Gastroscopy with anxiety

[mismashful2]

Hello everyone

Two months ago, I started having anxiety. Due to my anxiety, I wasn't able to eat very well. I was hungry, but just had no appetite. This lasted for only a few days.
But after then, I just wasn't able to eat the same amount as I was before.

The last two weeks, I started to suffer from a lot of burping, burning sensation in stomach, and just not being very hungry at all (now I have the appetite, but just no feeling of hunger).

I went to my GP, and she said it was due to anxiety (which I understand, because i also had chest pains and headaches that went away) and put me on 300 mg ranitidine (something like omeprazole). She said to wait. But I didn't wait, and went to a gastroenterologist. He immediately said to do a gastroscopy (he didn't really know about my anxiety).

The gastroscopy is set for monday. I don't know if I'm gonna cancel or not, because I'm really scared, especially of the sedation, because I'm afraid to faint/lose control.

So I would like to know that IF I do it, if it's doable without the sedation? So just with a throat spray?
And second of all, can those symptoms be due to anxiety?

[heyitsmeyou]

Hello! I've have multiple gastroscopies done and it's a very easy and quick procedure. They do use general anisthetic to knock you out before hand. As for worrying about that, you won't "loose control" or anything like that. You are completely under and will wake up after its done asking if they started yet. I'm not sure if the Dr. would do it without the anasthesia. Also, all of your symptoms are what I experience with stress and anxiety.

[mismashful2]

Hello! I've have multiple gastroscopies done and it's a very easy and quick procedure. They do use general anisthetic to knock you out before hand. As for worrying about that, you won't "loose control" or anything like that. You are completely under and will wake up after its done asking if they started yet. I'm not sure if the Dr. would do it without the anasthesia. Also, all of your symptoms are what I experience with stress and anxiety.

Thank you so much for your answer!
Here in Belgium, they mostly do it without anesthetic, only with a throat spray. They NEVER give you an aesthetic in the sense of putting you to sleep, they only give you some kind of sedation that makes you relax.

[TomO]

I had something similar a few years ago and it is the same in Germany - they just give sedation and throat spray. In my case the anxiety that something might be wrong meant I went ahead with the procedure despite being terrified because I knew that at least I would be able to clear any health worries (and it was all fine and cleared everything up in the end ).

The sedation is more like very strong anti-depressants delivered by a drip. They monitor you very closely to ensure that you are concious and in control the whole time (I never felt out of control). In my case because of the anxiety disorder they had to use a higher dose than normal but it was well within normal limits. They kept upping the dosage until I was comfortable with the procedure.

Of course the procedure is unpleasant but it is very very quick (much faster than you think it'll be) and the doctors and nurses will take very good care of you. I was a little faint afterwards but they constantly monitor you and after some sugar and water I was happily walking out after an hour or so feeling fine (with a bit of a sore throat - like if you've had a cold).

Your symptoms do sound like the sort of thing I was having and can well be anxiety but if you want to know for sure then don't be scared of the gastroscopy, especially not the sedation. That said, I'm sure they would understand if you discuss your fears with them and the sedation is not a must, it is just that if you don't have it then sometimes you're too tense for them to place the tube.