Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Decided To Get An Endoscopy- Is It Scary?


AlexJ72

Recommended Posts

AlexJ72 Apprentice

Im afraid of being awake and having that tube shoved down my throat - am i gonna gag and vomit or dry heave? should i be put to sleep?

ive been off gluten for a while but my GI still thinks he can get some idea of whats going on inside..he doubts my intestine has healed completely so he may be able to see some residual damage


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



mushroom Proficient

No, the endoscopy is not a scary procedure at all, only the thought of it is scary. You will be medicated (sedated with a drug that will make you forget the procedure entirely) and will have no consciousness of what is happening. Usually, the only after effect you are likely to experience is perhaps a mild sore throat for a day and most don't even have that. Don't be afraid of it.

chiroptera Apprentice

I have had two endoscopies as an adult and had NO problems at all!

The first one I didn't feel a thing, although for the second I did start to wake up as they were pulling the tube which was rather freaky but not at all painful.

Really, it will be fine and if I had to have another one tomorrow I would be fine with it!

The one "funny" is that be careful who is your designated driver because you will be goofy from the sedation and you never know what you may say!!! :lol: You may just "spill the beans" on something you'd rather not! :o

Tigercat17 Enthusiast

The upper endoscopy is a breeze. You'll be asleep the whole time. I was worried too & I keep asking the nurses & doctors to make sure I'm asleep. I'm so glad I went through with the procedure. I just had it done two months ago. That's when they found the celiac & now I know what's wrong & can heal with the gluten free diet. Now my doctor wants to do another one with the Bravo study since I'm still having acid reflux. I think my small intestines are pretty damaged & it's taking a while for me to heal. I probably had celiac for years.

At least you'll know for sure what's going on & it will give them more information. And the drugs are Real Good!

I did have a little sore throat that day, but it was no big deal. Really. Don't be afraid -You'll be fine! :)

Ahorsesoul Enthusiast

The new drugs they use now are fantastic. You won't mind at all. I was worried because I always was vomiting after being put to sleep for surgery. I'd just had eye surgery in Sept, awake but drugged, it was great. Didn't mind a bit.

I know I was asleep during my colonoscopy but I do not remember anything except arriving at the hospital. Same with my dh, he wanted to go shopping after having his done. He doesn't remember it at all.

Took a friend for her endoscopy. She'd had one about 10 years ago that ended up not being finished and with her admitted into the hospital because she'd gotten so upset and couldn't breathe. Of course she was highly upset to have another one. She sailed through it without one problem. All because of the new drugs.You'll love it.

You can do this. Besure to report back how it went and the results.

luvs2eat Collaborator

No prep ('cept no eating after like 11 pm...) UNLIKE a colonoscopy... they put you into a really nice sleep... heated hospital blankets... that test was one of the best I've ever had!!

psawyer Proficient

I have had it done twice; no worries. I was sedated and have no memory of the actual procedure and there were no aftereffects other than wooziness from the sedative for a few hours.


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



grainfree Newbie

I echo everyone here in their experience to the endoscopy - no problem whatsoever. And the good news is, once its done, its done, and you can move on to recovery.

luvthelake21 Rookie

My daughter was 10 when she had hers (three years ago) when we got home she called her girlfriends and told them the only thing she did not like about the test was they left her gown open in the front and she was mortified, modesty sure kicks in at a early age LOL. You will be fine. Let us know.

  • 9 years later...
Minny Rookie

I have been reading these positive messages...thank you. I have my endoscopy in three weeks and my anxiety is already at a maximum. I have been told even with sedation I will feel everything. Someone also said you are 'pinned' down but the nurses. I am really scared. I know the results could be even more scary but I can't move beyond freezing when I think of having the procedure.  I have a very sensitive gag reflex (had a piece of bacon rind lodged in my throat when I was a child....no longer a meat eater!!! and still have bad dreams about mum trying to remove it) I struggle even cleaning my teeth. I don't know what to do. Can anyone  help? Is there anyone in England who has had the procedure and found it to be the same as the ones posted here? Thanks in advance.

ravenwoodglass Mentor
2 hours ago, Minny said:

I have been reading these positive messages...thank you. I have my endoscopy in three weeks and my anxiety is already at a maximum. I have been told even with sedation I will feel everything. Someone also said you are 'pinned' down but the nurses. I am really scared. I know the results could be even more scary but I can't move beyond freezing when I think of having the procedure.  I have a very sensitive gag reflex (had a piece of bacon rind lodged in my throat when I was a child....no longer a meat eater!!! and still have bad dreams about mum trying to remove it) I struggle even cleaning my teeth. I don't know what to do. Can anyone  help? Is there anyone in England who has had the procedure and found it to be the same as the ones posted here? Thanks in advance.

Have you talked to a nurse or your doctor about these fears? They might be able to reassure you. Hopefully some of our members from the UK will respond but you may want to start a new thread to ask them about their experiences with endos in your country.

Minny Rookie
6 hours ago, ravenwoodglass said:

Have you talked to a nurse or your doctor about these fears? They might be able to reassure you. Hopefully some of our members from the UK will respond but you may want to start a new thread to ask them about their experiences with endos in your country.

Thank you I didn't think of doing that

M

Minny Rookie

Hi

Sorry, I don't know how to start a new thread!!!! Can you help?

M

ravenwoodglass Mentor
2 hours ago, Minny said:

Hi

Sorry, I don't know how to start a new thread!!!! Can you help?

M

If you go to the top of the Prediagnosis thread (or any other) you will see a red box that says 'start new topic' if you click on that you will be able to start a new thread.

chocolatesunrise Explorer

I am also very encouraged by all the positive things people are saying about endoscopy. I have one scheduled in about three weeks as well and I am terrified!!  So good to hear about all these positive experiences!!

Donna Sue Newbie
On 8/23/2019 at 5:07 PM, chocolatesunrise said:

I am also very encouraged by all the positive things people are saying about endoscopy. I have one scheduled in about three weeks as well and I am terrified!!  So good to hear about all these positive experiences!!

I had one a couple of weeks ago. I was given an anesthetic. I did fine ,no memories. My throat was a little tender for about three days. 

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      126,092
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Buy Diazepam Online Truste
    Newest Member
    Buy Diazepam Online Truste
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      120.9k
    • Total Posts
      69.2k

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • cristiana
      @Kathleen JJ  I am based in the UK and the vast majority of sweets produced by Haribo are in fact gluten free, and I think they are the principal manufacturers of gummy bears.    The following link is to a website for UK based consumers but even post-Brexit, we are still importing and exporting a vast array of mainland European-manufactured goods, so chances are some of the products mentioned in the link are from the same factory.  So what your son eats would likely be the same product that I eat when it comes to eating sweets. https://libereat.com/2021/07/gluten-free-sweets/#:~:text=Haribo Gold Bears are gluten,Starmix   But always check the ingredients lists first.  When doing this, what you need to avoid (usually printed in bold in the ingredient list) are: Wheat, barley and rye. These grains all naturally contain gluten. Coeliacs must also avoid products which also state, "May contain traces of wheat, barley and rye" or products where the statement occurs: "Made in a factory which also handles wheat, barley and rye"    However, one other thing to think about:  oats.  In the UK, we do produce quite a few cakes and some candy which contains oats.    Oats do not naturally contain gluten, but as the crops are often grown alongside wheat, barley and rye, or processed in the same plants, cross-contamination can occur and they pick up gluten 'en route'.   The good news is that some food producers now grow oats away from these crops, and process them in oat dedicated plants, so you end up with a product called "pure oats" which are suitable for the majority of coeliacs (a minority react to avenin, the oat protein, in the same way they would to gluten, but I won't go into that here - just making you aware in case down the line you think it could be a problem).   So increasingly, in the UK at least, manufacturers are now printing oats in bold.   In candy production, you might find vegan chocolate which contains oat milk, hence I mention it here.  Unless such a candy bar stated that it was suitable for coeliacs,  your son would have to avoid it.   Incidentally, I think the idea of having a party after your holiday is a very wonderful, positive start to your son's gluten-free diet journey.  I was symptomatic by the time I was finally diagnosed with Coeliac Disease and was quite keen to start the diet straight away.  But just a few days after my endoscopy I was due to visit Normandy.  My consultant said to me, "Don't bother about taking up the diet until you get back".   I did try to start it in France but back then French catering establishments didn't seem to appreciate coeliac customers (something my gastroenterologist seemed to know something about!) so I was so glad he told me not to worry until I came home!
    • Kathleen JJ
      @cristiana Do you have any suggestions for the gummy bear type of candy? Because that is what is getting passed around. Someone told me "you will have to read all labels thoroughly from now on" but to be honest: I don't know what I'm looking for that should or should not be there? And is the notion "gluten free" trustable? And what about "may contain residual gluten"? Is that safe?
    • Kathleen JJ
      @trents The first thought indeed I had was 'thank god it's not cancer' and of course, there are many, many, many worse diagnoses to get. But this doesn't mean it doesn't come as a shock. I read a lot of the time 'the most common symptoms are...' and then all the things he doesn't have, but never do I find a list of less common symptoms (bar @Wheatwackeds examples - and also non of these are present). I get that severe pains can be a symptom, though the fact that they were omnipresent for 10 days (the exact time his viral values were up) and then 6 weeks later 1 episode also when the family was going through a stomach bug, and since then (nor ever before) none, this logically seems more related to a virus then a symptom of Coeliac, as I'd think this would have to be more present on a regular basis? He always has loved gluten-containing food and at that time was rather having less of it (due to the bug and feeling a little under the weather so eating more yoghurt and the likes then cookies) then more of it. It just doesn't sound all that logical. That being said, I comprehend AND accept that things can not always be logical.   I am trying to understand what you are saying about the tolerance - so as long as he eats gluten, he will have some tolerance to it, but when he stops, and say accidentally ingests something, he will react more as the tolerance is lower? It sounds so illogical (hmm, I see a pattern with myself: really looking for logic in a very illogical condition). And how do you interpret the values very 6 months as you maybe don't know there has been an accidental intake?  Do the values ever go down to zero or is it a question of getting them mainly lower and can they never go down to normal rates?   Normally results of his biopsy are coming in on monday, a little chance they come in today. I've been checking my mail every 10 seconds 🤦🏻‍♀️, this will not be a productive working day I fear 🙄. Then we know the values, but we only have an appointment with the specialized pediatrician and dietitian on December 6d (which in Belgium is a children's holiday comparable to Santa Clause). So we'll get the full "introduction" to the disorder and approach then.   I did talk to the pediatrician and gastrointestinal doctor who did the gastroscopy asking their advice about a plan I was having: to wait to start the diet after the holiday season, we will be abroad in a hotel and to start there in this very new world feels quite stressful for us, but even worse: it will start this journey in a lot of negativity. So our plan is to have a "yummy" party after we return from our trip, during Christmas holidays, inviting some of his friends and buying and making a vast array of gluten free goodies and having them sample and score it. This way it feels like a festive thing AND we can immediately find some things (hopefully) he genuinely like.   Both doctors agreed with this approach as this was truly an accidental find and hadn't we tested his blood 2 weeks ago chances were we'd only have found out in a year or 2 so those extra few weeks will not make the difference.   So now I'm gathering information, talking to people to know where there's good stuff...     But what keeps on being quite ununderstandable to me (I hope this will get explained on December 6th) is how it works. So it's auto-immune, meaning gluten trigger an immune response. Is this a black and white thing? Does 1 grain of wheat trigger the same response as a full bowl of spaghetti? And I mean this on a bowel and organs level, not on a symptoms level, as I gather (is this correct?) that not having any symptoms does not mean that his bowel doesn't get attacked?   I know it all could be worse, I truly do, but to be honest, this is the 4th "anvil falling on my head out of a clear blue sky" diagnosis that I got for one of my most loved people. First my mother was diagnosed with presenile dementia without anyone in the family having it. Then my unborn daughter turned out to have a chromosomal defect that made that she could only live inside of me and died when she was born, then my sister turned out to have (a tested non genetic 🤯) form of presenile dementia as well, with me being her only caretaker as my mother passed away a few years ago and she has no family of her own. And now this. And this is absolutely not only the least of this row but of course not even in the same ball park. But for my resilience and bearing capacity this just feels not little as it affects the life of my little boy...    
    • Wheatwacked
      Could be the Ozampic is masking your expected symptoms.  Like an analgesic masks pain.  Qzampic slows digestion to lower the rate glucose enters the intestine to slow its effect on glucose level.  It seems it might also slow down the gluten entry into the intestine, reducing its trigger level for the antibodies.  Ultimately the damage from gluten is the same, just not as fast so the pain is less.  Sourdough bread has less gluten.  Ozampic siows its entry.
    • Wheatwacked
      You can sell it better if the whole family does gluten free.  If he does have Celiac Diease, it is genetic so either you, your spouse, or both have a 40% chance of also having Celiac.  There are over 200 non classic symptoms also caused by celiac disease not often considered by doctors. Joint pain, muscle pain, muscle cramps, osteoporosis, and allergies for starters.  
×
×
  • Create New...