My Gastroscopy Experience
6:11 PM
This post is completely different from what I usually write about – I'm aware! However, the reason why I wanted to do it anyway is because I recently had to get a gastroscopy (which I will explain very soon if you're not sure what it means), and because I was terrified, I made the mistake of googling gastroscopy stories. You guys, lesson #1: Never google a procedure or its side effects!
According to the McGill University website, "A gastroscopy is a test in which a gastroscope (a long flexible tube) is passes through the mouth and back of your throat into the upper digestive tract. It allows the physician to examine the lining of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum (the first portion of the small intestine)."
The reason why I had a gastroscopy done is because I have a tendency to digest badly. I did have my gallbladder removed two years ago, which obviously doesn't help my case, but I have very bad heartburn every once in a while, I get very nauseous for no reason and at any time of the day, and I get the worst cramps ever at certain foods (like my beloved Nutella). Therefore, my gastroenterologist suggested that I get a gastroscopy to see what is going on in the inside of my stomach and in my esophagus.
Of course, as soon as they told me that I was getting a camera shoved down my throat, I panicked. I have emetophobia (phobia of vomiting), so anything going down my throat is a big no no. Cowardly, I even canceled my first appointment and waited another year to get it done. However, two years after my surgery, I couldn't handle the pain anymore and decided that it was time to do it.
That's where Google comes in. I started googling gastroscopy experiences, reviews, and video comments. And what came up were horror stories. Things like, "I vomited blood for two days straight." "It's more painful than giving birth." "You gag the whole time, you can't breathe, and you'd be better off dying." "It was like the doctor shoved a hose down my throat."
I was so scared that my doctor prescribed me some Ativan for the few nights before the procedure. When I got to the hospital, this man who was doing it before me reassured me by saying that he'd had the procedure over ten times, and all of them had been perfectly fine. He walked me through it and gave me some tips (like breathing a whole lot!), and assured me that it was very easy. I already knew that the procedure normally took about two to five minutes, but chocking and gagging for more than two minutes seems like an eternity.
So when it was my turn, I asked the nurse for a sedative. They normally give you 100mg of some kind of sedative, but the doctor told her to give me 200mg because I was too nervous. She also sprayed the back of my throat with this nasty lidocaine spray that tastes like 90% rubbing alcohol, which is pretty disgusting but totally helps to numb your throat. They turn you on your left side, insert a plastic mouthpiece not to damage your teeth and not to obstruct the tube, and they go for it.
And before you know it, they're pulling out.
Yes, you do gag. It's uncomfortable and extremely unpleasant, but if you breathe through your nose and you don't fight the tube, you can actually make it without gagging too much.
When the doctor is pulling out, you do feel like you're about to throw up. You feel the length of your tube in your chest, and it's so weird, but everything happens so quickly that the two to five minutes actually feel like a few seconds.
The sedative doesn't do much. At least to me, it didn't do anything. The doctor told me that some people even slept through the surgery, yet I can remember every second of it, and I find myself ridiculous for panicking so much beforehand. The procedure was so easy that I hurt myself more by reading online than getting the gastroscopy. The doctor even told me that my procedure had taken twice the time because of the multiple biopsies, and I had trouble believing him.
After the procedure, you don't really have any side effects. Your throat will hurt for a few days because of the tube, and they suggest that you don't drive because of the sedative, but you can eat and drink right away, and you don't have to follow a specific diet. They do keep you for about an hour after just to make sure that you are okay, but the chances of having a bad reaction is 1 in 1000. Chances are, that won't fall on you.
Overall, I had a great experience. I probably wouldn't do it every single day, of course, but if I ever have to do it again, I sure won't be as terrified. What you read online can be accurate for some people, but I do truly believe that if you take deep breaths and relax, you will be completely fine. Don't fight the tube, and stay calm. It sounds horrible, but it really isn't!
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