Colonoscopy...Scared, help!

Crohn's Disease Forum

Help Support Crohn's Disease Forum:

mharvey90

mharvey90

Joined
Jun 27, 2009
Messages
200
So on Thursday August 20 I have to go for a colonoscopy. At first I wasn't worried at all, because for my last one I was only 9 years old and was fully sedated (totally knocked out.) I have been reading up all day on colonoscopies, and every website I've come across says that the doctor "may administer pain medication and a mild sedative to keep you relaxed and sleepy during the procedure." UGH! So what kind of pain medicine, and what kind of sedative will be used? I was really hoping that something to the effect of nitrous oxide would be used. I was given nitrous for my wisdom teeth extraction, which creates the "twilight sleep" effect, meaning you are actually conscious during the procedure, but you don't remember a thing afterwords.

SO, I am hoping that you guys could share your colonoscopy experiences, negative and positive, and include your age (unless you feel uncomfortable with that), because I have heard that sedation goes according to your age. I am 19...so I hope I am young enough to be a candidate for full sedation :confused2:
 
I'm 21, just had a colonoscopy a month ago... they gave me Versed (sedation or "twilight sleep") and Fentanyl (pain med) with Phenergan for the nausea afterwards... I was completely sedated (don't remember a thing) and I woke up un-nauseous... you should be just fine.

Also remember... most colonoscopies only last between 25-45 minutes, so you don't have to be under that long. This being said, I was out of commission for most of the rest of the day (procedure at 10 am and I wasn't fully aware of myself til around 5 or 6 that evening)


Edit: I also had one at age 18 and I don't know what they gave me, but I was sedated completely also... I just wasn't given the Phenergan and I threw up afterwards.
 
Last edited:
I honestly don't think you need full sedation. That's riskier that conscious sedation. I have had 5 colonoscopies, and had conscious sedation with all of them. I felt completely knocked out for 4 and didn't remember a thing. For one of them, I woke up for maybe 3 seconds, and fell right back asleep.

Good luck on Thursday!
 
Thanks katiesue, that makes me feel a little bit better :)

MBH, do you know what kind of sedation you are given that makes you feel completely knocked out, but you are actually conscious? That sounds like what I had for my wisdom teeth extraction. I just don't want to walk in there and ask what the sedation is to find out that it's tylenol and valium, I'll turn around and walk right back out the door!!
 
mharvey90 said:
MBH, do you know what kind of sedation you are given that makes you feel completely knocked out, but you are actually conscious?
Click to expand...
No, and I was hoping no one woudl ask! LOL. I was just thinking as I read KatieSue's post that I really should know these things! Like - I don't even know where my Crohn's is located. Sigh...
 
Haha, wow! So since you don't know where your Crohn's is located, I take it you've been fortunate enough to never have any surgery?
 
Hey there, DON'T PANIC!!!!! A colonoscopy isn't that bad, from my meagre experience anyway.

I had my first a month or so ago. I was not drugged to sleep, however apparantly I should have relaxed and the meds they did give me did nothing to relax me at all. So I was awake through the whole things, BUT, it didn't last very long (I never looked at the time but it 'felt' like about 15-20 minutes), and wasn't that unpleasant.

What I experienced was bouts of pain as the doc pumped the air in (this was quite unpleasant but not any worse than the cramps one usually gets) accompanied by a need to poo (but everything is empty so you can just relax on that one) and then releif as he worked his way back out and sucked air out along the way.

I did find that I spent several hours farting COPIOUSLY after that and there were a few cramps but they were relieved as soon as each burst of air escaped!

I also remained runny at that end for a couple of days afterwards.

The worst part for me was actually the prep. So, don;t be afraid of the procedure. It's great to get it done and have answers.

Since starting on this journey recently and with all the things that have happened I have just decided to look at all of these thngs as EXPERIENCES. This has helped a lot.

So, the colonoscopy wasn;t good, bad or terrible. It was just an experience and now its over!

Hope that helps

Shaz
:)
 
shazamataz said:
So, the colonoscopy wasn;t good, bad or terrible. It was just an experience and now its over!
Click to expand...


That's definitely the best way of looking at it. :) I was 32 when I had mine...

The prep isn't that bad IMO - just make sure you have a totally free day with easy toilet access!

The sedative used will be a Benzodiazepine - I was given Midazolam (I asked!) via IV. It sedated me easily but I can still remember parts of the procedure. Was a bit sketchy for a few hours afterwards thought.

Not trying to scare the OP, but the bits I do remember of my colonoscopy were when I was screaming in pain as they pumped air in. Unfortunately my investigation was abandoned halfway through because I couldn't tolerate it!

They didn't give me any pain medication as they explained that they need feedback from you to say whether you are experiencing any discomfort throughout the procedure. I was told that if you are anaesthetised in any way then they could end up doing more damage to you because you aren't telling them it hurts!

Anyway... good luck for tomorrow (and today - if you are prepping), mharvey. :)
 
Last edited:
I just had my first colonscopy done last month, and I was wide awake through the whole thing. I watched it all on the screen. :) hehe I know that they said they gave me 2 different medications and I would probably not remember anything, but I was wide awake and staring at the screen and making jokes the whole time. I did feel slight tugs as he would do the biopsies. And I did feel the air, but to me it didn't hurt at all. I think it just depends on several factors. I know I have a very high pain tolerance, and boy do my doctors finally believe me on that one! But as most people will tell you, the prep is the worst part. I didn't think it was all that bad doing the prep either, but I was lucky and did a pill prep and didn't have to drink the nasty tasting stuff. I wouldn't worry too much. The doctor knows what he's doing and does these procedures many times a day.

Good luck, let us know how it goes. :)
 
am 26 and had my colonoscopy 10 days ago
the preparation was way more terrible than the procedure and from researching i found that this is how most of ppl who had it feel
they gave me something in my vein to help me relax but really did nothing as i was conscious and i remember the whole thing which is funny cuz when i went to get this thing from the pharmacy they asked me to show my ID and give my address so i was thinking "damn this thing ll make me fly" but actually it was so weak
there was a feeling of discomfort from the gas they pump but was not so bad
but there was couple of moments when i screamed from extreme pain (each one lasted for just few seconds) and i think it s when they had to make a turn in the corner
the whole procedure lasted for less than 20 minutes and was ok overall,i had my friend with me during the procedure ( the Dr told me to do so) and this helped, we even shared couple of laughters during those 20 minutes :)
good luck
 
mharvey90 said:
Haha, wow! So since you don't know where your Crohn's is located, I take it you've been fortunate enough to never have any surgery?
Click to expand...
Okay - it must be spread out then - cuz he said surgery wouldn't help for that reason. I did have ass surgery, cut right through it - but that was for a fistula. Still a bunch of fun though!
 
I had my first colonoscopy at 18, it's the only one I've had so far and its the one they used to diagnose me. It wasn't that bad. I don't know what they gave me, I know they gave me analgesia IV but I don't know what it was, they must have given me a little sedative aswell because I was relaxed, but I remember everything about it, I even watched it on the screen and the doc talked me through what he was looking at.

It hurt a bit when they pump the air in but its over soon, they just gave me more painkillers and I was fine then, talking to the nurses about "the X factor" TV show and who we wanted to win. It was afterwards I was away with the fairies, just really giddy.

I had a gastroscopy just before my colonoscopy, and that is something I hope they'll knock me out for if I ever have to have another one - I just completely panicked and my throat was really sore afterwards.

Don't worry about your colonoscopy, in my experience drinking the bowel prep was the worst part of it all. It goes warm when you mix it which didn't help its already less than appealing taste :(

Xx
 
I just wanted to wish you luck for today (even though you won't need it).

I was asleep for the 5 colonoscopies I had in the past year. Can't remember a thing. Woke up in recovery and it was all done.

As everyone has said, the bowel prep is worse than the actual procedure. I find not being able to eat for 2 days is the worst. I feel so sick by the end of it, I'm hanging out for that first sandwich I can have afterwards.

I hope you get some answers today.
 
Well, whatever they used pretty much knocked me out! I had no recollection of the procedure, and was extremely loopy and groggy the rest of the day. The news wasn't so great, however. I have some pretty bad narrowing in my terminal ileum area (I actually had my ileum removed 7 years ago, but where the large meets the small intestine) to the extent that he could not get the scope through without forcing it- which I am glad he did not do. So now I have to go for an Upper GI and Small Bowel Series to see what's up.....I am hoping this doesn't lead to surgery :(
 
SO glad you didn't remember anything :).

Super sorry about the results dear...at least the next tests are just swallowing stuff and pictures, right? Chin up love, wait and see what happens, we are here for you!
 
Hey mharvey,

Don't you worry about a hing just tell them to make sure and knock you out yeah because i had one (i have had about 7 ) and the guy didn't knock me out and let me tell ya WWWHHOOOOA !.........that made my eyes pop out on stalks.

I have also had a lot of surgery etc so nothing phases me now.\

I certainly don't intend to worry you, honestly you will be just fine......and you will also have some answers !!

Stay healthy

Bruscar
 
:) Glad that you did not remember anything.....I'm sorry to hear what they found! I hope it does not lead to surgery again either! Keep us posted! :)
 
thanks everyone :) i have my upper GI/small bowel series on wednesday so I will post the results as soon as i hear them!
 
My upper GI was soooo much easier than the colonoscopy....NO PREP!! LOL

I was totally asleep for my upper GI, unlike my colonoscopy, I was awake for the whole thing. I just remember my GI telling me to drool & the 1st words out of my mouth when I woke up & my shoulder was soaked was, "Dr. Levine, I was a good drooler!" LOL

Good luck girly! :)
 
I seriously recommend everyone getting the full sedation to knock you out. I was partially conscious during my procedure, and still found myself in a lot of pain and remembering every little thing. It's really not an experience you want to remember afterwards.
 
Hey guys, sorry I took so long to respond.
As soon as my classes started a couple weeks back I got overly busy. Plus I start a new job on Monday (nervous) so I've barely found the time to be online!
However, the results of my small bowel series revealed an 8cm stricture in my small intestine. My doc wants me to start on Humira and see how that goes (I go to see him for an appt in October.) However, my insurance company will not approve Humira because I have a $600 policy year limit on rx drug coverage. So I am applying for the patient assistance program through Humira which I hear is extremely helpful in providing financial assistance to those without insurance or who are underinsured, like me. So I guess once I start on Humira I will see how I respond, hopefully well, because I am not doing too well now which is a huge worry with how busy my life is at the time. ahhh!
 
Yeah Humira has a 5 dollar co pay assistance program and its WONDERFUL. They will send you a little card to keep in your wallet.
 
I'm glad it went okay, mharvey90! Comforting to know as I have my 3rd colonoscopy (this year already!) scheduled for October 5th I think it is. My previous two have both been under general anaesthesia so obviously I definitely knew nothing about what was going on. This next one is to determine if my Crohn's has worsened quite quickly as my gastro suspects has happened, as I didn't respond to medication as they'd hoped or whether I have another disorder on top of the Crohn's.

I'm mainly worried about the pain aspect, I already have quite sever abdominal pain and have Fentanyl patches and losenges. I just can't imagine being poked around inside is really going to help with that...
 

Similar threads

L
The decision : On Biologics or Not
Replies
18
Views
3K
NeverBeenEasier
N
K
This has destroyed my life.
Replies
27
Views
3K
kephra
K
S
New and seeking for experiences
Replies
9
Views
2K
Carabop1
C
A
The Body and the Bedroom: An Exploration of Crohn’s Disease and Intimacy, Graduate Student Research (IRB #24-008)
Replies
4
Views
1K
cheka
C
A
The Body and the Bedroom: An Exploration of Crohn’s Disease and Intimacy, Graduate Student Research (IRB #24-008)
Replies
0
Views
649
AdlerGraduateStudent
A

Latest posts

Back
Top