I Am A Weenie, Please Help Me Be Not So Nervous

[powderprincess]

I am new to this forum as of today and I am going in for an endoscopy/biopsy this Thursday. Please share your experieinces. I don't know what to expect and I am so paranoid of needles/medical procedures.

I had my first IV ever (I'm almost 28) when I was in the ER treated for dehyration many weeks ago (and therefore got checked out for celiac disease after that). I know what to expect there.

Does the tube hurt, am I going to throwup when they do it? How long do the drugs last after it's done?

Maybe knowing what to expect will make me less nervous. The doc said it was easier than a pap smear and yet I find that hard to believe. There are no needles/drugs involved with a regular exam.

Thank you so much! My blood tests and rashes (that I did not know had anything to do with celiac disease of course) were proof positive I do have celiac disease. I can't wait to go gluten-free after Thursday and get started on feeling better.

thank you so much!

[CarlaB]

First, if your rashes proved to be dh, therefore celiac, why do you need an endoscopy?

Second, the IV is by far the worst part. I had conscious sedation and don't remember a thing. Minor sore throat afterward, slept a lot due to the anesthesia.

Welcome.

[DingoGirl]

ohhhhhhhhhh it was wonderful, well, I have never been afraid of needles, so that little pricking part might bother you, but it's just for a second. And then, you just float off to a magic place for a few seconds (that's the wonderful part ), and then, fully OUT! I was totally sedated so it's just like you're asleep. Had colonoscopy/endoscopy at the same time, never felt a thing afterwards. It's really no big deal at all - at least not for me and for most people, from what I've heard. I don't even think I had a sore throat afterwards.

You'll be fine! It's kind of fun coming out of sedation, too. I was told that I screamed out "NOT THAT DREADED GLUTEN-FREE DIET!!" after the doctor announced Celiac diagnosis....don't remember any of that but gave them quite a laugh.

[jerseyangel]

You're not a weenie ! The endo. was no big deal at all for me. I was asleep for the whole thing--I don't even remember anything after the IV went in. (When they put the IV in, just don't look!) I woke up feeling fine--not groggy or nauseous or anything. I sat and had a little apple juice, got dressed, and was able to leave. Really, nothing to worry about

[powderprincess]

Thank you very much for the reassurance and welcome. Good. I don't want to remember swallowing a tube. I am pretty sure I'll have something interesting to yell at the doctors, I dont trust myself to be sedated I shall appologize in advance. How big around is the tube? The size of a drinking straw, a pixie stick. . .?

As far as the DH, the GI doctor looked at it and thought it was celiac related. I never had a biopsy of the skin. I asked them why I had to have an endoscopy if they know for sure I have celiac anyway, she gave me some sort of answer relating to finding out if the villi will be able to grow back or not. I was not sold so I asked my primary care doc, who I trust, and she said I should definitely have the endoscopy. In the end I really would like to see my villi. I want a copy of the slide images!

[evie]

[ mine went smoothly last fall (colonoscopy) + (endoscopy), they did not show intestinal damage so I swallowed a capsule camera late Feb. 06, It did show damage in small intestine. the gastro Dr. who ordered that said Celiac but he sent me on to University hospital and that Grastro Dr. does not accept capsule camera diagnosis so he says I am presumed "Celiac". I am doing beter on gluten free diet so probably will not do further testing, ( go thru 3 months of eatin gluten!!!) not me!! I am 77 yrs young and might not survive that gluten and problems it caused me again!!

You will do just fine and be gald you did it. I am felling better & getting stronger by the week. Not gaining any lost weight but maybe i am expecting too much too soon!! Best of luck to you... evie

[lovegrov]

Conscious sedation with some Versed and you won't remember a thing. It's easy.

richard

[powderprincess]

You all rock. I can honestly say I am less nervous from hearing all of your positive experiences. I trust people who have gone through it more than the docs who perform it.

thank you!

[Smunkeemom]

hubby had endo about 2 months ago, he said that it wasn't a big deal and I know for a fact he was drugged a lot since he asked me the same question 45 times (yeah, I counted) in the 4 hours after the procedure. If you are very anxious (like I get) ask your doctor to tell you 100% everything they are going to do before the IV starts, then you can wake up and wonder "am I done yet?" (which hubby only asked 36 times) LOL

[dlp252]

More reassurance. I had an endoscopy+colonoscopy at the beginning of April and a week later had another endoscopy. Both times I was asleep during the whole thing. On the second endoscopy, the doctor showed me the tube before they sedated me...it's not that big, but a bit bigger than a drinking straw. Both times I had the IV inserted in the prep area before actually being wheeled into the procedure room. I was completely asleep before they inserted the tube. Both times I got lovely pictures of my insides, lol. After the first procedure it took me a while to come out of the sedation...my mother tells me I asked the nurse the same question 3 times, falling asleep again after each time. I never did remember what the darned answer to the question was (or even the question). I came out much faster after the second procedure...my mom tells me my eyes were open when they wheeled me into the room...although I barely remember. I felt fine after both times, the first time I had a very slight sore throat, nothing after the second time.

[CarlaB]

I don't think any of us know how big the tube is because you really don't remember a thing. If your dh wasn't biopsied, that answers why they want to do the other procedure.

[Smunkeemom]

I don't think any of us know how big the tube is because you really don't remember a thing. If your dh wasn't biopsied, that answers why they want to do the other procedure.

I know how big the pediatric tube is because I saw it when both of my girls had their endoscopy.... it's not as big as the colonoscopy tube that I saw when they were doing hubby's scope though... I doubt it's anything to worry about, it's probably the perfect size for the job.

[powderprincess]

Thanks for all the support everyone! I had the endo/biopsy yesterday and survived. I needed extra drugs because I was so anxious and wouldn't just pass out already. After that it was just sleepytime for me at home and a little sore throat.

It'll be interesting to get the biopsy results.

thanks again!

[shai76]

I'm happy for you it went ok. Now that it is over, I'll tell you about my BAD experience. It was awful. First they laughed at me when I told them about all my allergies and said "what makes you think you have food allergies???" I told them to look at my chart, I've had extensive testing, and they STILL did not take me seriously. They got mad that I insisted on at least meeting the doctor before the procedure (yeah, I never met him until the day of the scope). He came out, rolled his eyes, snickered at me, and basically said he did not believe I had food allergies. I told him to call my allergist, if they give me medicine with milk in it it could kill me. So he decided "better safe then sorry" and gave me a different med. They gave me sodium pentathol (used to induce a coma,and also to put prisoners out before executing them). I couldn't wake up, they got mad that I wouldn't wake up and I distinctly remember a man pushing (half hitting) my arm yelling "wake up". They got me dressed while I was half passed out, kind of slumped me in the wheel chair, rolled me out and dumped me in the car. I was the last one to leave, see it was the end of the day and they all wanted to go home. When I got home my husband had to carry me up to our apartment, and I barfed all over him. It was when I got home that I realized I had a big swollen lip, scratches and bruises all over,a nd a sore swollen wrist. I called them and they just said they had to give me more pentothol than normal because I fought them,and I spit the tube out a few times which is why my lip was all swollon. I was sick and not with it at all for a week straight. When they got the biopsy results they just called me and said "everything is fine....looks normal..." I went and got a copy of the results anyway, and here the lab report says I have positive celiac antibodies, eosiniphils in my esophagus, gastritis, a hiatal hernia, evidence of long term LPR. I got my ENT to look down there while I was awake (not the most pleasant experience, but quick!). And he gave me the propor medicine and treatments. I don't trust gastroenterologist after that. I feel sick when I think about the whole experience. :/

[powderprincess]

holy crap shai! That sounds abusive and awful! I am so sorry you had such a rough time. I too have a hiatal hernia but other than that the Dr. was nice and not mean to me even though I was being a HUGE baby (they even called it "anxious" rather than "huge baby"). I got to shake her hand at the Dr.'s office before I had the scope. That's just awful they didn't believe you and treated you so badly.