Endoscopy worries

[Heaveho]

Having exhausted all other avenues ( so to speak! ), I'm now booked in for an endoscopy to investigate the cause of ongoing nausea which I've had for months now.

Anyone who's had this done have anything to say about it? I'm getting more worried about it as time goes by, not about the results, but the actual procedure. Given the reason I'm having it done, it's ironic that the idea of it is making me feel more sick!

[Sammo123]

Are you having an upper or lower endoscopy?

I’ve had both and neither are anything to worry about.

The hardest part of the upper is swallowing the camera, then you just have to concentrate on not burping up all the air they’re pumping into your stomach

The worst part of the lower is all the laxatives you have to start taking a couple of days before Not the most pleasant experience but you’ll be squeaky clean inside by the time the doc is lubing you up ready to probe you with his Sony digi-cam

[Mr Pointy]

Sammo123 said:

The hardest part of the upper is swallowing the camera, then you just have to concentrate on not burping up all the air they’re pumping into your stomach

Did you go for the sedation for the procedure or just the numbing spray?

[Louis Balfour]

Heaveho said:

Having exhausted all other avenues ( so to speak! ), I'm now booked in for an endoscopy to investigate the cause of ongoing nausea which I've had for months now.

Anyone who's had this done have anything to say about it? I'm getting more worried about it as time goes by, not about the results, but the actual procedure. Given the reason I'm having it done, it's ironic that the idea of it is making me feel more sick!

I've had an upper one.

They gave me a sedative, but it still wasn't very pleasant. Not awful though.

The worst bit was that I put my watch and signet ring in an envelope during the procedure. Then I put back on my watch afterwards and binned the envelope complete with signet ring.

[Caddyshack]

I had the big black rocket up the bum. I thought I would be ok with mild sedation but it got to a point where they had to put me under general as it was just too uncomfortable.

[Louis Balfour]

Caddyshack said:

I had the big black rocket up the bum. I thought I would be ok with mild sedation but it got to a point where they had to put me under general as it was just too uncomfortable.

Are you sure it was an actual hospital and not somewhere you booked online via one of your "special interest" sites?

[Sammo123]

Mr Pointy said:

Did you go for the sedation for the procedure or just the numbing spray?

Just the numbing spray. I wouldn’t have been allowed to drive after if they’d sedated me and I had other things to be getting on with.

[anonymous-user]

I had it a few years ago. I seriously wished I had been sedated now and not just the throat spray. I kept reaching so loudly, I was pretty sure the others could hear me in the waiting room. They allowed me to lay there for a bit of time so I could gather myself together.

[Mr_J]

Sammo123 said:

The hardest part of the upper is swallowing the camera, then you just have to concentrate on not burping up all the air they’re pumping into your stomach

I had one when I was in my late teens. I can still remember the doctor holding out his hand telling me it was nothing to worry about, "it's only this big" - gesturing to his finger. Which at the time was attached to what looked like the hand of a giant!

The rest of it was completely forgettable and absolutely nothing to worry about. My dad dropped me off at the snooker club on the way home, where I happily spent the rest of the afternoon.

[dingg]

I've had both, one up the back end (colonopscy) I asked for more sedation as it was hurting somewhat, can't remember much after that.

One down the gullet, elected for propranolol (iirc) sedation, I even gag when having a teeth impression, can't even remember getting dressed after the procedure.

Get doped up as much as you can imo, thats why they invented drugs :-)

Edited by dingg on Sunday 15th January 15:22

[twohoursfromlondon]

Had a gastroscopy last year, second one in my life. Went for the banana numbing spray rather than full on sedation. It’s definitely not pleasant but it’s nothing to really worry about. I was retching and coughing constantly during the procedure, so it’s all about staying calm imho.

Good luck!

[croyde]

Have had a few up where the sun don't shine, not a problem really apart from the 2 day picolax effect before.

Despite supposedly clearing me out I've still had the colonoscopy doc having to sluice me out with water.

The older I get the more I'm not bothered or embarrassed but.......

The idea of going in via the throat

I'm glad others on here have said it's no big deal.

A mate was diagnosed with lung cancer and they stuck a probe down his windpipe into his lungs...

[Heaveho]

Thanks for the replies. Due to a couple of bowel cancer scares, i've already had the colonoscopy side of things. Not bothered if I never need to do it again though!

I don't know why the idea of the upper endoscopy is bothering me so much, but I'm getting really stressed about it. Not read much here that's helped allay that to be fair, but I'd rather know what to expect I suppose.

[Caddyshack]

Louis Balfour said:

Caddyshack said:

I had the big black rocket up the bum. I thought I would be ok with mild sedation but it got to a point where they had to put me under general as it was just too uncomfortable.

Are you sure it was an actual hospital and not somewhere you booked online via one of your "special interest" sites?

It was real….you go in to the gents toilets, third cubicle along marked glory hole….I’m not silly.

[Ambleton]

I know a few people who've had a camera jammed down their todger who said it's unpleasant.

In order of preference I think it's

Bum, throat, todger.. (for camera insertion)

[Caddyshack]

Ambleton said:

I know a few people who've had a camera jammed down their todger who said it's unpleasant.

In order of preference I think it's

Bum, throat, todger.. (for camera insertion)

I assume they use a smaller camera?

[Ezra]

Heaveho said:

Thanks for the replies. Due to a couple of bowel cancer scares, i've already had the colonoscopy side of things. Not bothered if I never need to do it again though!

I don't know why the idea of the upper endoscopy is bothering me so much, but I'm getting really stressed about it. Not read much here that's helped allay that to be fair, but I'd rather know what to expect I suppose.

I had the upper to test for coeliac a few years ago. Went during an extended lunch hour, had the numbing spray, procedure itself took about 10-15 mins once camera down, back at work within 2 hours. It's an very unusual sensation as the numbing spray starts to work and the procedure of putting the camera down does take concentration. But if you've had colonoscopys, the endoscopy is not as bad, IMHO. If I ever have to undergo these type of things without general anesthetic or strong sedation (I've also had quite invasive prostate tests) I mentally take myself to another place. Seems to work for me.

[bristolbaron]

Caddyshack said:

Ambleton said:

I know a few people who've had a camera jammed down their todger who said it's unpleasant.

In order of preference I think it's

Bum, throat, todger.. (for camera insertion)

I assume they use a smaller camera?

Or at the very least give it a wipe over between each…

[shambolic]

My wife has had 5/6 endoscopies. She always take the fentanyl and midazolam. I drive her home.

[skedaddle]

Had both the upper and lower. Lower only once. This was relaxing in a strange kind of way...

Upper I've had 3 times, 1st was sedated and the other two just the spray. I prefer not to be sedated but from what I was told, most are done sedated.