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 had one a couple of years ago and was talked into just having the spray. Nurse implied sedation was for wimps! How I regretted it. From the moment the camera cleared my throat, I gagged and retched and felt it tickling all the way down. At one point I nearly grabbed the tube. Afterwards I lay on my side sweaty and exhausted. A friend who has had an op for cancer of the oesophagus who I spoke to later said she only did the first one without sedation.  If I ever have to have another I'd insist on sedation. 

Hi I had the Gastroscopy nearly two years ago. I had sedation and all I remember is the nurse taken the mouth piece out after it had been done. I had no recollection of the procedure at all, also no problems with the sedation and did not feel groggy.

My friend had hers done without sedation and said it was horrible. I can honestly say I had no problems at all 

I had one today. I decided to go for the throat spay. Honestly it wasn't too bad. The throat spray stings a bit, tastes horrible and makes you cough a bit when you swallow it. It then very quickly numbes your throat ( which I don't really like the sensation of). I was told to breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth and concentrate on breathing. Lovely nurse with me to remind me and keep me calm. Did a bit of quick in and out breathing when consultant was moving the camera around and down but then suddenly all over. Could walk back to the recovery room instead of being zonked out like those who had gone for sedation. 5 mins later having some water, then cup of coffee and some biccies and was out by 12.30pm when those who'd had sedation and in before me were still on a trolley. Was told I could eat and drink anything I wanted as no sedation ( I asked even Prosecco? Told yes lol) "enjoy your Prosecco" was my goodbye from the nurses. sat here with a glass and some choc. If I had to do it again. Would defo do the same. Slight sore throat, but the drink is helping

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.

Hi. Definitely go with sedation. I thought it wouldn't be so bad if I was getting the option of 2 choices. Big mistake! Not pleasant at all. 

As for going with them, I have an appointment next week and it clearly states due to covid 19 that I'm too go unaccompanied but not sure if that's for everyone, says only if absolutely necessary. 

Good luck.