I've heard some people are fine with it however personally i had sedation as i get really anxious if i feel like i can't breathe. The spray does taste horrible but after the sedation i only remembering a little retching and for the rest of it i was out and don't remember it. If she has sedation then someone would need to take her home but if not then she can go unattended. 

Hope it goes well for her x 

I had this procedure done yesterday and decided to use just throat spray. As i have a toddler and i wanted to be able to go home asap and not be groggy!

It was honestly the worst experience i have ever had. Childbirth was easier to go through. I would 100% suggest that you have the sedation. I have heard some people have been ok with the just the throat spary and my hat goes off to them! 

Positives are that it is over with very quickly and you can go straight home. But it is a very traumatic experience in my opinion and should be done under sedation x 

I did manage to hold out long enough with throat spray to finish the procedure so didn't need sedation, although other people at clinic who had sedation were noticeably less traumatised. It appears that although you are still likely to retch, the sedation and mix of drugs make the passage of tube easier, so I assume it is decidedly less traumatic.

Hopefully someone who has had the sedation will also reply and give you a better idea. Good Luck xxx

I had it done three years ago and went for the throat spray and I remember gagging a bit and the nurse told me I went a funny shade of white and whilst it was clearly not an enjoyable experience I did not find it that bad, though I was keen for it to end. I did note that of about 10 other patients on the ward I think I was the only one who chose this route. I had another one done today and opted for the throat spray again. I have to admit to being slightly fearful, but the nurses were very reassuring and supportive telling me how well I was doing throughout and it really helped. The thing that helped me the most though was to focus solely on breathing in and out constantly during the procedure and I found it a breeze and it felt like no time at all. The doctor said to me that I seemed "to go into some sort of zone"! On both occasions I did not find the spray itself that bad.

In short, it is not a lot of fun but if you want to be in and out quickly then go for the spray and just focus on the breathing. If time is not an issue for you and/or you worry about the breathing/gagging aspect then go for sedation and remember you will need someone to collect you.

Hope this helps

Dazzer

Thank you for replying that has helped 

I have this booked for 2nd September..

I had one done about 10 years ago no sedation was awful...said never again!!

BUT on the 2nd September I have plans to see a show with my daughter in the evening and am considering have it done with no sedation again!!

If i have sedation how long after will i be ok to leave the house?

10.15am is my hospital appointment and 2.30pm we have a coach booked to take us to London!!!

Hi

Did you get an answer to this question or have you since had the procedure? I am waiting to have it done and I am terrified that I will feel as though I am chking. If you can help at all I would appreciate it.

Thank you

Polly

Hi everyone,

I've had loads of investigative procedures over the past few years and have to say that Gastroscopy was by far the worst. During some of the procedures I've had, I tried sedation and Entonox, they call it gas and air, but basically it's Nitrous Oxide mixed with Oxygen. 

I've had a colonoscopy with sedation and colonoscopy with Entonox. I had Gastroscopy just with the throat spray.

The Gastoscopy gave me a bit of a gag reflex until they got past my throat and then it was just uncomfortable. It feels like you can't swallow the saliva in your mouth, but I found you could. The support nurse told me to keep taking deep breaths and I found that helpful.

These are my findings and this is personal to me, so you might find things are different for you.

Sedation doesnt work for me, I don't feel drowsy and I remember the full procedure. Back in the 80's I had a bad motorcycle accident and can vividly remember the anaesthetist bringing me round in the theatre even though I'd been heavily sedated and suffered the agony of being moved from the operating table to a bed in recovery.

Entonox, gas and air. This should have been easy, however I had a serious attack of paranoia and the procedure had to be stopped. When I went back a month later I had no sedation or Entonox.

I think the best option is to go with the sedation for a Gastroscopy, but only if you have someone to take you home. Hope that helps.

Hello, 

I am just looking at the dates, on the posts here and realizing that actually this is months ago that you asked about sedation for your friend. 

I did not have the intention of having sedations for both gastroscopy and endoscopy but ended up having sedation.  I was glad to have had someone with me, so decided to just leave my car overnight and got help home on the bus.  I do not regret this as when I did start to come round it really was quite sore.  I am to have another endoscopy and would prefer to have the sedation again, if possible. 

Best wishes. 

Karianne

Hi Shortis,

Just wondering as I had a long wait for biopsy results, whether G.P.s will allow appointments for discussion, as I made a number of requests for a call from my G.P. and have not had a response. I do now have a letter from the hospital so didnt think I was entitled to request an appointment to discuss. 

best K

It didn't make me feel as though I was choking it only made me gag. 

It amazes me that this procedure isn't performed under general anesthesia. All information I could find on the NHS says that the procedure 'can be uncomfortable'. This is a dishonest representation of how bad it is. Sedation may make you forget the horror of it but you still go through it. I had only throat spray which whilst it numbs the skin it does nothing to surpress the gagging vomitting reflex. Staff talk you out of sedation because it is easier for them to manage. Maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones with no gag reflex but for other people there is no 'sef-control' that could override this instincitive and entirely involuntary response. I would never go through this again without general anesthesia. 

It amazes me that this procedure isn't performed under general anesthesia. All information I could find on the NHS says that the procedure 'can be uncomfortable'. This is a dishonest representation of how bad it is. Sedation may make you forget the horror of it but you still go through it. I had only throat spray which whilst it numbs the skin it does nothing to surpress the gagging vomitting reflex. Staff talk you out of sedation because it is easier for them to manage. Maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones with no gag reflex but for other people there is no 'sef-control' that could override this instincitive and entirely involuntary response. I would never go through this again without general anesthesia. 

I have just come back from a full endoscopy and chose not to take anything. Yes you heard it right no throat spray or sedation. These forums have scared the absolute life out of me so I want to reassure anyone who is reading these links prior to this procedure don't listen.

It was very quick not painful and actually not really that unpleasant just a bit strange.

Saw it all on screen was talked through each stage and would do it again right now with no hesitation.

Walked straight out and went and had a meal.

I need another one in 8 weeks and will not spend sleepless nights thinking the worst.

Relax listen to the doctor and it will be over in less than 10 mins. I didn't gag, feel like I was choking or couldn't breath. As the doctor said you won't be sick your stomach is empty, you can't choke it's not big enough and you breath through your nose like you should always be doing. Please don't spend any more time worrying. 

I had my endoscope today with the throat spray and I can honestly say the build up is the worst. The nurses were so calming and made sure you were ok. Never had an issue and I'm so happy I went for the throat spray over the sedation. 
 

I went in scared to death before I went in.  So I said at the desk that I wanted sedation. After talking to two different nurses they said I could try it with the throat spray and if it didn't work I could go back and get the sedation. One of the nurses shared her experience and said she gagged a lot less with the throat spray so I chose that. 
 

I got my blood pressure, temperature and heart rate checked then got into my gown and sat for about 20 mins waiting. The nurses came in and checked on you every so often. 
After that they took you into the room where you meet the person who is conducting the procedure. She reassured me that I could put my hand up and they would stop and let me calm down if I needed to. 
They spoke through what was going to happen and then I got the throat spray which I weirdly liked the taste of. It was like bannana sweets just more alcoholy. I got told to lie on my side and got my mouth guard put in. 
She slowly inscerted it. They talked me through the full thing telling me how long she thought I had left. And told me when I was over the worst bit which is 2 seconds into it after than you are just uncomfortable. She kept telling me how to breath and cuddled me the full time. 

It was over in 4 mins. I didn't gag I did however burp once they brought it out which everyone just laughed at and said it was totally normal. 
 

After that I got my stuff and the nurses that had dealt with me before came and said that I done so well and that I was a "champ". 
 

Honestly it's not that bad. You will only hear the bad stuff. Tbh there isn't much good stuff about it. At the end of the day it is a camera going down your throat. It's uncomfortable and if you gag just remember you can breath and you need to focus on your breathing. The camera is smaller than your pinky in width and the worst part is going over your tongue. 
 

I know it's hard but try and remain calm. Think loads of people get this done daily. 

Hi I've got mine tomorrow and I just keep crying. I'm so frightened. I have really bad health anxiety so whilst I don't want the sedation it may be the only answer. Then I'm worrying if they find anything. I'm a nervous wreck and even thinking of not having it done at all! :( 

Go for sedation, you won't remember anything about it, just a little sleep and wake up and it's all over. They will tell you if they saw anything, so no waiting for weeks. If they take biopsies that will take longer. I'm the biggest wimp ever and I got through it, best of luck for tomorrow x

Hope it went ok? I had one yesterday and opted for the throat spray. It is not painful, but I did find the gag reflex quite traumatic. My face was bright red and I had tears streaming down my face. BUT it was all over in minutes and the doctor gave me the results straight away (nothing serious x) which was good to hear.

The doctor talked to me the whole way through, telling me to keep breathing and where the camera was and how long left.

After reading the comments it seems if you are going to gag constantly you will if you are sedateded or not. It really does not take long and is bearable. Even the throat spray did not taste too bad to me.

Personally I find the idea of sedation quite scary and I was looking forward to watching the footage. Which I could not do as I was too busy gagging and crying!

I won't lie it was horrendous for me. Even the throat spray I gagged at. They gave me some infacol before I went in so as soon as they did it I just kept being sick. It didn't take long at all but I don't think I would go again for one. I had the sedation but it did nothing for me. The dr and nurse didn't go through it just said stop being sick. I guess it is just how people react. It wasn't painful at all just I couldn't cope with something down my throat. Hiatal hernia but stomach and esophagus looks normal which is good. xx

I don't want to put anybody off, but I also had a very unpleasant experience having a gastroscopy. I had had one before, years ago, without sedation, and have forgotten most of that, except that the gagging was so bad I felt my body was trying to throw me off the chair. This time I chose sedation and had the throat spray as well, but I couldn't understand why they didn't give me the sedation until I'd already been experiencing the feeling of suffocation from the throat spray for what seemed like aeons!

While my body was, against all my intentions, trying to fight the sensation of being suffocated, the nurse said 'You have to relax or we'll have to stop the procedure!' which seemed to me to show a massive lack of understanding of the situation.

No matter how I tried to relax, my body was convinced I was being suffocated and reacted accordingly. Once they got the sedative in, I was able to tolerate it, and I'm not sure whether I may have actually fallen asleep for a bit - I only remember thinking, thank goodness for that, as it finally relaxed me. Afterwards I asked why on earth they hadn't given it to me beforehand, and they gave me a reason, but I can't remember what it was. I would be interested to know if anyone knows?

The nurse, to give her her due, afterwards apologised for what she'd said, and told me, 'I just had to shock you into letting us get on with it'. However, it still seems to me a very strange way to think for someone who must surely know something about how bodies work! It seems to me that the medical professionals have no idea that it's impossible to stop an involuntary reaction.

I think better training is needed. I vowed that if I needed another gastroscopy I would have a general anaesthetic, but then there are the risks inherent in that.

However, I have now read that some hospitals will do the procedure using a nasal tube rather than an oral one. I had also had my vocal folds and that area looked at using this method, and I had no problem whatever with that. Apparently most patients having a gastroscopy that way also have no problems. So why on earth haven't they been using this method instead of putting us through the agony of using the oral route! I now intend to insist on the nasal route if I need another one. Perhaps if we all do, something might start to be done about it. 

I read this forum yesterday in preparation for a gastroscopy this morning. I am so sorry for those of you who had traumatic experiences and I understand why you'd share that. But I want to reassure people it's not always like that. I was petrified this morning after reading these, so went for the sedation. The nurse recommended I just do the spray, but the doctor said whatever made me comfortable was great. I'm SO glad I went for sedation. I was gagging 2 days earlier just with the precautionary coronavirus test. 

The initial spray at the start tasted like the banana ear infection medicine I had as a kid and then I remember someone putting the sedation medicine in my canula but after that I have almost no memory of the procedure. I know I was awake, sort of, as I remember seeing the tv screen with my insides on it at one point! But I literally don't remember the tube going in or out or anything. They brought me a cup of tea and a biscuit straight after (because you can swallow with the sedation) and I left another 30 mins or so after. Total breeze. The docters and nurses were so kind and besides having slightly wobbly legs after (it's still only 4 hours later and I'm back at work), I have no sore throat and no other after effects.

I'm so glad I read this post, my anxiety was lifted! I got one today and chose the sedation and honestly didn't feel a thing it was the best experience I could have asked for! I went for the procedure 2 years ago without sedation and couldn't go through with it but glad I went back and took it and it's now over and done with! I was in and out within 2 hours and I feel great now! It's really mind over matter if anyone is waiting to get this procedure don't be scared it's really straight forward and the doctors and nurses are so nice they do so many of these everyday 

I posted in here about 2 years ago following my gastroscopy telling you all that I had absolutely nothing. Yes no throat spray, no sedation and having read this forum previously to going was scared to death. It took less than 4 minutes, the doctor talked me through it I didn't particularly gag. Doctor reassured me I would not be sick as my stomach was empty, I would not chock as the tube was not big enough to chock on and I could definitely breath through my nose like I did every day and night when sleeping. I posted that I would be having another one in 8 weeks then Covid hit and it ended up being about another year before I had the next one.

It was not a fluke, the experience was identical. It was calm, relaxed, painless and was over in less than 3 minutes. Please don't spend endless hours reading these horror stories. Any experience is what you make it. I would happily hold people's hand and talk you through the whole process and happily take it for you. If I had to have one of these every single day to potentially save my life I would do it without hesitation. I promise you it is not that bad trust me.

With the right frame of mind, your glass half full (thank the lord you have a glass at all I say) and kind nurses and doctors to talk you through it you will be fine I promise.