I went in for my 5th colonoscopy today. I recently graduated from grad school and moved back home from out of state- this meant switching doctors and having a scope done at a new clinic. When I had my very first scope done a few years ago, they weren't able to complete the procedure because the "conscious sedation" meds weren't enough and, although I don't remember this, I was in a lot of pain and was screaming pretty loudly, and scopes 2-4 were done with general anesthesia. So, here at home with my new doctor and the new clinic, I told them that I would probably need general anesthesia. "Oh, no", they said, "that was awhile ago, at a different clinic. We'll do conscious sedation. It'll be fine."
Wrong. Not fine. Went in for my scope today, after the lovely prep, a long wait in the waiting room, two attempts at an IV line before a successful prick, and an even longer wait in an ever-so-lovely and way too revealing hospital gown. Hopped up on the scope table, got my drugs injected, waited for my "conscious sedation" to begin, and... nothing. Maybe a little bit of dizziness. They started the scope.... and... PAIN... PAIN... EXCRUTIATING PAIN.... I started moaning and crying. The nurse told me to breathe, the doc told me to relax, I asked for more drugs, nothing helped. Mercifully, they stopped the procedure. The whole thing lasted about 5 minutes and I remember every second of it. Very painful and unpleasant, and kind of traumatic.
So, after lots of waiting around in recovery (extra apple juice, yay!) and scheduling drama, I have to see my primary doc for a pre-op physical first thing tomorrow morning, and then go to a hospital for full anesthesia with my colonoscopy. Thankfully, I don't have to re-do my prep. Unfortunately, I haven't eaten since Saturday and I'm starving.
And this whole mess could have been avoided if my doc had just LISTENED to me when I said that I needed anesthesia. Go figure. How do you get your doctor to listen?