Propofol for Endoscopy

I'm scheduled to have an upper GI endoscopy next week, and the practice performing the procedure uses propofol for deep sedation administered venously by an anesthesiologist. Like many with Lyme, I react strongly to meds, do not tolerate most of them, get all the rare side effects, and have frequent allergic reactions to meds.

Any advice for me? What was your experience? Some people (in average health) find propofol downright pleasant and others are in bed throwing up and dizzy for 48 hours afterward. But I want to hear from sensitive folks like myself.

(This practice does not offer other forms of sedation and does not allow patients to choose no sedation. In the past year or so, GI imaging procedures have moved away from "conscious sedation" because it relied on a few drugs used in combination, one of which was Fentanyl, so obviously no one is excited to use that anymore. I would find another practice and opt for no sedation, but I don't want to wait the months it would take to get another new patient appointment....)

In case it's relevant, the procedure is being done to visualize and biopsy the duodenum to check for mast cells, cancer, Crohn's, etc. - things that could be causing me severe pain about an hour after eating but without affecting my digestion or appetite.

Sara - fentanyl is still the sedating drug where Im located.
It’s just got a bad reputation because of the od’s on the street.
When I first heard that’s the sedation drug - it did surprise me - but I probably have had it several times and just didn’t know.

I was kinda freaking out about the colonoscopy for a couple of reasons

- I absolutely hate - have a fear of medical procedures

- my mom died of colon cancer at age 55 and I was told to have a colonoscopy at 40 - but I waited several more years.
My moms aunt also had colon cancer - but she was older - in her 70’s or late 60’s.
I was certain they were going to find something.

I am SO glad I did it - the entire procedure from prep to recovery room after was not too unpleasant after all.


Now yours’ is upper GI - so no bowel prep. You’ll be fine

They will sedate me with IV propofol, and the anesthesiologist stays in the room to monitor my breathing and heart rate. The procedure takes a few minutes, and it's just a tube running down into my duodenum (first section of the small intestine) and taking some tissue biopsies. Nothing is being left inside (your experience sounds awful, WBF!). People usually wake up within 15 minutes. Some people feel fine or even good, but others feel terrible for days afterward, so I was hoping to get an idea of whether Lyme tipped the scales toward fine or toward awful. I just hate the idea of a hypnotic drug that causes amnesia, especially knowing how neurological stuff is complicated with Lyme.

Part of the reason I want to know how people respond is that I have a barium swallow and CT with contrast scheduled for two days later, and I definitely don't want to do that if I am still feeling the effects of the propofol. It's also just now occurring to me that perhaps the barium swallow should be done after the biopsy sites have more time to heal....

I just hate this stuff. I use the word "hate" very rarely, but I really hate these things.