Endoscopy scheduled - eek

i went to see a new gastro doc today - hadn't been in a few years and he wants to scope me - so I made an apt for Monday morning.  he said he could give me a combo of versed and fentanyl before the procedure to relax me.  then use propofol during.  doesn't this seem like a lot of drugs at once?  when I had my hand surgery I took half a klonopin beforehand and that was fine.  guess I should just do that again.  I was reading about those three together and read about some women having respiratory issues with those 3 together. 

kitt - what do you think? 

i'm a little nervous already because I worry about complications from like the biopsy part or having some kind of spasm afterwards.  ha  stupid I know.

Hey there,

I can tell you for sure the Propofol is not a drug we use in our Endoscopy Lab. Propofol sedation is lovely in the sense that you go to sleep quickly, wake up quickly and there's very little nausea.

The thing is, Propofol requires the presence of an anesthesiologist or a nurse-anesthetist, as opposed to milder sedatives that can be administered by a doctor or nurse. This can add as much as $500 to the cost of the procedure depending on what the facility charges for the services of anesthesia. 

According to what I have learned,  Propofol is preferred by Gastroenterologists for colonoscopies. Our GI Lab is part of our surgery center so if a patient was in a lot of pain anesthesia is just a few steps away.

Unless it has been change, I believe we use, IV Versed, Fentanyl and Zofran  if the patient is prone to nausea with sedation.  I know this is the combo I have had as well as my husband.   A bit more med may be administered in increments of 25% of the original  dose of Versed  when there are signs that anesthetic effects are lightening. 

I go with the meds as I know they will do a good job of relaxing me and if I say ouch I immediately get a bit more Versed because I do not like pain.

Also all patients are put on oxygen just to make sure their oxygen levels stay within normal range.

I dose away yet I can hear the staff talking and I will answer if they ask how I am doing.

So I guess it is up to what your Dr. prefers and what your willing to accept.

I had Propofol once but not for mild sedation. 

Please remember I am not a Dr. or is what I post here in the forum to ever take the place of medical advice.  I am sharing my own experience.

Good luck and I know you will do well.

If you just take your Klonopin if it is ok with Dr. and than the Propofol you should be good. They will watch you very closely.

Good Luck,

Kitt

You will be fine. I had one done 12/5 and I was on here scared myself. but received words of motivation and went through with it. I was afraid the day of and cried like a baby(anxiety high). but I made it. I was given Fentanyl and versed and it was over before I knew it. I was in at 10:15 and out by 11:30. I went home and went to bed. I also had a biopsy done. Have Faith and you'll be fine :)

Hazel,

My dear friend, Oops my mistake,  I thought you were have a colonoscopy not a  esophagogastroduodenoscopy ( Upper GI scope).

I had 2 in one day so I had the meds twice and I had the throat sprays and all the IV meds.  I do not  remember the first one but they told my my mouth was too small and the Cardiologist could not complete the scope so they sent me uptown to a senior cardiologist with anesthesia stand by.  He chuckled and said anesthesia was right there but he would not be needing him. And we didn't.

I was told later that I bit the first Dr. and I do not remember a thing but I did not have a sore throat after have 2 procedures in the same day.

You will do well....................I will be keeping you in my prayers.

Love,

Kitt

My scope was done as they were looking for a possible hole in my heart. My test was a Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is a test that produces pictures of your heart. TEE uses high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) to make detailed pictures of your heart and the arteries that lead to and from it. Unlike a standard echocardiogram, the echo transducer that produces the sound waves for TEE is attached to a thin tube that passes through your mouth, down your throat and into your esophagus. Because the esophagus is so close to the upper chambers of the heart, very clear images of those heart structures and valves can be obtained.

 

It can only be performed by a cardiologist in our state.

And I got lucky and had 2 in one day. 

My throat was fine, didnt feel anything different. After I changed back into my clothes , I had to sit in the recliner for 10mins ,I was still out of it and then my husband helped me to the car and once home I ate and went to sleep for 2 hours. I will say my stomach felt uncomfortable the next day, I just felt sick to the stomach.You'll get through it ☺

I had a colonoscopy and an endoscopy last year on the same day. Day after Thanksgiving. So my Thanksgiving meal was a jug of that nasty prep stuff they give you to "cleanse" you. For some reason, I wasn't worried about either. I was out like a light before I knew what hit me. No soreness or side effects. Just a nice deep sleep. I wish I could sleep like that all the time!