Colonoscopy without sedation?

Hi guys, I have a scope planned this Friday to find out why I have had constant left sided pain for the past 2 months. I had an endoscopy last yr without sedation, I gagged a lot-it was uncomfortable but not unbearable. It only lasted 5 min. I do not want sedation for the other scope, I do not like drugs and want to be productive later. I think the colonoscopy takes 15 minutes?

Am I crazy to do the colonoscopy wout sedation? I would think the endo would be worse but have heard otherwise. Can you offer me feedback? I know it wont be comfortable but will it be painful?

Thanks

Everyone is different and can tolerate pain or discomfort differently. For a lot of Crohnnies, the disease causes strictures or inflamation in places that makes it difficult for the scope to pass through; thereby causing pain or discomfort. For others, the worst part is the air that is pumped in so that the doc can see what's going on. I personally chose to be sedated during my last colonoscopy because the first time I had the procedure, I was given something just to calm me down a bit and the experience was very painful. Second time was also very painful. By the third time, I demanded to be sedated completely. But I also know people who have had the procedure done without anything at all. There is really no way to know how it will be for you. Wishing you all the best and Good luck!

Thanks guys. I have had no prior surgery but do have constant side pain. I think I will give it a whirl by doing it "sober". I am more nervous about what they will find like if its cancer or something. But thats why I am getting it done!

How long does it last roughly?

Should only take about 15-20 from insertion to removal. Be sure they angle the monitor so you can watch. And I would not worry much about cancer at your age and with no other signs like bleeding.

I've had both sedation and without, and I prefer without. I've had horrible side-effects from the sedation (severe vomiting) and I prefer not to have to be sick for an hour afterwards. The times without were neat as I watched on the monitor and was facinated and asked lots of questions. My doctor's cool though, so I think that helps.
To each his own though,

Bev

Thanks guys, this is helpful. I figure if I did the endo without it I could do the other end without it! I love my doctor, he is very good about easing my mind.

Closure-- I read your signature. I think we may have wrote each other before ( I have posted so many times I am losing track!) But I noticed possible lupus? Do you mind explaining your symptoms? The reason I ask is I am in search of my mystery pains.... I have had a dull left sided pain for 2 months now, it gets sharp once and awhile and go so sharp I could not move and ended up in the ER-30 min later I was fine. I had this same dull pain a yr ago and same very sharp pain a few times over the past 5 yrs. I have always ignored it until now (since the dull pain wont go away). I have gas when I feel like I need a BM and also vary from constipation to D. Anyway, my real mystery is I have traveling joint pain, it stabs different areas of my body or will linger in different areas. Also my feet buzz from time to time, muscles are now twitching and my joints are cracking a TON. I too was tested for lupus and everything else under the sun. I am thinking this could ALL be connected to my side pain.

Just curious if your concerns are similiar....sorry if I do not remember if we have written before!

I don't know...my last colonoscopy I tried to go with sedation rather than anesthesia, but they knocked me out with anesthesia because of all the screaming (I'm quite the stoic, tough it out non-screamer in my non-colonoscopy life).

I'd just be prepared to ask for help if you need it rather than suffer what can be terrible pain...varies by individual.

I look at it this way. Do we get pains from having inflammation in our guts? Do we have pain from diarrhea? Even gas gives us pain. Some people take strong pain medications to control their Crohn's pains. So I guess I don't see how pumping air up there, and then shoving a scope wouldn't have pain?

So no, I would not do it without sedation. Infact I think we should be put completely under, since I have woke up during the middle of one and remember being quite in pain. They had to hurry up and knock me out again.

i woke up mid-scope once. it all seems like a dream now, but it felt like i was stuffed full of gas. for me, being full of gas is extremely painful.

hey king...I have my email address added on my profile. we can chat through there if you want. I just don't want to take over your thread lol. just real quick though a few years ago I had blood testing for lupus and nothing showed up. I was told it can hide sometimes and doesn't show up all the time. my mom has lupus and so did an aunt of mine. I have one autoimmune disease and I hear once you have one you're more likely to have more. like I said though feel free to email me and we can chat more. *hugs*

for my scopes they injected me with valium cause i was scared, valium to calm me down, then i watched on the tv what they were doing in my insides, yes it was uncomfy, sore at times, but i was awake, little did i realise that when it was over i tried to sit up thinking that the valium had no effect, yeh right, went dizzy and light headed, but there was pain i was only calmed for it. thnakfully, otherwise what would i have been like without, i was already a blubbering wreck.

I've had an upper endoscopy w/and w/o "sedation". I prefer w/o so I can watch the monitor and see for myself - but - I have a strong gag reflex and the gagging does make the upper scope MUCH WORSE than the lower scope w/o sedation. The gagging can bring tears to my eyes. No pain but boy I gag starting in my toes!!! Retching actually!

I'm always so dry that they can't start the IVs soon enough to suit me! BUT - w/o the sedation, just the fluids. I'm fortunate to have a great gastro when it comes to doing scopes. She is slicker than snot on a door knob w/that scope.

Go to PubMed and check out these two abstracts:

Endoscopy 2002 Jun;34(6):435-40

Patient pain during colonoscopy: an analysis using real-time magnetic endoscope imaging.

Shah SG, Brooker JC, Thapar C, Williams CB, Saunders BP.
Wolfson Unit for Endoscopy, St. Mark's Hospital, Harrow, London, United Kingdom.

PMID: 12048623 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Gastrointest Endosc 1996 Feb;43(2 Pt 1):124-6

Why is colonoscopy more difficult in women?

Saunders BP, Fukumoto M, Halligan S, Jobling C, Moussa ME, Bartram CI, Williams CB.
Department of Endoscopy, St. Mark's Hospital, London, England.

PMID: 8635705 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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The pain during colonoscopy is caused by the over enthusiastic induction of air stretching the walls of the intestine like a balloon and/or by the looping of the scope shaft back onto itself which also stretches the wall of the intestine. The interior of the colon doesn't have nerves to sense pain, you feel NOTHING when they take a biopsy or remove a polyp. But stretch the wall of the colon and yeah, you feel discomfort to pain depending on how much distention. Most gastros don't want to take the extra time necessary to do a scope w/o sedation. (And all conscious sedation is in an amnesiac - you FEEL any pain, you just don't remember it - I RESENT that!). Try threading a small string thru a straw. Not much different than advancing the colonoscope. It takes more time to use less air and to withdraw the scope a short way to straighten it and then proceed until the next time the shaft loops back on itself.

The ONLY colonoscopies that I had discomfort in the abdomen afterwards were the two done w/sedation. Both times it was the bruised like feeling of having been kicked in the stomach for 1-2 days.

A caring, considerate gastro will respect your wishes to have your colonscopy w/o sedation. He/she will suggest that you allow the IV set just in case and for fluids to be administered, maybe even suggest a little demerol or fentanyl for comfort (analgesiacs, NOT amnesiacs). He/she will use air sparingly, advance the scope carefully, w/draw it a bit when it loops, IF you do change your mind and ask for a littel sedation he'll take the time to let the sedation take effect before proceeding any further, including if necessary removing the scope and leaving the room briefly whilst the sedation takes effect. He/she will also be conscientious about removing as much air and fluid as possible when withdrawing the scope and finishing.

So basically it is the air they use that would cause pain during the procedure?

I noticed after my colonoscopy I had pain under my rib cages, on both sides, for quite some time. I wonder if that could have had something to do with...?