Is Endoscopy Traumatic/painful?

[hollyd]

Hope I don't sound like too much of a wuss but invasive tests frighten me and it looks like I'm going to have to get both the upper endoscopy and colonoscopy. Could anyone relate their experience with the upper endocsope (and or the colonoscopy) to let me know what it's like and how traumatic you found it to be?

I have tiredness and mineral deficiencies that can't be explained any other way, including a zinc deficiency that does not respond to supplementation, hence, the gastroenterologist is looking at celiac disease even though my blood work was negative.

Thanks!

[lovegrov]

Not traumatic at all because I remember nothing. The doctor should give you a sedative that also an amnesiac.

richard

[jenvan]

holly-

you're not a wuss at all ! both procedures were pretty easy. the hardest part of the colonoscopy was the prep work with the laxatives... but man did i feel skinny after all that ! i was out for that procedure and had no issues afterwards. the hardest part of the endoscopy was not eating for a day beforehand. i was out for that too. i've had three and after one of them i had a bit of a sore throat, but that is it. i'm sure you'll be fine. let us know !

[rmmadden]

Holly,

I am a very nervous patient who hates needles and I had the Endoscopy. It's not as bad as it sounds. You will be sedated and hopefully not remember anything. The procedure doesn't take too long and the side effects are minimal (sore throat for a day and some gas pains).

Trust me If I could live thru it anybody can.

Best Of Luck!

Cleveland Bob

[Bune]

Holly

It's really not that bad, I had my EGD done yesterday. The worst pain was the IV, I'm not a big fan of needles and I've been able to get over blood draws but the IV hurt, nothing unbearable but just uncomfortable.

the worst of the proceedure was the stuff that they spray in your throat to numb it. It tastes nasy - the nurse warned me and she was very truthful. But you're out about 30 seconds after they spray your throat and don't remember a thing.

I got a Coke Icee (my favorite) on the way home because my throat was a little sore and then I slept for the rest of the evening.

Best of Luck! I hope you're feeling better soon.

Brenda

[Guest mlwaller]

Holly, Any medical procedure will seem scary, but you definently don't have to worry. I have had three endoscopies and one colonoscopy. Like Jen said the prep for the colon is definently the worst part of anything. I was awake for two of the endoscopies and the colonoscopy, but your body is so numb you can't feel I thing. The nurses always tell me "you can go to sleep", but I watched the camera during the procedures and even asked the doctor questions during my colonoscopy. I think you will be fine, its a very small price for a very valuable answer. My only advice is to make sure that both the doc performing the procedure and the lab techs reading the results are knowledgeable about celiac. I could have avoided two endos if this had been true in my case. Good Luck, you'll be in our thoughts.

[psawyer]

I had both procedures five years ago. As Jen said, the worst part was the colonoscopy prep: purging with high doses of laxatives (I already had D bad enough but this was like nothing before). The actual procedure was easy. I was put on an IV, sedated, and woke up later in the recovery room. No pain during or after. My villi were missing in action, but that was the whole point, wasn't it. No abnormalities in the colon.

[anniej55]

Hi,

I had my colonoscopy a few weeks ago and I was a nervous wreck; it was a week of tests and had had a bone marrow biopsy two days before. But I was nervous about what they would find ... not the procedure.

The nurses were wonderful and I slept through it all. I, too, woke up in the recovery room and then slept most of the day away. Or at least I thought I did; my adult children now have wonderful stories to tell about their stoned mom. LOL. It seriously was the best sleep I've had in years.

The prep was OK .... and I guess I'm not normal in that regards. My doctor doesn't do the gallon drink, so I was spared that. I also didn't get up in the middle of the night like I heard so many other people did. I don't know why other then the celiac disease - and my limited diet - had already done most of the prep work ahead of time.

A small polyp the size of a dot was removed; it's benign and I have to go back in 5 years. No problemo!

Peter - you said they checked out the villi with the colonoscopy? I know my doctor went into my intestine, would this be the reason why? I have an appt with him in a few weeks ..... would this take the place of an endoscopy?

Ann

[hollyd]

Thanks very much to all of you for replying and reasurring me! THe websites on it didn't seem to say you are that heavily sedated so I was just imagining the worst. I see the GI doc on Wednesday to discuss the tests and I guess to schedule. I feel a bit better about it now.

I may get another opinion from another GI based on my meeting on Wed, as this GI is new at this and didn't seem to know that you could have celiac disease without stomach/GI symptoms (I have mineral deficiency symptoms which are unexplained).

Thanks again, it's so kind of all of you to respond.

Holly

[judy05]

I just had my second endo last week, it was easier than the first. Doc kept telling me to close my eyes and go to sleep. I don't know if I did but I don't remember anything. Hubby said it only took about 20 min. You have to wait a bit to get your gag reflex back before you can drink. The worst part for me was having to go to the bathroom dragging my IV along. All of the nurses were really sweet.

My colonoscopy was kind of hard for me, everytime The Dr. advanced the tube I would scream out in pain. He said I couldn't tolerate a lot of air in my belly. I don't remember much, but I could see what was going on by the monitor and asked a lot of questions, things really look funny in there. I had one benign polyp. I'm glad I had them both done even though at the time I wasn't at all for it.Don't be afraid, they put you in a twilight sleep and you wake up right away. If I can do it anyone can, I was such a nervous nellie.

[judy05]

I just had my second endo last week, it was easier than the first. Doc kept telling me to close my eyes and go to sleep. I don't know if I did but I don't remember anything. Hubby said it only took about 20 min. You have to wait a bit to get your gag reflex back before you can drink. The worst part for me was having to go to the bathroom dragging my IV along. All of the nurses were really sweet.

My colonoscopy was kind of hard for me, everytime The Dr. advanced the tube I would scream out in pain. He said I couldn't tolerate a lot of air in my belly. I don't remember much, but I could see what was going on by the monitor and asked a lot of questions, things really look funny in there. I had one benign polyp. I'm glad I had them both done even though at the time I wasn't at all for it.Don't be afraid, they put you in a twilight sleep and you wake up right away. If I can do it anyone can, I was such a nervous nellie.

[Guest kmmolina]

Holly, I just had my first endo a couple of weeks ago. I am definately a big whimp especially with needles and I get very anixous...which makes it worse. I told my doctor to make sure I was out and he did. I guess the worse was the IV needle but even that wasn't bad. The last thing I remember was the doctor talking to me and the next thing I was in the recovery room all groggy. My husband said the doctor came out and talked with him about 25 minutes after I went in. It started at 8am and I think we left about 10 or 10:30 am. My throat was a little bit sore but mostly I slept the rest of the day. My stomach hurt for a couple of days but I think that was from all the gas they pump in. It looked like I was six month pregnant. I can honestly say that the next time I have to have one I will not be so anxious became this experience wasn't as bad as I had imagined. Let us know how you do

[hollyd]

Thanks Judy and Kmmolina. That's good to know you can be put out. Instructions online say they don't totally put you out because they have to get you to move this way and that. I can't say I feel great about it by any means but I am feeling a bit more reasurred that others say it's not that bad!

Thanks again for responding:-)

Holly

[jknnej]

I am a huge wuss and these tests are easy. The worst part for me was not eating the day before the colonoscopy. I felt no pain and was totally out.

The endo was even easier. I felt nothing and they didn't spray anything in my throat-unless they did it after I was out. Again, no pain and I remember nothing.

I am a giant wuss and these were the two easiest tests you will probably ever have:) So please don't worry.

[psawyer]

To anniej55:

I had both an endoscopy and a colonoscopy at the same time because the doctor wanted to cover all the bases. Although celiac disease was the most likely cause of all my symptoms, if it was not celiac disease then other things needed to be looked at. The colonsocopy found nothing abnormal. The endoscopy and related biopsies found significant abnormality in the villi: Celiac Disease.

The endoscopy, along wth the biopsy of tissue from it, is the key to diagnosing celiac disease. The colonoscopy investigates other possible causes of the symptoms. If you have celiac disease and it has been undiagnosed for a long time, there may be complications in the colon, so I think it is a good idea to have both procedures done. As I said, the prep for the colonoscopy is a royal pain. But, once you get past that, the procedures were painless and not stressful, at least for me.

[anniej55]

To anniej55:

I had both an endoscopy and a colonoscopy at the same time because the doctor wanted to cover all the bases. Although celiac disease was the most likely cause of all my symptoms, if it was not celiac disease then other things needed to be looked at. The colonsocopy found nothing abnormal. The endoscopy and related biopsies found significant abnormality in the villi: Celiac Disease.

The endoscopy, along wth the biopsy of tissue from it, is the key to diagnosing celiac disease. The colonoscopy investigates other possible causes of the symptoms. If you have celiac disease and it has been undiagnosed for a long time, there may be complications in the colon, so I think it is a good idea to have both procedures done. As I said, the prep for the colonoscopy is a royal pain. But, once you get past that, the procedures were painless and not stressful, at least for me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Peter,

No endoscopy - I was just told that I had celiac because of blood work. Colonoscopy was because of my age (50 soon), family history and the new diagnosis. Too late for endo now; have been gluten-free for about 2 months. I doubt it would have come back abnormal ? ?? I only had physical symptons for a few days; I honestly think this whole thing was caught before anything really manifested. Routine bloodwork found it.

Ann