Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
When I had my colonoscopy, they told me that the anesthesia is super light and that it's not uncommon for people to wake up during the procedure and have conversations with the staff that seem perfectly normal, though they seldom remember them. In fact, that happened to my husband.
Apparently the anesthesia IS very light because I woke up with no problems and in just a few minutes, and had no ill effects whatsoever - very different from the general anesthesia I had when I had major surgery. No nausea, no grogginess, nothing. After we left the hospital we went out to eat and I ate like a field hand!
It wouldn't work for me. I had my first without anaesthesia and it was like something from a medieval torture chamber. Some of us, apparently, aren't built for comfort with this procedure.
They gave me a small amount of something (5 units of whatever). Even before they started, I said I needed more, so they upped it to 10 units. They started. When they came to a bend in the road I screamed out in bloody agony. They upped me to 15 units, and I went to sleep.
Either I'm malformed inside, or I'm a pain wimp. Whichever it is, sedation? Yes please.
Many facilities like to give Versed which is an amnesic drug. I had it once for a minor surgical procedure and for months I would wake up at night trying to piece together the time during the procedure that had been blocked from my memory, it's hard to describe but it was very disturbing. I asked my doc about it, he said it's uncommon but it does happen and suggested that I don't take it again. When I had my colonoscopy they wanted to give me versed- in fact they argued with me about it but I refused. They did not want to do it without any anesthesia so I finally agreed to a small dose of benadryl. Honestly I think they are more gentle with you when you are going to remember the procedure than when they give you Versed. The procedure was about 10 times more manageable than the prep for it ugh
Agree! I had it done in the US because I was hospitalized for food poisoning and they couldn't isolate the bacterium, and I wasn't improving. This doctor did it without anesthesia, and I nearly passed out from pain. Looking back, I really think he was sadistic. I really do. That was just .... the worst pain, almost worse than the three times I've had kidney stones.
The first time I had it done they said afterwards that I definitely need anaesthesia if I have it done again (apparently I was screaming so loud I was scaring people in the waiting room!) so the second time I told them that (different hospital) and they said yeah yeah we'll give you something to relax you - gave me some Valium and something in the IV but they did absolutely nothing for me, wasn't relaxed at all and I certainly wasn't asleep. If I ever have to have one done again I'm demanding that they put it in writing that I will be asleep for the entire procedure or its not happening.
I have had seven scopes; each with full sedation of a "cocktail" consisting of a combo of Versed, propofol and Fentanyl. If I decided to attempt it without the drugs, I'm not sure the doctor would be too happy about interrupting the procedure to wait for someone to set up an IV and administer the drug(s).
I have had four cardiac catheterizations and aside from the stick in the femoral artery to facilitate the insertion of the camera, I have no idea of how painful the procedure might be so I'm not interested in finding out.
For those who have undergone the procedure sans anaesthesia, is it possible that it wasn't a colonoscopy but a flexible sigmoidoscopy? That procedure is routinely performed without sedation and I have met someone who had this done and would never go through it again.
The difference is that the sigmoidoscopy only examines the lower third of the colon and could miss entirely the area where my cancer was located.
To all you stoics who opt to forego sedation for your procedure, I salute you. You are of hardy stock.
I have had seven scopes; each with full sedation of a "cocktail" consisting of a combo of Versed, propofol and Fentanyl. If I decided to attempt it without the drugs, I'm not sure the doctor would be too happy about interrupting the procedure to wait for someone to set up an IV and administer the drug(s).
I have had four cardiac catheterizations and aside from the stick in the femoral artery to facilitate the insertion of the camera, I have no idea of how painful the procedure might be so I'm not interested in finding out.
For those who have undergone the procedure sans anaesthesia, is it possible that it wasn't a colonoscopy but a flexible sigmoidoscopy? That procedure is routinely performed without sedation and I have met someone who had this done and would never go through it again.
The difference is that the sigmoidoscopy only examines the lower third of the colon and could miss entirely the area where my cancer was located.
To all you stoics who opt to forego sedation for your procedure, I salute you. You are of hardy stock.
Mine was definitely a full colonoscopy They really don't like using anaesthesia here, been awake for all my gastroscopies and ureteroscopies (although for one of them they did thankfully give me a spinal)
My colonoscopy was just with propophol; no "cocktail" mixture. I had zero concern about a painful procedure. I just wanted to not be conscious for it, at all. I didn't want to wake up in the middle of it, I didn't want to know about it, I didn't want to hear voices during it. I wanted to wake up refreshed and pretend it never happened. Just the idea of having some doctors and nurses staring at an anal probe twisting its way up my colon was traumatic enough to convince me that I wanted to be *completely* oblivious to the entire ordeal.
The procedure was flawless, I felt great after, but it was still the most nerve-wracking personally invasive and intrusive violation of my body I've ever experienced. I've watched doctors drill divots in my femur so the marrow could leak out and fill a hole in my knee joint. I've watched them slice open my forearm and unscrew the plates that had been put in there a year prior when I broke the bones. I watch my root canals and even watched the last dental implant through the mirror affixed to the dentist's safety glasses.
But colonoscopy - just no. There's something about it that just is wrong on every emotional and mental level I have.
So I'm glad for prophopol. I'm glad it was 100% unconscious for the whole thing.
They gave me a small amount of something (5 units of whatever). Even before they started, I said I needed more, so they upped it to 10 units. They started. When they came to a bend in the road I screamed out in bloody agony. They upped me to 15 units, and I went to sleep.
Either I'm malformed inside, or I'm a pain wimp. Whichever it is, sedation? Yes please.
Mine was a full colonoscopy. The straightaways are okay, yes. It's those left turns that cued me to sing. First time I think I've ever screamed during a medical procedure.
Guess we'll never know if right turns are any smoother.
Funny story. I took my kids to a traveling medical exhibit at the State Science Museum years ago called, I believe, "Grossology." It involved all the icky stuff that goes on with our bodies and was especially perfect for young boys.
We giggled in some discomfort at the life-sized, anatomically correct vomiting machine, watched burps forming and howled with laughter, learned what made old sweat smell so bad and examined our skin under microscopes to "eews" and "aaws." But the one that had us doubled over in hopeless hilarity was watching little kids take a ride through a pink simulated colon slide and come popping out on the bottom.
Honest to goodness, the things some people will pay to see.
I have had seven scopes; each with full sedation of a "cocktail" consisting of a combo of Versed, propofol and Fentanyl. If I decided to attempt it without the drugs, I'm not sure the doctor would be too happy about interrupting the procedure to wait for someone to set up an IV and administer the drug(s).
I have had four cardiac catheterizations and aside from the stick in the femoral artery to facilitate the insertion of the camera, I have no idea of how painful the procedure might be so I'm not interested in finding out.
For those who have undergone the procedure sans anaesthesia, is it possible that it wasn't a colonoscopy but a flexible sigmoidoscopy? That procedure is routinely performed without sedation and I have met someone who had this done and would never go through it again.
The difference is that the sigmoidoscopy only examines the lower third of the colon and could miss entirely the area where my cancer was located.
To all you stoics who opt to forego sedation for your procedure, I salute you. You are of hardy stock.
Well said and I agree! The last scope they used all of the "cocktail" the doctor felt comfortable using and I was wide awake and feeling like someone was drilling a well looking for water.
I've been through 4 cardiac caths with 6 stents and while the first time was very painful for a few seconds when they placed the stent all others (thanks to "the cocktail) were easy peasy!
I found "the cocktail" you describe about 20 years ago when I had a discography done. They said I screamed so loud it almost cleared out the same day surgery waiting room and I almost bent the table handles. I don't remember a thing...
I don't see how anyone could go through a scoping without meds unless they've got a "drive-thru" down there....
I'm mainly not wanting to get drugged up because I don't have someone to drive me. Unless you have a spouse - who would you ever ask to do this? I did it for my ex-hubby and no one could believe it - every nurse around was like..you're NOT married?! And yeah, he was farting the whole time continuously and totally messed up.... No, I don't want to go through that or make someone else, either. Geeez.....maybe YOU don't remember it, but believe me, your driver will get an earful and they WILL remember.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
They really don't like using anaesthesia here, been awake for all my gastroscopies and ureteroscopies (although for one of them they did thankfully give me a spinal)
