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The colonoscopy experiment minus sedation


Dottleshead

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I had heard getting a colonoscopy w/o sedation was an option.  Part of me thought it would be cool to watch it on the monitor.  In the end I decided it wasn't that  cool so I settled on light sedation.  Only one problem.  I had exactly two -- count them 1, 2 -- Tic Tac mints on the way to the procedure and that was a no-no.  Because I also have a mild case of gerd, it turns out those mints contain peppermint oil which can react with the medication and cause respiratory problems with people with gerd.  I was basically denied sedation so I either shut it down and go home and restart the prep on another day -- or I step and get a 4 foot hose wired scope shoved up my rectum ass and watch it on TV.  Well I decided to continue and go on.  I won't get into too many details but say it was kind of interesting after I got pass the insertion part and then again around the foot and a half mark and then again after about another foot and a half where there were some bigger, tighter turns.  The pressure did cause some uncomfortable discomfort at those points.  I won't lie. But otherwise not too big of deal. 

It was both interesting and kind of disturbing at the same time.  I suspect few of us have had a visual of the insides of our intestines or any other body part really -- so from that point of view it was fascinating.  They use a larger scale tool similar to what they use at the dentist office.  It can spray water and vacuum it out -- like when they're drilling tooth.  Oops.  I didn't mean to use that word in this context.  Anyway, my lower intestine essentially got a shower and cleaning.  Most of the pathway looked like passing through triangular hallway like a Toblerone box. It floors me how awesome the technology is.  It's literally saved thousands of lives and/or prolonged others. 

Toblerone bar

 

But as cool as the intellectual side of it all was -- you don't forget it's your body, the left over shit pasties floating around your intestines that are blown up in HD for visual inspection, the effing hose jammed up your rectum ass and you don't dare move (I hate to think what would have happened if I had to puke or sneeze), and the uncomfortable pressure pushing against your walls like you have the biggest, most explosive fart ever that needs to come out -- but can't. 

Let the jokes begin.

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I did my last colonoscopy without drugs.  It was uncomfortable, to say the least, but I got to leave right after the procedure and I could drive myself home, instead of making my son take off from work to do it.  

That said, I don't think I will ever opt for the no drugs option again.  

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Definitely drugs for me. But last time I coughed up a lung in recovery from the oxygen I ‘spose. That sucked. I am taking off work next Wednesday to take my wife for hers. We really look forward to the breakfast after. :)  And I have a Brazilian vacation days that need to be taken so no problem there. 

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My first colonoscopy I watched the whole thing. They gave me morphine so it wasn’t painfull. My second one they said they didn’t do it that way anymore and I woke up back in my room as if I had just taken a nice nap. That first one there were no chunks of poo floating around, I was clean before they started. I know nothing of the second procedure or if they actually did it. It was the same doctor that did Monday’s procedure so now she has seen me from one end to the other.

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33 minutes ago, Philander Seabury said:

Definitely drugs for me. But last time I coughed up a lung in recovery from the oxygen I ‘spose. That sucked. I am taking off work next Wednesday to take my wife for hers. We really look forward to the breakfast after. :)  And I have a Brazilian vacation days that need to be taken so no problem there. 

The meal afterwards is a great reward.

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1 hour ago, Airehead said:

Thanks. I will opt for drugs on August 16;or whenever it really is about that date. 

Well, then it's a simple procedure.  The only downside is the purging of the system and no food for 24 hours.  But the actual procedure?  As @Longjohn mentions, you go in, get knocked out, some magic happens, and then you wake up and get to go eat.  You'd never know your body had been invaded.  What's not to like?

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2 hours ago, Road Runner said:

I did my last colonoscopy without drugs.  It was uncomfortable, to say the least, but I got to leave right after the procedure and I could drive myself home, instead of making my son take off from work to do it.  

That said, I don't think I will ever opt for the no drugs option again.  

Yeah, I'm with you.  I now know it can do it and it really wasn't horrible -- but why?  The conscience sedation they have these days is pretty great.  You're knocked out -- feels like you just in a wonderful sleep state -- but can be easily woken up and you remember it. A bit fuzzy but it wears off within a couple hours or sooner.

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When I had my procedure on Monday the anesthesiologist asked me if I ever had trouble with anesthesia. I told her I wasn’t sure. I had what was supposed to be outpatient surgery for a hernia in 2018. They told me as soon as I could pee after surgery I could go home. I peed and as they were getting the discharge papers ready I had a cardiac arrest. They admitted me to the hospital for four days, but never gave me a straight answer about what caused the cardiac arrest. 
My anesthesiologist’s eyes opened real wide and she said she would use as little anesthetic as possible.

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2 hours ago, maddmaxx said:

Me to the anesthesiologist:  Should I count backwards from 100"

Him to me:  "You can if you want, but it doesn't matter".

Me:  zzzzzzzzzzz

Nurse:  "Good morning".

Yeah, it you're lucky you make it to 98. :D

I vividly remember when they used ether when I had my tonsils oot.  I remember that being a little slower.  And stinky!

Why is ether no longer used as an anesthetic?
Anesthetic ether

Diethyl ether is obsolete as a general anesthetic [1]. It is highly inflammable and therefore incompatible with modern surgical and anesthetic techniques. It has an unpleasant smell and irritates mucous membranes; this can cause coughing, straining, laryngeal spasm, and hypersalivation.
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The only thing I remember is a brief sensation of cold when he hits the plunger.  I've had the same good stuff for my cataract surgery where they only put you under long enough to do the anesthetic stuff to the eye.  Then they wake you up during the rest of the procedure and you can have a conversation with the doc while watching the foggy images of tools working inside your eyeball.

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  • 3 weeks later...

My first colonoscopy was with no sedation. It was not an experience I would repeat; very uncomfortable. 

Every one I’ve had since has been under general anesthesia.  Unfortunately because they’ve removed a number of adenomas and because of some ileitis that they attribute to autoimmune issues, I have to have them more frequently. 

 

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8 hours ago, Road Runner said:

So no one here has tried any of the home screening tests, such as ColoGuard?

My last time I did ColoGuard. It was ok, my doctor suggested it was time for another colonoscopy. Maybe with my heart condition when I have my consultation next month for the colonoscopy they will say it’s too risky and just stick with the poop in a box.

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4 hours ago, road0315 said:

@Dottles, TicTacs? Really?! The instructions clearly state to eat nothing and don’t even chew a piece of gum or use mints. You backed yourself into that one. 
I’m glad they removed the polyp. 

I had to eat some Smarties to maintain my blood glucose level during prep, but I could not eat the red ones.

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4 hours ago, road0315 said:

@Dottles, TicTacs? Really?! The instructions clearly state to eat nothing and don’t even chew a piece of gum or use mints. You backed yourself into that one. 
I’m glad they removed the polyp. 

Instructions??  Who reads those?  Hah!  It wasn't the most pleasant experiences but it wasn't the worst.  I kinda always wanted to do it -- watch the procedure -- so maybe it was subliminal?  I don't know.  But now that I've done it, as @Road Runner mentions, I don't think I'd do it again.  But if I had to, I know I could get through it w/o issue.

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12 minutes ago, Dottles said:

Hah!  It wasn't the most pleasant experiences but it wasn't the worst.

“Not the worst” implies other thresholds for discomfort you would subject yourself to. 
Call this “the worst” and set the standard for evaluating other procedures? “How uncomfortable would that be compared to…say…colonoscopy discomfort?” Seems that would guide your medical decision making going forward. 

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3 hours ago, road0315 said:

“Not the worst” implies other thresholds for discomfort you would subject yourself to. 
Call this “the worst” and set the standard for evaluating other procedures? “How uncomfortable would that be compared to…say…colonoscopy discomfort?” Seems that would guide your medical decision making going forward. 

Ah. Trouble. Let's just say I'm not signing up for it again but if I had to... I would be fine.

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