# Tell me about your upper GI endoscopy experience **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 17, 2015, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-upper-gi-endoscopy-experience/734876 "2015-10-17T03:50:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PurpleClogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@PurpleClogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleClogs)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-upper-gi-endoscopy-experience/734876/1 "2015-10-17T03:50:42Z")
I’m having one soon. Ulcer. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![I.Dunno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9f8e36/32.png) [@I.Dunno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I.Dunno)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-upper-gi-endoscopy-experience/734876/2 "2015-10-17T04:21:20Z")
I’ve had four I think. The first one was to fix (cauterize) a rather bad ulcer that drained a lot of my blood. (I was in the ICU at the time.) That was 11 years ago. There were a couple of follow ups after that, one a day later, one a month or so later. And then one done along with a lower GI just a couple of years ago. I think you have to fast overnight. I can’t think of anything else out of the ordinary. I had a mouthpiece inserted to protect my teeth, was anesthetized and in all the cases, never felt a thing. (Out like a light.) I don’t recall how long the ulcer repair took, but the follow ups were maybe 20 or 30 minutes. You’ll wake up in a recovery room. I’ve read that sometimes one has a sore throat after this procedure, but I don’t think I ever did. I can’t think of anything else to mention, but if you have any questions, I’ll try to help. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-upper-gi-endoscopy-experience/734876/3 "2015-10-17T05:11:04Z")
I’ve had two. My experience was the same as I. Dunno. No reason to fear this. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-upper-gi-endoscopy-experience/734876/4 "2015-10-17T07:23:06Z")
My first one was a twilight and I don’t remember any distress. My second one I was out like a light and walked away fairly quickly. Both were just for exploratory reasons. Nothing exciting. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-upper-gi-endoscopy-experience/734876/5 "2015-10-17T09:37:37Z")
I had an emergency ulcer repair in 2008. It was easy, the gas passer gave me a shot, and the lights went out. Next thing I know, I’m waking up in recovery. You’ll be fine. ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-upper-gi-endoscopy-experience/734876/6 "2015-10-17T11:43:17Z")
I was entirely concious and drug-free for mine. It was uncomfortable, but the outcome was I didn’t have an ulcer, just acid reflux. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-upper-gi-endoscopy-experience/734876/7 "2015-10-17T11:58:21Z")
I had three over the course of a month or so. I was terrified before the first one, almost cancelled it the night before. I spent hours reading up on them, especially trying to get a grip about how ‘awake’ you actually are. In the end, the Versed does it’s job. The anesthetist said ‘this’ll make you tired’ and then I woke up later. One time I had a sore throat, one time I had a horrible headache, but ignoring that part of it, they could have just knocked me out, woke me up 30 seconds later and sent me a bill…I wouldn’t have known the difference. Except that they cured what ailed me. The second two I wasn’t worried about at all. If I ever need to go back I won’t put it off for 10 years. No need to worry, they’re a breeze. An expensive breeze, but really, no big deal at all. If it’s the ‘twilight sleep’ that’s worrying you, don’t let it bug you. As far as you’re concerned, you’re as knocked out as you are during a normal surgery. Because of the versed, you won’t know (we’ll, you won’t remember) anything is happening, promise. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-upper-gi-endoscopy-experience/734876/8 "2015-10-17T12:19:22Z")
I put mine off for a decade longer than I should’ve because my dad told me how much his sucked. He had it in 1979. Things have changed. I’ve had three; first one to check things out. All three included esophageal stretching (I have [esinophilic esophagitis](http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/eosinophilic-esophagitis/basics/definition/con-20035681)). With the first one, I had a slight esophageal tear that caused a sore throat. Nothing major, just had to keep to a soft diet for a couple of days. The other two, nothing interesting. The anesthesiologist did a great job. My last memory was that it felt like I was drunk, and pleasantly so. Then I woke up in the recovery room. They tell you about the burping to release the gas pumped into your stomach. No one mentions the farting. You will fart. One of mine after I got home and got into bed (I was tired from the anesthesia) was so loud that it scared the cats. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-upper-gi-endoscopy-experience/734876/9 "2015-10-17T14:38:50Z")
> [@PurpleClogs](#): > > Tell me about your endoscopy experience No one can tell you about their endoscopy. Because you never know you had one. You lay down on a table, and about 1 minute later\* you wake up in a different room. Stop worrying. Period. \*(well, actually it’s about a half hour, but you have no way of knowing that)