Can someone give me some info? (Conscious sedation and a colonoscopy)

[IAmTheWalrus]

According to my GI, it's the norm now for patients to be awake, or under "conscious sedation" as she put it, whilst having a colonoscopy.

I'm going for a routine one at the start of February and I'm really anxious as I'd prefer to be KO'd (I love the feeling of going under! lol) and not awake, looking at a monitor with my insides as the day's matinee!

What are the effects of conscious sedation? Will I feel much? Will I be wired to the moon on some awesome drugs? (please say yes ) ......

Any info would be great because Google ain't helping me.

:smile:

 

[xX_LittleMissValentine_Xx]

Hello,
I believe I was under conscious sedation for my last colonoscopy. Its so they can get you to turn over if you need to. I don't remember much of it, they told me I could go to sleep so maybe I did. But they did get me to turn around and I remember watching the screen for a bit.
Hope this helps, good luck with your colonoscopy.

 

[StarGirrrrl]

As I understand it, that kind of sedation knocks some people out, makes others sleepy, and has no effect on some.

If you are really anxious, speak to them before hand and ask for some anxiety meds.

 

[Ihurt]

You should ask for the drugs versed and propafol for sedation. This is ensure that you will not feel nor remember a thing. What your doctor is saying is they usually give you a twilgiht sedation. I had a colonoscopy years ago before I was even chronically ill and I was crying afterwards so it must have been very painful for me. Well if and when I go through another colonoscopy in the future I will insist upon being out for it. I mean actually versed and propofol the two together work very well with sedation. You will not feel or remember anything. To me it would be barbaric to be awake during this procedure. It is very unatural and would cause pain in anyone, especially someone who is already inflammed in there..... Remember, you are the patient and have the last say. If you feel more comfortable being out, then you insist upon it!

 

[StarGirrrrl]

I had mine with just pain relief, no sedation.

Of course it was uncomfortable and a little painful at times, but I would never describe it as barbaric.

I can guarantee the prep was 1000 times worse than what was an easy procedure for me. Of course half the procedure is the instrument going the wrong way up your colon, but that means half is the instrument coming down which after all is the same way the waste travels- so the natural way.

I got to go straight home after my drink and biscuit, quite amusing to watch most snoring away in the recovery room

It is worth mentioning I was not inflamed although I did have a spectacular bowel spasm at one point- I say spectacular because the GI sounded really shocked. Of course this was left off my report (not the first time this GI manipulated test results I am sad to say) so had I been knocked out I would not have gotten the whole story. All it took was three quick puffs on my pain relief and it was gone.

I can understand if someone has bad IBD or a bad scope experience they will want full sedation (same for me after an upper scope, never ever ever would I be anything other than comatose for one) but for a routine test your GI is correct.

 

[highlandsrock]

Everyone's experience is different but I really wouldn't want to be knocked out for a colonoscopy. Conscious sedation is what I have had each time as I like to see what's going on and ask questions. For the one I had just before Christmas I was given a cocktail of Fentanyl, Midazolam and Buscopan. It gave me the chance to witness that there were no signs of active Crohn's disease! I don't find the procedure particularly unpleasant. It's the not being being able to eat solid food for the 24 hours beforehand that I find the most difficult to deal with.

When the camera is going in from the other end, for an upper GI endoscopy, then I have no hesitation in going for the full knock-out as they are unleasant procedures.

As I said at the beginning, everyone's experience is different. Good luck for February

 

[Grumbletum]

i believe also, in the UK anyway, that they prefer to use conscious sedation so that you can tell them if you are in a lot of pain as a way of avoiding any internal damage.

 

[KWalker]

I've been awake as well in the past. Actually, if I had a good doctor I'd prefer to be awake so I could talk to him/her while they're doing it and so I can see for myself how bad I am inside. I know what you mean how awesome it feels for those few seconds before you get knocked out though lol.

When I was awake I was 100% aware, and actually having a conversation with the doctor and my mom (I was probably 15-16) and the doctor let my mom watch. It didn't hurt at all, but it was VERY cold lol. They gave me something so I wouldn't feel anything but I didn't know what it was called. I just remember him telling me when he was putting it in, etc. and not feeling it.

 

[Ihurt]

That is so interesting. I mean for me, I could probably do the upper GI scope awake. I had no issues with that one, and I have had like 8 done in the last 9 years. But NEVER would I want to be awake for the colonoscopy. It was WAY more painful. I mean they have to make all those twists and turns in your bowel not to mention all the air they are pumping into you. Where the upper scope is pretty simple, I mean it goes straight down, no curves or anything. I mean yeah, you gag, but it is not painful. That is just my experience though.

 

[gmm]

ive had two or three attempts at them doing it with so called sedation whatever they put through your venflon had no effect whatsoever and i only lasted about 20 odd seconds before telling them to stop,may as well have been water, last ones done under g a, cept for the last one when i prepped and they forgot about the ga, now need to do it all again if i go back

 

[StarGirrrrl]

Now I would say the opposite ihurt. First I was sitting in the waiting room for two hours past my appointment time with my imagination running riot. I threatened to leave and then they saw me. For the upper they offered me sedation which may not work and I would feel everything or numbing spray. I went for the latter and it was horrific. I have a hiatus hernia (unknown until the scope) which made the procedure so much worse. Basically it is a leak from thorax to stomach so all the air went into my stomach and caused gut spasms. I gagged constantly and could barely breathe. I don't know how I did not rip the tubes out. Then to add insult they made me get off the bed and walk into the recovery area where I had to sit on a hard chair. No wheelchair, no help exiting the room and no soft chair (I understand why I was not offered a bed although I would have liked one).

My throat was raw for days- not the measly 24 hours they promised. I would never,ever have one again without being totally knocked out.

So for those that have a bad colonoscopy experience I can understand the desire for sedation.

But I knew I would probably be ok for colonoscopy because I had had a flexi-sig a few years before. That is so brief and only goes a little way up the colon so you don't even get offered pain relief let alone sedation. So my imagination could not run wild lol.

 

[IAmTheWalrus]

Thanks everyone! Much appreciated.

I was worried that logic would come into play and I'd get different responses, some good, some not so good.

Can anyone go into specifics on the drugs you use? Are they simple opioids or are they "OMG MY DOCTOR HAS TURNED INTO A CARTON OF MILK @_@ #_#" kinda drugs? Bit of an exaggeration, lol, but tell me they're adequate!

 

[lisakuney]

I had Fentanyl, Versed, Propofol, and whatever else I could get. I started getting Versed in the prep area, and they pushed more as they wheeled me to the OR. I remember crawling onto the table, assuming the position they told me to, then I don't remember anything until waking up in recovery. Had colonoscopy and EGD. I remember thinking my doc looked different in scrubs, since he is such a snappy dresser in the office, then nothing. Ignorance is bliss for me lol, although I did laugh when I read the test report. Apparently my tattoos shocked him to the extent that he mentioned them in the dictation. I guess he figured greying mature ladies of rubenesque statue aren't routinely inked

 

[IAmTheWalrus]

lol, thanks Lisa.

Those drugs sound gooooood to meeee! I really wanna be drugged up to the hilt before I get a foot long tube up my bum.

 

[KayleighMeek]

I don remember a lot from my colonoscopy I was nearly knocked out by the drugs they gave me all I rember is when they have me the oxygen thing up my nose is me laughing a lot and waffling on about being at the Isle of Wight festival in the oxygen bar with the same thing, so I was pretty out of it. The only bit I found bad was after as the meds made feel sick but I slept it off.

 

[kiny]

It's so they can hear your screams.

I had it done without any form of sedation for whatever reason, and it can really hurt because the endoscopes they use don't actually bend very well (there's metal casings and wiring for the light, camera and air pump etc), they only bend with enough pressure, and in corners of your colon it will push against the corner quite a bit before it fully bends, which is where the pain comes from mostly I believe, but it's worse if you are inflamed there since those exact spots in those corners are the places people tend to have colonic crohn's disease ulcers.

I remember the guy who did the colonoscopy saying at the end "that went well" even though I screamed out of my lungs the whole time. Not sure what he considers "well" but it didn't feel "well".

I think it matters a lot if you are inflamed or have pain in the colon to begin with.

 

[McM17]

I just had my first colonoscopy and upper gastro endoscopy back in December! I was really freaked out about being sedated, but it was great! The last thing I remember is the nurse telling the doctor that she was starting the medicine, and I felt really sleepy and happy (the calmest I had felt in about 48 hours ) and then suddenly I was waking up and my dad was asking if I wanted my glasses back. To me it was like falling asleep and waking up, I don't remember a thing! I told them specifically that I didn't want to remember it, and they took really good care of me!

 

[McM17]

They gave me versed and fentanyl by the way!

 

[Ihurt]

You poor thing that they made you go through that. They could have easily sedated you. I know I will absolutely insist upon it. I mean actually when they use propofol and versed, these are Not like general anesthesia where you are totally under but it is enough to where you will feel nothing. They should know to be careful when doing the scope, I mean they would know if they saw severe inflammation and whether or not to proceed or if it is too dangerous. They do NOT need you to be awake.









QUOTE=kiny;579125]It's so they can hear your screams.

I had it done without any form of sedation for whatever reason, and it can really hurt because the endoscopes they use don't actually bend very well (there's metal casings and wiring for the light, camera and air pump etc), they only bend with enough pressure, and in corners of your colon it will push against the corner quite a bit before it fully bends, which is where the pain comes from mostly I believe, but it's worse if you are inflamed there since those exact spots in those corners are the places people tend to have colonic crohn's disease ulcers.

I remember the guy who did the colonoscopy saying at the end "that went well" even though I screamed out of my lungs the whole time. Not sure what he considers "well" but it didn't feel "well".

I think it matters a lot if you are inflamed or have pain the colon to begin with.[/QUOTE]

 

[Toomuchtooyoung]

I've had five flexible sigmodoscopies in the past year and a half, four of which were sedated. They were very painful and I was literally screaming at my last sedated one. They agreed because it was so painful for me that I would have to have my next one under general anaesthetic. I will definitely be insisting on general anaesthetic for all future procedures. Sedation is fine for the procedure if ur colon is in good condition but if u r badly inflamed the procedure can be very sore. General anaesthetic comes with its own risks so I'd give the sedation a go for the first time then if its sore just insist on GA going forward.

 

[IAmTheWalrus]

Oh dear God I'm terrified, I'm a little ponce when it comes to pain ..... =/

I'll insist on something strong!!!!

 

[lisakuney]

Oh dear God I'm terrified, I'm a little ponce when it comes to pain ..... =/

I'll insist on something strong!!!!

You'll be fine...I'm fairly poncy myself as I have fibromyalgia too. Just explain to the staff that you are having serious anxiety and ask them to give you something while you wait. In fact, tell your doctor beforehand so he can make sure you get it. I straight up tell them I have a panic disorder, and pain issues from the fibro, and I want to be drooling on myself. They wouldn't let me take my usual Xanax the morning of, so they gave me a small dose of Versed ahead of time to take the edge off. I'd rank it about the same as a good bowl of weed in terms of relaxation. Colonoscopy? Who gives a shit? Pun intended...

 

[Ihurt]

Liaskuney is right, ask for a good dose of versed before the procedure, it will definitely relax you! I have got to say I do remember when I was having a different procedure( cystoscopy with biopsies done) they gave me versed and propofol. I remember when they gave me the shot of versed while I was waiting, well next thing I know, I am done. I did not remember anything. Here is the good thing about versed. Versed given in the right amount will make you forget everything! Even when I had my colonoscopy done 8 years ago( this was before I had any real gut issues, just had some other gut things going on and I had an over-zealous doctor who was test happy), well they did mine with only versed and I came out of it crying so I know it hurt. But odd thing is that I did NOT remember it. Anyhow, I still say that maybe if you can get them to give you the propofol as well, that would be great. Otherwise ask for enough of the versed so that you wont know what is going on.. You will be ok then, you wont remember a thing. The versed makes you feel like you are in lala land, no kidding. I mean you wont give a shit what they are doing to you at that point if they give you enough lol!