Keep me in your thoughts tomorrow because I am a bit nervous. I have never had an endoscopy before and am worried about gagging and not making it through the procedure. I can’t even make it through a dental visit without gagging. This is my second procedure this week and I can’t wait for it to be over.
Can anyone give me any positive tips?
Cassi…I have never had one done but I am the same way… simple X-rays are a nightmare for me. To a certain extent, relaxation techniques and redirecting the mind help. I wish I could offer you more.
I will certainly be thinking of you.
Happy drugs? Are those feasible for an endoscopy?
Best of luck with this.
Dear Cassi,
They should be giving you liquid valium, or something like it, so it will take away ALL of your worries and suppress the gag reflexes!
Make sure you have a driver to get home, and let us know what they found!
I'm pulling for you, girl!
Relax and enjoy.....the procedure takes about 5 to 15 minutes and you should be sedated with I.V. Demerol and Versed. You will be lying on your left side....the doctor will ask you to swallow even though you are sedated to the level of conscious sedation which means you can hear him but you just don't care because it seems that something is happening but it's far away......he will put some air into your stomach so he can see all the surfaces so you may feel like burping which is quite normal...so relax and just breath normally.......should be a breeze.......and be sure your stomach is empty...
I had an endoscopy done this summer and other than a sore throat when it was over I don't remember a thing. They gave me an IV and whatever was in it did the job. Good luck and try not to worry. It will be over before you know it.
They should give you something, but just to be sure you need to tell them that you have a very strong gag reflex. I hope it will be easy for you and like hopewell you will have a slightly sore throat and that's all. My prayers go with you.
Cassi, I have had an endoscopy; they gave me a sedative; didn;t remember anything and in my case throat wasn't anymore sore than usual.
Please listen to your friends here; you will be OK. keep thinking about your friends who care, my prayers go with you also, Sabra
Like was said, nowadays they give you a seductive so you don’t feel a thing. I’ve had three and they didn’t even make my throat sore and have a strong gag reflex too. Good luck with it and hope your results are good.
Hi, don't be nervous, I have them done two times. You won't feel it, they will kinda put you to sleep, like twilight, you understand them, but you won't feel a thing. Had to have it done because they thought I was bleeding internally because my blood level was like 6, but nope, nothing. Just my Thalessemia eating up my iron. Then I had to have it done to see if I could get my throat stretched because of swallowing issues from the Scleroderma. Neither time hurt, so relax and everything is going to be good. xxx Good Luck, keep us posted. xx
All us will be sending you good wishes and we are confident you will do well. The drugs are amazing, just an FYI they use the same drugs if you are having a colonoscopy. I've had both and don't remember anything, You are going to do awesomely. Let us know how you are doing afterwards. Michelle
Sending good prayer vibes! My dad had this procedure done often. The difficult part was the before. (He had drink tons of some kind of liquid) other wise he did well. GL
Thanks everyone. I am home now. The unknown made me panic. They put a mouthpiece in before they gave me fentanyl. The scope was inserted after I was asleep. She removed a nodule for biopsy and said I have stomach erosion. I have to go for a small bowel series next. This doc is very efficient. There won’t be a part of me she has not looked at. Guess this is why she teaches at the local med school.
I didn’t wake up as fast as they wanted. I could hear them but couldn’t respond. Then I started choking for air. I don’t know if I was dry or if this was an after effect of the scope going down. Or was it the drug? This didn’t happen on Monday. My blood pressure shot up and my oxygen level dropped. They put a moist O2 mask on until I could control my breathing.
The nurses on this unit are fabulous. When they saw me this morning they greeted me like an old friend (I was just there on Monday). They stayed by my side until my breathing improved. My eyes were dry and she got my drops from my bag so I could put them in. She used a wet washcloth to soothe my eyes. She offered to help me get dressed. Amazing.
Before I forget, in a previous discussion I mentioned getting jury duty. My rheum is mailing me an excuse to attach to my notice so I can be excused. I don’t know what it says yet and I hope it does the job.
((Hugs)) to all of you for your support. Thanks!
Oh Cassi, this Doc is a keeper! Hope all goes well for you.
Cassi, really glad to hear you got through. And very glad there were people there that were so attentive to you. Yay.
I had to smile over the jury duty letter. I have wondered how it would be with brain fog and fatigue, let alone the joint pain of sitting still so long. I think I would get lost and miss something important. Good for you and for him that he realizes how difficult this is for us.