When I showed up for the endoscopy, they had me down for an endoscopy with sedation and the gastroenterologist tried to talk me out of having it without sedation. I told him I didn’t have a ride so it was not an option.

Guess what? It was not that big a deal. They give me a solution to numb my throat. Then wheeled me into an operating room. The part I was most afraid of–swallowing the scope– was nothing. They slide the scope down you so quickly that it’s in there before you know it. I understand why some people panic. It’s strange to have something in your throat. They blow you up with gas so they can see inside. You have to keep taking deep breaths. The reason they discourage people from having endoscopy without sedation is that some people panic and think they can’t breath, but you can breath.

Despite the fact that I wasn’t being sedated, I still had to have an IV put in and have nasal oxygen. (I hated that thing. It burned my nose). The whole endoscopy procedure lasts less than 5 minutes and you’re done. There was a nurse holding my hand throughout the procedure (That was a nice. I wasn’t expecting that…hehe). There were 6 or 7 people in the room. I still can’t figure out what all those people where there for. I had to have a heart monitor and blood pressure monitor. I’ve never been in an operating room before so this was a new experience for me.

I had to sit in recovery longer than the procedure lasted. I don’t know why. They gave me shortbread cookies and apple juice. Boy, that was nice because I was starving. I hadn’t eaten since midnight the night before.

It seems like they make a big deal out of nothing. I didn’t gag. I didn’t panic. Mind you…I didn’t enjoy it. It’s very strange having something down your throat, but it was not the big horrendous ordeal I was warned about. They turn you on your side during the procedure, probably beause they don’t want you looking at your guts on the gigantic monitor behind you. But, frankly, I wanted to look…hehe.