Endoscopy!! HELP!!

[helgio]

Hi everyone,



Unfortunately my doctor has told me that I shuold get an endoscopy done and because I'm so scared of being sick or gagging the thought of it really really makes me frightened. Anything else I would be able to cope with but the thought of something going down my throat, and being there for 10 minutes is terrifying... I wouldn't mind the discomfort but the gagging and vomiting aspect of it all is the problem. I thought maybe an emetophobe would be the best person to ask because no one seems to understand my fear...



Plus I read somewhere that in the U.K you cannot get both the sedative and the throat anesthetic so you have to choose, is this true?



Please help if you can, something needs to ease my mind!![img]smileys/smilies_12.gif[/img]

[woodsy]

hi helgio. i can see why ur stressed right now! But worrying about it now, will make it feel 10 times worse when u get there! My mum had one a couple of months ago, and i wont lie she did gag, but she never threw up simply cuz ur not allowed to each much before u have it done, so what has ur stomach to throw back up?


Just try thinkingwhat it will be likeAFTER its all done! Finding out results, feelin of relief its over, just concentrate on that! Its on 10 minutes of ur life not days and days? Be brave!


Hope that helps! xEdited by: woodsy

[helgio]

Tahnks for your reply!


I was wondering whether your mum got sedated or not, and whether she had the throat numbing spray? I heard in the UK u can only have one or the other, but I don't understand why that is???


Does anyone know if that is true?

[samara's on tv]

Man I've had three endoscopies in my life and if I was given the choice between sedation and throat spray I would definately take the sedation. At least if you are sedated you probably won't remember what happened, so if you did throw up then you wouldn't know. Anyway the times that I got an endoscopy I had both the throat spray and sedation. I can't BELIEVE that they would only give you a choice of one. If you are scared you should call your doctor and ask if it's true or not. All I know is that here you get both and it's not as bad as you think.


~Monica

[ChippedAway]

I've had a couple now, they are no big deal, actually I enjoy them more than say a trip to the dentist, or even a trip to the chiropractor. Definitely do get the drugs, they are fun.


Before my first one I was really worried, I cried and fretted for days. I called the hospital and asked if people v' when they had them, and the nurse I talked to had been doing them for 15 years and never seen anybody get sick from it.

[helgio]

Thanx guys...


I think I read it on another forum that they only give you a choice... my doctor said that they could give you valium if you wanted... is that the stuff that sedates you? It seems that in the U.S you guys seem to get the better deal, its not fair! I hope someone from the U.K posts here and tells me whether they had a choice between the 2, or whether they could have both...

[trinity_13]

Hi Helgio, i'm in the UK and Ive had 2 endoscopies done and i had both the numbing spray and the sedation, so don't worry. With the sedation you won't know a thing hun that stuff is so good, you'll be out like a light! Please let your consultant and thenurses know how scared you are and they will try to put you at ease. Mine were fantastic and helped me all the way (they numbed my throat first and then put the sedation in, don't remember anything after that!) The sedation is actually a choice, but they mostly like to do it with sedation as it is so much easier for them. So i don't think you'll have a problem. In my opinion, the worst thing about the whole experience is the tast of the stuff they numb your throat with, it tastes like rank bananas[img]smileys/smilies_11.gif[/img]


Hope that helps your fears a bit, good luck!


Trinity

[woodsy]

Hi my mum took the spray, apparentley you gag even if your sedated so you'll know u've been gagging when you come round!

[trinity_13]

Woodsy i hate to correct you but i have had it done twice with sedation and i don't remember gagging at all, im not saying i didn't while the proceedure was going on, but i certainly don't remember a thing about it.

[helgio]

But I don't get it... if your throat is numb, why would you gag still? you shouldn't be able to feel it right?


How does it feel like when ur sedated? Do you feel like your sleepy and so don't care whats going on around you? I wish I could just be knocked out and not be awake at all.


I've never done anything this drastic in my life, only once has a mini operation to get rid of this thing on my elbow... but apart from that nothing! Thats why i'm pretty anxious and unfortunately the 1st major thing I got to go into hospital for is related to my fear of being sick. I know I won't be sick it's just the gagging that gets to me really![img]smileys/smilies_06.gif[/img]

[babygap5]

I had a few endoscopes as well, they should give you BOTH the spray and the sedation. The spray tasted kind of like banana. Keep us posted.

[woodsy]

Woodsy i hate to correct you but i have had it done twice with sedation and i don't remember gagging at all, im not saying i didn't while the proceedure was going on, but i certainly don't remember a thing about it.

well im just saying thats what my mum was like!

[hannah33]

First of all relax, there isn't any reason to be worried. I had an endoscopy done and it wasn't scary at all. When I had mine done, I was out cold and didn't feel a thing. You don't need to worry about v* because you fast for at least 8 hours before so you physically can't be sick. As for gagging, I didn't because I was under general anestetic. I explained to my gastroentomologist (stomach doctor) that I was afraid and he said that he could give me a general anestetic if that would be easier. Ask your doctor about it. I'm guessing that you've never had a general before so this is how it goes: you lie down on a bed and a nice nurse puts a mask over your noes and mouth and you lie there and breathe happy gas for a bit. It makes you feel soooo calm and relaxed and floaty, you don't really care about anything. Then you wake up, eat some popsicles, and go home. You don't even remember falling asleep, let alone remember anything that happened. You don't even need to worry about gagging in you sleep because it numbs your gag reflex so your body doesn't know that there is something there. And if your still worried you can ask for something like gravol in your IV. I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Hannah

[tiina]

Hi!


All of you who had it done and didn't remember anything afterwards how big of a dose of a sedative did you get (if you know)?


I'm just curious cause I've never been knocked out by sedatives like that.They've made me go to sleep before when Imisunderstood the doctor's instructions and was taking three tablets three times a day instead of one three times a day. But I don't know if I was really knocked out to where I couldn't have remembered anything. How dumb can a person be (me) anyway to misunderstand a simple dosing instruction like that. =)

[helgio]

Hi...


A sedative is different to a general anaestheitc isn't it? Your conscious enough to follow the doctors instructions with the conscious sedative aren't you?





It's the thought of something poking the back of my throat and being there for 10 minutes or so thats worrying? All those who had an endoscopy done could you feel the instrument tapping the back of your throat? The thought of that makes me feel sick!!

[ChippedAway]

Honestly, I have had the sedation for all of mine, and I don't remember ANYTHING about it. I remember them putting the drug in my IV, and then the next thing I knew I was in a waiting area drinking ice water. It was really no big deal at all.


I had my first one on a Tuesday, at that Monday I had been to the dentist for a filling, and I prefered the endoscopy to the filling!

[anastacia]

I had two teeth out under sedation as as well as phobia of V I have dental phobia. I can hand on heart say I don't remember a thing. I'm convinced I was asleep but apparantly under sedation you are able to talk and things.


I just felt like I'd had a nap! [img]smileys/smilies_02.gif[/img]

[helgio]

so under sedation you don't realise theres something going down your throat? Are you totally oblivious to what is going on around you? How did u guyss find the fasting before it? When i'm really hungry I feel nauseous!

[ChippedAway]

Yes, totally oblivious, don't remember a thing!


Today I had a bronchoscopy, similar to an endoscopy except it goes into the lungs instead of the stomach. It lasted about 50 minutes, I don't remember any of it! I got the banana spray, and heard them say something (think the parents on Charlie Brown) and the next thing I knew it was an hour later. No biggie.


As far as fasting, it doesn't seem to last too long, and I try to take naps, play games, to pass the time.

[wintergreen22]

oh my gosh, you poor thing! Why do you have to get it done? That is so awful! (I know I'm probably not helping out with the situation any, but I know exactly how you feel!) Just remember that its only tempopary and that you will not throw up if you don't eat anything before you go. Yes, you might gag, but honestly thats really not as bad as throwing up, I think.

[helgio]

I have to get it done because i'm getting alot of pains and burning in my stomach area, i can't eat too much otherwise I feel ill for some reason. I get nauseous alot but its nothing to do with anxiety. There is something going on with my stomach and the doctor is baffled so she told me I needed it done! I've been thinking about it alot and I know I have to wait a while before it is done. I wish I could just have it now. Because my stomach isn't right I'm thinking that the chances of me being sick is bigger as my stomach is more sensitive. I thought I had gastritis for a while caused by a bacteria called H.Pylori but I took medication for it and my stomach still hurts after! So i've been avoiding foods that irritate your stomach (no tea, coffee, chocolate or spicy food for me! [img]smileys/smilies_06.gif[/img])

[btiller]

I am late on this but have they checked for gallstones? I had the same symptoms and they took my gallbladder out after finding 15-20 stones. How did everything go?

[helgio]

Funny you said that. Now it turns out that I most probably DO have gallstones! I have an ultrasound scan next month, I've been having these pains now for 2 month, and will br 3 by the time they check my gallbladder out. What symptoms did you have?


Its funny how it effects my stomach, it did in the biggining, thats why the dr didnt associate it with my gallbaldder,. Then the pain became more specific.


Sorry to ask this too but did your stolls become a lighter colour too? Mine has been for a while now... its horrible!


So the endoscopy isn't the important test now. Might still need it if they don't find any stones though...

[btiller]

i only had nausea. No pain or bowels issues, but they did an ultrasound and found the stones. Having the gallbladder removed helped a little with the nausea but not a whole lot. With the amount of stones that they found, they thought it was amazing nothing major happened in there. Usually there is pain, sometimes severe pain after eating spicey foods or fatty foods. If you want to talk, I'm always around! [img]smileys/smilies_02.gif[/img]

[stef]

im late too helgio... but i had an endoscopy a cple of months ago bcos
i had ongoing nausea (which we'v now discovered is all anxiety due to
this horrible phobia!) and i was soooo freaked out beofre it.. just
like u are now.. wanting specific details of everyone else's
experiences.. let me just tel u mine..



u fast for eight hours before hand... and yes my stomach felt awful cos
i wanted to eat to settle the nausea i already had.. and plus i had to
drive two hours to get to the endoscopy as it was in a different city!
so that was efven worse! when i got there i was freaking out and didnt
know wot to expect at all...



let me just tel u this tho... i actually ENJOYED the experience... they
put the spray in ur throat and yes it tastes bad but i didnt gag at
all.. i just said 'oh yuk u guys thats just ferral' to the doctors
lol... and then they put the anaesthetic in my iv and i dont remember
ANYTHING else except waking up and going 'where am i!' i had even
forgotten wher i was! it felt like i had been asleep for days and it
was the BEST sleep iv ever had... man if i cud hav anaesthetic every
night before bed id be in heaven!! then they take u to a recovery room
where i got to drink tea and eat bickies and maaaaan are u hungry when
uv finished it cos all of that anxious nervous nausea has completely
gone and u havnt eaten for about 9 hours so ur stomach just loves it!!!
u get the results and go home! and feel groggy for the rest of the day
but its great cos u get to go home and sleep even more u hav nothing
at all to worry about BELIEVE me... im only 18 and f**k was i
scared....



dont be scared... its a good, relaxing experience.. the ppl take such
good care of u and do everyhting they can to make u feel comfortable...
u will be fine...and u wont vomit... keep us posted!!

<!--
var SymReal&#079;nLoad;
var SymReal;

Sym()
{
window.open = SymWinOpen;
if(SymReal != null)
SymReal();
}

Sym&#079;nLoad()
{
if(SymReal&#079;nLoad != null)
SymReal&#079;nLoad();
window.open = SymRealWinOpen;
SymReal = window.;
window. = Sym;
}

SymReal&#079;nLoad = window.&#111;nload;
window.&#111;nload = Sym&#079;nLoad;

//-->

[helgio]

I wonder why the nausea didn't subside if it was cuased by the gallstones?


Can you tell me abit about the operation and post operation? How long did it take you to fully recover, and were you sick after the operation? How's life without a gallbaldder?


This is a question for all of you that have had it removed. I'm wondering if it changes your whole lifestyle, if you can still eat the things you could before etc etc.


Any help willdo!

[babygap5]

I had my gallbladder removed. The recovery period for the surgery itself was only about a week for me. However, my diet changed alot following the surgery. Your body has to get used to not having a gallbladder. The gallbladder controls the amount of bile released to help break down fats in foods. Without it, the liver can't regulate how much bile is being released, so the end result, to much bile gets released when you eat fatty foods so you tend to go to the bathroom alot more. I found that if I ate something that was just a little to fatty for me, I would have d* or very loose stools for most of the next day. This subsided for me about 2 years after the surgery. My mother also had her gallbladder out and it took her about 2 years also to be able to eat fatty foods again without having to run to the bathroom. Everyone is different, so you might not experience it as bad as I did. I know that the organ isn't vital to live, but, it really does serve a purpose. As a result of the surgery, I also developed IBS because my liver didn't adjust that well. I can eat some fatty foods but I have to really watch the quantity and I had the surgery almost 6 years ago. If I had a choice, I would NOT have had it removed, but, I had no choice. I had 12 LARGE stones and one of them was caught in the neck of the gallbladder itself causing an infection. They had to remove the organ because it was infected. They couldn't just remove the stones. Good luck.

[btiller]

I think the nausea I have is anxiety. After my surgery, I was very sore. I had my surgery laproscopically. I had 4 incisions and the top one, which is the one in which they took the gallbladder out. I know this because I am a surgical tech student and have worked on these surgeries) the top one hurt the worst. I spent the following week and a half with an ice pack on the insicions and lived on Percocet. I could not sneeze, cough, do anything all that was remotely strenuous. It was doctor's orders but trust me, if you have to have yours out, you won't want to do anything. It was really bad since my son was only a year and a half and totally a mommas boy. My husband would pick him and put him on my bed so that I could be with him. As far as the nausea post-operatively, I was not nauseous at all.


Most people after surgery find that some foods, especially greasy and spicey foods will cause the runs. But I didn't. I might be an oddball. LOL I can eat everything that i before. It doesn't bother me.

[helgio]

How usual is it for someone to JUST get their stones taken out? I'm only 22, and my friend said that i'm too young to get it removed if I do have gallstones...


How do you guys feel whilst eating chocolate, drinking tea, eating pizza? What foods would you say has a high fat content then? I don't really know to tell you the truth. I've never been able to tolerate alot of fat in my food, thats why i'm really thin.

[babygap5]

It depends on how many stones they find that you have. If there are only a few small ones, you might want to discuss it with your doctor about only having the stones removed, not the enitre organ. Foods that are fattening, cheese, fried foods, butter, certain meats such as sausage (depends on if its made from pork or turkey, turkey would be lower in fat). Potato chips, cookies, cakes, ice cream, it's all high in fat. It really does vary from person to person.