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AWAKE for colonoscopy

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 9/19/2008 10:45 AM (GMT 0)
I just had a horrible experience with a colonscopy. They gave me Versed, Benadryl and Fentanyl and it did not do one thing to me. I am assuming it is due to the fact that I have had so many procedures with these meds that they no longer work for me but the scary part was I was screaming and crying in pain and the doctor would not stop the procedure. Needless to say I am pissed. I have had other recent procedures with propofol and that stuff is the best. This was a different facillity with no anesthesiologist. Anyone else had any problems???
Posted 9/19/2008 10:46 AM (GMT 0)
Yes, I had the same thing happened. But I became aware enough to choke the doc, only thing that made him stop.  Now have to do proceedures under GA.  Talk to the patient care advocate. The doc should have stopped.   If that doesn't work talk to a lawyer, not that I want it to have to go that far.  But you do need to protect yourself and others.
Posted 9/19/2008 11:42 AM (GMT 0)

A couple of years ago I woke up in the middle of a colonoscopy and it was extremely unpleasant.  The next time the doctor wanted to do one I reminded him of the last time.  he told me that he only does twilight medication and that it can happen but that usually people do not remember waking up...he was surprised I did.  I told him that I remembered it so well that if it ever happened again I would come of the table and use the scope on him....the next scoping I was out for almost 30 minutes after the test!!!

I am not sure what the stuff is that they use for me now...used it for the last three times.  I loved it..dropped right off...woke up 5 to 10 minutes after the procedure and was wide awake...so awake that I didn't even nap later.  Just went about my normal routine.  I feel I could have driven myself home but I did not.

Posted 9/19/2008 1:37 PM (GMT 0)

YES!!  I was a little groggy going in but the pain brought me right out of that.  I don't know what i was given.  I can remember yelling in pain and watching the monitor (as I screamed) as the took the biopsy - taking a little spoon full of my insides.  I haven't gone back....

I know lots of people that have had to have Colonscopys.  None of them experienced anything like that.  They all think they were knocked out all the way...

Some Doctors are apparently doing this wrong...

Posted 9/19/2008 1:41 PM (GMT 0)
Some folks here prefer to be awake during their colonoscopies (shudder), and they seem to do okay. But I have woken up in the middle of it screaming a few times. I am adamant that they make sure I am completely knocked out now, or I will punch them. I make sure beforehand they know that too.
Posted 9/19/2008 1:49 PM (GMT 0)
I think it is great that people can do it without sedation.
But with my training there is no way I am not going to react to pain being inflicted on me.
Posted 9/19/2008 1:58 PM (GMT 0)
I have always had depravan(spl) and have never been awake in the middle of one. Should that ever happen and the doctor refuse to stop I am sure I would brake something. Most likely his arms...
Posted 9/19/2008 3:43 PM (GMT 0)
I haven't been awake for a colonoscopy, but I was awake for the lansing of my abscess and could feel everything. I was screaming bloody murder for  them to stop. I hate doctors sometimes.

Posted 9/19/2008 4:04 PM (GMT 0)
3 colonoscopies ago I was given the normal sedatives. I woke up groaning in absolute agony several times. I told my dr that from now on I was to be given a general anesthesia. He listened! I am fully out for them now. They are just way to agonizing to ever go through that again.
Posted 9/19/2008 4:09 PM (GMT 0)
First two colonoscopies I was only given Versed and I was screaming my head off the entire time. Even the nurses were trying to tell the doctor that something was wrong because I should not be in so much pain. But the doctor kept saying "I'm almost done". Idiot! My new GI was so amazingly supportive when I told him about those experiences. He reassured me that I would not feel anything. He used twilight meds so I don't remember a thing. Apparently I woke up during the procedure when they hit a bad patch but they snowed me under so quickly that I thought I had imagined the whole thing. Woke up groggy after but was completely fine.

If we could put our doctors through half of the procedures we have to endure, I guarantee they would not be so quick to stick things into us ever again!! devil

Posted 9/19/2008 4:21 PM (GMT 0)
My last two colonoscopies were with twilight meds and I was 'awake' for both procedures and able to watch and discuss what we were seeing on the screen with my GI Dr. I was speaking very slowly and slurred, but I remember discussing things with the Dr. I felt no pain and only a slight 'tugging' when she took the biopsies.
I wonder if the pain issues are due to strictures or heavily diseased areas, though my heavily diseased area didn't show the problem from the inside or become painful during the c'oscopy. It wasn't discovered until the surgeon was able to see the outside portion of the colon.
Posted 9/19/2008 5:18 PM (GMT 0)
It's rather inhumane to put a person through a colonoscopy while awake...it can be done with a sigmoidoscopy since it doesn't go up near as far as a colonoscopy...with the issues I have with my perianal crohn's skin tags, no one touches me unless I'm knocked out cold.

:)
Posted 9/19/2008 5:51 PM (GMT 0)
I have been awake for a couple, not by choice. The first one, the doctor kept telling me they had given me all the medication they could, and he didn't/wouldn't stop. I was in patient, and when I was brought back up to my room, the nurse found out my IV was blown. When the doctor came in later to give me the colonoscopy report his face nearly hit the floor when he found out about the IV. He couldn't apologize enough. Maybe he should have STOPPED!!!! But he is a GI and doesn't think that patients need pain meds, so go fiqure. I now see a very understanding doctor who is VERY generous with the meds during procedures and doesn't want anyone to be in pain or discomfort at all!!!
Posted 9/19/2008 6:56 PM (GMT 0)
I woke up during my second scope, and I too can remember being in pain, and moving around A LOT (basically I think I was trying to leave! LOL). Which is one reason why I haven't had one since. I'm afraid to have another one. I think it's terrible that they don't knock people out better for these.

While I understand for some people it's a breeze, and they have no pain. Not everyone is like this.

I'm hoping when I switch doctors I'll get one that understands this better. Not to mention I flat out refuse to have one, unless they can promise me to do the very best to keep me OUT. That and not insist on me using that golytly prep. Which I also refuse to do again.
Posted 9/19/2008 7:32 PM (GMT 0)
Well, during mine I was in a lot of pain and apparently threatened my doctor quite aggressively and got him to stop the procedure.

The funny thing is I have no memory of this whatsoever; but according to my GI, I was climbing the walls and he and the nurses were fearing for their safety! And I'm normally the most laid-back person you'd ever meet - and pretty good at handling pain, too.

At any rate, he says next time I do one, I have to be put under full anesthesia - for my comfort and his as well. :-)
Posted 9/19/2008 7:40 PM (GMT 0)
I just had my third colonoscopy yesterday, and I think I woke up. I'm very small so I don't know how much meds they use on me, but I feel like I had seen the screen for a bit and I think I asked "OMG what is that?" I think I also remember feeling pain in my right side and movement which is when I think I woke up for a split second and said, ow ow ow, and then crashed back out. I remember also someone moved my legs and it was uncomfortable and I think I asked if I could move my legs.

I usually tend to talk in my sleep as is, but I definitely feel like I remember more from this procedure than the previous two. I have my follow up in a few weeks and I'm going to ask him then if I talked.

I can't believe some of you have been awake :( I was awake for a scope last november and he took some biopsies - it was my first time with my new doctor and I hated him. (although necessary) I was crying and holding onto the pillow so tightly, I couldn't imagine being awake for a colonoscopy!!
Posted 9/19/2008 8:32 PM (GMT 0)
My experience has been the same as 78SilvAnniv.....had many over the years and awake but sedated for them all. Only minimal discomfort with biopsies too. Sorry for those unable to tolerate their respective situations - we're all different that way - but being able to see the procedure and have a detailed picture in my own head of what is going on in there has always been a good thing from my perspective.

Posted 9/19/2008 10:32 PM (GMT 0)
I just had my first one this week. It took me a few seconds for the meds to kick in. I remember the doc. telling me they were giving me the meds and I might feel a burning. Then he had me breath in and out a couple of times while using his scope thing on my back. And I was taping my fingers saying im still awake after that I dont remember much. I think I may have woken up towards the end of it. I remember feeling pressure but then i think i went back into sleep mode. Im not sure what they gave me though. I also had alittle bit of a uncomfortable feeling in my bum, like something was up there, it felt sore all night, but not really sore, just alittle.
Posted 9/19/2008 10:56 PM (GMT 0)
I've had 4 done. 2 at a hospital and 2 at an endoscopy center owned by my GI's practice. My GI did all 4 of them. The 2 at the hospital, I woke up during both of them, one time I heard the doc tell them to give me more meds and they did. No real bad pain, but some, and lots of pressure. The 2 at the endoscopy center, I was completely out the entire time! They have signs up saying their goal is a 100% pain-free experience, and they are very good at it. So I think the place where you have it done might have something to do with it, like hospital policies for sedation might be for as little meds as necessary to save on $ and risk. I'm going to ask about the differences next time I have to have one, and I will definitely request it at the center. Oh, and they charged less than the hospital too!
Posted 9/19/2008 11:41 PM (GMT 0)
That sounds... TERRIBLE. I'm really sorry that happened. I'd be pissed too. Fortunately whenever I have had a colonoscopy I've had an upper endoscopy too and been completely knocked out.
Posted 9/19/2008 11:42 PM (GMT 0)
To the best of my recollection I've never woken up during a colonosopy but apparently if they don't give me meds to put me deep under then I cry, swear and yell during the procedure...I would awaken balling but not feeling any pain...my newest GI made sure I got meds that put me under deep enough so I don't even wake up crying, no swearing or yelling while under either.

:)
Posted 9/20/2008 12:08 AM (GMT 0)
My husband had a scope from hell too. He flexed so hard in pain that he broke the blood pressure cuff. But he never said stop because he wanted it over with.

Here is my take on why they don't stop. With conscious sedation, even though you don't remember anything and think you are out, you are actually awake. You just don't remember. So, I bet people say stop all the time, even when the meds are working, and just don't remember. So when you really feel it and REALLY say stop, they don't know the difference.

Either way, SCARY.
Posted 9/20/2008 1:55 AM (GMT 0)
Depends on what they use, because I know whatever they use on me knocks me completely out.

:)
Posted 9/20/2008 2:47 AM (GMT 0)
Wow! I feel so bad for all of you who have suffered through your procedures! I just had my 16th colonoscopy yesterday...and luckily for me all 16 have been pain free and I don't remember anything except the great feeling of going under!
Posted 9/20/2008 3:24 AM (GMT 0)

FitzyK23 said...
My husband had a scope from hell too. He flexed so hard in pain that he broke the blood pressure cuff. But he never said stop because he wanted it over with.

Here is my take on why they don't stop. With conscious sedation, even though you don't remember anything and think you are out, you are actually awake. You just don't remember. So, I bet people say stop all the time, even when the meds are working, and just don't remember. So when you really feel it and REALLY say stop, they don't know the difference.

Either way, SCARY.

See, that is just cruel to me. We'll put you through pain and you'll be totally aware at the time. But later you won't remember a thing. Just seems so inhumane to me. They wonder why so many people don't have these tests when they really need them. When you first have to go through a terrible prep, then that! I just say, knock me out.

 

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