Anyone had a gastroscopy?

[RogerS]

Did you opt for throat spray or sedative ?

Did the throat spray 'disable' the gag reflex ?

If you opted for throat spray and had to have another gastroscopy, would you make the same decision ?

TIA

 

[Turnr77]

Had one in October and had the spray, just gagged a bit as the tube first went down the throat and again as it came back out of the throat.
Didn't find it a problem really as you wont have eaten there's nothing to come up.
Would have the same again if neccessary, advantage being you can leave within an hour and can drive etc, with sedative you will be there longer for it t to wear off and are told not to drive.

 

[rafezetter]

I know someone who has had one, who had opted not to bother with the sedative while it happened "it can't hurt, right?"and called it "the 2nd worst experience of my life" and this from a guy who has admitted using recreational drugs in his youth and having had "some pretty bad trips".

It's the gag reflex, non stop.

I'd go for the sedative - why have that experience? I'd guess the only reason not to is the time factor, if you're awake you could be in and out in a morning.

 

[RogerS]

That's the thing really..the gag reflex..One would have thought that the throat spray would 'kill it'.

 

[fezman]

I've had a couple RogerS. Both times i had the spray, which just numbs the back of your throat a bit.

It's not that pleasant a procedure, but then it certainly aint the worst. It lasts about 5-10 minutes usually, and once they have the tube down your oesophagus thats about it. They will likely use air to inflate your stomach a bit, which just means your going to burp a bit. The weirdest thing (for me) is that you can feel it flopping around in your stomach. Oh and they usually have a monitor on so you can watch your innards :shock:

 

[Chrispy]

I had the spray but i also have a very strong gag reflex so in the end had to have sedation and opted for it each time after. Mind you i think the equipment is a lot smaller now, the first time was like "now just swallow as i shove this broom handle down your throat, it won't hurt"

Good luck.

 

[flying haggis]

had the throat spray with mine and it didnt bother me on the way in but really felt like I was going to throw up all over the room as it came out.
mind you I have also had one from the other end up the "front" entrance and that makes your eyes water as well ( before the gastroscopy I did ask if the camera had been "run under the tap" since my last incursion!! Nice surgeon said they do wash them........

 

[Turnr77]

In the past year I've had a camera in all 3 orifices, I did suggest it would be quicker to lay me on the table and do all 3 at once............. Apparently though they don't do that

 

[Beau]

Just had the throat spray. No problem with the gag reflex. All in all much less bad than I was prepared for. I just did as the nurses said and all was over in a flash.

 

[doctor Bob]

I had a general anesthetic, but they were doing a minor op at same time.

 

[Mike Jordan]

I had the spray which as you say reduced the gag reaction, it's not a pleasant procedure but not painful either. All over in a few minutes with no after effects.

 

[Jamesc]

I went for the sedative, apparently I was awake but you could have fooled me. A little sore throat but definitely the way to go for me. The only possible problem is you need someone drive me home/

James

 

[DrPhill]

In the past year I've had a camera in all 3 orifices, I did suggest it would be quicker to lay me on the table and do all 3 at once............. Apparently though they don't do that

I think that the order would be quite important.........

 

[Turnr77]

In the past year I've had a camera in all 3 orifices, I did suggest it would be quicker to lay me on the table and do all 3 at once............. Apparently though they don't do that

I think that the order would be quite important.........

Was hoping they would have used 3 cameras

 

[Woodchips2]

I've had the throat spray and the procedure isn't painful but you do burp a lot! It only took about 4 minutes and the consultant can tell you shortly afterwards if they've found anything. The waiting is worse than the procedure. In my case what they suspected may be stomach cancer turned out to be campylobacter which was cured in a couple of weeks with antibiotics. If I had to go through the procedure again I would opt for the throat spray.

Good luck RogerS with the procedure.

Regards Keith

 

[steve66]

I’m the exception, they warn of a small chance of a problem.
I’ve had it done three times with throat spray but the last time they perforated the oesophagus, it resulted it quite painful the next morning in swallowing food, spent a week in hospital, nil by mouth until it repaired itself.
Only a small chance of this happening, but any procedure carries a risk.

 

[Eric The Viking]

Thanks chaps!

I'm booked for the end of March (for both ends :-( ).

If I can get transport I'll probably opt for anaesthetic, as my throat is somewhat constricted - the idea of a perforated oesophagus isn't a nice one. The bit of good news is that it's at a local private hospital (done on the NHS though), so parking, if I do use it, is free and easy.

Thanks again - answers more helpful than you might have guessed. And Roger - hope it's all really uninteresting!

I was going to write "boring", but thought better of it...

E. ;-)

 

[scooby]

I had one about 14 years. I opted for sedative (I think the spray is not optional). As James said, you are technically awake but you are so 'out of it' the whole experience is like a weird dream.

 

[RogerS]

I’m the exception, they warn of a small chance of a problem.
I’ve had it done three times with throat spray but the last time they perforated the oesophagus, it resulted it quite painful the next morning in swallowing food, spent a week in hospital, nil by mouth until it repaired itself.
Only a small chance of this happening, but any procedure carries a risk.

That's interesting. Surely they'd have seen it happen ?

 

[Bodgers]

I know someone who has had one, who had opted not to bother with the sedative while it happened "it can't hurt, right?"and called it "the 2nd worst experience of my life" and this from a guy who has admitted using recreational drugs in his youth and having had "some pretty bad trips".

It's the gag reflex, non stop.

I'd go for the sedative - why have that experience? I'd guess the only reason not to is the time factor, if you're awake you could be in and out in a morning.

I went for the spray. I was told the sedative doesn't stop the horrible non stop gag reflex anyway so you might as well get it over with.

I was in and out and drove myself home within a short time whereas there would have been a recovery period otherwise.

Not great but there is no free lunch with this procedure.

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