Sunfish Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 maxine -my mom had her routine colonoscopy a year or two back with no sedation of any sort. she doesn't have any underlying/ chronic health issues but just didn't want to deal with being at all out of it afterward, didn't want to have to wait for a follow-up appt for right-minded discussion with the doc, etc. my dad was the only one who she felt comfortable with having with her post-procedure/ sedation for conversation with the doc so after having to reschedule her appt several times due to my dad having to go out-of-town for work she decided to instead push for skipping the sedation all together so that she could drive herself to & from, have her own conversation with the doc afterward, etc.she doesn't have any underlying GI issues - colon or otherwise - so i don't know if the fact that you do would make it more difficult or even impossible to forgo anesthesia/ sedation &/OR if it would make the "awake & alert" (aka no sedation) approach more uncomfortable/ painful. i've been told that i have a pretty decent pain tolerance & i know that with the colitis i have there's no way i could tolerate a full scope without sedation (& doubt i would find a doc to proceed without sedation for me anyway). also, if i remember correctly my mom was told that if certain abnormalities were found she would have to have the sedation...not sure if that would have been right then & there or if it would have meant coming back for a repeat scope at a later date, but no one could promise her 100% in advance that sedation wouldn't be a must somewhere down the line.that said, she ended up doing just fine without sedation & says - much like those who do have sedation - that the worst part by far was still the prep (though i'm not sure which variety of the prep it was she had). all in all her overall experience didn't seem to be any worse than anyone else who gets scoped and - at least in some regards - it may have been a bit better. of course the whole ordeal is still not the most enjoyable so that, combined with her general aversion to all appointments/ procedures medical, she claims she won't be doing it again any time soon (aka as there's no problematic family or personal history she isn't likely to stay on top of the "recommended schedule") BUT she says that, if there were to be a pressing need, she would definitely go for the no sedation approach again.hope this helps, melissap.s. since we're in the same geographical area i can find out which doc did her scope if the info would be helpful. just let me know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted January 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Hi AJW,I am sorry I forgot to answer your questions. I thought I did but either I answered on someone else's post or I imagined I answered. So....My family does not want to participate anymore on the research because the doctors does not want to give them their test results and their diagnosis. My family does not want to be treated like lab rats and only give to science and get nothing in return. So, since they are relatively functional they don't mind staying the way they are. The sad part is that at least 6 of them have worsened in the past 4 years, meaning that they have started fainting.I don't have the emotional energy to deal with the researcher because he works in the same hospital where I was raped and my rapist is still working there. I just can't handle entering the bulding much less meet a doctor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted January 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Hi Maxine,Yes, I did the colonoscopy cold turkey. Before going in I was sure I was going to faint because pain triggers my syncopes. When I entered the testing room the resident wanted to do the colonoscopy but the head surgeon said that he was going to do it.He was so precocious and went very slowly. He told me ahead of time when it would be painful so I had time to psych myself. It hurts when the scope turns the corner. I think it's because they have to put more air. I think that because I went in cold turkey he inflated my GI less than he would have if I had been under sedation because I hardly had any gases after the procedure (as 8 years ago I had gases for hours). Also, the best surgeon did the procedure and he was very careful in his movements as a resident would not have had the same dexterity. So I had no syncope at all and I was very proud of the surgeon and myself.I am excited about my visit with Dr Low and associate in 2 weeks. I can't wait to have a colored dream come through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxine Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Thanks Sunfish & Ernie----- I probably won't be able to escape the sedation............ I would love to have it done without sedation-----and I was curious how you handled it Ernie. I am concerned that I have a very twisted colon like my Dads. The same surgeon who did my Dad's colonoscopy, my brothers, and my brother's bowel resection when his colon cancer was first found will be doing mine. If my colon is anything like my dads, It would definately be a problem, and I would need sedation to continue. My Dad has had some successful colonoscopies, but the last one had to be stopped.My Dad's bowel was torqued, and she could only go so far in. They did a barium enema right after the attempted colonoscopy.Not only am I concerned about my POTS issues with sedation, but I've been having some trouble with choking on my own spit, and worse when eating. I'm concerned my instability is causing more irratation to my brain stem, or I'm having some other issue, and I DO have some MRI orders in transit from my orthopedic surgeon. However, not for the brain, so I have to order that separately. I sent an e-mail to my EDS doc, but he hasn't responded yet. He usually does right away, so he must be out of town. If there is something going on with my brain, I'm afraid what the sedation would do.My large intestine has a lot of diverticuli, and the NIH doc from the EDS study said I should have a biopsy done. I don't suppose this can be done without sedation??? The doc from NIH is concerned about inflammatory bowel disease, and she felt certain I have it. However, it's very rare for me to have diarrhea, and am constipated most of the time----I hate it, and ited of feeling all twisted up and bloated. It seems eating fiber only makes things worse--------especially oatmeal.I tried all different kinds of fiber formulas, and still struggle constantly.The good news is that the surgeon is very understanding, and PATIENT. The poor woman had to deal with my wishey washey mind for almost two years before we finally decided on barium enema last year. With the family history of cancer, I just have to get this done for this reason too. It is so scary seeing my brother so sick. This cancer is a monster flesh eating thing-----------I'm so angry, and very scared at the same time. The surgeon is going to have an anesthesiologist there, and a surgical suite. She's gone through a lot of trouble to get this scheduled, and get the surgical suite.If things go smooth, and my bowel isn't twisted, maybe future colonoscopies can be done without sedation. I know I'll need them on a regular basis due to the family history. My other two brothers had benign polyps removed with their colonoscopies. Sunfish, I appreciate the information a lot, but my surgeon is so great I'll be sticking with her. She's a general surgeon, and she does colonoscopies also. However, I don't know if she will do it without sedation-------she is concerned about pain a lot. She is very cautious, and very understanding of my POTS & EDS ralated issues.My pain tolerance is high, but some docs who do colonoscopies won't do it without sedation and pain control. My PCP is worried about how they will be moving me around on the table. He is concerend about the CCI--(cervical/cranial instability). It's really unstable---------------loose, along with the rest of my spine and many other joints.I guees I'll just need to talk to the anesthesiologist about these concerns. Maybe they can start out without sedation, and add it later if I need it. However, the anesthiologist has a set schedule------------I wonder if he/she wouls really be upset if I wanted to try it without sedation, and have them there in case I need it. I know I'll have an IV.Another thing-------does anyone have problems with IV tubing---- being sensitive to the plasitc. My BP got really hihg with my loop recorder was removed. I had a slow drip of IV fluids. Local anesthetic was used again, and carbocaine was used due to my bad reaction to lidocaine when it was inserted. I know I tolerated the carbocaine well when I had the tooth extraction, so I didn't think this could have cause the hihg BP. However, Dr. Grubb did tell me quite a bit more is used for this procedure. I have such extreme sensitivities, but none of them has have been taken seriously until recently.Thanks for reading this awfully long post----which I'm sure has lots of typos and mispellings.......... Maxine :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted January 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Hi Maxine,The surgeon took 5 biopsies of my colon while he was doing the colonoscopy and I was cold turkey. It did not hurt at all and I was looking at the TV screen and saw it while he was doing it. I was amazed. He told me that the GI rube does not have pain receptors for biopsies only for stretching. Good thing I was not sedated because the surgeon forgot to do the biopsy and I had to ask him to do it and he had to re-insert the scope in my GI to do the biopsy. If I would have been sedated I would have had to forgo it or if my GI specialist really wanted it have another colonoscopy later on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaJoy Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Take care, Ernie, and know we're all here, sending good thoughts and air hugs your way. Looking forward to hearing good news when you get home. You know we're here if you need us.Lindajoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaJoy Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Okay, didn't read the date on your hospitalization. Well---I'm glad it all went well, and that you took care, and glad you had good news for us when you got back. Oh, geez, Lindajoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corina Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 i am sorry that i've missed this one ernie, but i'm really glad to read about your very positive hospital experience. it must have been the first!!!!i hope the results of your test will come back okay!take care,corina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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