Gastroscopy with sedation

Hi everyone, 

I just thought I’d give everyone who is nervous out there a positive review about my gastroscopy experience, as before I went all I did was read horror stories about the whole thing online. 

I was the ultimate nervous patient I watched every YouTube video, read every blog about how awful it is. So I went into the hospital crying my eyes out. Cried at the check in desk, cried in the nurses room while they were doing my paperwork. I even cried when the nurse said they had to put the canula in! 

Everyone was so lovely they let me have my canula put in at the very last moment as I was such a woss about the whole situatuion! 

I waited in a small waiting room for about 45 minutes just scrolling on my phone (all while crying lol) the lovely nurse kept checking on me, he even said he’s going to find me after to check how it went which eased my nerves.

I got called in and instantly cried my eyes out, the poor staff in the room looked at me like I was crazy, but they instantly all came to me to comfort. I was hysterically crying saying I couldn’t do it and the drugs wouldn’t work bla bla bla. They instantly were so lovely. Let me sit on the bed and wrapped me in lovely warm blankets and got me comfy. The nurse put my canula in - this was the worst part promise. she was even stroking my hair and cuddling me lol. The doctor explained the procedure and sprayed the throat spray down my throat, I panicked at this part because you genuinely can’t swallow - there’s no question about it, but when the doctor reminded me yes you can’t swallow but you can breathe can’t you I was fine! (It’s crazy where you’re mind jumps to when your nervous) they got me comfortable and put the mouth guard in. I was really upset at this point really scared, they injected my arm with sedation and instantly my heart slowed down and I was calm. Definitely the weirdest feeling ever- all my panic went. I don’t even remember falling asleep but I did! I woke up to him saying I pulled it out (can’t even remember) and they injected me with more sedation and that’s where my memory has completely gone blank. I woke up getting wheeled out the room buzzing that it was over! 

The nurse came over and told me what happened apparently I put up quite the protest but honestly don’t remember a thing.

i know it’s hard to think it when you’re nervous, but it’s honestly not that bad!! Always go for sedation I felt fabulous all day and slept like a baby!!!

  • Thank you so much for sharing your experience Georgia_C it will be so helpful and reassuring to others who are currently feeling just as nervous about it as you once were. It's nice to hear it all went well and that the sedation really helped and made you sleep like a baby :) 

    Best wishes, 

    Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

  • Hello Georgia

    I don't know if you are still posting. I am new to the forum. I have to go for this proceedure, just waiting for the appointment. Like you, I am beside myself with fear. I am already crying each time I think about having to have it done. I know I will be just like you when I have to have it done.  Your message is reassuring, thank you. Can you advise of anything else than might help me? My biggest fear is not being able to swallow or breath as I tend to breathe through my mouth a lot.  I struggle with the feeling of not being able to swallow on a daily basis, so I don't know how I will get through this.

     

    So scared!!

    Thank you 

    Polly 

  • Hi Polly!!

    im still here don’t worry you can ask anything. I found nothing will make you feel better when thinking about the procedure because at the end of the day it’s a camera going down somewhere you don’t want it too! I didn’t sleep for days before was crying all the time like you. The nurses were so sweet I made sure I told them all how nervous I was. I cried leaving my dad (who was my lift home) I cried getting my canula, I cried getting the throat spray. Not because it was bad just because I was being a big baby!! But I’m not over reacting here when they injected the sedation all my fears just went! My heart was racing but as soon as it went in it slowed down and I completely blanked out from there! I left the room laughing, and when I tell you I swear I was the most scared there!!!!! Even treated myself a McDonald’s breakfast on the way home ps don’t eat anything massive after like I did as it made my throat so sore!!!!!

  • Hi Georgia

    Thank you for replying, it means a lot.  I continue to struggle with the fear, but as you say, it is something I dont want to have done. The thing that is really getting at me is I have read about someone who has said despite the sedative, and being half asleep, you can still feel what is happening at the time. My fear is I won't be able to say anything and I will choke. I am sorry if this sounds daft, but all sorts of things are going through my mind. The individual posted that something is included in the sedative which means you forget afterwards.  At my age you would think I could cope with these things, but unfortunately I am just one of those people who can't. I appreciate there is not a lot you can say, but it helps to get my fears out in the open.

    Thank you

    Polly 

  • Georgia_C

    I read your post this morning, I said to myself I feel I will be just like you on Wednesday 14th August . I'm glad you put this post on I've been a bag of nearve's all wk . Some of us are more sensitive and I suffer with anxiety. The fear is worse than the actual treatment  thank you for sharing, hope you got good results and you are keeping well x

    Molly.

  • Polly everything you said I was scared off! The worst part is the throat spray but as soon as the sedation happens you honestly don’t care. Sedation is so so strong it will honestly knock you out and you won’t remember. I can’t give you advice about whether you can talk or not because I forgot everything as soon as I was out!!

    remember people only write bad reviews! Thousands of people have this done and have absolutely no issues. I cry at blood tests so the worst part for me was the canula because of the needle and the throat spray. the only reason I didn’t like the throat spray was because it numbed my throat - lol what it’s meanr to do. But like I said sedation goes in and I forgot all about it! 

  • Molly, 

    the only reason I wrote this review because I was in your situation and could only find bad reviews. The treatment is a piece of cake the worst part is the bloody canula!!!! Goodluck let me know how it goes xx

  • Morning Georgia

    Thank you for keeping in touch. I felt awful because my mid is so full of my own fears and hence I am forgetting to be aware of other people and their own fears and battles. I do hope you are well.  

    Polly

     

  • Hi Molly

    I hope you don' mind me sending you a message. I can honestly 'feel' for you. Like you, I am going to be in the same situation as Georgia was, so I am assuming the hospital staff will be used to helping people as sensitive as we are. Doesn't take away the fear though. I also suffer with hig levels of anxiety, which itself can be difficult to live with.

    I will keep you in my thoughts on Wednesday. Like me, I trust you will be going for sedation?

    Polly 

  • Molly

    If you read this, I hope it goes okay tomorrow. 

    x

    Polly