awake for colonoscopy?

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progranulindefect
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awake for colonoscopy?

Post by progranulindefect »

i am going to try to not be put under for my next colonoscopy (i've had 2 done under propofol before). i am not confident that propofol is benign. is anyone else confident about that? anyway, my husband had a colonoscopy done while being awake, and he didn't remember it being any big deal. also, the older i get, the less embarrassed i get about that sort of stuff- so that always helps. anyone get a colonoscopy done while awake? how did it go?
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Stavia
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Re: awake for colonoscopy?

Post by Stavia »

I had midazolam and fentanyl and don't remember a thing. Woke up very clear headed.
In my country we very rarely use propofol for colonoscopies, only midaz and fentanyl ( there is pain going around the corners I am told).

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slacker
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Re: awake for colonoscopy?

Post by slacker »

Anecdotal story:
My husband decided to have his initial screening colonoscopy without sedation because he had too much to do that day. The gastroenterologist was willing to do the procedure without sedation, probably had the IV ready just in case. Husband said it was a little uncomfortable, but not that bad. I believe he has a high tolerance for pain.

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Re: awake for colonoscopy?

Post by Lucy5 »

stavia wrote: ( there is pain going around the corners I am told).
During my first colonoscopy years ago I had twilight sedation, but never asked what drug they were using. I can tell you I still remember yelling OW! several times during the procedure. Although I didn't remember having had any pain after waking up, clearly I felt some at the time. My gastroenterologist told me that going around some of the corners can get a bit tricky, especially for people with narrower abdomens, and that they had to up the drugs a bit to keep me quiet. I also woke up clear headed and felt totally fine afterwards.
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KatieS
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Re: awake for colonoscopy?

Post by KatieS »

My IV started by a student nurse infiltrated, so all the sedation meds onset of action occurred once I returned home (slept 7 hours, only waking a few times to vomit). Despite having a "long tortuous colon", only a few times was the procedure did I grip the nurse's hand. I remember all the conversations like "how can such a small person have this long of a colon?", "this colon is like going down a twisted highway", etc...Not due again another until 2019, but I'm going to opt for the DNA stool test, Cologuard as I think the risk of perforation goes up with a tortuous long colon.
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WhatNext
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Re: awake for colonoscopy?

Post by WhatNext »

I'm a couple of years overdue for another colonoscopy. I had one at age 52 (I'll be 65 on Saturday) and it was fine--no polyps. I was told I could wait 10 years before having another but I just can't get past the dread of the prep-- going days without solid food and then spending a painful night in the bathroom--I was emptied out hours before it was over and by the time it was over I was bloody from acid burn. The doctor told me it was a "good prep" but I'd prefer never to repeat the experience. The procedure itself wasn't bad, although I did wake up during it. I felt only discomfort, no pain. I've been put under 3 times in my life for different procedures and I've woken up during two of them. Fortunately for me I guess the drugs they give you to knock you out include a pain killer. I was awake enough to hear the conversation going on around me both times, and to realize I was supposed to be asleep. After a few seconds somebody said "She's awake", and seconds later I was out again.
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Re: awake for colonoscopy?

Post by LA18 »

I recently had both a colonoscopy and upper endoscopy without sedation. The colonoscopy was not bad, and I would definitely do it again without anesthesia (and I don’t think I have an especially high tolerance for pain). The upper endoscopy was much worse, but I would probably do the same with that.
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Gilgamesh
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Re: awake for colonoscopy?

Post by Gilgamesh »

I had fentanyl on my upper – like Stavia, didn't remember a thing after. Propofol for the recent lower.

Five years ago I had nothing for a lower endoscopy. Not fun. It hurt at points, but nothing intolerable. Felt my brain was more important. But it was a long procedure. (At the near-one-hour mark, my doc exclaimed: "Jesus, what a #@! LONG, convoluted colon you have!") She got all the way to, and a bit into, the terminal ileum.

My feeling these days is anything that gives you any kind of buzz/sedation poses a risk. ("Poses a risk" doesn't mean causes damage.) But there are risks to doing some procedures drug-free (writhing in pain could increase the risk of perforation of the colon, for ex.).

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Stavia
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Re: awake for colonoscopy?

Post by Stavia »

Vaseline applied liberally around the anal area before and after each bowel motion during the prep. Completely prevents burning.

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Re: awake for colonoscopy?

Post by Gilgamesh »

Stavia wrote:Vaseline applied liberally around the anal area before and after each bowel motion during the prep. Completely prevents burning.
I had that too. Plus, towards the end of the procedure, topical lidocaine.
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