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the colonoscopy from hell

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ant34
Regular Member
Joined : Apr 2010
Posts : 22
Posted 5/23/2010 11:40 AM (GMT -8)
just come home from my colonoscopy and it was almost as bad as childbirth!!!

 

I was crying, sweatingand moving all over the place.

 

I had one about 10yrs ago and i dont remember a single thing so i had no worries going in today but omg thats one of the worst things i've experienced.

 

just thought i'd share my lovely day mad

 

Oh,and it was all clear so that's a result :-)

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MMMNAVY
Veteran Member
Joined : Jul 2006
Posts : 6927
Posted 5/23/2010 12:20 PM (GMT -8)
That is so not ok that you had such a bad scope experience, but it is part of the reason why I do mine under GA. If you feel like it you can make a complaint to make sure that you are not treated that way again.
I am glad that it was all clear.
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ant34
Regular Member
Joined : Apr 2010
Posts : 22
Posted 5/23/2010 12:31 PM (GMT -8)
I did wonder if that was normal behaviour and didn't know i could ask for ga or else i would take that any time.
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MMMNAVY
Veteran Member
Joined : Jul 2006
Posts : 6927
Posted 5/23/2010 1:11 PM (GMT -8)
No that should not be normal behavior. You can always ask for more sedation. It certainly could not hurt to ask GA next time, and just explain your experience. Because I flat out refused to do another one without being completely out.
I am trying to find a way to say this with in the rules. I reacted like military people do when attacked during my first colonscopy, needless to say since then they put me completely out now.
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gatorbites
New Member
Joined : Mar 2009
Posts : 11
Posted 5/23/2010 1:37 PM (GMT -8)
Oh yes completely out is the only way ill do it!! you poor thing!!
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Ashworthml
Regular Member
Joined : Jan 2010
Posts : 222
Posted 5/23/2010 1:44 PM (GMT -8)
Did you have no sedation at all????
Oh My!!! Please don't say that......I am due to have one in June and I have never had one before and am petrified!!!!! But they have said I can be sedated, I dont think I would cope with it any other way!
But everyone on here seems to say completetly out, but the doctor told me it is not a general anaesthetic just a sedation so you are still coherent enough to hear them, so if they move you it makes it easier for them!
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Zanne
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2005
Posts : 3763
Posted 5/23/2010 1:49 PM (GMT -8)
I had one as an inpatient once. It was not at my normal hospital and the doctor was thinking that I had a "problem" with pain meds. When I was screaming for more medication he just kept saying "we gave you all we can" and was clearly thinking that I had proven his point. When I was brought back to my room, the nurse found that my IV was blown and I hadn't gotten any of the sedation medication. When the doctor came in later to give me the results and started to berate me about how much medication I wanted, I promptly told him about the blown IV. His face almost hit the floor and he couldn't apologize enough.

I think he learned a little lesson that day. But I know I will make them stop next time and check my IV if I am in pain.
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MMMNAVY
Veteran Member
Joined : Jul 2006
Posts : 6927
Posted 5/23/2010 2:04 PM (GMT -8)
Ash,
I have GA, because I snapped up out of sed. But this is rare!
I am sure you will be fine, and just tell them your concerns.
Take care,
Navy
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dunny2
Veteran Member
Joined : Jan 2007
Posts : 3200
Posted 5/23/2010 2:21 PM (GMT -8)
I'm the same as Navy, just totally resistant to sedation, and I've had a few scopes like the one you describe,
before it finally sunk in that I was fully aware. I think it was the time my eyes met the doc's and he read my
thoughts (like you b******)
Since that time I'm given profofol, it does make the scope more expensive, if you're paying for it, as there has
to be an anesthesiologist present. But, it is so worth it. In this day & age we should not have to suffer unnecessary
pain. I'm pleased your results were clear.
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NiceCupOfTea
Elite Member
Joined : Jan 2010
Posts : 11145
Posted 5/23/2010 2:44 PM (GMT -8)
I had an atrocious colonoscopy a month ago. I was crying out in pain, but even in the midst of pain I was dreadfully polite about requesting more sedative/painkiller. The nurses were kind and reassuring but that didn't take the pain away; I did get given a painkiller which only partially helped. Never was I more relieved when the procedure was over.

I don't think it was the hospital's fault though. I'd had 3 previous colonoscopies without incident. During the first two I didn't feel a thing and during the 3rd one I felt some annoying discomfort but nothing actually painful. I think this time the right side of my colon was in such bad shape it led to a horribly painful examination towards the end.

@Ashworthml - It isn't usual procedure to be given a general anaesthetic for a colonoscopy. You'll be given sedative but it won't knock you out. However, what will likely happen is that you forget almost everything afterwards; you think you're conscious but you're not quite as conscious as you think you are.

These painful experiences are highly atypical by the way, so don't let them scare you. You almost certainly won't feel a thing or if you do feel anything it will be mild discomfort (not pain) only.
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MMMNAVY
Veteran Member
Joined : Jul 2006
Posts : 6927
Posted 5/23/2010 2:52 PM (GMT -8)
Plus I would say that I have an 18 foot endoscopy then a colonscopy, and this ends up taking around 3 hours.
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dunny2
Veteran Member
Joined : Jan 2007
Posts : 3200
Posted 5/23/2010 3:02 PM (GMT -8)
It isn't typical to give general anesthesia, no I agree. But more and more they use the drug I mentioned in the post above.
Profofol is the sleepy medicine used before GA, you just don't get the paralytic that usually goes with it. therefore no need
to inturbate, hence the reason for anesthesiology.
The ENDO suite at my hospital are now geared more and more for this method.
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NiceCupOfTea
Elite Member
Joined : Jan 2010
Posts : 11145
Posted 5/23/2010 3:57 PM (GMT -8)
Personally I think next time I'm going to request a GA. I'll expect them to say no, but I'm still going to ask and explain why. However, that probably won't happen for another three years or so now.
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kazbern
Veteran Member
Joined : May 2010
Posts : 8384
Posted 5/23/2010 4:58 PM (GMT -8)
I woke up during my first one. That was not fun. The second one I slept through, thank goodness. Sorry this happened to you! I was given Versed IV for both.
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FunGuy
Veteran Member
Joined : Oct 2009
Posts : 1070
Posted 5/23/2010 8:18 PM (GMT -8)
I have had many scopes and find the usual sedation to be adequate. On one recent one I was uncomfortable and the doctor said he could not give me more meds because my BP was going down. He said go to sleep. To this I thought "Oh! OK. I let/made myself sleep. It worked. So TRY to sleep. May not be possible for everyone.

FUNNY: A friend of mine went for his first colonoscopy a couple of weeks ago. He drank all the "stuff" and spent the afternoon on the toilet. Next morning his wife drives him to the doctors office..........................IT WAS THE WRONG DAY!! He had to go home and then do the laxative AGAIN a week latter. OMG
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mtgman
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2005
Posts : 1289
Posted 5/23/2010 10:05 PM (GMT -8)
ouch!!! i make them knowck me out every time...actually this GI and the one before only do it that way! couldn't imagine being awake.
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JAB
Regular Member
Joined : Nov 2003
Posts : 352
Posted 5/24/2010 9:08 AM (GMT -8)
Fun Guy wrote:

FUNNY: A friend of mine went for his first colonoscopy a couple of weeks ago. He drank all the "stuff" and spent the afternoon on the toilet. Next morning his wife drives him to the doctors office..........................IT WAS THE WRONG DAY!! He had to go home and then do the laxative AGAIN a week latter. OMG


That is horrible but at the same time made me laugh out loud. Poor guy.
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cleo35
Regular Member
Joined : Feb 2007
Posts : 430
Posted 5/24/2010 10:44 AM (GMT -8)
Not only does it matter what and how much medication you're given but how experienced your doctor is - they're definately not all as skilled at it as they should be!
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ant34
Regular Member
Joined : Apr 2010
Posts : 22
Posted 5/24/2010 11:30 AM (GMT -8)
you know its funny,i said today to my mum after all that pain i went bk to recovery and sat there like that experience didn't happen to me,i didn't say a word to anyone. I remember the whole thing i was watching on the screen whilts crying out in agony,the nurse did say that they were gonna give me more,but never did even though i was that bad.

I have had one before and dont remember a thing,but at least i know now that i can request ga and i'm gonna say that to my doctor when i see him and tell him about the whole thing.

Also i forgot to say that when they took the biops i could feel that too.
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ant34
Regular Member
Joined : Apr 2010
Posts : 22
Posted 5/24/2010 11:33 AM (GMT -8)
i had 25mg pethadine and 2 mg midazolam. The second one i just found out is supposed to give you short amneisa which explains why i didn't say anything.

Post Edited (ant34) : 5/24/2010 1:39:27 PM (GMT-6)

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njmom
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 1885
Posted 5/24/2010 7:26 PM (GMT -8)
Biopsies with no sedation/painkiller? Cringe...
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vixen
Veteran Member
Joined : Jan 2010
Posts : 794
Posted 5/25/2010 12:00 AM (GMT -8)
Ashworthml. You should be fine-honest.

My son had one with a mild sedative ( awake, talking and watching the screen as colonoscopy took place)

 and he was absolutely fine-honestly(and three biopsies taken too)!

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MikeB
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2006
Posts : 1169
Posted 5/25/2010 4:25 AM (GMT -8)
With biopsies the most you should feel is slight pressure. There are no sensory nerves in the colon lining. The primary cause of pain and/or discomfort in a colonoscopy is from looping, when the scope tube forms a loop and distorts the shape of the colon. The pain comes from pressure against the adjoining organs. The other cause is from the gas they pump in to inflate the colon. A well-performed colonoscopy should not produce pain at a level above 4 or 5 on a 1-10 scale, and then only for brief moments as the scope is advanced. There have been a number of studies performed on patients who underwent scopes with no sedation at all, and a high percentage reported minimal to at most moderate discomfort. Sorry, but it should simply not be an agonizing procedure . . . I think a lot of the reported pain comes from tensing and anticipation.

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Rider Fan
Veteran Member
Joined : May 2008
Posts : 1447
Posted 5/25/2010 7:35 AM (GMT -8)
Just a caveat: Probably true Mike but it's a different story if you have a stricture and the GI has problems getting the scope through. I have a stricture in the sigmoid and there is no that way I could do no sedation. In fact I was looped on Versed and fentanyl and the last scope still hurt.
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dunny2
Veteran Member
Joined : Jan 2007
Posts : 3200
Posted 5/25/2010 8:36 AM (GMT -8)
Mike, if what you're saying is true, and I.m not saying it's not. But I would question your theory by asking you,
why then are so many doctors and anesthesiologist willing to give full sedation or even a Ga, knowing the very
real risks that go along with these drugs, IF, the were little to no pain? Just a thought.
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