Endoscopy Without General Anesthetic?

[kimchi]

Hi everyone

I am new to the board and wending my way through the celiac-testing-muddle. I am having the endoscopy late this afternoon and am debating whether or not to be 'knocked out' for it... I don't like how it feels to come out of anesthetic, but I'm worried this might be a painful thing to be 'awake' for. Have any of you had endoscopy without being knocked out??

Kim

[penguin]

The only thing they used for me was Versed, which is a amnesic drug. You're awake for it, but you don't remember it. They also used a topical anesthetic of some kind that I had to swallow. It was fine for me, and I didn't even have an IV.

Make sure you have someone to drive you home either way, though.

[jerseyangel]

Hi Kim--welcome!! I was "out" for mine. I woke up feeling rested, not groggy, and ready to go home very soon after. The next time I have a procedure like that done, I will definately do the same. It was not the same reaction I had to the true general anesthetic I had for a surgery previously. That is a bit more difficult to come out of. Best of luck today

[mmaccartney]

Be knocked out. The endoscopy was not fun, I woke up twice during it, and it was terrible. I felt like I was choking due to the tube in my throat. My instinctual reaction was to try to "cough it up" and that just got the med staff yelling at me to "swallow, swallow" then I heard the doc mention something about more anestesia, and I was back out again....

[Fiddle-Faddle]

I've had 2 upper endoscopies without anesthesia (except for a topical spray for my throat). It's not pleasant, but it's not painful, and it's actually really cool to see your esophagus and stomach on the TV monitor. It's also quite fast--5-10 minutes tops.

Be sure they spray your throat really well, as that really helps deaden the gag reflex. They sprayed my throat twice. Practice relaxation exercises--you need to be able to relax your tummy muscles and the back of your throat (the epiglottis thing) on command.

I brought a celiac disease player and headphones to give me something else to concentrate on, but seeing the TV monitor was very interesting and distracting. The nurse kept telling me to relax, swallow, etc, which did help (she didn't scream at me, and she held my hand).

The second time was easier than the first, as I was prepared for my gag reflex (I have a horrendously strong gag reflex, always did). My doctor was cool about it, and told me in advance that as long as I didn't mind gagging a little here and there, she didn't either!

I've been on Versed (for resetting a dislocated shoulder, and also in labor)--I'm not sure that I agree that it's amnesiac, as it wasn't the least amnesiac for me, but it definitely knocked me out--my husband said I was snoring.

However you do it, good luck!

[CarlaB]

I did not have a general anesthesia. I think they called it conscience sedation? It was fine and I don't remember a thing.

[kimchi]

Hi all

Thank you all for your quick responses! I opted to go without sedation, and it was ok. I figured if I could do drug-free childbirth 3 times, this couldn't be so bad... So they did spray the back of my throat with that local anesthetic stuff, and then it was just the 4-5 minutes of 'yuck'. I'd say it was 'deeply unpleasant', but not painful. It was all done pretty fast, and then I was totally alert to ask the doc all the questions I had brought. Whew - glad it's done. Now it's just the gluten-free-diet-forever thing...

Cheers,

Kim

[flagbabyds]

wow you are brave, i would say no the instant they said if i wanted to have it w/out anesthesia. I hate the gagging reflux sooooooooooooooooooooo much, i can't even do the step tests they have at the doctor.

Glad you went through with it and didn't mind.

[jerseyangel]

Kim--You are a braver woman than I!! Glad to know all went well

[Fiddle-Faddle]

I brought a celiac disease player and headphones to give me something else to concentrate on, but seeing

Oh, is that funny--I forgot that this board automatically abbreviates Initial-C Initial-D as celiac disease!