My Experience

I had acid reflux, and was eating antacids all day for months so my doctor thought I should have an endoscopy. Also, acid reflux could burn out my esophagus, leading to something called Barrett’s Syndrome which could lead to cancer. So I showed up for the in-office procedure, the GI doctor brought me into a darkened room, and started an IV. He said he would give me something to relax me and something to make me forget the procedure, but I told him I wanted very little of both: I wanted to remember the procedure and also I don’t like the idea of being sedated, so he halved the dosage. But my heart was beating so much and my adrenaline so high I don’t think the drugs had any affect. He told me to lie down and then came at me with a long black rubber tube, which he began to stick down my throat. I gagged as he watched on a TV monitor as he threaded the tube down my esophagus and towards my stomach. There was no pain but the gagging was unpleasant. At one point the doctor jerked the hose and it felt like my stomach did a somersault. He told me “two more minutes,” I continued gagging, then he pulled the tube out and I was immediately relieved. I felt completely fine afterwards, no soreness in the throat, and was surprised that the whole thing only took what seemed seven minutes or so.