Hey everyone. I'm Donnie, I'm 39 and I am not yet diagnosed by my doctors suspect either Crohn's Disease or Ulcerative Colitis. They have me going in for a colonoscopy next week. They plan to give me propofol to completely knock me out. However, I'm admittedly a control freak and the idea of that gives me all kinds of anxiety. Has anyone here ever been awake for their colonoscopy? And if so, was it very bad?
Awake for colonoscopy
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David
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I realize I am not answering your question, but I would consider myself a bit of a control freak too. I was pretty scared to get my colonoscopy but I of course ACTED like it wasn't a big deal. I was given Propofol and it was GREAT. I had no ill effects and I'm glad I didn't have to be awake for the procedure. My next colonoscopy will certainly be sedated as well. Either way, all my best to you 
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I've never been awake for mine (I don't know if that is even an option), but I do know that it is a heaps straightforward procedure. You don't even notice falling asleep and the next thing you know it is all done and your heading home. I know the idea of it can be stressful, but most of the people on this site will have had one at one time or another so its a very common procedure and the doctors know what they are doing.
Anyways, good luck and I hope it all works out well for you
Anyways, good luck and I hope it all works out well for you
hello... i had a camra both ends a few months ago. they said they would give me somethink to make me sleep .. i was asleep lighty for the camra going down my month but still remember it and felt all of it.... i woke up fully when he did the camra up my bottom due to the fact i have a low rectal stricture. i woke up fully because of the pain i was crying it was horrible, they gave me 2 more types of medications to try and settle me down and sleep but it didnt work, i hated it.normally is a straight forward procedure. but as of complications mind was horrible...i sure yours will go fine. but i would say have the propofol
Emma x
Emma x
For my colonoscopy I had gas & air for pain relief and no sedation. It's not a walk in the park but it ain't that bad either!
My colon was clear which may explain the fact I didn't find it too painful.
My colon was clear which may explain the fact I didn't find it too painful.
Hi Poopsie,
I always insist on light sedation and watch my colonoscopy. That way, although I am a wee bit uncomfortable, I can ask questions while the doc is doing it and see for myself. After, when in "recovery" the nurses make sure you get out all your gas (don't be embarrassed, everyone else is tooting,) and then when I go home, I have first hand knowledge of what is going on. My doc also gives me a print out and a colored picture of the trouble spots. It's not something I'd hang on my refrig but it makes sense since I already asked the questions.
If you find you are in a great deal of pain, they can adjust the medication while doing the procedure. I've had at least 5 done this way and have never regretted it. I prefer this to the woozy feeling when I wake up after being knocked out.
Good luck! Jan
I always insist on light sedation and watch my colonoscopy. That way, although I am a wee bit uncomfortable, I can ask questions while the doc is doing it and see for myself. After, when in "recovery" the nurses make sure you get out all your gas (don't be embarrassed, everyone else is tooting,) and then when I go home, I have first hand knowledge of what is going on. My doc also gives me a print out and a colored picture of the trouble spots. It's not something I'd hang on my refrig but it makes sense since I already asked the questions.
If you find you are in a great deal of pain, they can adjust the medication while doing the procedure. I've had at least 5 done this way and have never regretted it. I prefer this to the woozy feeling when I wake up after being knocked out.
Good luck!
Jan
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I was whacked out pretty good, but awake enough to feel a little pain once or twice. Not too bad, but I let them know I felt it. I could tell what was going on, but I was pretty loopy.
I prefer being awake, as then I can at least let them know when it hurts. It is possible to perforate the bowel or intestines doing this procedure. If it hurts, and I let them know, they may proceed a little more carefully.
Dan
I prefer being awake, as then I can at least let them know when it hurts. It is possible to perforate the bowel or intestines doing this procedure. If it hurts, and I let them know, they may proceed a little more carefully.
Dan
I've had light sedation for all of mine, and watched them on the screen. I ask them to use a peds or small scope before I go in there too, as my first one was quite painful. They were using a regular size scope (I am a little on the petite side) and had to withdraw it and switch to a smaller one.
With all of them, I feel the prep is far worse than the procedure itself. It's no fun, but tolerable. Honestly, I like being semi-awake for it, but I am in the medical field and like gross stuff
With all of them, I feel the prep is far worse than the procedure itself. It's no fun, but tolerable. Honestly, I like being semi-awake for it, but I am in the medical field and like gross stuff
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I was scared to death of being sedated too, even though I've done it many times before, but it is really pretty great. I actually felt refreshed afterward and in a very good mood. It is probably easier and faster for the doc to get it done with when we are sedated.
Hi All - i had my colonoscopy yesterday and was sedated. as others said I always think the bowel prep is the worse part, but the needle for the sedation was put into the vein in my wrist and I screamed. (Normally I am pretty tolerant of needles and the 'small scratch' isnt that bad, but boy oh boy did it hurt, and then the meds felt like acid running into my arm, I told them and they flushed it again before carrying on and was OK after that. Next thing I was back in recovery - got to love the Pethadine !!!
On the serious side they found severe ulceration and stricturing so that's not good and have to wait for the follow up and biopsy results
On the serious side they found severe ulceration and stricturing so that's not good and have to wait for the follow up and biopsy results
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I had "twilight sedation" for mine, which is supposedly where you'll be awake but you won't have any recollection of it. I remember one point during mine where I "woke up" and panicked. I started trying desperately to crawl away from the people doing stuff to me. They gave me more drugs to knock me back out. Looking back I have to wonder if that was the point where they reached my terminal ileum (where my inflammation is).
I have wondered the same thing. Sedation/pain killers make me violently ill. I was more sick after the colonoscopy than I was prepping for it, and I hate that.
I have wondered the same thing. Sedation/pain killers make me violently ill. I was more sick after the colonoscopy than I was prepping for it, and I hate that.
ameslouise
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Hi Donnie and welcome!
Good luck with your scope - I hope it leads to some answers for you! Since they don't know if it's CD or UC yet, don't be suprised or disappointed if there's nothing shown in your colonoscopy. For many with CD, they have a clean colonoscopy if the activity/disease is in the small intestine.
Back when I had a colon, I was always in "twilight" for my scopes - kinda half awake but not really but could still see the tv screen showing what they were looking at.
I can't imagine getting a full scope without being at least partially knocked out. If there's activity in there, it's probably going to be pretty painful. That part of the body was designed as an exit ramp only - a big three foot tube with a camera going up there is not what God intended and it's helpful to have a little sumthin-sumthin to ease the discomfort.
Good luck with the test and getting a DX!
- Amy
Good luck with your scope - I hope it leads to some answers for you! Since they don't know if it's CD or UC yet, don't be suprised or disappointed if there's nothing shown in your colonoscopy. For many with CD, they have a clean colonoscopy if the activity/disease is in the small intestine.
Back when I had a colon, I was always in "twilight" for my scopes - kinda half awake but not really but could still see the tv screen showing what they were looking at.
I can't imagine getting a full scope without being at least partially knocked out. If there's activity in there, it's probably going to be pretty painful. That part of the body was designed as an exit ramp only - a big three foot tube with a camera going up there is not what God intended and it's helpful to have a little sumthin-sumthin to ease the discomfort.
Good luck with the test and getting a DX!
- Amy
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I have had a few Scopes done this past year, all I was fully put under. Procedure last only 15 mins and were very smooth and i felt nothing. A little woosie upon waking up but thats about it. There is nothing to worry about just follow all the instructions for the prep and you should be fine. Also i was never given an option about the sedation. Hope this helps
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I was unable to be completely out for mine. But my doctors gave me pain meds and made sure I was comfortable. Most docs will not start until they r sure u r out. If they r caring.
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I was very brave before my colonoscopy - the nurse lied and said I might fall asleep from the sedatives and I probably wont remember having had it after.
They put a plunger full of pain relief in my canular, then a plunger full of sedatives in and for a few seconds I felt like everything was hilarious, then he put the camera in and it wasnt funny any more! My bowel was healthy, but it bloody hurt and I started crying and going 'no, no, take it out!' (probably the sedation making me a bit loopy). Then he asked me to turn over and I abandoned all decorum and remember writhing around and groaning and crying whilst the nurses frantically tried to hide my exposed nether regions from the doctor!
I have to admit it was pretty sore but the pain for me was intermittent like realy intense gas pain, and the whole thing was actually over pretty quickly. Just such an unnatural feeling to have a hosepipe snaking through your insides though.
I remember thanking the doctor when he'd finished. Sedation or no sedation I always remember my manners.
They put a plunger full of pain relief in my canular, then a plunger full of sedatives in and for a few seconds I felt like everything was hilarious, then he put the camera in and it wasnt funny any more! My bowel was healthy, but it bloody hurt and I started crying and going 'no, no, take it out!' (probably the sedation making me a bit loopy). Then he asked me to turn over and I abandoned all decorum and remember writhing around and groaning and crying whilst the nurses frantically tried to hide my exposed nether regions from the doctor!
I have to admit it was pretty sore but the pain for me was intermittent like realy intense gas pain, and the whole thing was actually over pretty quickly. Just such an unnatural feeling to have a hosepipe snaking through your insides though.
I remember thanking the doctor when he'd finished. Sedation or no sedation I always remember my manners.
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my first one, i had no pain, no memory of it, and also no activity going on in there. that probably contributed to the pain free part of it.
My last one, on the other hand, omg. They gave me fentanyl and valium and the nurse said, you wont remember this, and it shouldnt hurt. was she ever wrong. mine was kind of an emergency colonoscopy, so i didnt have to do the prep that time, thank god. although I almost would have preferred it to the two enemas they gave me instead. holy mother of god, talk about pain.
I was totally awake and coherent for my last scope. my mom said she could hear me yelling at them from outside. apparently tell them to "take that god damn thing out of my ass NOW"
while it was nice to see everything, it was also kind of gross because i watched them do the biopsy, which entails ripping parts of my intestine apart and making them bleed and stuff. I would seriously consider being sedated. they'll show you everything after anyways, and answer any questions.
My last one, on the other hand, omg. They gave me fentanyl and valium and the nurse said, you wont remember this, and it shouldnt hurt. was she ever wrong. mine was kind of an emergency colonoscopy, so i didnt have to do the prep that time, thank god. although I almost would have preferred it to the two enemas they gave me instead. holy mother of god, talk about pain.
I was totally awake and coherent for my last scope. my mom said she could hear me yelling at them from outside. apparently tell them to "take that god damn thing out of my ass NOW"
while it was nice to see everything, it was also kind of gross because i watched them do the biopsy, which entails ripping parts of my intestine apart and making them bleed and stuff. I would seriously consider being sedated. they'll show you everything after anyways, and answer any questions.
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I`ve had them done both with and without meds. Fentanyl and valium on one, and vercid(?) on the other. Don`t remember much about either of them with meds - some faint images only. Get to find out about the most recent one next week.
Having done both, I would recommend taking the meds. Especially if you think you might have inflammation in the bowel. When they pump in the air, that is extremely uncomfortable and sometimes painful. I can`t say that I remember that at all when I have had the meds. Besides, after all the pain I`ve had before, sometimes I feel like I deserve the meds!
Having done both, I would recommend taking the meds. Especially if you think you might have inflammation in the bowel. When they pump in the air, that is extremely uncomfortable and sometimes painful. I can`t say that I remember that at all when I have had the meds. Besides, after all the pain I`ve had before, sometimes I feel like I deserve the meds!
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I have, and it was horrible. When the doctor came to areas of inflammation the pain was unbearable. I was able to stay calm but the pain was so intense the doctor sedated me before continuing. The experience was so rough that for years I wouldn't get another one, and when I was admitted under emergency circumstances and they insisted on doing a colonoscopy I literally started shaking. Not worth it.
I, too am not comfortable with anesthesia-the losing control part-either, but in this case I just try to relax and let it do its job. I had Propofol too and it was great-I was up alert with no drowsiness, headache, etc.
