Question:
I'm scared...
I saw my surgeon today... and have to have the endoscope procedure...I apparently have a stricture. The endoscope process has been explained to me as not a big deal, but I am very scared! If you have had this procedure done, would you please explain it... the good, bad and ugly? Thanks! — Lynette H. (posted on October 2, 2003)
October 2, 2003
Hi Lynette: I did have an endoscopy but it was pre-op. Never had one
post-op so I'm sure it's a little different from the gastroenterologist's
(sp?) point of view. The basic procedure is that they insert a camera-like
instrument/tube down your throat so that they can look at your esophagus
and the inside of your stomach (post-op, your pouch, maybe?)...they do put
you in a kind of twilight sleep so you're not completely knocked out, but
you remember very little and it's over pretty quickly. I remember gagging
a little, but it didn't hurt AND like I said, it was over pretty quickly.
Based on what I've heard from others though, you WANT to get this done if
you have a stricture so that you can start to feel better and start keeping
food down....good luck and NO WORRIES girl!
— Amy A.
October 2, 2003
Hello, I would love to lay to rest your anxiety. My sister and I are both
post ops....and my sister is a GI nurse. She does scopes for a living. This
is her words about this procedure: you will arrive at either the hospital
or endoscopy center probably 45 mins or 1 hour prior to your procedure
time. Once you arrive your admission process will be done on your
medications, medical history and surgical history. Then you will be taken
to the procedure room where you will be hooked up to heart monitoring
equipment, BP monitors, Oxygen saturation monitor and placed on oxygen.
This all overly precautios protocol. Then either your doc or sedation nurse
will begin to give you small amounts of the conscious sedation medications
(versed and fentanyl most likely). Once they reach a relaxed to possibly
sleepy state they will slide a small scope approximiately the same diameter
as a tootsie roll down over your tongue, down your throat and into your
stomach (or pouch). This all sounds like alot, however the medications that
are used allow you to breath on your own and responds to commands, however
they also achieve an amneisic(sp?) effect. The entire scope part of the
procedure takes approx. 2-8 minutes depending on what needs to be done once
they are down there. 95% of my patients say that it was a piece of cake,
mostly likely because they dont remember.(great drugs).
If they need to dialate a striture through multiple types of techniques,
this may cause an increase of a small amount of scope time.
We hope this helps to relieve that anxiety. It should be a piece of cake,
nothing compared to your surgery. If you have any other questions please
feel free to ask me at [email protected]. Your WLS BUDDIES-Shalonda
and Maria
— Shalonda M.
October 2, 2003
Hello! I had an edoscopy about 10 days after surgery as my surgeon thought
I had some food stuck. I was really nervous after reading what everyone had
to say about the "dreaded scoping". When I got to the hospital I
told the nurse I was a big whimp. They gave me some kind of sedative and
the next thing I knew I woke up to the nurse telling me it was all over! I
felt nothing and had no sore throat or anything afterwards. I couldn't tell
they had done anything!
— Barbara C.
October 2, 2003
Your going to be fine. I had 5 scopes done pre-op and I never felt a
thing. Just remember the doctor is a professional and he has more to worry
about than you do.
— R C.
October 2, 2003
This is for Shalonda...THANK YOU for such a to the point, informative and
VERY reassuring response. Fortunately (AND knock on wood) I am not faced
with this procedure. But if I were, your words would have been very
reassuring and helpful!
— Ginger M.
October 2, 2003
I just had my 5th scope for strictures by the gastroenterologist that my
surgeon uses for his gastric bypass patients. Please...don't worry...they
give you a MAC, a quick out and you wake up quickly. I have never had a
sore throat in all the 5 scopes I have had. In addition, the only thing I
noticed was an increase in flatulance from the dilitation. As
described...by other posts..honestly it is nothing at all to be anxious
about...and I'm a big..no acutally little chicken now..hee hee...take care
email anytime and you will do just fine honestly!
— Karen Renee
October 2, 2003
Hey Lynette - I guess I'm just reiterating what has already been said but I
have also had a dilitation done and it was over quickly with no
complications and I had no sore throat at all. I was amazed at how quickly
I came out of the anesthesia; almost immediately and was on my way home in
a few minutes. Don't worry about it, you're going to be fine! - Mike
— Michael N.
October 2, 2003
Hello Lynette,
I had my endoscope pre-op two days ago. I couldn't believe how easy it
was. I was in and out in no time at all. The doctors and nurses were very
professional and humerous which msad me relax. They gave me the twilight
then just prior to the doctor using the scope I was aslep.Never felt a
thing. Next thing I remember I was being woken up feeling just fine. No
reprocussions, no sore throat....Feeling a little dizzy from the twilight
but that passes in about an hour. I was terribly frightened prioe also, but
I would say I had an excellent response and scope team...Good luck to you.
Most thing we are afraid of are the things that are unknown to us.....I
will keep you in my prayers....Arlyne
— Arlyne F.
October 3, 2003
I too was freaked out. Here's my step by step story...It ends well, so
calm down!:-)
~~~I arrived at my doctor's office terrified about throwing up or gagging
or not being able to breath or about whether it would hurt or not. In
fact, as they put me in a long room on a hospital bed (fully clothed, just
on a bed) surrounded by curtains and other patients I started crying. Like
practically sobbing. The nurse came and told me everything would be ok.
So I excused my self to the bathroom, washed my face adn returned to my
bed. Then the nurse put in a IV which, I hate needles. I freaked out over
that...the whole idea of this little wire in my hand...EWWWW! Ok, so I'm
laying on this bed and another woman comes in. She's freaked out just like
me. We start chatting...my doctor comes over explains the basics and off
we go. I'm wheeled into a room that is filled with ultrasound looking type
machines. I'm parked in the far rear corner next to a tv and a tray of
hidden instruments. The doctor asks me if I have any questions, I say no.
He's holding my hand (the one with the IV) and tells me to roll over on my
left side. I do. He sprays the back of my throat with this junk that
tastes like...burnt lemons. Can't really explain it any other way. He
explains that he's putting this green hallow bottle cap looking thing in my
mouth to help guide the endoscopoy. Doesn't hurt...its like having a coke
bottle top in between your front teeth. He puts a towel under my chin,
because you're going to droll a lot. Then he starts the medicine. I start
to feel drunk...like really drunk. You know the point where you could slam
your hand in the car door and not notice it. I make some comments and then
they put a towel over my eyes and tell me to go to sleep. I of course, was
to freaked out to sleep so I just laid there. But I was very relaxed.
They start putting the tube down my throat. Didn't fell it. Wouldn't have
even noticed if I hadn't been burping so much (Apparently as the tube goes
it, air is expelled from your tummy...no big deal) I tried to say excuse
me but obviously couldn't. I feel nothing really except what feels like a
growling tummy. Then they pull out the tube and its over. They wipe drool
from my face and wheel me back to the waiting area. As soon as i'm lucid,
I go home. No pain, no gagging, no nothing. The entire thing (from tube
insertion to removeable) was barely 90 seconds.
— Renee B.
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