansoprazole ( Prevacid) don't think it really does anything cause I cough on the meds or not

I did see an ENT back in Oct and he checked me for a post nasal drip causing the cough.

He sprayed my nose same spray as endoscopy uses he said. He went through my nose behind my throat to my neck to my vocal cords. I managed that and watched him actually. I am going to think now as if I am doing no sedation, but keep in my mind maybe I will change it. Think of me on March 1st. Again thanks a bunch !!!

I am not sure I would want to go through 10 mins of the tube in me. lol

So your not coughing now or back to coughing also what meds are you taking. I was put on lansoprazole ( Prevacid) don't think it really does anything cause I cough on the meds or not

I did see an ENT back in Oct and he checked me for a post nasal drip causing the cough.

He sprayed my nose same spray as endoscopy uses he said. He went through my nose behind my throat to my neck to my vocal cords. I managed that and watched him actually. I am going to think now as if I am doing no sedation, but keep in my mind maybe I will change it. Think of me on March 1st. Again thanks a bunch !!!

ranitidine (zantac). Both of these seem to work together for me.

I think different meds work for different people. I will be thinking of you on 1st March. Please let me know how it goes and what

you decide. I was definitely having sedation until I read

comments on here and thanks to you all, I was able to make an

informed decision on my treatment. You will do what suits you. Take care and keep us posted xx

That is my concern!

Your dr didn't tell you how to get rid of your coughing? Did you go back to coughing after your throat was normal.

I will keep you posted 😊

I'm sorry I didn't check your message earlier but I'm glad you finally did it!

Going with the throat spray is a very good idea because you remain aware and in control of what happens and it happens so fast that you don't even have time to think about it! 

If I had to do it again I wouldn't hesitate doing it again with local sedation only. The procedure isn't painful and I guess the gagging reflex is different for everyone. I kept gagging badly throughout the entire procedure but it's not that bad because your stomach is empty so nothing will come out except maybe a little bit of acid. I too was surprised to see that I could still feel myself swallow despite the throat spray. Breathing was also easy. 

I also had a sore throat for 2 days after the exam and I also had a pain in my back but it all disappeared in a week. Now I feel fine and everything came back to normal and I finally know what I have so I absolutely don't regret doing it!

I also have suffered from Hpylori in Oct 2014 that started all this feeling nauseated / slight headedness and coughing started Feb 15.

I had been treated for Hpylori and redo breath tests every 6 months . I am negative to it. I too clear my throat and cough at night and in the day too. I have been tested for my lungs, heart, and everything in between

I am curious what is causing the cough and what caused the nausea. I don't have that anymore but it was with me for a long long time.

I will see how I feel when I get to the hospital and talk to the nurses that do this many times over . My dr doesn't mind he said its my choice. He will stop if I want the tube out but then I think I waited for so long .

I too see so many horror stories on the net, I like this forum. I have seen s few outrageous statements on it but not too many

Try to relax ... how old are you ?

I'm in my 50's !

Robin

Since you are sedated you need someone to accompany you home.

Well that is what I was told by my GI, colonoscopy has a bad prep for the emptying and stuff you have to drink where has an endoscopy there is no prep.

Thx for sharing , still thinking which way to do my scope

Robin