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 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. 

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! :( 

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

Had gastroscopy today nasally. They tried to put me off sedation, but nah, why wouldnt I!! Close your eyes, was over very quickly, far better and quicker than I thought, no real stress, wouldn't fancy it without though

I'm a 24 year old female and had my gastroscope yesterday. I'm so glad I went for the sedation. It didn't knock me out and I was completely aware of everything happening but it just made me feel so much more relaxed. 
I honestly thought people were being dramatic when they said it was traumatic, but I now can understand completely where they're coming from. The sedation must have helped, but the initial feeling that you can't breathe and the violent gagging was quite scary.

For anyone that's got one coming up, just remember that you can breathe through your nose. I kept my eyes closed and imagined I was somewhere on holiday and it went quite quickly.