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flex sig with no sedation?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 11/5/2008 10:04 PM (GMT 0)
I'm getting one tomorrow. Shouldn't be too bad right? Right? :) My GI doc wanted to do one ASAP since my symptoms are getting worse but I have an important exam tomorrow so he said "fine we just won't sedate you." Great, I'll just be farting all that air out while doing the exam.
Posted 11/5/2008 10:08 PM (GMT 0)

The "farting" part you might not be able to avoid.  Wishing you luck.

I am 68 and have had two flex sigs since age 60 with no sedation and no problem  AND - believe me - I am not  "brave".  Most doctors who do this are very careful and pull back when they hit anything that hurts - at least mine did.  I enjoyed (well, sort of) watching the screen and the doctor telling me what he was doing.  First one, I said "oh, what is that green in my colon?".  Doc says "stool".  Dah!

You will do fine and good luck with results!

ElaineNY

Posted 11/5/2008 10:22 PM (GMT 0)
I had to have them pretty regularly when I was in the drug study.
Never had sedation, they weren't that bad and he was quick/skilled.
Hopefully you'll have time to "sit" a while before your exam!
Good luck with both.
Posted 11/5/2008 10:40 PM (GMT 0)
There's no choice but to fart out the air they'll be pumping in to expand the area so they can see how things look...no sedation is fairly normal for sigmoidoscopies because they don't go in too deep compared to a colonoscopy. Even while you're asleep for colonoscopies you'd still be farting out all the extra air they pump in, you just don't realize it is all.

Good luck, hope all goes well for ya!

:)
Posted 11/6/2008 12:55 AM (GMT 0)
suppose i'll just have to do the old "cough cover-up." give a big cough when i pass some flatulence in class. anybody see that episode of family guy where peter does it in a PTA meeting? hilarious! i know, i need to grow up someday.
Posted 11/6/2008 1:08 AM (GMT 0)
Try laying on your left side afterwards to help get that air out, it might help.  Good luck!!
Posted 11/6/2008 1:51 AM (GMT 0)
I have had two without sedation. You lay sideways during the procedure. It is bearable but it does get a little painfull at the end the higher it goes. Also you might be a little bloated for a day or two afterwords. It does less damage to the colon if you are already flaring so it can be a better for your body than a full colonoscopy.
Posted 11/6/2008 2:44 AM (GMT 0)
My Doctor always does no prep sigs and no sedation. It's not that bad. It actually saves time in preparation and makes everything go faster. The gas isn't that bad either, doesn't last long at least for me.
Posted 11/6/2008 5:05 AM (GMT 0)

bokscarracer said...
suppose i'll just have to do the old "cough cover-up." give a big cough when i pass some flatulence in class. anybody see that episode of family guy where peter does it in a PTA meeting? hilarious! i know, i need to grow up someday.

I think it's sweet that you're so concerned about farting but these are GI's that are probably use to a lot worse things, besides which they need to hear that you're farting so they can make sure that there are no other issues, just relax and let it be.

:)

Posted 11/6/2008 11:46 AM (GMT 0)
oh i'm not worried about the gi, i'll fart all over him. i just have a big exam afterwards in an auditorium with 120 students. the acoustics in that auditorium are pretty high tech too... :)
Posted 11/6/2008 12:00 PM (GMT 0)
I've had numerous sigs, all without sedation and I can say honestly that I've had maybe 2 leave me in bad almost unbearable pain afterwards due to the air. Lucky me though, since I am past the 10 year mark I don't have to do those anymore because I get c-scopes every 2 years now! Good luck with the scope and the exam :)
Posted 11/7/2008 1:31 AM (GMT 0)
flex sig went well. started getting a little uncomfortable at the splenic fixture. it was funny seeing some spinach in there as well. the doc said my inflammation goes up 25 cm and the rectum is pretty friable with erythema, loss of vascular pattern, and punctate erosions. so he's having me do hydrocort enemas am and pm with canasa suppositories mid-day. i tried the canasa for the first time at lunch today and i haven't had to go to the bathroom for almost 10 hours, awesome! i'm going to continue to do the spinach/sunflower seed thing but of course i won't be able to tell if it's just the new diet if my flare starts to go away. i'll keep munching away at them though. i think i'm pretty lucky with the gi i have because he just lets me skip the scheduling process and always responds to all my emails. thanks everyone!
Posted 11/7/2008 3:39 PM (GMT 0)
I had one without sedation and I'd never do it again... it was horrible and invasive. I'm normally pretty brave about stuff, but I guess my mental state at the time was off. "Violated" is the only way I can describe how I felt and I sat in the doctor's office after the procedure with tears running down my face. He kept looking at me like I'd lost my mind - so did my ex who was with me - which only made things worse. I guess some of us are more sensitive to the procedure than others.
Posted 11/7/2008 4:01 PM (GMT 0)
Interestingly, I've never had a sigmoidoscopy, only colonoscopies, and my inflammation is limited to the left side. Maybe because my mother died from colon cancer, I dont' know. At any rate, I have a C-scope every two years and it makes me feel safe.
Posted 11/7/2008 6:11 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, it's not a very dignified experience. I still remember the poster that hung on the wall of the procedure room. I'm suprised I didn't set fire to it with my glaring.
Posted 11/7/2008 7:26 PM (GMT 0)
i think the craziest thing about the procedure was seeing all my buttcrack hair on the screen as he was hovering the scope above my anus before insertion. i was like, "geez there's a lot of hair in between there!"
Posted 11/7/2008 8:00 PM (GMT 0)
OK, TMI!! TMI!!
Posted 11/7/2008 11:15 PM (GMT 0)
I can only hope bokscarracer is male.
Posted 11/8/2008 3:40 AM (GMT 0)
i'll just say i'm glad i'm not in the ****o industry because there is no way i could wax that stuff off. i would need to hire some professional yard maintainers.
Posted 11/8/2008 11:31 AM (GMT 0)
It has been a long time since I have had a flex sig but precisley because they are unsedated, I recall them as MUCH more painful than a full colonoscopy. Since I don't believe they do biopsies with the flex sig (I may be wrong) they are of no value to me now, as my main and only reaosnj for scopes now is as surveillance against cancer.
Posted 11/10/2008 9:56 PM (GMT 0)
I'm in hospital for a bad flare up.....I don;t think I've had such a smile on my face since I got here. Soooo Funny reading this. Thanks !
Posted 11/11/2008 12:01 AM (GMT 0)
tommy -- glad you were able to get a smile on your face. hope you get your flare under control soon and aren't in the hospital too long.
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