# Awake for endoscopy??!!



## mrs. vr (Oct 14, 2008)

UGH! I just got home from my upper endoscopy. The first time they gave me the "milk of amnesia" stuff, propofol, I think, and it was great! I slept thru the whole thing, no memory of it at all. This time, at a different facility they gave me versed and fentanyl. The doc said, if you think you need more, raise your hand. The second they put the thing in, I needed more, so they gave me a second dose, which did...NOTHING!

I was gagging and puking up mucus the whole time, all over my hair (the nurse said "oops, i forgot to tell you to put it up" :ymad: )

That sucked soooooooooo bad. I guess the good news is, if he doesn't find the celiac sprue stuff, and I have to go for the colonoscopy to look for the microscopic colitis, they KNOW I need more meds next time.

Redheads need more anesthesia, and I knew this, but I certainly thought the second dose woulda done it. :ybatty: 

He took a LOT of biopsies, and I feel much more sore in my throat/chest than i did last time, probably because last time i was ASLEEP and RELAXED!!!

Ok, I'm done ranting now, but I wonder if anyone else has had a similar experience?


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## mrs. vr (Oct 14, 2008)

oh my gosh, Pen. Seriously, I was so not even anxious about this one, cause the first was so easy. UGH, I will NEVER do that again without being out.


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## My Butt Hurts (Oct 14, 2008)

Holy frik, what a nightmare!  Never had one.
Do readheads really need more anethesia?  I would think you were joking, but it didn't sound like you were joking.  I have never heard that before.
I had a blood test for celiac.  Did they try THAT?
Sheesh.  Well, it's over.


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## mrs. vr (Oct 14, 2008)

MBH, it's true! Here's a link:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/487261

When I had viral meningitis about eight years ago, they had to give me three doses of demerol to even take the edge off. At the time I was running, and I was skinny. They kept looking at me like I was nuts, or a druggie.


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## mrs. vr (Oct 14, 2008)

oh, and they did do a bloodtest for celiac awhile back, but he said that's not very accurate, the biopsy is the best way to confirm it. Interestingly, and I mighta said this elsewhere, the ASCA antibody is also an indication of celiac. Who knew?


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## Guest (Oct 14, 2008)

aww hugs for you Mrs and for Pen too (((hugs))), and they are very understanding hugs because i have had both the procedures without anything at all to help me. i'm allergic to local anaesthetic, so numbing the throat is out. my first upper endoscopy was aborted because the end of the tube twisted, and as they pushed it down, it pushed more and more into the flesh of my throat.. i screamed, tears poured, and they gave up. next time, i was put to sleep and it was doddle.

my last colonoscopy a few weeks ago, i was wide awake, no pain relief, no sedative. it was an experience i wont forget for a long time lol.


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## jed (Oct 14, 2008)

wow, redheads just cant get a break can they?


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## mrs. vr (Oct 14, 2008)

DB, that's HORRIBLE!!!

And Pen, I went blonde for a bit once


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## Guest (Oct 14, 2008)

jed said:
			
		

> wow, redheads just cant get a break can they?



i dunno, i have my moments :ylol2:


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## Babe123 (Oct 15, 2008)

aww hun *hugs*

when i went for my upper endoscopy they talked me into having it done awake. the mnute they numbed my throat i was gagging they couldnt get the thing near my throat or i wudda killed em !!! they shouldnt have done that until you were asleep ! x


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## Chrismom (Oct 15, 2008)

When I had my first ever endoscopy back in 1996 there was no anesthesia.  They would spray the back of your throat with a numbing spray, and make you swallow, swallow, swallow!!!!!  So I know exactly how you feel!!!   Yuck!


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## huskyjerk (Oct 15, 2008)

*Yup*

Just some soar throat spray and down it goes.  Yeah military doctors dont spare no expense.


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## mrs. vr (Oct 15, 2008)

The office nurse called to check on me today. She said "oh, I bet you were sleepy!" and when I told her it never even took she was SHOCKED. See, this is why I could never become a druggie. Couldn't afford it.


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## RHOV (Oct 15, 2008)

why do they do it while you're awake? How do you breathe? I'm glad I was put completely out!


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## AgB621 (Oct 16, 2008)

I was completely out for mine, I woke up feeling just fine.  That anesthesia is actually pretty nice!  

There is no way anyone would get me to do those tests without anesthesia! I feel for all of you who had to go through that!  What a horror, my goodness.  I feel sick just thinking about it.  I had a sigmoid without any local anesthesia, it was one of the most horrible experiences I've ever had, and that's nothing compared to a colonoscopy.  Yikes.

Random side note: why does my internet's automatic spellchecker think that "colonoscopy" isn't a word?  It doesn't like "Crohn's" either.


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## num1habsfan (Oct 16, 2008)

All of my endoscopies i've had (which has been um..3) I didn't even have the throat freezing. I had it frozen once, and couldn't stop throwing up. So I refuse to ever have it again. They gave me an IV with minor sedatives just to relieve the pain. 

The one specialist explained to me that they can't actually put you to sleep during an endscopy, because the can't control your throat if you are. 

Let me tell you...between the air they put in to inflate the intestines, and the feeling of this tube shoved down your throat for 10 mins, I end up being sick for 3 days and can't eat or talk. So I think be happy that you got any sort of relieve. 

The last one though, in a more advanced hospital, they used something that REALLY really helped -- a mouth piece. By biting down on this, you can't force your throat to close, and the gag reflex is not as badly affected. 

(P.S.: to really prove Celiac, you need a colonoscopy..it mainly affects the large intestine, usually towards the lower end of it.)


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## num1habsfan (Oct 16, 2008)

dingbat said:
			
		

> my last colonoscopy a few weeks ago, i was wide awake, no pain relief, no sedative. it was an experience i wont forget for a long time lol.


*shudders*..thanks for bringing back terrifying memories :tongue:


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## Sparky (Oct 16, 2008)

that sounds horrible!  Never had an endoscopy, definitely agree with the comment that colonoscopy wide awake and aware lives with you for a looooong time...


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## AgB621 (Oct 16, 2008)

I don't understand why so many people have been awake for endoscopies/colonoscopies when there's so many general sedatives out there that would make you not feel any of it!  What's up with that?


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## Sparky (Oct 16, 2008)

I've got a 'thing' about having a tap in my hand.  I'm not squeamish about anything, really - apart from that.  When my son was born, I went into one when they *had* to give me a cannula (so that I could have my very lovely epidural )

I chose to have my colonoscopy without sedation, as it meant no tap in my hand.  Not sure I'd make that same choice again.


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## mrs. vr (Oct 17, 2008)

I *think* that the first place I did was a larger surgi-center, so they had an anesthesiologist on staff. Apparently, they can't use the better drugs without one.


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## Wiles (Oct 17, 2008)

There's always risk involved when putting someone under. I think a lot of doctors try to avoid it if they can. 

Personally, if I was having another colonoscopy I'd make a big stink (figuratively) until they put me under. With fissures and fistulas and who knows what else it hurts quite a bit when anything is put in there.


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## Guest (Oct 17, 2008)

when i had my 'wide awake' colonoscopy, i couldn't have the sedative because i went on my own - drove - & apparently you need someone with you 24 hours after, and no driving.


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## num1habsfan (Oct 19, 2008)

My 'wide awake' colonoscopy was because they didn't give me the sedative until about 1 minute before I had the 2 scopes done at once. It hit me after it was already done. In fact, my mom had to get extended time on our hotel room (this was done out of province, so had nowhere else to stay). She couldn't wake me up.


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